Capítulo 2: Bargain After Rejection
It was the moon ceremony in the Therondia pack, a yearly event where the packs gather to witness the young werewolves shift into their wolf forms under the moonlight for the first time.
The moon ceremony symbolizes their acceptance into the pack as fully-fledged members. Alpha's from other packs were also invited to strengthen their bond with the Therondia pack, so there were many Alpha's present, and since Esme despised crowds, she stayed in a secluded corner, watching the drama unfold without drawing any kind of attention to herself.
The only reason why tonight was important for Esme was because this would be Finnian's first shift. He had requested her presence here since he wouldn't want her to miss out on his transformation, and Esme was willing to keep to her promise.
In fact, she anticipated it.
The altar where the younglings stood was meticulously bedded with flowers, torches, and shimmering stones. After Dahmer's long, boring speech about acceptance, guidance and honor, the new members began to shift. Their bodies rippled and transformed, furs sprouting and muscles elongating as they took in their wolf form.
Esme's breath caught in her throat as she observed Finnian, and he was a magical sight to behold. His wolf was majestic, with furs that matched the color of snow. To think he was the youngest shifter among all of them was truly an honor to the Montague family, and his aura was impressive for someone who was only thirteen.
A whisper of laughter reached Esmeray's ears, and she turned her head sharply to see Dahmer standing beside her, his gaze pinned on his brother as he whispered. "Are you feeling left out?" He taunted, his voice low and mocking. "Maybe if you try hard enough, you'll sprout some fur and get the hell out of my pack. My brother is the true Montague, and you are nothing."
Esme didn't dare to retort his harsh remark concerning her lineage. Her response would only get her into trouble, so she did the only thing she grew up learning to do in order to survive, and that is to tolerate Dahmer and his mother's behavior till she gets out of here.
'Bullsh— Nonsense!' she frowned and crossed her arm, failing once again to curse at them, even in her thoughts.
After faking smiles to anyone who happened to spot them together, Esme's smile froze in place when a tall, fine man approached her from the crowd. His hair was brown, short but thick, with eyes that reminded one of a precious jewel known as Emeralds, and a face that seemed to have been carved by the gods itself.
It was Alpha Rhyne. Alpha of the Greenwood pack.
Esme was just about to greet him when he snatched her wrist in a swift motion, and she yelped due to his unexpected action. His grip on her wrist was almost painful, and even Dahmer had not seen that reaction coming either. It made him frown, cause the last thing he wanted was for Esme to create a ruckus during the moon ceremony.
However, Esme felt a strange sense of something stir within her. It was an inexplicable feeling, and she wasn't able to pinpoint what that desired feeling in her meant till she looked into his green eyes.
It couldn't be… could it??
"You're… my mate?" Esme's pupils dilated from shame as the question slipped from her mouth, and her heart thrummed. The way he was staring at her was intense, like he was peeking into her already dead soul, but the fact that she had finally found her mate made her eyes sparkle for the first time after her father's death.
Dahmer's expression was blank, and half of the crowd was staring at Esme, unable to believe that someone as weak as her was mated to an Alpha. Whispers circulated, but that was the least of Esme's problem, cause if Alpha Rhyne was her mate, then she would finally be able to—
"No." Alpha Rhyne's next words snapped Esme from her illusion, and the look in his green eyes shifted quickly into one of pure disdain. The turn off was so unexpected that it made Esme's heart pound relentlessly, and she knew what was coming when he released her wrist.
"You…cannot be my mate." He dropped coldly, and there was instant silence in the altar. "This bond between you and I shall not exist, Lady Esme. I, Alpha Rhyne of the Greenwood pack, reject you as my mate." He announced, pointing a finger directly at her, and something inside of Esme shattered into broken pieces.
She couldn't tell what it was, but it was so painful that it managed to wipe out the silent plea she wanted to utter. Her eyes expressed her disbelief, and Alpha Rhyne backed away as though she were a plague.
