Chapter Twenty Two

LUCY

I didn't know why I ran away from him, I wanted it to continue but it felt like I was betraying my father and breaking the promise of having my revenge on Chris' family. As much as I hated to admit it, I was beginning to develop strong feelings for him, feelings I never expected myself to feel especially for someone like him, someone I've always hated so much.

My eyes were teary as I buried my head in my bed sobbing and wishing that it would all be a dream.

"It's unusual to see you here by this time, are you alright, darling?" my mother asked as she sat on my bed.

I quickly wiped the tears off my face but she was quick to notice.

"Why are you crying? Did anything happen to you?" she asked again, concern written all over her face.

"I'm not crying, mother. Something flew into my eyes, that's all," I lied. I readjusted myself so she wouldn't see how much I'd cried.

"Do I look like a child to you, Lucy? You can always talk to me, I'm your mother and I'll do anything to see a smile on your beautiful face," she cupped my face in her hands and smiled at me.

I felt so warm and relaxed, it's been a long time since I and my mother sat this close. We had always been at loggerheads with each other since my father passed away, also, she had always seen my quest for revenge as a stupid idea and I felt she never loved my father enough.

"I found my mate," I mumbled.

"What did you say?" my mother asked.

"I found my mate!" I said aloud.

"Oh, dear, that's great news. Is that why you've been crying? You should be happy," my overly excited mother said.

"It feels so wrong and right at the same time, I don't know what to do anymore,"

"I'm here if you want to talk about it," she said.

"Why did I have to be mated to him? It just- it just feels so wrong, I feel like I'm betraying father," I said.

"What are you talking about darling? I'll never understand if you don't explain to me," she said.

"I'm mated to the alpha, mother," I whimpered. "Alpha Chris is my mate, the alpha of the same pack that did this to us, the pack that rejected us and killed my father."

My mother couldn't hide her surprise when she heard me, the excitement she had felt died down and all I could see was sadness in her eyes. Who wouldn't be sad after knowing that your child had been mated to the same people that had a hand in the death of your husband, it was unacceptable and a huge mistake from the moon goddess.

Though it was believed that the moon goddess has a reason for everything she has predestined. But this, this destiny she had prepared for me was probably a mistake on her end.

"The goddess never makes a mistake, she has a reason for everything," so they always say. Hell no, she does make mistakes.

"Maybe it's a sign that we never had a hand in what we were accused of. May the goddess be praised, she finally wants to vindicate us," she said.

Eww!! What the hell! I was expecting her to be enraged and command me to reject that traitor as my mate and she was saying that. My doubts were probably right, ever since I took it as a quest to avenge my father's death, she had always been against it. At first, I thought she had lost her mind due to the heartbreak she had experienced at his death but now I knew that she had really lost her mind.

"Mother, are you listening to me at all? I'm mated to the alpha of the hallowed manes pack, the pack you and father were kicked out from, the pack that accused the both of you wrongly and banished you both, the pack that killed my father, your husband and you're telling me it's a sign. It's either you or the moon goddess that must've lost its sanity," I bellowed.

"Child, I can take whatever nasty word but don't you ever speak ill of the moon goddess, it's wrong and can attract her wrath," my mother said.

"She should have thought better before mating me with him, I hate him," I said, though that was a lie.

"I don't think you do, or else you wouldn't have let him escape when he was caught wandering around the pack," she grinned.

How did she even know that? "What are you talking about mother? I didn't let him escape, he tried to kill me," I said, swallowing hard.

"You're not a good liar," she said, smiling. "Think of what I said, this is an opportunity to clear your father's name from all accusations," she said, leaving me to ponder on her words.

All night I longed for him, it felt weird at the beginning but it all began to make sense, maybe this could be what I was looking for, maybe this was the only way to clear my father's name.

According to stories in the past, it was taboo for anyone in the hallowed manes pack or any other pack to mingle or have anything to do with a rogue so I wondered if it would ever be possible for us to be together.

If he went against the rule, he would be considered a traitor and declared a rogue like me, he would also be ripped off his rank as Alpha and that would be the end for him. I didn't want that, I didn't want him to suffer because of me and my status.

I wasn't sure if what I felt for him was from within or if it was the mate bond working, but all I know is that it felt so good.

My tempo began to rise as I imagined his lips on mine, how they traveled down the temple of my neck, how good his hands felt on my skin. I was so intrigued by my fantasies that I didn't notice when Nathan walked in.

"You've been scarce these days, Lucy," he said. I gave no response to him because I was still lost in my fantasies.

"Lucy!!" he screamed into my ears, causing me to jolt.

"What the heck, Nathan, have you lost your fvcking mind?" I yelled at him.

Nathan chuckled. "That was the only way to get your attention back, I'm not sorry by the way. Anyways, it's been a while. Where have you been?"

"In and out, just the usual," I said.

"With your mate, huh?" he winked.

"Quit the jokes, why are you here?" I asked.

"My father wishes to speak to you, now," he said.

Immediately, my mind drifted to the stupid deal I had with his father, to kill the Alpha.