CAPTIVE BY THE RUTHLESS LYCAN KING

Chapter 2: Mating Ceremony

Ashley's Point of View

“Oh, she's in pain. I can't believe that she experience those things.” I heard a woman talking. I groaned as I smelled the fragrance of the alcohol. Where am I?

Am I in paradise that they always talked about? I breathed heavily when I tried to open my eyes.

“Oh my! She's moving! Did you see that?”

“Yes, Mom. I see what you are seeing.” A deep voice talked with her, which made me gasp. When I heard his voice, it felt like he was tickling me. He made my heart beat violently. What was happening to me?

My eyes slowly opened, and I tried to calm down. I'm safe, right? I didn't need to panic. I didn't need to think that I would be getting hurt again. It looks like it was meant that I would be saved.

When I roamed around, I saw a woman standing near me while there was a man who looked like her. They were looking at me with surprise, making me uncomfortable. I didn't even know them.

“Son, call the doctor!” The woman shouted in panic, and I moaned when she touched me. She screamed in horror when I started coughing a lot of blood.

The pack doctor went into my room and decided to ask them to get out of the room. I watched them leaving me, and the pack doctor, with his nurses, checked what was the cause of the pain that I had felt.

“You don't have a wolf? I noticed that you're healing is too slow,” he commented, making me gulp in nervousness. He was a werewolf, and I knew how those werewolves loathed my father to death.

I wasn't blind to his wrongdoings because I wasn't the type of woman who could tolerate such horrendous things.

He sighed before he went to the nurse, who was writing in the chart. After they talked, the nurse left the room and went back too fast. I saw him take the pill and give it to me.

“Are you wolfless? How old are you?” he asked, and I closed my eyes to stop myself from getting scared of him.

I didn't need to tell them that I was a Lycan, and it was better if they knew that I was wolfless because they might kill me whatever happened. I wanted to live normally, like what those werewolves were doing.

Aside from that, they were the only werewolves who could help me. I needed to recover, and I needed to stay with them.

“I'm twenty years old. I don't know if I have a wolf or not.” I answered, hoping he wouldn't notice my anxiety, especially when he inspected me.

“Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. No one will hurt you here.” he mumbled when he noticed I was violently shaking in fear. s**t! I don't want to die yet; I want to be happy.

I knew that my mother wanted me to seek justice for her death, but I knew that she wanted me to be happy, too.

“Do you know who your family is? We are searching for your relatives, and Alpha Brandon will help you. He's your mate.”

I was stunned when I heard the word mate. I don't think I was allowed to have a mate, especially after what happened to my mother. No, I don't usually trust men. They were a bunch of cheaters and liars.

“I... I didn't know that he was my mate.” I stammered and tried to act natural. I didn't like him to notice that I was lying to him.

“It's because you still don't have your wolf. Well, you don't need to worry about it because your wolf might be late to show up. He is your mate. He informed us, which is why he saw you at the seashore.” He uttered while smiling at me. I groaned when an image popped into my head. I didn't know if I knew him from the start, but it was strange that I saw him from my past.

“You suffered a lot. You deserve to live happily. Do you want me always to visit you to give you some counseling?” he added, and I shook my head because I didn't like to get his counsel. I don't need it. Does he think that I was a crazy b***h?

I watched him writing in his chart, and he glanced at me before he smiled. “Do you have any questions that you want me to answer?”

I nodded slowly and closed my eyes before saying, “Do I know you? I don't understand. It looks like you know me, and I know you as well.”

He paused for several minutes before he took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and forced himself to smile at me. “This is the first time that I see you. Maybe. In your past life.” he chuckled, which made me frown at him.

I didn't say anything but couldn't stop scowling at him. I'm asking seriously, but he only makes fun of me.

“I will tell them always to make you take your medicine. You need it because you can't heal like us for now.” He lastly informed me before he left me alone in my room—several minutes when the man, who was my mate, came inside and he looked worried.

He moved closer to me, and I gasped when I felt the mate bond effect in my body. I didn't know that this was the effect of having a mate. It was calming and reassuring. It made me relax for a bit, that I wanted to close my eyes.

“Did the doctor tell you that I'm your mate? I wanted to know more about you, but he said you can't remember everything.”

I blinked when I heard him talking, and I was astounded when the pack doctor lied to him. I only nodded because I didn't want him to punish the pack doctor for lying to him. An Alpha was strict, and I knew that they didn't like that someone was lying to them.