"I refuse to accept Esmeray as my mate cause I have a lover back in my pack house who is already expecting my heir." He declared coldly. "To top it off, you bear the Montague family name, but lack any of its strength. As an Alpha, I need a stronger mate to bear the title of becoming my Luna, a powerful Luna who can handle a pack, not someone weak like you."
He turned his head away in disgust.
Although a few people expected it would come to this, no one knew he'd go as far as stating that he had a lover to his own destined mate. Esme remained silent after listening to his rejection and the reason behind it, and it felt like the world around her had crumbled to the ground within a mere second.
She refused to reveal how deeply hurt she felt and answered understandably. "I accept your rejection." The moment she said it, something inside of her snapped, and her eyes were filled to the brim with tears. Everyone seemed surprised at her easy acceptance, because they knew, to some length, that finding her mate was her only chance of leaving the Therondia pack.
Finnian, who had shifted back to his human form, also felt the subtle smile on his lips falter when his big sister got rejected in the presence of everyone.
Esme sank to her knees when she felt it would no longer be healthy for her to keep standing. Her tears flowed freely without a single sob, and she didn't bother stealing a glance at Dahmer who would be rejoicing at her rejection. A mate bond was supposed to be an everlasting union between two people; an unbreakable connection, but her own mate had shattered that bond without a moment's hesitation.
Rising to her feet, Esme's eyes were filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She turned her back on Alpha Rhyne and retreated to the shadows where there'd be no one to hurt her. Entering the moon-lit garden, she found a secluded spot and sank to the ground, hugging her knees.
As the howls of the pack filled the night air, Esme hugged herself tighter and silently let her tears drop. She barely had time to recover when someone grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her to her feet, eliciting a gasp out of her.
She was about to scream at the figure to leave her alone when her own voice caught in her throat upon recognizing him. It was the rogue from the south, a scary looking man with a thick mustache that surrounds his features, and worst of all, an Alpha.
Esme's spine trembled when his grip on her arm tightened, and as if timed, Dahmer showed up as well. He had this pleased look on his face as he noticed the rogued Alpha was accessing Esme's body with an interested look in his eyes, and that made her heart pound in fear.
W-what is going on?
"Like what you see, Alpha Irish?" Dahmer didn't hesitate to add, "I told you already that her mate won't even want a woman like her. Just as I've promised, you can have her as your breeder if you fulfill my needs by giving me the 40,000 men I demanded for." he dived straight into business, and Esme was at loss when she heard her brother — no, Dahmer had already signed her up for sales.
Capítulo 3: Conflict In The Garden
Lord Irish's gaze lingered observingly on her tear-streaked face, and the alarm in her blue eyes as she glanced between him and Dahmer. His attention shifted to her silky blue hair, and it was undeniable that the daughter of the late Alpha was indeed the prettiest in her pack.
For a Montague family, blue hair — long, silky and striking — was a rare and distinguishing feature for both their men and women, so they were considered special in not just their pack alone, but other packs out there. If one encountered a blue-haired person in the entirety of their realm, their lineage would invariably trace back to the Montague family, for this unique trait originated with them.
Esme herself had inherited this extraordinary feature from her father, whose striking appearance was renowned. Her mother, though a Montague by marriage, did not share this trait, but she upheld the family's tradition — as her father would say.
There were Montague's with other hair colors — black, blonde, gray — but those with blue hair were the true bearers of the lineage, and thus, their hair remained uncut, a living testament to their heritage.
A Montague never cuts their hair; it was a symbol of their beauty that set them apart from other pack members and packs outside. It was a gift bestowed to their ancestors by the moon goddess, after they succeeded in getting rid of the last demon wolf during a massacre, and this gift was passed down to their descendants. The females born with blue hair were able to connect with the moon and had certain gifts they could unlock at a specific time, but Esme had given up on that theory since she barely even had a wolf.
She didn't think she was lucky enough to have a gift, and now this hair of hers had caught the attention of Alpha Irish. Now that she thought about it, her hair would probably be the only reason why Alpha Dahmer was willing to keep her alive all these years, so he could turn her into a commodity and use her to gain more power.
Why didn't she predict this sooner?
