Come What May

I felt empty from inside. All the energy drained out from my body. I just want to sleep everything off. I don’t want to face anyone. Everything is taken away from me. My parents are dead, I’m forcefully marked by the mate who doesn’t want me and most probably my brothers never want to see my face again.

My mate and I were sitting on the bed side by side once I stopped crying.

“What did you do to me?” I asked him in a low whisper but I knew he heard me.

“Why was I unconscious for a week?” I continued.

“Why was it so painful?” my voice cracked. I waited for his answer but it did not come.

One minute..

Two minutes…

Three minutes…

Three minutes passed when he finally decided to look towards me.

“Your body was not ready.” Came his short reply. I didn’t turn to look at him but could feel his intense gaze on me.

“Why?” he is my mate, why was I not ready for him?

“You don’t have your wolf. You are just a human right now. My beast was too much for you to take.”

“You knew it from the start?” he muttered a small yes.

“You still marked me.” I looked towards him and said this in an accusatory tone.

“You talked about sleeping with other men. I had to mark you. I don’t share what belongs to me. You poked my beast and he reacted.” He said in a defensive tone.

“You don’t have any right to do this.” I said through gritted teeth. He’s getting on my nerves. And I don’t know from where I’m getting the courage to actually be angry in front of him.

In a flash, my jaw was locked in his hand in a tight grip and he was staring right into my eyes.

“I have all the right in this world to do anything with you.” He shouldn’t have said that. It only increased my anger. I’m not his possession and he better understand that.

He noticed my anger and his expressions turned soft.

“I have marked you. There is no getting away from me now.” He says, loosening his grip on my jaw.

How do I tell him that I never wanted to get away? It was him who was pushing me away. I don’t even know whether to be happy or sad about his statement. He is getting possessive over me, but not because he loves me, but because he marked me.

“Oh, so now I’m just a thing that you own huh?” I asked bitterly. I was getting sleepy now. What is happening. My eyes were closing and opening. He noticed this.

“Don’t. you have to eat something.” He shook my face from side to side but it was too late. I was not able to get up. He finally gave up helped me to lie down on the bed. As soon as I was under the warm duvet, I fell asleep.

“Wake up.”

“Come on, wake up.”

“Berenice.”

The beautiful voice was coming from a faraway land. As soon as I heard my name, butterflies exploded in my stomach. I’ve never liked my name so much but I’m loving it right now.

“Wake up.” The voice called again.

Darkness faded away from my eyes and I came face to face with none other than my mate. He was hovering above my sleeping form and he was the one whispering in my ear to wake me up. Oh god! It was the first time he called me by my name.

“What happened? Why are your cheeks so red?” he asked me confused. His face was so close to mine. I flushed more at that. Then realization dawned upon him and he moved away, giving me space to breathe.

“I have brought food for you. You need to eat. You fell asleep for three more hours. Get up now.” I sat up on the bed slowly but didn’t make any move to take the food which was in front of me in a large tray.

“Umm, I have to use the bathroom.” I asked him but did not look at his face. I was feeling very shy all of a sudden.

“I’ll be downstairs. Finish this food but remember, you can’t leave the room. I’ll be back soon.” He said and left the room.

I sprawled down again. I need a few moments to control myself. Why am I being like this?

After five minutes I decided to get up and go to the bathroom. I did my business and came back. Now what to do? I can’t go out or my mate will go all angry on me again. I was about to go back to bed when a knock came from outside.

Oh god! Who is it now?

“Umm, Come in.” I decided to say. The door opened and Marry came inside. She was not looking at me, she kept her head down.

“Marry?” I called out her name. Why isn’t she looking at me?

“My Queen.” What? She was speaking in such a low voice and what’s this with queen and all?

“Marry it’s me, Berry.” Then she did something unexpected, she sprawled down on the floor and held my feet in her hands and kept on apologizing.

“Please my queen, I apologize for my rude behavior towards you. I’m so sorry I committed that sin. Please forgive me my queen.” She kept kissing my feet. I was dumbfounded. I came out of my initial shock and then I pulled her up. She resisted at first but then stood up. She was crying, her face was all wet with her tears.

I wiped her tears away and held both her hands in mine.

“Please Marry, don’t do this. You are like a mother to me. Why are you apologizing?”

“I- I treated you so bad when.. when you first came here. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you’re our Luna, please forgive me.” she cried again.