“He told me that you are my mate. I feel it, but I didn't know.” I tried to sound casual, but my voice cracked, making him chuckle.

“Calm down. You need to take a rest. I want you to recover so fast so I can bring you in my pack. For now, I need to always be with you so you can heal.”

“What do you mean?”

“You can heal fast if you are nearer to your mate. That's how the mate bonds work,” he answered patiently, and I gulped when he laughed at me. My lips parted when he held my hand and squeezed it tightly.

If the moon goddess were real, I would be thankful for her. I didn't even know I would be pleased to have someone beside me. Maybe, I was used to being alone for five years, and it was depressing on my part.

Alpha Brandon did everything to make me heal fast. He didn't even mind if he needed to always be with me. He didn't even care if he lost his time toward his pack.

“You are such a nice woman.” His mother smiled at me. Her eyes sparkled when she saw Alpha Brandon sleeping on the chair while he was still holding my hand.

I swallowed when there was a tease on her lips. I was uncomfortable, especially since I knew that he was my mate's mother. I don't like to offend her and make her angry.

“When you first see yourself, you look scared. It's been months since you have been here, and I know your mother is proud of you,” she whispered because I only mentioned my mother to them. What they knew was my mother died because of the war.

I was a liar, but I was scared to tell them the truth. Maybe, I could say to them about my identity if I found out if they were one of the werewolves who were mad at the Lycans.

“You still look scared when you are looking at me. But your eyes changed when you were looking at my son. Do you love him?” she questioned, which stunned me because I didn't even know how to love someone.

Only my mother treated me with love, and I didn't know if I appreciated Alpha Brandon's presence because he was only a man.

“My son is an honorable and respected man. You deserve someone like him!” she exclaimed as if she was trying to sell me, Alpha Brandon. I chuckled when I glimpsed at Alpha Brandon and saw him only acting like he was sleeping. He might be waiting for my answer, which made me shake my head.

“Madam....”

“You can call me ‘Mom,’ honey. You are my son's mate, and I know that you will be the Luna of our pack. I know you are not like those women who will love him because of his status.”

I swallowed because of what she told me. Yeah, I wasn't. I would want to be with the normal werewolves than with the Lycans.

“I didn't have money to buy him,” I smirked, which made Alpha Brandon finally decide to wake up. He glared at me and at his mother, who was laughing loudly.

“I'm not for sale. You can claim me for free. Damn it.” he grunted and squeezed my hands as if assuring me he was the best choice.

Alpha Brandon did everything to make me experience how to be loved with so much honesty. It was great to be with him, and I hope he didn't have plans to reject me.

He made me stay in his pack and ensured I would be treated special. I knew that he would be the best father to his pups once.

I watched him doing his training with his pack members, and seeing him half-naked made me blush in embarrassment. He caught me that I was gazing at him, and I didn't want him to think that I was fantasizing about him.

“My mate... It looks like you are enjoying watching me from afar?” he whispered in my ears before he kissed me on my cheek. I gasped when I felt the sparks coming into my body, and he groaned when he hugged me tightly.

“You don't need to be ashamed that you are checking me. It's fine, and I understand that you find my body more detectable,” he mumbled in an enticing voice. I groaned when he licked his lips and was about to kiss me on my lips when I smacked his shoulder.

Alpha Brandon was such a jolly and hot Alpha. When I first met him, I thought he was one of the heartless Alpha, but he was different. His mother raised her so well, and he still didn't tell me what happened to his father.

I knew he was too young to handle the pack when his father died. He was more vital to take the load at his younger age, especially when there were a lot of werewolves who were trying to attack the pack.

He taught me to be happy and live joyfully on every count. He didn't even mind if he was too close to his mother because he always reasoned that he was thankful that he had a lovable mother.

“When are you going to do the mating ceremony?” his mother kept telling us about the mating ceremony because his pack already knew we were mates.

I forced myself to smile and glanced at the plate before me. I heard my friend, Kara, cough before she glimpsed at my directing. She shook her head and winked at me.

“I'm only waiting for her answer, Mom. You don't need to worry about the mating ceremony.” Alpha Brandon helplessly answered. I sighed because I knew he already wanted to push the mating ceremony, but he didn't want me to feel that he was pressuring me.

