The ceremonial hall spun around me as I stared into those burning golden eyes. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs had turned to stone. The mate bond pulsed between us like a living thing, savage and demanding, while my wolf howled in recognition.
No. This couldn't be happening. Not him. Anyone but him.
'Interesting.' His voice was deep and rough, sending unwanted shivers down my spine. 'It seems the Moon Goddess has a sense of humor.'
I could feel the weight of hundreds of eyes on us, the shocked silence of the pack pressing in from all sides. Kael stalked toward me with predatory grace, his massive frame casting a shadow that seemed to swallow me whole. The scars on his face looked even more terrible up close - jagged lines that spoke of violence and pain.
'You,' he said, pointing one scarred finger directly at me, 'are mine.'
The word echoed through the hall like a death sentence. I stumbled backward, desperately searching for Aiden's face in the crowd. He stood near his father, but when our eyes met, he quickly looked away. The cowardice in that simple gesture crushed what remained of my heart.
'Alpha Kael,' Marcus stepped forward, his diplomatic voice cutting through the tension. 'This is... unexpected. Perhaps we should discuss this matter privately?'
Kael's lip curled in a cold smile. 'There's nothing to discuss. The Omega is my mate. I'm claiming what's mine.'
'She's just a servant,' someone whispered from the crowd. 'A nobody.'
The words stung, but they were nothing compared to the horror rising in my chest as Kael's warriors began moving through the crowd toward me. Their eyes were hard, predatory, reflecting the reputation of the Dark Blood Pack.
'Please,' I whispered, though I wasn't sure who I was begging. Aiden? The Moon Goddess? The universe itself?
'Take her to the car,' Kael commanded his men, already turning away as if I were nothing more than a package to be delivered. 'Pack whatever belongings she has.'
'No!' The word burst from my lips before I could stop it. 'You can't just-'
His hand shot out, fingers wrapping around my throat. Not squeezing, but holding me still as he leaned close. 'I can do whatever I want, little mate. The sooner you learn that, the easier this will be.'
The next hour passed in a blur of terror and disbelief. I watched numbly as Kael's warriors ransacked my tiny room, stuffing my meager possessions into a single bag. The blue dress I'd been so proud of earlier now felt like a joke - a child's costume in the face of this nightmare.
Through the windows, I could see pack members watching from their homes, faces pressed against the glass. Not one of them stepped forward to help. Not one of them spoke up. Even Clara, who sometimes shared her bread with me, quickly pulled her curtains shut when our eyes met.
The black SUV waited like a hearse in the darkness. As they dragged me toward it, I caught one last glimpse of Aiden standing on the pack house steps. Our eyes met across the distance, and for a moment, I saw something like regret flash across his face. But he didn't move. He didn't speak. He just watched as they forced me into the vehicle.
'Welcome to your new life, little mate.' Kael's voice came from beside me, making me jump. I hadn't even seen him get in the car. His massive frame seemed to take up all the space, his presence suffocating. 'I hope you weren't too attached to your old one.'
As the SUV pulled away from everything I'd ever known, I pressed my forehead against the cold window. The last thing I saw was my blue flower, fallen from my hair during the struggle, lying crushed and forgotten on the gravel driveway.
Just like my dreams of love, just like my hopes for the future, just like me.
