His Dark Embrace (Rewrite)

The Pack Meeting

The gazebo they'd set up was hidden within the mountains, it's green-gray hues blending in with the rocks perfectly. Their campfire echos starlight; chairs positioned around the warmth. Red specs dancing in the breeze as the wind slowly calmed, smoke twirly upward. Owls filled the trees, the darkness illuminating their soulfully yellow eyes; brightening jet dark pupils.

Dylan was growing frustrated, hands pinching the bridge of his nose in a feeble attempt to keep his composure. They all knew he was pissed, and they were too. Their pack had been dishonoured, made a fool of in front of their Goddess. How could they allow two mere feeble humans to win. It was a disgrace.

The oak table which rested in front of him shook, the resonating bang from his fist hushing the whispers of the pack into a sudden silence. Knuckles red, his beast pushing forward as his hand partly transformed; claws screeching down the wood in anger.

"Calm down. We will sort this." 

His eyes darkened at the sudden mind link. They were a fathomless onyx, bottomless like burning pits of coal. Cold and merciless.

His mother's soft voice filling his head, claws retracting back into fingers.

Dominic, Dylan's father had summoned a pack meeting, those in attendance retreating into the woods outside of Ravaeyn, guards left to monitor the town.

They'd dismissed over half of the pack, sending them back to Edora; including most of the human mates who'd submitted or lost. Sapphire remained, pushed closely into the Gamma's side. Her neck covered in red blemishes from where his lips had explored, devouring her in his scent. His shirt now covered her, a pair of leggings shielding her legs from the cold.  She seemed nervous, a light pink collar wrapped around her neck.

The mate bond was consuming her. She didn't have the strength to resist it as strongly as others. Her soul was too broken. Even though she maintained an image around friends of a high spirit, fun woman; she'd always been crushed by the fact her parents  had left her.

She'd cried many tears because of them over the years. Aurora and Scott had filled a big verge for her, but she still felt different. Was she not good enough? Was she a inconvenience? Did she consider them cruel for abandoning a toddler? Was it to keep her safe or for their selfish desire to escape?

Her eyes were  lowered, unmoving. The mate bond relaxing her somewhat, but the intimidating energy radiating from Dylan was enough to keep her paralysed.

She hadn't welcome Dimitri's (her mate), advances nor did she fight them. Being mated to a Gamma only made their bond more intense, as much as her brain tried to add any rationality to the fact he was a stranger to her, his dominance and husky words of reassurance seemed to blur logic away. She was upset about the collar, and he knew that, but she wasn't prepared for the alternative.

She'd refused to bear his mark, quite simply, she wasn't ready.

The collar had been put on forcibly, a memory Sapphire wanted to keep buried. He'd been rough with her, instantly regretting it when she wept from a bruised wrist he'd inflicted. Werewolves easily forgot their strength around humans. Afterwards he showered her with attention, lighting kissing her wrist in apology as he asked questions tentatively, trying to get to know his mate.

She'd answered some, but not many. This made him angry. He knew he couldn't push her for answers, another panic attack couldn't be risked.

He intended to wait until they arrived at Edora. The pack doctor if needed could supervise the conversation, due to Sapphire's medical history. He wanted his mate to relax so they could properly talk. They always seemed to forget the fact that they could be the problem. He'd make her more comfortable, one way or another. She needed to submit to their bond, and he was confident the Godessy Programme would teach her all she needed to know about being a mate.