16

ELEANOR
I still hadn’t wrapped my head around the situation I’d found myself in when he quite literally pulled me out of my reverie, with his hand around my wrist, he pulled me away from the dishes I’d been doing. I was still very much in a state of confusion. Hearing the word ‘mate’ had thrown me so off guard that I felt myself continuously repeating the word in my head.
Mate!? What does he mean when he calls me to mate? He’s my mate, but how? How could it have been that I found my mate in such an unfortunate situation and place? I’d never have expected it to be here, a place where mating was forbidden for the slaves. Why did I have to meet him here?
I quickly snapped out of my haze when I felt frantic hands all over my face, moving to my knees and back to my face. I blinked back to coherency, pulling my hand out of his and taking a step back from the panicky man.
“What are you doing?” I asked, confused, and his eyes widened a tiny bit before he responded.
“You went blank all of a sudden, and I thought I might have hurt you back there, or you know, maybe the broken plates might’ve hurt you. Are you okay?” he asked, and I nodded, finally understanding a bit of something for the first time since I saw him.
“I’m fine, but that doesn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?” I asked again, face twisting in confusion, and that seemed to be some sort of wake-up call for him as he suddenly stood straighter.
“I’m sorry for intruding, but I sensed your pheromones from the field over there and was compelled to come find you, which I’m glad I did because now, you’re coming with me,” he all but ordered, tone commanding, and I did a small head tilt as I slowly processed the ridiculous words, almost pulling an unamused laughter out of me.
“What the hell, are you some kind of psycho or something? You can’t just barge your way into the kitchen, which is forbidden for guests by the way, and expect to just drag me along with you. Who the hell are you?” I asked, taking more steps away from him. His pheromones thicken in the air, that of an alpha, and if he were to strike due to anger at my words, my strength would be nothing compared to his and I would be no match for him. I muttered a curse, seeing how far I’d been dragged from the kitchen knives that I could’ve used for self-defense, realizing I’d definitely be caught if I tried to make a run for it.
I was in a tight spot and Jasmine was sure to take her time with whatever she was doing in the bathroom, so right now, there was no hope of her coming to my aid, so at least it’d have been two against one, even if we’re both women and one, wolfless, we’d atleast have been able to hold our ground till one of us calls for help.
“Okay, I think we’re getting off on the wrong foot here. I’m sorry about earlier and my words just now, too. I didn’t mean it in that way, nor did I say it to scare you. You can be at ease with me, I am not here to hurt you, I promise” he said, and as if to prove a point, he raised both hands and even took a step backward, continuing to speak when I gave him a once over with my eyes narrowed, “What do you want me to do to prove that I’m being honest.” He pauses, “Besides, why would I want to hurt my own mate and Luna,” he adds, and I splutter in disbelief.
“What!!?”
“Hi. I’m Easton, Alpha Easton Dawson of the Crescent pack, and I believe you are my mate, fated for me by the Moon Goddess. Come with me and be mine, you belong with me, and not in this godforsaken place,” he explains, and my jaw drops even lower.
“Mate!!? Oh no no…I think you got me confused with someone else. I am not to be yours, and whatever your Moon Goddess has you believing is all wrong, I’m sorry. I advise you to leave and join the rest of the guests before the guards find you here,” I warned, silently praying for Jasmine or just anyone to come and save me.
“Do you actually think I would just allow you to remain in this hellhole after having searched for you for years? Your place is next to me, and that is where you will be!” Easton declares, his voice laced with anger, and it has my breath catching in my throat. It was obvious he wasn’t bluffing, his Alpha wanting to get involved too, if the spike in pheromones and newfound hoarseness to his voice was anything to go by. But then again, I could not feel any sort of attraction that felt like the bond with him. Sure, he was physically attractive, and his pheromones seemed to have a mind of their own as they wrapped around me like a blanket, but that wasn’t what I read about mate bonds or the pull.
I always felt there would be some sort of violent pull drawing us to our mates, one that would have our wolves going crazy. Then I remembered Alpine had been silenced ever since I was captured, and that was probably why I wasn’t feeling anything with this stranger.
Should I trust a total stranger as my mate, go with him, and be free? But what was the assurance that I wasn’t just going to bring Zane’s anger along and that he would be strong enough to fight against an angry, stupidly possessive, always bloodthirsty, and cruel brute and his ever-ready warriors? What would happen to Clara, Jasmine, and my pack members? What would happen to my revenge if I were to leave with this stranger? And what is the guarantee that he would save us both and not just put us to our early deaths?
If I want to be saved, I will do that myself when I drive a silver dagger into Zane’s heart and then walk out of those gates with my people. Until then, I have to remain here and be with my friends till I’m able to break free from this hellhole, taking them with me too.
“I said, you got the wrong person Weston, or whatever it is, you are called, and it will do both of us good if you just turn around and leave. Forget you ever saw me, forget we ever had a conversation and just leave!” I repeated, my eyes nervously scanning the surroundings for someone who wouldn’t miss a chance to tattle on other slaves to the Alpha for some sense of fulfilment and to be in his good graces.
I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting, but it definitely wasn’t the sight of the Alpha in front of me looking like a kid that got his favorite candy taken from him. Why did he look so hurt when all I was trying to do was save both him and myself? I was not ready to die, and I was sure he wasn’t ready to die either. So running away would be the best for him before we get caught.
“You should leave before you get caught. That usually means death, you know” I added after a while of silence, feeling like I’d been repeating the same words for hours now and not being listened to. He could obviously sense the urgency in my voice as he smirked and took a few steps closer to me.
“I am not scared of anyone, nor am I afraid of death. Right now, you are my only priority, and I will not be leaving here without you” he answered, shrugging.
“You are a crazy one, I tell you, but I’m not about to be dragged into whatever death traps you’re setting for yourself. I have no plans of dying at the moment, so if you will excuse me,” I said, making to sidestep away from him and almost screaming when his fingers were wrapping around my wrist and he was pulling me towards him. In the blink of an eye, his arm was around my waist, our bodies pressed together for a second before my palm went to his rigid chest, trying to push him away or atleast just put some distance between us.
“We don’t need to fight over this, love, I just need you to listen to me. I do not want to have to force you into submission. You have your will, and I know you feel the mate pull like I do too. So how about you stop being so damn stubborn and just let me take it from here?” Easton asks with a tilt of his head, finally letting go when I glare at him, still pushing at his chest.
“I am not some damsel in distress, and I sure as hell do not need saving from you. In fact, I should make this simple for you, Easton Dawson” I said, closing the gap between us again.
I stared deep into his eyes making sure he wouldn’t miss a single syllable of the words about to leave my lips, “I, Eleanor Stark, Alpha of Blue Rock pack, reject you, Alpha Easton Dawson of the Crescent pack as my mate, and from this day henceforth, you will cease to come close or try to get in my good graces.”