"Mate"

Chapter Three

When I came to, I found myself staring up at a concrete ceiling, the smell of blood and urine the only ones I can detect. Everything was quiet, except for occasional rustling and the squeaking of metal doors. My own cell had silver bars next to the door, the walls surrounding me made of concrete. I started panicking at the possibility that my pack found me again and will surely torture me to death. I slowly sat up on the springy mattress, checking over my wound and surprised to find it stitched and wrapped in a bandage.

I heard heavy footsteps bounding down the stairs, deep voices echoing off the walls. Not long after two pairs of black combat boots appeared at my cell door. I slowly glanced up, my eyes taking in a lean, yet muscular figure claw in ripped jeans and a black vest top showcasing a black shoulder tattoo, his hair color a light chestnut brown. When my hazel eyes connected with his grey ones, my breath hitched and my previously silent wolf whispered the one awaited word;

“Mate” growled the man in all black, his eyes glowing. Words were stuck behind the lump in my throat, dreading the rejection that is sure to come. The cell door flew open, and he strides in, stopping directly in front of me. I couldn’t suppress the whimper that escapes me, curling myself in a foetal position to try shield myself from the words that will end me.

Instead, I feel two muscular arms encasing me in a gentle yet firm embrace. I unknowingly lean into him, not remembering the last time I’ve felt an affectionate touch. He whispers comforting words in my ears, his husky voice sending shivers down my spine. Seemingly reluctantly, he pulls away, helping me stand before he guides me out of there, the other guy he came with (blonde hair, blue eyes wearing khaki cargo shorts and vest top) trailing behind us.

We arrive in front of a two story house which is next to what looks to be the pack house. The house is a light grey harbouring a black door. Once we entered, I could safely say that this house was very modern. The front hall was painted a dark grey as was, assumedly, the whole house. A black shoe rack was pushed against the right wall, a circular mirror set above it. Glass stairs extended to the second floor, black subtly crafted barrier accompanying it. We walked through the hall into the living room which consists of a black L-shaped couch placed in the middle, two black sofas and a loveseat positioned around it. A flat screen TV was situated above an electrical fireplace, paintings of nature mounted on the surrounding grey walls.

The man introduced himself as Xander, the pack’s Beta. I was still nervous around him, half expecting him to reject me at any moment.  “What’s your name?” he asked, boring a hole through my skull. With a slight hesitation, I managed to utter the four letters of my name.

“Levi” he stated, as if testing the name on his tongue. My name has never sounded as good as it does in his deep, baritone voice, accompanied by the look of admiration in his eyes. He slowly approached me, as you would a scared animal and gently cupped my face.

“You’re so beautiful” he said, with a soft smile adorning his face. A tear slid down my cheek- a tear of disbelief. I can’t believe he said that, whether it is genuine or not I can’t tell. He wiped the tear away and pressed a soothing kiss to my forehead. One single question has been floating around in my head, one that I managed to stutter out.

“W-why don’t you r-reject me?”

A look of shock flashed across his features before a disapproving one replaced it. Seeing the second look hurt me, and I don’t know why. He gripped my chin-though not too tightly- before asking me back;

“Why would I reject you? Tell me- tell me exactly why you think I’d reject you.”

“C-cause I’m ugly, s-stupid and an O-Omega.”