“Alpha Brandon, I'm not getting younger anymore. I want to see my grandchild.”

Our dinner was too awkward, and I noticed how Alpha Brandon had changed. He avoided me for days, and I knew he was thinking about my plans.

“Do you have plans to have---”

“Of course I have.” I didn't let him finish what she was about to say to me. He nodded. I finally dared to speak to him because I knew that he was hurting, and I thought that he was desperate to get mated with me.

My hands trembled when I encircled his nape, which took him aback. His heart thumped so fast, and I heard him gasp when I kissed him.

He moaned when he carried me and responded by kissing me. It was so hot that I wanted to ask for more. I tried to plead with him to do those mature things with me.

We both gasped after the hot kiss; he licked his lips and looked at me intensely. He laughed, but I could see tears in his eyes.

“I love you...” he whispered, and I was about to answer it when he claimed my lips. We did not do those things because he wanted to do it with me after our mating ceremony.

“Are you sure you didn't want to---”

“Rain, stop pushing my buttons. I have a hard-on, and it's not too easy for me to stop myself from taking you.” he gritted his teeth and took my hand before placing it on his bulge. I moaned but didn't say anything because I was thankful he was different from other men.

“Is it fine with you if I didn't even know how to do those things?” I was stressed because I didn't want him to think that having me in his bed was too dull.

“No! I don't think because you always make me feel safe when you are with me. I'm always excited to wake up that you are beside me.” he whispered.

The day of my mating ceremony came forward, and I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I glanced at Kara, who was sighing behind me.

“You are beautiful, Ash,” she whispered, but there was sadness in her tone. I hugged her, and she hugged me back. I didn't know her problem, but she looked anxious for several days.

“Thanks, Kara. I'm thankful that you are always with me.”

“Me, too,” she mumbled and looked at my reflection. She tried to act happy and dragged me to the venue when we received a message that I needed to be there.

I slowly came inside while Alpha Brandon was waiting for me at the end. He was smiling at me, and I saw how he wiped his tears.

“I love you,” he mouthed, and I forced myself to smile when I answered him back. I closed my eyes, and I hoped that my mother was with me.

I knew that she wanted me to be happy with the man that I loved, and it was Alpha Brandon. I knew that she would understand that I chose to settle with him than get the justice that she wanted me to do.

After all, I already cope with the dark past that I was with. I didn't need to be the Lycan Heiress.

“You are so beautiful...” he muttered and kissed my cheek. I blushed when I heard his mother laugh. He licked his lips again, and his deep eyes made me want to end the mating ceremony. I wanted to be locked up with him after this!

I couldn't understand myself, but I felt anxious. I started to get sweat even though I was only watching the elder speak with us. I swallowed, and a tear escaped from my eyes.

Why would I cry? I didn't know why. I felt that my heart stabbed several times, bleeding nonstop.

“Rain Fox, do you take...” I couldn't hear what the elder had asked me when I heard a commotion outside. The guests shrieked in horror when they saw a lot of Lycans guards coming inside the venues.

“Rain!” I heard Kara calling me. I felt my world stop spinning when I saw a familiar man looking at me directly.

It was my stepbrother, King Bryan.

“Run! Escape from here!” Alpha Brandon shouted, and I was too stunned to speak. I ended up running when the two guards started chasing me down. I heard the cries of every werewolf from the venue, and they pleaded with Bryan not to take their life.

“Get her!” Bryan roared, which made five more guards try to catch me. I even saw him punching my mate, but Alpha Brandon kept telling me to run away.

No! I gasped when I removed the end part of my wedding gown. s**t! When I saw the seven guards were too near to me, I began running to save my life. I felt that I was a coward and felt sad that Alpha Brandon only thought about me.

A tear formed in my eyes when my heart shattered into a million pieces. I cried in agony when I felt how the mate bond broke. My legs trembled, which made me stumbled, and I fell onto the middle part.

My tears didn't stop flowing into my eyes. It was painful. He killed my mate. Bryan killed my mate, and I couldn't stop sobbing because of the idea of it.

The guards stopped me and took me. I was such a mess, and I didn't know what I should do next, especially when my mate died because of me.

I didn't escape from my horrendous past; I didn't successfully run away from it. I groaned when my clenched in so much agony.

The pain I felt for losing my mother wasn't enough, and now I have lost my mate. It looked like I didn't have the right to be happy.