Arranged Bonds

Bonus Chapter 1:

Chapter 2: Convictions

Nox's POV

Today is the start.

Standing in place, I wait.

This is for my pack.
This is for the order.
This alliance will help us in the future.

But I can't help the guilt that is crushing down on me, on my soul. I promised her. I promised My Lily that I would never take a mate and I am breaking that promise for the good of my people.

She never asked this of me, but I promised her anyway.

Now, as I stand here, awaiting the appearance of the new woman in my life, of the mate I shouldn't have, I remember.

I remember the small ceremony we had. I remember her walking towards me in her bare glory, presenting herself to me.

Even though we both knew we could never truly mate, we were bound to each other. We were everything to each other.

She was everything to me, but fate took her. Fate took my pups. And now I have to make the best of what fate has dealt me.

My sister is beside me, holding my shoulder, giving me support.

"Don't put yourself down. Lily never wanted you to be mateless. Lily never asked that of you." Words meant to encourage are twisting in my mind. It doesn't matter that Lily wanted me to move on. I never wanted to move on.

I don't respond and Teagan doesn't say anything after that because Wrenley Nightingale has made her grand appearance.

Her hair is dark and adorned with delicate flowers. Her features are soft, yet sharp. Her eyes are cloudy, sad, but she is not the only one that is doing this against her will.

"Why isn't she naked?" My sister is confused, as am I.

Even my human bonded Lily came to me bare of any clothing. How could this born and raised she-wolf come to me like this? How could she disrespect me in this way?

The wolf in me is very displeased and so am I.

Her father has a tight grip on her, but this little bird won't fly away. I can tell by the way her strength is wrapping around her, trying to protect her, that she will go through with this, that she wouldn't run.

"...you weren't my first choice either." Her voice is mumbling and quiet, but I hear the tail end of her little quip.

I growl my displeasure. What a disrespectful mate I have acquired.

When they have closed the distance between us at last, the little bird flinches away at my outstretched palm. She doesn't look me in the eyes. She doesn't offer her own hand.

Alpha Nightingale, noticing this show of disrespect, takes charge. "Take his hand, daughter." And when she still has yet to make a move, he grips her hand in a tight grasp before placing it in mine.

I do not conceal my power to this female who won't even look me in the eyes. She is nervous and sweaty, but I have my own regrets to worry over.

She is in her own little world throughout  this ceremony and when asked to present the bonding ribbon I have to untie it from her wrist. She's startled as I hand it over to Nightingale, so startled that she finally noticed me, she finally glances those confused blue eyes my way.

I can see the way she assesses me, the way her eyes gaze into mine. My lips form a snarl unintentionally. I don't like the way she stares at me. I don't like the way she shakes from my gaze.

Lily was human, but she was always strong. She never quaked under my gaze like this female does now.

When at last the ceremony ends, I don't wait. I drag this female to the cabin Nightingale had prepared for us. I want to make this quick, get it over with so that I don't have time to feel the guilt.

The ribbon is still tied tight and the weight of what it symbolizes is tearing at my heart.

Her eyes are watery, but I try to ignore it.
"Take it off." My voice is deep as I say this. Not a question, a demand. I don't want this ribbon to touch my skin any longer than it already has.

I don't enjoy treating a female with such harshness, but the convictions I feel about this are making me wild with anger and sadness.

She is scared now, she tries to cover her large breasts and my eye starts to twitch. "Take the damned ribbon off."

She makes quick work with her tiny, delicate fingers, tugging and pulling, without untying, until we are both free.

She's still shaking and I can't help the look I give her as I turn to yank my shirt off. I may not want this, but it must be done.

If I have to mate this female that I know nothing about, at least she could give me pups, at least I could be the father I never got to be. I don't want a mate, but I do want pups. I do want children to care for. I did promise not to mate, but maybe if I keep a distance i can still live up to that.

I won't let her mark me, that way it's not a full bond, not a full mating. That way she can't see inside my head, she won't see the pain our mating will cause me. She won't see how much distress I feel, how much I miss my lily.

I am unbuttoning my dress pants when this little bird makes her move. She is at the door shaking and scared and my wolf side is enraged.

This female, so disrespectful. I thought she wouldn't run, but now my wolf has taken over and I can't seem to stop him. I may not have interest in a mate, but he does.

I can feel my canines elongating at my wolf urges me on and I can't help but to launch myself at her, to stop this little bird from flying away.