Contractual Marriage with My Alpha Mate

Chapter 7 Abandoned, unwanted

The Harts spent the night at the Atlas Pack, and in the morning, Winter found out that her parents had left without saying goodbye. It was like a silent warning that there was no room for debate, and her only choice was to do as they wished.

As she sat in the guest house alone, she wished she could understand why they were treating her like this. Why were they so biased against her? They had never cared about her feelings. It was as if they never saw she was hurting all those times they punished her because of Amelia when she was never in the wrong.

And now, it was clear that her fiance did not want her, but they did not care about that. As long as it served their purpose, they were willing to force her into a loveless marriage. Yes, they were Luna and Alpha of the Ivory Pack, but did that mean it was the only thing that was important to them? They were her parents! Shouldn’t they also care about their daughter?

She felt helpless and alone, because there was no one in her corner. Her own parents did not care, and her soon-to-be husband loathed her. She was stuck between two sides that did not want her. Growing up, she had thought the day she got mated would be the happiest of her life. Now, it felt like the beginning of a nightmare. It was so ironical, because she was finally hitched to the man she had always desired, but it was nothing like she had dreamed it would be.

After freshening up, she made her way to the Atlas Pack’s packhouse. She was directed to the dining room, where she found Luna Astrid having breakfast.

When she saw her, Astrid broke into a smile and rose from her chair. “Good morning, Winter. Did you sleep well?”

The smile on Astrid’s face and the warm tone of her voice almost made Winter break into tears. So far, Astrid was the only person who had treated her with warmth. She was gentle and loving, something Winter wished her own mother could be towards her. She envied the triplets for having a mother who was so caring.

“I slept well, thank you,” she replied.

Astrid ushered her into a seat and gestured for a servant to serve Winter’s breakfast. “I’m so sorry about how things ended last night,” she apologised. “I know everything might look bleak right now, but give it time, and it won’t be so bad.”

Winter fiddled with her hands on her lap and met Astrid’s gaze. “Is there really no chance for me to not mate with Julian?”

Astrid’s brows drew together in a slight frown. “Oh, dear. Don’t you love Julian at all? I thought…”

As she trailed off, Winter dropped her gaze to the food in front of her. She wished she could lie about it, but she couldn’t. Were her feelings for Julian so obvious?

Seeing Winter’s hesitation, Astrid knew she must have guessed right. Winter had feelings for Julian, but last night, Julian had been very vocal about not wanting to mate with her.

“Julian broke his mate bond with Amelia last night,” she informed Winter, hoping the information would help her feel better.

Winter’s eyes rose back to her, wide with shock. “Really?”

After hearing his conversation with Amelia, she had not thought there was a chance he would break the mate bond between them. But as it turned out, he had sacrificed for his brothers and his pack.

Astrid nodded. “Yes. He did the right thing for his pack. This means he is willing to give this a chance, so I hope you’ll put away your doubts and fears and give this a chance too. Since he’s willing to give up his relationship with Amelia, all is not lost, right? You should not give up and try to win his heart.”

Winter’s mind was a whirlwind, she did not know how to take this. Of course, she knew Julian’s decision had nothing to do with her. He had done this for his pack and family. Even though Astrid sounded hopeful that their relationship could improve, Winter did not dare to hope.

But right now, she could not think about what this meant for the two of them. Since Julian had broken his mate bond with Amelia, he must be very weak. She wondered how his condition was, and whether he was suffering alone.

Astrid could see the worry on Winter’s face, and she knew she was concerned about Julian. Thinking this could be a good opportunity for the two to bond, she asked, “Would you like to see him now?”

Winter swallowed and her heart beast faster. If there was anything she could do for Julian to make him feel better, she wanted to give it a try. “Is that okay?”

“Of course,” Astrid assured her.

Astrid gave her the directions to Julian’s room, and Winter left the dining room. A few minutes later, she was standing in front of Julian’s door. She hesitated for several seconds before finally gathering enough courage to knock.

There was no answer even after she knocked the second time. She worried that he was too weak to get the door and tried the handle. The door was unlocked and gave way. She walked into the room as silently as she could.

The room was mostly dark with the lights off and the curtains closed. The only light came from a few candles burning in the sconces. The candles gave off the scent of the forest. It was a scent that werewolves used to sooth them.

The candlelight was not enough for Winter to see her way around, and she yelped as she tripped over a step on the floor. Unknown to her, Julian’s room had a higher level where the bed was, with a few steps leading up to the platform.

She yelped as she fell towards the floor, her hands shooting forward blindly, hoping to grab onto something before she hit the ground. Suddenly, she felt a strong pair of arms go around her and hold her upright. She was pressed up against a warm body, and she knew right away it was Julian.

Her heart beat doubled while her body warmed. sh*t, what an entrance to make! Before embarrassment could sweep over her, a sweet aroma filled her senses.

For a moment, she thought it could be coming from the candles. But a few more whiffs made her realise it was a scent like none she had ever smelled before. It was sweet with a spicy undertone, and so, so intoxicating. She sucked in a deep breath as she looked up, her eyes meeting Julian’s.

He was looking down at her with shock in his blue eyes, and she knew he too was aware of the strange scent surrounding them and getting stronger with every passing second.

To a werewolf, there was only one possibility that could cause the emission of such a scent…being in the presence of their mate.