To Tempt An Alpha King

Mate?...

Present time

RAYA

"How long does it take to get a f*****g glass of juice?!" Her voice sliced through the otherwise calm atmosphere of the room. My hands were already beginning to shiver from the weight of the heavy makeup box I balanced on my weak left arm. In my other hand, the glass of mango juice my mistress had requested, was outstretched toward her.

"I…I'm sorry," I panted, taking a moment to catch my breath. She had sent me to recover an old makeup box from the storage room downstairs and pick up a glass of juice on my way back.

I had not expected the wall of discarded items I met in the storage room. It had taken me ages to find the box. And as soon as I did, I took it back up as fast as my legs could carry me, only pausing in the kitchen to grab the drink. But I knew that my mistress would only wave my comments aside as excuses.

"Sorry for yourself!" She spat, striking my outstretched arm so hard that the glass connected with my teeth, shattering it into pieces. I grimaced from the impact of the glass on my teeth and the burning sensation of the juice in my eyes.

“Time and time again you keep proving how incompetent you are! You can't even complete simple tasks without annoying me, ugh!" She shoved me away from her, wringing her hand to shake off the drops of juice that had spilled on her.

The pain brought tears to my eyes but I kept silent, knowing that speaking would only make things worse. Dropping the box on the floor, I sped across the large room to the drawer, taking out a roll of paper towels and tearing out a ply. Hurrying back, I fell to my knees and began to wipe her hand.

"What the f**k!" she shrieked, tearing her nails into my skin as she landed a hard slap on my cheek. "Get the hell away from me! How dare you touch me?!"

"I…I-I'm so s-sorry.." I trailed off, feeling the familiar metallic taste in my mouth. As I struggled back to my feet, another slap stopped me, sending me sprawling back to the floor.

At this point, I knew what was coming next. I could hear the crunch of bone and muscles as she shifted up to her elbow. And without warning, she began to dig her claws into me, tearing at my flesh.

Pain like fire burned through me as I screamed at the top of my lungs. "No, no…please!!"

I could feel the fluid drip from the gashes in my skin as I desperately raised my hands in a weak attempt to shield myself.

Minutes later, I lay shivering on the floor, a bloody mess. I placed a palm over my mouth to muffle the sounds. Janna had made it clear on several occasions that the sound of my sobbing irritated her. Unable to bear any further punishment, I crawled to my feet and raced out of the door.

"Raya! Raya, get back here!"

But I paid her no mind. I knew I would be in grave trouble for this later on. But I just needed to get out of here. I couldn't take it anymore. My body ached as I rushed out of the mansion and toward the back gate.

Ten minutes later, I was safely hidden in the woods not too far away. I hissed in pain as my fingers ran over the cuts I had sustained. They would begin to heal soon enough, but my body was beginning to tire from the daily beatings.

I swiped away the tear that fell onto my cheeks, wiping my runny nose with the back of my hand. The idea of escaping from here crossed my mind, like it always did. But I knew there was no use. They would find me. They always did. So there was no point.

This had been my life for the past ten years. My whole life had started on a bad note. When I was only five, my parents decided that they wanted nothing more to do with me. And so they packed up their things and left, dumping me in front of my grandfather's tiny house.

I don't remember much of what happened then, nor did I understand it. I lived with my grandpa for four years. The day he died of a sudden illness was the worst day of my life. I remember crying and feeling lost for months on end. My whole life had come to a standstill, and I had no idea where to go from there.

My grandfather had been a serving omega in his pack, automatically making me an omega as well. So in the case of his death, I was taken in by a wealthy family of the pack and forced to serve as a servant and personal maid to the family's daughter–Janna Alvatore.

For ten years I'd been picked on, maltreated, beaten, for even the slightest inconveniences. I stifled the sob that escaped my throat. And then I remembered that I was alone. I was so used to being told to shut my mouth that it was now second nature to me. The sadness of it all brought tears to my eyes.

Every day, I would wish that somehow I would be freed from all this pain and agony. But each time, I had the sinking feeling that my dreams would remain dreams. I spent the next few minutes sobbing into my hand and feeling sorry for myself. Soon enough, it was dark. I forced myself upright, wincing from the pain.

I was not troubled by the darkness as my wolf eyes were able to adjust perfectly. But what I could not handle was danger. Which was why I nearly leapt from my skin when I heard the sound of a foot crushing dry leaves. I let out a sharp gasp, tilting my head to the direction of the sound. I could tell that the person was still some distance away from me.

Alert, I crept toward the back of a tree, my eyes wide and searching. And then it hit me. It was so sudden that it took me by surprise. That smell. The heavy, musky scent of a male werewolf. But that wasn't all. Underneath that masculine odor was the spicy yet earthy flavor of rosewood, and an underlying hint of cinnamon. I breathed in the overpowering scent, my eyes widening in realization. Could it be?

'Mate.'

There it was. The unmistakable sound of my wolf's voice.

"Cara?" I whispered shakily, refusing to believe.

'Mate,' she repeated.

My chest exploded with joy. I couldn't believe this! A mate? My mate. This meant a lot of things. I would be free from Janna, from all of this. I needed to see him, to talk to him. Willing myself to be brave, I began to approach the figure. The happiness that threatened to burst in my chest suddenly deflated as I looked down at myself.

I was filthy. Clad only in a faded, crusty blue dress that was too small for me, and the stench of sweat and tears, I smelled like death. I didn't even remember the last time I had taken a shower. It was one of Janna's punishments; keeping me filthy as long as she desired.

I picked at the side of my dress, retracing my steps as shame pricked my insides. I couldn't let my mate see me like this. What would he think?

"Hey, hey?!" I heard a husky voice call out as I began to move away. I sucked in a sharp breath, increasing my steps. No, no, no. I couldn't come out looking like this.

"Hey! Stop!" The voice called out again as I took off. I could tell that he was a fast runner. But I had an advantage. I knew these woods. I had practically grown up here. So I ran, pain and shame kicking at my chest as I escaped my mate. I didn't stop until I got back to the mansion, and by then I was out of breath. After I stood for a few moments, realization began to dawn on me. What if I had just missed my chance? What if I never got to meet my mate again? And it would be of my own doing.

"No," I whispered, falling to my knees at the thought. I refuse to believe that I had just lost my only chance at freedom and possibly…love. But the tears streaming down my face told another story. As I knelt in the grass, wiping my face, I said a silent prayer to the goddess. I would find him again…I would. And this time, I would be ready.

Trying not to beat myself too much about it, I headed into the mansion, dread filling me up at the memory of this afternoon. I was in so much trouble. As though it had been planned, Janna stormed out of the front door, two guards by her side. She began to yell out curses when she caught sight of me. And there I stood, awaiting my punishment.