Forced To Find A Mate

Chapter 4: Why Do You Hate Me So Much?

Brenda's POV

"Your mother was pregnant with twins. She went into labor on the night of the full moon.

You came out first, but your brother came out after that.

Your mom has a complication that the midwives couldn't quite figure out.

Your twin brother died a few hours later, and so did you mom."

That was Granny's voice playing in my head.

Though she told me this when I was very young, her voice was still fresh in my head, like it was yesterday.

Whenever I remember those words from granny, it always gives me a mixed feeling.

Maybe, if my mother was here and alive, she would have loved me as much as Luna Beatrice loved Audrey.

Granny had told me that my father started hating me since I was a child.

My father believed that I was the cause of my mother and twin brother's death.

Since my very presence annoyed him so much, I grew up with Granny,and only returned to my pack at age twelve.

Father later found Luna Beatrice as his second chance mate, hoping that she'll give birth to a boy, who would become the future alpha of the pack.

When Luna Beatrice gave birth to Audrey, my father hated me more, because I was the one who took away his only chance at an heir.

All the love and attention a child should get was given to Audrey.

Luna Beatrice later gave birth to my stepbrother Justin, seven years after I was born.

But things never changed between me and my father.

I guessed after seven years, my father was already used to hating me.

When I saw those documents in my father's study, I knew that everything was completely taken away from me.

Though it's hard to believe, there were still some traces of hope in my heart.

I had dared to hope that my father would one day understand that I wasn't cursed or possessed, nor was I the cause of my mother and twin brother's death.

But after seeing the documents in his study, I knew there was nothing more to hope for.

Another hope would be futile.

I staggered out the study and back to my room.

I didn't know how long I laid there.

I couldn't guess the number of thoughts that came to my mind when I saw that father had handed over the entire affairs of the family's business to Audrey, who was three years younger than me.

To him, I never existed, and never….."

The knock on my door interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in."

I retorted angrily to whoever was knocking.

The door opened and Nelly walked in.

"The Alpha demands your presence."

That was all she said to me. She didn't greet me.

Even the maids here treated me with so much disrespect.

I got out of bed and got dressed in a purple silky dress, since purple was my favorite color. Then I banged the door behind me and headed down stairs.

As I descended the stairs to get to the living I saw that my father, Alpha Tom, was seated already.

As I walked into the living room, he was still occupied by whatever he was doing that he seemed oblivious to my presence.

"Good evening Alpha."

I greeted him, but instead of a response, he only made him look up at me briefly before his eyes returned to whatever was in his hand.

He prefers it when I call him Alpha like the rest of the pack members. Dad was a name that was so much to dispose of from my mouth.

I knew that this was connected to what happened in the study. Not like I left any traces though, but anything that goes wrong always falls on my head.

"There's a proposal for you."

Proposal? What f*****g proposal? From who?

As if he could be ready mind, he responded.

"It's from the rarest place and the rarest of persons."

Rarest place and rarest person? What is he even talking about?

I kept quiet and waited, with all the patience I could muster, for him to finish.

"Beta Adams wants you to marry his son, though I don't seem to see what he could probably see in you."

Beta Adams had two sons, Bryce and Brian. But why would he want me to marry Brian, when….?

"Beta Brian believes that you'll be a good choice for Bryce."

My father's growling voice became deeper at this point, but I knew it wasn't because he had any kind of pity for me.

Did I hear him say Bryce? That irresponsible rascal of a man? That's a big, fat no for me.

"And listen,"

Father interrupted me and continued.

"You don't have much of a choice here!"

He adjusted in his position and sat a bit upright.

The only alternative choice you have is to present a man to me, before the end of the upcoming Idumendo.

"What? How do you expect me to find a man before the end of Idumendo?

I seemed to have found my voice, because I was quiet the whole time.

He only gave a faint smirk to the courage I had to protest about his decision.

"Young lady, your choices are limited here."

He lower his head, and said in a growling voice,

Present a man to me, or you'll marry Bryce."

He stood up from the seat and warned me with the angriest face he could muster.

"And let me warn you now, if you refuse to marry Bryce, and fail to find a man at the end of the Idumendo celebration, you'll be thrown out of the Blue Eclipse Pack."

At this point, I was so angry, both at him and with myself.

I was angry at him for hating me for no good reason for over twenty years now.

I was also angry with myself for always being different. If I was able to get a mate at eighteen, I wouldn't have find myself in a situation where I'm forced to marry a monster like Bryce.

"Why do you hate me so much."

He paused in his tracks, and turned to me.

"You think I hate you, huh?"

A wicked smirk danced its way up to the corner of his lips.

"Just wait till the end of Idumendo celebration, since you don't want to marry Bryce, and you fail to present a man to me, then you'll know that hate is a mild expression."

As he walk out, I knew that wasn't just a threat, he meant every f*****g words that he said.

The Idumendo celebration was an annual celebration of the Blue Eclipse Pack.

Guests were welcomed from all over the world. They were mostly werewolves, and maybe, just maybe, some other supernatural beings.

I've always doubted whether humans have ever been in attendance.

The celebration would be in a month from now, so if he wants me to find a man in a month from now, then he should have as well ask me to manufacture one.

As he walked away, I wished to the goddess that my miseries would also walk away.

I sat on the chair, bowed my head, and in a whisper I murmured.

Goddess of the moon, I don't know if I should ask this, if I should find a mate within the three days of the Idumendo celebration, I'll be the happiest person alive.

As I left the living room and walked back to my room, the danger of being cast off the pack danced before my eyes.

A werewolf thrown out of the pack? That's the worst that could happen.

All through the evening and that night, one question lingered on my mind, refusing to go away.

Would I be able to find a mate before the end of the Idumendo celebration, or would I be thrown out?

*****

All this happened a month ago.

But as I met the stranger on the second night of the Idumendo celebration, and he began to kiss me, I wanted to take him to my father.

Even the intoxication of alcohol didn't make me forget what was important to me, but when his hand reached the most sensitive spot of my body, my mind ceased at that moment.