Every Rose needs a Thorn

The Mate Bond

Thorn’s POV:

I had spent 5 years on my estate back in England, making the estate profitable.  I also sold all the property I had in the Cape.  I had build my pack and made the pack strong, more and more wolves arrived at my estate and I had to create boundaries to hide us from the outside world, all these wolves either worked on my estate or protected the estate, we all had a role and the formula worked.  My wolf Finn guided me into becoming a strong Alpha and my pack flourished.

When I arrived in Cape Town 2 days ago, the first person I ran into was Sir Johnathon Blake and he invited me to his estate, I had to make my entrance back in to Cape Town Society at some point, might as well start with this gathering.  I walked into the ballroom, I was overtaken by the most intoxicating smell, I realised it was my mate and for a moment I felt happy,  I stood still for a moment just relishing the smell.  The scent grew stronger with each step I took.  My mouth started to drool with the faint smell of rose and honey.  My wolf was going crazy, searching for her, I scanned the whole room.  I slowly stalked across the room, trying not to attract to much attention. When I finally settled on the source of that intoxicating smell, I felt confused with the feelings I was experiencing, I stood there for a while just watching her every move, I listened to her laugh at other men and I was angry. My wolf took over.  I almost ripped everyone apart in front of me trying to get to her, I couldn’t believe Rose was my mate.  I had to calm myself and my wolf before I took another step.  My feelings confused me, I was at war with myself, I still hated her and her family but Finn immediately adored her.

I wasn’t at all calm when I approached her with Sir Johnathon the host of the evening, but I forced myself to calm down.  When she finally spoke, I almost lost control completely, all my wolf wanted to do was mark her, but then her father and sister had to approach, I wanted to rip out his throat, I hated him, and I wasn’t going to let her being my mate interfere with my revenge for him, I wanted him to feel my wrath. 

I glanced over to Rose, she was different, somehow, I saw the weariness in her eyes and I also saw pain when she looked at me and guilt.  I always liked her, I always felt this pull to her,  but they were all still going to pay,  first I have to get rid of Rose’s family,  and their income.  they deserved what-ever was going to happen to then,  they are the worst sort of people, my mother and sister wrote of them often, I made sure I knew about their family business and my mother and sister where great at looking inconspicuous.   I knew Rose was innocent of most of their crimes, but she still betrayed me. 

She moved to try and calm her father, her skirts touched my legs and my awareness of her grew.

 I had to leave the ball room as I was losing control, my wolf was also excited to have found his mate.  I was barely aware of anything else that happened, I only noticed her when she left with her father.  I felt the disappointment and the loss as she left, and then she turned around to look at me, I felt indescribably so I winked at her.

 I walked the streets trying to think of a way to make her mine.  Thoughts of her consumed me, Finn was constantly trying to get me to go to her.   But first I had to get rid of her father, he will pay for what he did to me with everything he has.  I have been dreaming of this moment for the last 5 years, I was going to destroy him, she was also going to pay for her part in the betrayal, but her punishment was going to be delicious and slow.

I reached my Hotel and went straight to my rooms. 

I paced my rooms in the Cape Heritage hotel.  I felt that betrayal all over again.  I hated her father, and I wasn’t sure I could forgive her, but this mate bond also made me want her, what they took from me was unforgivable.  5years ago she was only 15 years old, still a girl, but what she did, betraying me, hurt me to the core, but it also brought me my mother and sister.

I had no feelings for Emily any more, I knew now that what I felt for her was infatuation, never love, I was enamoured by how beautiful she was.  That the most beautiful girl in the Cape was mine and wanted me.  But all she really wanted was a name for her illegitimate, baby.

What had me pacing my rooms now was, I didn’t expect her to change so much, she was beautiful, she was never as beautiful as Emily, but she always just had this inner glow but that all changed now, she was stunning.  Emily’s face looked harder now, like I was truly looking at her for the first time, seeing her for the first time.  Rose’s face was soft, porcelain skin, auburn curls but tonight her big blue innocent eyes didn’t want to leave me, haunting me, staying with me, she got under my skin and refused to leave.  I couldn’t take my eyes of her at the ballroom, I wanted to drag her out of the room and make love to her, those eyes, she had a way of staring right into your soul, but her body was made to sin, she had curves in all the right places and I wanted those thighs around my waist.  I touched the scar on my face, it reminded me of that night,  What she did to me 5 years ago was reprehensible, but I had to have her, and I was going to have her whether she liked it or not..

When I saw her tonight, I almost ran to her, my legs felt like it automatically just guided me toward her, she drew me like a magnet, and I couldn’t take my eyes of her.  All that promise she held in her youth finally realised, so I decided to watch her before she realised I was there.  Smiling that sweet innocent smile at all the young men, but I could see she had no interest in them, she always hated these social gatherings.  I felt a jealous jolt when I saw the young men approaching her, this possessiveness I felt over her made me even more vengeful.  Her sister betrayed me, yes,  but Rose’s betrayal felt worse somehow.  We were friends and we confided in each other.    Thinking about it now Emily was a fling, she had no substance to her.  Rose was a dear friend someone I could confide in even at 15 she was very insightful and showed a lot of compassion.  Her betrayal cut deep.  This mate bond only complicated the matter more, I wanted and hated her at the same time.

I ordered up more wine to my rooms, this was going to be a long night of past memories plaguing me and still those eyes swam in front of my face.  The wine in the area was known for its delightful aromatic taste, but all I tasted was bitterness and regret.   Bitterness because I felt electricity coursing through my body when I saw Rose, regret because I was irresponsible enough to get involved with that family in the first place.  Rose always so sweet, so wise, so innocent. I will never be fooled by her innocence again.

Emily used her beauty to try and entrap me, Rose though could steal my soul and I was here for other reason.  Revenge and my sister.  They would pay all of them, and I won’t stop until they were on their knees in front of me begging for mercy.  I turned to look in the mirror that scar across my cheek a reminder and it will keep the hate alive.  I decided to go out, I knew of a place nearby were they played cards the whole night, I decided to walk there.   The last 5 years, I have taken my fathers business and estate and increased the profits tenfold, by any standards, I was now a very rich man.  My pack thrived and we were fortified within our own little world.

I walked quickly to the club, as soon as I stepped into the club, I could smell all the different scents, and then I smelled that old man her father Henry Cummins.  I saw him playing at a nearby table, I walked over and through my money on the table, “Care if I join you gentleman”

The last 5 years of my live has been spent with thoughts of revenge, and what I had in mind for Sir Henry Cummins was going to be a lot of fun, for me, Emily will also pay for her part in my attack.  But him being here at the card tables just improved my mood significantly.  Rose’s face drifted into my mind again, My revenge ideas for Rose will be sweet, long and torturous, she will pay the ultimate price.  She will be mine forever and I couldn’t wait.