“Marry, stop! Don’t be like this. I don’t want you to treat me differently. You don’t need to apologize for anything. You are the one who’ve always helped me, supported me when I felt alone. Please look at me.” I pleaded.

“I can’t. your aura changed. I cannot maintain eye contact with you. It’s against my nature.” I was totally confused. What is she talking about?

“What do you mean?” I asked her.

“My wolf recognizes you as our Luna queen. She is inferior to you.” She answers. She was able to do that before, why not now?

I remember this happened at my pack to. I know why this happens. Our wild recognizes the ones who are superior. Hierarchy plays an important role in our world. You never challenge your superiors, if you do, then it’s a fight of teeth and claw. But I don’t have a wolf, why is this happening?

I was thinking about all this when my mate entered. Marry’s eyes were completely downcast.

“Leave.” My mate directed this towards Marry. She bowed down and left.

I felt sad. I don’t want to act all superior. I liked how she took care of me like a mother. Now there will be so much formality. I looked towards my mate and saw him looking back at me as if waiting for me to throw a question at him.

He is quite weird. Whenever I ask him anything, either he becomes angry or he answers them clearly.

“Why was Marry not able to meet my eyes? And how can you just tell her to leave?” well, I just intended to ask him the first question but I think I lost a few brain cells that’s why I asked the second one.

“You are marked.” A simple sentence. But it holds so much importance. This has such a strong impact in my life.

You are marked..

“I have claimed you as mine.” He continued. My complete attention was on his words.

“Even though you don’t have your wolf, your aura is more powerful now. My scent is entwined with yours. The way it is supposed to be.” He then stepped closer to me, but still farther than I would like.

“I told her to leave because no female is allowed inside my room.” Oh. So, should I leave too?

He then leaned closer to my ear and whispered “Except my mother and my mate.” His warm breath tickled my skin and the hair on my neck stood up. His face was so close to mine.

So close..

He then stepped away from me, his eyes filled with amusement when he saw my flushed state.

“Ryder is waiting for you downstairs.” He said and went inside the bathroom whereas I was left staring at his retreating figure.

I was looking around for Ryder but couldn’t find him.

Where is he?

Oh,there he is.

I found him standing in the garden like a marble statue. I walked towards him and tapped his shoulder.

“You wanted to see me?” I asked him when he looked at me. something was off about him. He looked so vulnerable, so sad.

“Are you alright?” I asked him. I cannot see him like this. he has always supported me and I will do the same for him.

“I should be the one to ask you that.” He gave a short chuckle. I could clearly see through his act. He was trying so hard to pretend that he is alright.

“What happened Ryder? Please tell me.” I held his arm.

“You tell me Berry, I’m not the one who is newly marked.” He said in a teasing tone. I couldn’t stop the blush that rose on my face. I left his arm and looked away.

“I should admit, my friend has an iron power restraint.” I looked towards him.

“What do you mean?” I asked him. Restraint for what?

“All these years he craved for his mate. You are here now. And you’re marked. How the hell he’s holding himself back from mating you, I will never understand.”

WHAT? RYDER! YOU CAN’T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT!

I just wanted the earth to open up and swallow me.

Ryder laughed out loud when he saw how embarrassed I was. I punched his arm.

“You’re so mean.” I whined which made him laugh harder. I just sat there pouting.

MEAN RYDER!

I sat with Ryder the whole evening and we sat about random things. I even cried when we talked about my parents. I missed their funeral. He told me that my brothers were informed that I was not in a condition to travel. Ethan demanded to meet me. he was sure that my mate did something bad to me.

Jonathan kept the situation under control, otherwise Ethan would’ve picked up a fight with my mate. I know how much he hates my mate. Ethan is very strong but he has no chance of winning against the Alpha king.

I was back in my mate’s room. I will tell him that I want to go and meet my family.

The room was empty, he is not here. I sighed. I will have to wait then.

I plopped down on bed and thought about Ryder. What is bothering him? I didn’t push him today bit I will not rest until I find out what is going on.

Should I ask my mate? Ryder must have told him. They’re best-friends right? but, why will he tell me anything. He will just think that I am being nosy.

I think whatever happened, happened during this one week when I was unconscious.

You just wait Ryder. I will find out why you’re so sad and I will help you. I’m your sister and I cannot see my brother in pain.