5

"The union has been accepted."

Those words burn into my memory, awakening me from the darkness. I am not sure how long I'd been out, but I knew the pain had knocked me unconscious. It's not the first time it's happened, despite this being the first time my brain hurt instead of my body.

I blink hardly to open my heavy eyelids, then I realize there's a rather sharp ache pulsing within my skull. But it’s bearable, so I push myself up off the stone slab slowly. The last thing I want is to go dizzy right now.

"Do you have any idea what you did?" Alpha Hardin questions me, his tone clipped with anger.

I lower my aching eyes, give a small shake of my head as I brush tiny stones from my palms gently. I know I must give some response which shows a flicker of remorse or guilt to satisfy him. My father never liked it when I didn't take the blame, which made him feel like it was his fault, even when it was.

"I didn't mean to." I whispered hoarsely, my throat still rough from screaming.

Hardin exhales sharply, turning from me briefly as if the sight of me infuriates him. I didn't understand why he was so angry, other than the fact that I couldn't let him into my mind. I suppose for an Alpha as powerful as him, it's irritating for him to lose control of a prey he though he owned.

After a short-lived silence, my shoulder begins to itch, a searing burning sensation filing the bite Hardin gave me. I couldn't help whimpering, try to grip my neck to conceal the pain. Thankfully the pain didn't last long, only a minute or so before it fades to a dull throb.

"They accept you."

Hardin’s words catch my attention.

I know who ‘they’ are. I am aware of what comes next on the wedding, thanks to Triss’s unceasing questions and speeches.

First, the ancestors must accept me as a part of Alpha Hardin’s pack. Then Hardin himself should look at my naked body and accept me, and thirdly, all pack members must also see me worthy of their Alpha. It's a full circle. Triss said if everything runs smoothly, as sunset approaches, Hardin will take me to a chosen spot and finalize the mating ritual by sex. Like it or not, I must go through all the process.

I couldn't help to take a back step on the stone. I want to move a mile away, and it wouldn't be far enough away from Hardin.

His rough hands grip my shoulders, firm yet gentle. I freeze instinctively. I could feel his eyes burning down into my skull. The Alpha is patient, but unwilling to let me get away. Fearing what the rather gentle Alpha is truly capable of if angered, I didn't want to deny him, at the same time, it’s truly against my nature to give him what he wants.

It'll be easier if you give him what he wants. Triss's words ring through my head.

I see it in Hardin’s posture, the urge to snap me into place. I don’t have to look up to know he was glaring down at me; this is a silent warning to not disobey.

I rise from the stone slowly, Hardin steps back to allow me only enough space to undress. I begin to remove the lemon-yellow fabric, the jewels gleaming as the sun shines through the gap above. The sound of the jingling soothes me slightly, a noise that I find quite comforting.

Untying the fabric from my chest, it falls from my back, forcing me to hold the front of the material against my chest. Instinctively I turn away from Hardins heavy gaze. After a second, I regret for this impulsive action.

Turning my back to Hardin is a big no. He's an Alpha, and it's disrespectful!

It’s too intense to simply face him, I freeze and remain unmoving.

"After tonight, you are free on this land as you wish." Hardin's voice is low.

Surprise fills me, his words are not quite what I expected. I assume he will be angry with me for giving him my back, but in contrary, he reacts exact opposite. Was it because he knows that keeping myself covered isn't a confidence thing or was it because wolves have no shame with nudity. Maybe it's normal for a wolf to be naked in front of their mate.

Although I have my wolf, but in the past four year, I only shifted three. Besides strength and healing, I don't know how to be a wolf, my parents forbid me to learn what I am.

I finish undressing, going at my own pace without any signs of irritation or anger from Alpha Hardin. He seems like he doesn’t mind waiting, stand there as patient as a man can be.

Hardin's eyes stared boldly at my bare body. It is covered with bruises and faint scars, but there isn’t any disgust in his eyes when he stared at them.

He doesn’t hate me.

A weird warmth runs through my heart, like a sparkle of electricity, which made me both uncomfortable and a bit curious.

Triss’s voice suddenly echoed in my mind.

Is my body…beautiful?

Thankfully it lasted only a couple of minutes before he allows me to get dressed again. He even helps me to tie the fabric at the centre of my spine.

"Come." Alpha Hardin gestures after I fully dressed.

I follow his footsteps toward the light. Outside, there is an ocean of wolves in the woods, they are watching and waiting for me. The moment I step from the ancient stone cave, whispers start to rise, and all eyes are looking at my neck.

The bite is small, but the pack can smell the scent of their Alpha seeps from it. Soon each one of them realize that the ancestors have accepted me, the wolves begin to cheer. I know their utter respect or love weren’t for me. Triss said clear that one’s respect is earned by oneself in this pack, including other’s faith in me.

I follow behind Hardin, like a lost stray dog who has been kick out of her family. All the way through the woods into a large clearing, where many of the wolves are adding final touches to the seating area built higher than the floor. I don’t need to ask to know that's where that’s the ‘spot’ me and Alpha Hardin is going to mate.