The alarm in her eyes grew, and Esme tried to break free from his restraint on her arm. Her attempts were futile, she didn't have the strength to fight back due to her weak bones. Sadly, she was an ant in comparison to an Alpha, and that only made Alpha Irish chuckle darkly.
His voice was deep and cold as he said. "I need powerful children who will carry on the Montague legacy while bearing my name." He pulled her close, and Esme could smell something fishy, whilst it sent shivers down her spine.
Esme glanced at Dahmer and tried to remove herself from this bargain, but the look he gave her told her she shouldn't dare voice out her objection. He made her aware of the consequences, so Esme was forced to endure once more as Alpha Irish snuggled his rough-looking face into her neck, inhaling her sweet floral scent.
When he extended his tongue to give her neck a lick, to taste her skin and figure out if she's as sweet as she smells, Esme pushed him off in disgust. Since Alpha Irish had not expected the forceful shove, he staggered back, and there was this burning intensity in her eyes that even Dahmer had not seen before.
"Enough!" Esme's voice thundered through the garden as she confronted the two of them. "Just stop it, please!" The fear that had once dominated her expression had given way to a simmering anger and resentment for the two.
She pointed a finger at Dahmer and made it clear to him. "I am not your plaything, your servant or your whipping post. I am Esmeray, the daughter of the late Alpha Damon of the Montague family, and I will not be treated like dirt beneath your feet. You will accord me some respect due to my name, my lineage and my dignity!"
Her chest heaved with each ragged breath, her body trembling as she fought to contain her emotions. Tears of rage and frustration streamed down her eyes, and she's had enough of their constant torment.
"I have borne the weight of your scorn, your condescending remark and your callous regard for my well-being, but you have gone too far, Alpha Dahmer." Her voice cracked, "what did I ever do to you to deserve so much hate, Dahmer? Why won't you allow me to just leave if you don't need my presence at all? I am not a possession to be bartered or discarded at your whim. I may not possess the privilege of a wolf, but I am not beneath your contempt, nor am I anyone's refuse!"
"You listen to me…" Dahmer's gaze turned glacial at her defense, and he grasped Esme by the throat in a vice grip. "You will learn to obey me, Esme." He growled, his hot breath wafting against her face. "I am your Alpha, your master, and you will show me the desired deference due to my station. I own you, Esme. I can do whatever it is I want to do with you and no one will intervene. If I choose to sell you, fuck you, beat you, that is my decision to make, and you have no say whatsoever. All you have to do is listen, got that?"
As he spoke, he constricted her windpipe, making every breath a struggle. Esme's vision began to blur, her chest heaving as she desperately sought to draw in air. Her hands flew to her throat, trying to pry his fingers loose, but his grip was unyielding.
When she assumed she was going to lose consciousness, he released her throat, and Esme collapsed to the ground, and she coughed harshly.
Dahmer would have probably beat the crap out of her if Finnian hadn't come running. Alpha Irish was in a daze when he saw the youngest lord crouching beside Esme, ignoring them both.
"Sister Esme?" Finnian's gaze turned a shade darker as he faced his brother. "What did you do to my sis–"
Esme immediately covered his mouth with her palm to stop him from saying anything to Dahmer. The Alpha would hit anyone, even his own brother if he disrespected him, and the last thing she wanted was to get Finnian in trouble with his big brother.
Alpha Irish didn't bother about the weak shove she gave him for now. He would have more than enough time to make her atone for this disrespect once he buys her from Alpha Dahmer.
Together, the two Alpha's stormed out of the garden, and only after they had left did Vivienne, Esme's servant, hurry to her side in the garden.
"Milady, are you okay?" Vivienne's worried tone reached Esme's ears. Her hands were resting on Esme's back to help her rise to her feet, but Esme didn't budge.
Instead, her tears spilled even more, and Vivienne could only pull Esme into her warm embrace, equally sobbing for her lady.
Finnian's sad gaze lingered on his sobbing sister, and his fist balled in anger.
Presentes
-- Presente
recebido Status de energia semanal
200+ Ranking de
Poder 
134 Pedra de
Poder 
Comentário de parágrafo