The Alpha King’s Virgin by Charmeleon (Raine & Amari)

Broken Bond

RAINE

As soon as I entered the house I was slapped in the face. I licked blood from my split lip.

“Where the f**k have you been? Out spreading your legs, have you?” Peter towered over me.

“No, no.” I showed him the limp rabbit in my hand. My face smarted, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my broken heart.

He looked at me with disgust. “I heard something about you today.”

I walked towards the kitchen to skin and cook the rabbit. He followed. Of course, he must have heard about my humiliation.

“So, you thought the Alpha’s son would take you as his mate, did you?” he barked out a laugh. “A worthless Omega like you. Shame on you, Raine.”

I didn’t answer him. It was no use anyway. My thoughts returned to the gorgeous man who rescued me from the Storm triplets.

I was lost again recalling the moment when our eyes met. Eyes so dark they seemed to sear into my soul. His body was magnificent. He stood there, proud and majestic, like he was carved out of marble. For that split second I took in all of him and it made butterflies churn in my stomach.

The feelings the stranger awoke in me, it was difficult to describe. I felt guilty for not thanking him for his help. They would have surely raped me. But not that it mattered that much. No one wanted me. I was destined to spend the rest of my life mate less and alone.

I tuned Peter out. He was raging on about how useless and stupid I was. Finally, he left, taking a beer out of the fridge. He didn’t even bother to buy food with the money he took from me. I wondered if he was an alpha, my rescuer. He certainly had that poweful aura about him. Why would he even bother about someone of low rank like me?

There was something about him though. I can’t place my finger on it, was it his scent or his face? Such a beautiful face, perfect features with eyes so dark, they almost looked black. It was unforgettable. But his wolf, oh my gosh!

‘He scared the shit out of me.’ Tasha suddenly said. ‘He is vicious.’

And yet, when I asked him to stop, he did. He could have easily killed those idiots.

‘Actually, you should have let him do it.’ my usually softspoken wolf said and I was amazed at the venom in her voice.

“You shouldn’t have sung the mating song, Tasha! It’s your fault you alerted all the unmated wolves in the area.” I was angry at her.

‘I was hoping Luke would change his mind and come for us.’ Tasha replied and gave a small whimper.

I wiped a stray tear from my eye. “Well, he didn’t.”

***

Trying to stay clear of Peter as much as possible, I went to the village looking for work, ignoring the stares and sneers as I passed the pack members. I hoped they would soon forget about me. Wishful thinking perhaps. I was the joke of the pack.

“You!” a harsh voice stopped me.

I turned around. It was Beta Jones, Sasha’s father. As if my day couldn’t get any better.

“Yes, Beta?” I asked, bowing my head in submission. Was he going to punish me for attacking his daughter?

“The Luna is looking for you. Get your ass over to the packhouse. Now.” he ordered.

My heart sank to my tattered shoes. That was the last place I wanted to be at that moment.

“Did you hear me, girl?” his voice whipped over me making me jump.

“Yes, sir.” I turned and ran towards the packhouse. A million thoughts ran through my mind, worrying what the Luna could possibly want from me. I dared not disobey the Luna or anyone else higher in rank than myself for that matter.

I went to the back of the packhouse, to the kitchen and knocked. An Omega servant let me in.

“Luna Marie asked for me, Raine Grey.” I told her.

She looked at me with disdain. “Follow me.” Even my own rank looked down upon me now. I sighed.

I followed her, admiring her spotless servant’s uniform that put my own washed-out clothes to shame. She led me out of the kitchen and down the hall towards the center of the house. I prayed wordlessly to the moon goddess not to let me bump into Luke. We went upstairs to the private quarters of the Alpha and Luna. I started panicking. I didn’t want to be there.

“Come in,” a soft voice called out when the servant knocked at the door.

The servant pushed me inside and left me standing in the doorway with bowed head, uncertain of what to do.

“Don’t just stand there, Raine. Come closer.” The Luna’s voice invited me in.

My feet sank into the plush carpet when I moved towards the Luna. When I dared to look up, I saw Luke standing by one of the windows, glaring at me.

“What the hell is she doing here, Mother?” Luke sneered at me. He leaned casually against the windowsill, and I thought how attractive he looked with the golden sunlight forming a halo around him.

Luna Marie stood up from her dressing table and came towards me. She was a beautiful woman, blonde, petite and graceful. I felt like an ogre staring at a princess.

“Hush, Luke.” She held up a delicate hand to silence her son. “Raine, I called you here because you didn’t accept Luke’s rejection.”

She was right in front of me and touched me on my shoulder. Heat rushed to my face; I’ve never been so close to her. A cool hand lifted my chin and our eyes met. Her eyes were the same green as Luke’s.

“Poor girl, you’re so frightened. You’re heart’s fluttering like a little bird’s.” Her lip lifted in a slight smile. “Tell me why you haven’t accepted the rejection, Raine?”

“I… I…” I couldn’t get the words past my mouth. My eyes bugged out of my head as Luke suddenly loomed over me. His fair hair fell over his forehead, and I fought the urge to reach out and touch it.

“If you think for one moment I will change my mind, Omega, you get that right out of your head.” He grabbed my arm and pushed me violently until my back collided with the wall. “Say it! Say it now!” he snarled in my face.

“Tsk, Luke! Don’t be so hard on her.” Luna Marie pulled him back. “Raine, tell me, what do you want? Money? Clothes?” She scanned over my worn clothes, wrinkling her delicate nose ever so slightly, “I can give you anything you want. Just accept Luke’s rejection so that he can take a chosen mate.”

I couldn’t believe it. Offering me money to sell my right to be his mate. Was I so despicable?

“Or I could just kill her!” Luke roared, his wolf coming to the surface.

“No, Luke, don’t be silly.” She said in that same moderate voice. “I’m sure Raine understands that her rank is just too low to be a Luna. Don’t you, Raine?” the last part she addressed me in a cold voice, green eyes narrowed at me.

Swallowing hard I lifted my head, tears glittering in my eyes. “I don’t want anything. I, Raine Grey…” a sob broke out of my constricted throat, “I accept your rejection, Luke White.” It was like a stab to the gut from a dull knife as the mate bond broke. I turned and ran, without looking back at the two of them, as fast as my shaking legs would carry me.

***

‘We’re free, Raine. He can’t hurt us anymore.’ Tasha tried to console me, but I heard the sadness in her voice, mirroring my own.

“I never want to go through that again, Tasha.” I lay on the mossy ground in our cave, hugging myself. “Never again.” I vowed to close off my heart. No one would ever break my heart again. I would rather die.

But when I fell asleep a while later, my dreams were haunted by the image of a certain dark-eyed stranger, my unknown rescuer.