Chapter 3. Mine

Adira’s POV

The two men made room for a third person to walk through, the man who spoke. He was the most gorgeous man in the entire world, standing at 7 ft, with black hair, dark blazing onyx eyes, and high chiseled cheekbones. His blazing gaze stuck on me and slowly, I felt Grayson’s arms ease around me and I almost stumbled but touched the wall for support. The man took three large steps towards me and raised his hand to caress my cheek, I felt sparks rush through my skin, making me jolt back.

“Mine,” He growled. I was trembling ever so slightly and my heart was pounding as he stared at me like I was worth everything. I wasn’t though. I’ve been told and reminded that I was nothing every day of my life by the way they treated and mocked me but the king’s gaze on me made me feel like I was worth something. It was a foreign feeling, I didn’t know what it was yet but it made me powerless—not in a bad way. I was frozen in place, unable to react whereas my eyes were stuck on his own.

“That girl can’t be your mate, she’s nothing!” Debbie’s infuriating voice shouted, and the king abruptly shifted his gaze to her. Her body instantly started to tremble. She backed away, cold sweat running down her temple, and she stumbled and fell to the ground.

“Why the fuck is your son harassing my mate, Mars,” He growled, he wasn’t loud but the authoritative tone he commanded made me shiver.

Alpha Mars was petrified. “Ma-mate?” He stuttered as if trying to register it. If this was not a scary situation, I’d laugh at him. Grayson was so stiff, fear evident on his face.

“Yes,” He extended his hand toward me to take but I shook my head. I felt dread deep in the pit of my stomach, and I did one thing that came to my mind. Run.

“Get her,” I heard a bored voice command. I reached outside into the garden and climbed the first tall tree I saw, hoping the men he sent after me won’t find me but they stopped right under me.

“Did she fly? How fast is she?” I heard one of the men say. They lingered around.

Crack. I closed my eyes shut as the branch I was standing on broke and I fell right into the arms of one of the men. He looked down at me with a frown and dropped me to the floor, I landed on my side, I’m sure I was bruised too.

“Jett!” His friend hissed.

I groaned at the slight pain I felt in my arm. I glared up at the man who dropped me, and then his friends before getting to my feet. I backed away, running to go around him but he blocked my route.

“St-stay away from me,” My voice was quivering so badly and the man in front of me only smirked.

“What if I don’t, teeny bird? What are you going to do? fly into the sky this time? I doubt those short legs of yours can’t take far,” The blonde guy mocked and I was affronted. How dare he call me short? At 5’9 ft, I was taller than most girls my age!

“The king wants you back and I’m too drunk to chase you, let’s go back, tiny bird.” Jett, I think, said, making his friend chuckle. Was tiny bird a thing now? Seriously?

“That man who claims to be my mate is the king?”

“Yes.”

“The king of wolves?!” My heart started to pound again. I should have known by that powerful aura and authority he showed but I thought he was beta or just a high-ranking member. How can I be mated to a freaking king?!

“I’m not going to him, he’s not my mate, no,” I snickered. Adamant on not going in with them.

My wolf didn’t sense him as my mate, the goddess would not be too callous to pair me up with a killer. My words seemed to stun them and they glanced at each other. I used this chance to bolt, however, I didn’t get far before I was hoisted into the air. One of the giants threw me over his shoulder. I screamed as I hung outside down, hitting his back with my elbow.

“Put me down,” I yelled to no avail.

He carried me towards the hall. He put me down in the most ungraceful manner and I let out a cuss, making the audience gasp at my audacity. Fuck werewolf hearing. I was in front of the high table. No one want spoke and I wanted to faint, I didn’t know maybe it was from the way I was carried or it was the Alpha king’s grilling gaze on me but I didn’t dare look, instead, I stole glances at Alpha Mars and beta Steven who were glaring at me.

Grayson just looked disoriented by all this, all alcohol was gone from his body now, and next to him was Stacy, she was embarrassed by all this especially since her new husband was all over me earlier. I felt it when the king stood forward, his demeanor carried authority, more power than any Alpha I’ve known. No one compared.

The Alpha king circled me and I shivered when I felt his nose on my skin. He was inhaling my scent like a drug he was addicted to. His finger reached under my chin and tilted my head up. His eyes showed shock. I could tell he was startled but kept his composure.

“What’s your name?” His voice was calm.

“A-Adira, Adira Wade,” I stammered. My heart still pounding in my chest everyone in here could hear it if I could.

“You’re extremely gorgeous, really beautiful,” He said. My cheeks flushed. I never thought of myself as extremely beautiful as he put it. I felt ordinary. I was thin and not curvy like other girls. His fingers caressed my cheek.

“Why haven’t you shifted yet?”

“I-I don’t know, sir,” My voice was alien to my ears. Most of my peers shifted at age eighteen but I didn’t.

“How old are you, Adira?” My heartbeat was irregular, I loved how my name sounded on his lips.

“Twenty years old,” I murmured. My voice was so low but he heard.

“Are you scared of me?” He asked. I didn’t answer his question. Who wouldn’t be scared of this dominating figure? He had a fearful reputation and I was still stunned by this information. He sighed and went back to his seat, he called me to the high table. He frowned when I was hesitant and he growled, making everyone uneasy with his dark aura. I didn’t want to anger him so I did slowly and surprisingly, he pulled me to his lap, placing a kiss on my shoulder.

The crowd was shocked, my gaze was lowered to the ground and I heard his cold voice “It’s rude to cast your gaze down in front of so many people, face your subjects, my queen.”

My gaze first went to my Alpha and beta, their gaze was icy and it made me feel like I did something wrong. Grayson was just livid, he was gripping a table knife so tightly that his hand was white and the Steven girls just looked terrified. I smirked inwardly. I was the Alpha king’s mate and no one can treat me like shit again, at least not these incompetent buffoons. The party continued with just one hand gesture from the king and the drop-dead silence was filled with chattering.

“Tell me about yourself, mate,” he asked.