Chapter 4: No Room For Rejection
Lyra's POV
“Mate,” he said quietly.
The silver birthmark on my wrist glistened, and he stared at me with a look that I could not quite place—a look that seemed like he wanted me, which was something no one had ever looked at me like before. I gasped softly, pulling away from him.
“Why do you run from me, mate?” he said. "Are you scared?"
I shook my head.
This could not be happening. It was not even up to two days once Alpha Kade had rejected me, and now I had another mate? Was that how it worked—that immediately after I rejected him, I would find another one coming?
“Who are you?” I asked him in a terrified voice.
“No, I shouldn’t be asking. Who are you?” he said.
“I am Lyra,” I mumbled, looking at my feet. Then slowly, my eyes lifted to meet his gaze. “Who are you?”
He gave a small chuckle. “You’ve never heard of who I am? The Alpha of the Unbound Lands?”
I gasped, taking a step backwards. This was Alpha Riven—the feared rogue Alpha that everyone talked about. Ruthless, thirsty for blood, and very unpredictable. Yet here he was, staring at me like I was an egg.
“Come with me, mate,” he said again.
“I... I...” I stammered, unable to form the words I needed to say. How was it possible that I was mated to a rogue Alpha? This was an occurrence that should not have even happened.
What would the High Council say if they knew I, as a wolf of a regular pack, was suddenly mated to a rogue wolf?
“I don’t think I can accept it,” I said to him.
He simply shrugged. “Well, at least leave this cave and come with me to my palace.”
I nodded, knowing full well that I had no choice and nowhere to go. It was either I starve here and die of being dirty or cold, or I follow him to wherever he led me.
He slung me over his shoulder, and that just made me realize how small I was beside him. He began to walk down the rocks. He took a large curve and entered into the hole of another cave, and then we began to walk. That was when I realized that this cave led into a city. It would have been completely darkened if not for the lamps that were burning in rows.
We saw the guards at the entrance of the city. They all bowed in reverence to him.
“Alpha Riven. Welcome back,” they said.
He continued his journey. Then someone brought a horse to him. He placed me on the horse and climbed behind me, galloping away. We galloped for what seemed like three hours before a massive stone structure came into view.
The castle walls were high and dark, filled with vines creeping all about, and guards patrolling the area. From the top of the building, I could see guards supervising everything. There was a large watch tower where some sat, and with that height, I was certain it looked ahead to the cave area where people did not live, just in case there was an unknown attack. The unbound land seemed to be the center of all the seven packs of Elarion—the world that we lived in.
He entered the palace and got off the horse, still carrying me over his shoulders. He ignored everyone who was greeting him. The people here seemed so carefree, but still had obvious respect for him, for a reason.
He walked into the main palace building that had floor-to-ceiling windows, making the sunlight pour in so effortlessly. Then, up the stairs and to the east wing of the palace. He opened the door to a room with a large bed.
Everything was different from the grand opulence I knew at my Pack. Rather, it seemed to be dark and gothic and old—ancient. Something that belonged to a thousand years ago, but still in the most beautiful and ethereal way possible. He dropped me on the floor.
And then... I looked at him and realized that he had come into the main pack wearing only loincloths. He was so different from Alpha Kade, who was always donned in the finest attire. Then, something clicked in my brain.
Almost every other person... wore a loincloth. It seemed like it was a normal thing that no one cared about.
I looked around the room and keyed out a breath of relief. I could tell from the environment that they did not follow the traditional setup of Alphas being so domineering.
My mouth could not help but speak. “Are you, like, a king here or something? They view you as... The—"
“No,” he shrugged, cutting me off. “I simply govern the land.”
“Did your father govern this land before?” I asked.
“No. This is not something that is hereditary, neither is it based on succession. The people vote for who they want to rule them. It helps if your father was a past Alpha, but if the people vote that they do not want the Alpha’s son to rule, then... whoever they vote is the one capable of ruling."
“Oh,” I muttered.
“I’m going to have a maid prepare a bath for you. You will get dressed. And tonight, we will have our mating ceremony. I am not giving you room to reject me,” he said firmly.
“But I—”
“Shh,” he said, placing his fingers on my lips. “I have found a bond with you, and I found you..." He trailed off, as if not knowing the words to use. "You are the most beautiful woman in this world I have seen. I want you to be my Luna, and I don't want anyone else near you,” he said.
“I know you are scared and do not have any experience, but that is not a problem. I will guide you. I will be your head. I will love you. And we shall live together happily."
"I'm not—"
"It is not up for debate.”