For the rest of the wedding day, I should eat, drink, and begin to bond with the pack before the night falls. Truth be told, I don't care if the pack doesn’t like me. Because I knew I am just not adorable, even my own parents had a stubborn hatred toward me. I guess I am just the special one that nobody likes.

"Sit."

I joined Alpha Hardin on a small stage. Facing his pack, I feel my heart speed up as I realize how many wolves he has, each one ready for battle at a moment's notice.

And I certainly didn't expect to be instantly swarmed by passionate wolves.

"Hi! I'm Liza, can I say how gorgeous you are?" A middle-aged lady blurts in a bubbly tone, her smile is sheepish, and her cheeks are tinted pink. She has a good smell of freshly baked cakes.

"Thank you. I like your hair too." I smile softly at her as if we know each other for years.

Facades aren't new to me. I had to force my smile when growing up even when all I want to do is cry my eyes out.

I suppose my parents did teach me something after all.

"You do?" The lady’s eyes raise in suspense, her hands gently touching her dark frizzy hair.

I nod slightly. "Yes, it's pretty."

The lady smiles in thanks, not getting a chance to say another word, another wolf takes her place up front. This time it's a large man, he seems stiff and not friendly.

I stiffen slightly. When he comes at me, I almost falling backward off my seat in fright.

A strong hand reach for me to support my chair that is going to tips over, Hardin’s large, calloused fingers press against my back to settle me back down. His wolf bark resonating straight at the wolf in warning, and the bulky male steps away.

"My apologies, I tend to be a little clumsy. I simply wish to see our Alphas bride with my own eyes." The gentlest of words come from the huge hairy wolf.

Even as softly as he attempted to speak to me, my stomach wouldn't stop clenching with nerves. I am insecure when he is near me, his size is the main reason.

"I hope I don't disappoint you. I am…surprised." I respond with a small smile.

This is wrong, Kali.

They are a group of friendly wolves; you should connect with them.

Not everyone is like your parents.

A voice rises from the depths of my heart. This is not the first time I hear it, but I tend to push it aside because I knew what could happen if I act according to the voice.

"Not at all. I think you exceed our expectations so far." The huge wolf flashes a slightest smile without a sense of blaming.

Another male pushes forward, one after another they provide me with words of welcome, compliments, and questions. And I do my best to answer them.

I don’t know when I started smiling without faking it, and I forget I wasn’t expecting to give them a good impression at the beginning.

When the sky fade from the blue and distant clouds, I felt so glad and happy. An emotion that I couldn’t remember the last time I experienced. Then I realize what sundown means to me.

The final stage of the mating ceremony.

Everyone stops talking, the loud drum come to an abrupt halt, an eery atmosphere start to surround me. All eyes move to us, their wait in silence, patient, and expectant.

Naturally, my body becomes tense, my thighs clenching, and my heart spikes with fear. I'd pretended like this whole day was a dream, I can wake up and be back to my normal life at any second.

But the voice in my heart begins to wander.

Is my old life any better than this one?

My parents never made me laugh, and they never bother to compliment my look.

If I am scared and almost fall from a chair, they would never support me, but only tease me to make a fool of myself.

I think I may have the answer to the first question.

"Katalayha Slovak, come with me."

We stand from our chairs, and I followed him. Between the gaps between the leaves, I can see shades of pink and orange fill the sky. This a sight so breath-taking that I can't take my eyes off, until Hardin looms over me from behind. I felt his dominate musk smell, around me, so heavy that nearly suffocating.

"You understand what we need to do. Do you?" His rough voice is harsh against the sound of the river.

I glance at him momentarily, giving a small nod. "Yes," I answer quietly.

The place he brought me to is rather open, and at any other day I will admire the beauty and the sounds of nature around me. But today isn't that day, while my eyes remain cast on the fading sunset down the riverbank, my body and soul remain shaking with unease.

"My mark is given to protect you. If you want me to stop...say it, I won’t force myself on you." Hardin's hot breath fans my neck.

The fresh bite tingles with a strange heat, traveling down my spine and settling there. A strange feeling washes over me as I hear his words, and I immediately know them to be true.

His fingers brush down my arms slowly, almost teasingly. Goosebumps rise along my skin, the heat rising a notch as I feel his lips against my shoulder.

"It feels..." I barely hear my voice.

"It feels?" He murmurs in my ear, kissing my jaw and down the side of my neck.

I feel my cheeks heat up. As his fingers brush feverishly against my ribs, almost touching my breasts, my body shivering heavier. This time is because of exhilarating, not fear. I'd never been touched like this, so gentle, but so erotic.

"Different," I answer, closing my eyes as my body slowly relaxes against him under his touch.

"Do you want me to stop?" Hardin's voice is low, husky.

My mind spins. Common sense tells me to back out before it's too late. Yet he gives me a choice when tonight isn't supposed to be about what I want and do not want to do.

It’s the first time someone offers me a choice when he has the strength to force me into whatever he wanted me to do.

Although I am uncertain if I'm making the right choice, but at the first time, I hold my head high and look straight into his deep, blue eyes. I said with a firm, determined voice that I barely believed it comes from my throat.

"No. Mark me, Alpha Hardin."