Wren was feeling bored, she looked behind him to see soldiers chatting on their horses, she then looked at Sam on her left "Sir, how long is it going to take?"
"Around an hour or so, Luna." He responded not daring to look at her.
"Why are you calling me Luna?" She asked curiously, they say curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought him back.
"Because you're the Alpha's mate." He explained.
"And how do you know I'm his mate?" She asked her curiosity pushing her forward
"That's for his majesty to explain, I'm sorry Luna." He bowed his head for a second.
"Fair enough" She shrugged looking down in disappointment.

Zanthus liked the fact that she was trying to understand what was happening around her, he found it wholesome.
"Can you at least stop calling me Luna? My name is Wren sir," she added making her mate tighten his hold on her, hurting her in the process.
"Nobody has the right to call you by your name beside me." He spoke harshly making her uncomfortably rigid due to the proximity.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know just don't hurt me," She whispered still traumatised from the previous night.
"I won't,"

Sam pitied her for what she was going to face once she got to the castle, his king was known for being a ruthless merciless leader. It, unfortunately, didn't stop there, even with his mistresses it was rare for him to finish with someone without harming them in the process because of his rough handling, or he guessed must be because he didn't care much when it came to feeding his beast especially that he was craving his mate for too long. A mate isn't a mistress, in the end, he will take care of her life but she won't escape his ways. She'll get hurt one way or another for sure.

"There it is," Spoke Sam pointing to the castle, the second they entered the kingdom everyone kneeled down to their Alpha King.

The King put her face in his chest to protect her from prying eyes. It was a long journey to reach the castle. They entered through the gates and soldiers bowed down and took the horses to their perspective places.

"Can you walk?"

"Or never mind." He added taking her in his embrace, "Pretend to be asleep, or you'll have to greet everyone."

It was a long walk until they reached his chambers, Wren opened her eyes and was mesmerised by how beautiful it was, they passed a living room and a closed door to get into the main master room. But she started panicking as soon as he put her on a huge comfortable bed.

"Are, are you, going," She blushed looking down.
" No ." he smirked," not yet, I'm sure you're tired, maids will come to help you take a bath and get you ready for bed."

Six maids came in bowing after being granted permission to enter their Alpha's chambers.

"Help her freshen up and dinner must be served here by the time I am back." He ordered before leaving through the extravagant doors of his chambers.

"Let's start, Luna." Voiced one of the maids once she noticed the Alpha king's mark on the new female.

Wren nodded not having the heart to articulate anything, the journey was long and she felt unsafe so she chose to go with the flow instead of getting another horrific night like the previous.

They started waxing every part of her body before giving her a hot relaxing bath. "Do you have any idea about what I should expect after this?" She asked staring at the ceiling not daring to get more into her imagination.

"What do you mean, Luna?" Asked the head of the maids.

"Will he force himself on me?" She uttered, tears gathering in her innocent eyes.

"We are not sure what to tell you, Luna." Bowed the head of the maids.

"What does this mark serve for?" She asked pointing at her neck.

"A mark in our species means you're his, people will know that you're mated and nobody will ever try approaching you." She explained trying to make it as simple as possible for the human that is now her superior.

Once done with the bathing, they put her in comfortable garments and led her outside of the bathing area.

The omegas dried her hair with hot cloths and put some floral perfume on her body, then bowed and excused themselves as other maids brought dinner in.

The alpha king entered shortly after they left, sitting at the dining table, "Eat." he ordered, "Starting tomorrow morning you'll start dining downstairs with everyone else they need to meet you." She nodded trying to save herself the trouble of angering him.

Once they finished dining he walked towards her hugging her to his chest "Now you are all mine." He smirked, he finally found his mate after long years of searching he was not planning to lose her any time soon.

"Don't touch me, please ." She pleaded, closing her eyes shut anticipating what was to come her way.

"It is my right, you do not tell me what and what not to do, little human."

"It is not your right, you've been forcing everything upon me up until now. "
"Sit down, I think you don't know what a mate is, yet." they both sat on the crimson-red velvety couch opposite the now-not-lit fireplace.
"A mate, sweetheart, is your other half, someone who was chosen for you before your birth, as wolves we can't live without our mates, maybe because you're human you still can't understand this but you will soon come to feel it."

"Still don't touch me." She shrugged.

"I won't do anything until you beg for it, but you can't order me whether I can or cannot touch you."

"Now what am I supposed to do as your mate?"

" behave, that's all. Don't get yourself in trouble because I won't show mercy." He informed earning himself a silent nod on her part.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" She asked in anticipation.

"On my bed, between my arms obviously." He stated the what he considered a fact.

"But," she was about to oppose when he interrupted her, "You have no reason not to sleep next to me, you're mine, it's a must," He ordered taking off his clothes to take a bath.

There was a knock on the door and he granted permission for whoever was on the other side to enter.

Two beautiful ladies came in, they didn't look like maids they wore nice dresses and they looked taken care of.

They went straight into the bathroom getting it ready for their Alpha King.

"Who are they?" she asked in curiosity.

"Mistresses," he informed shortly

She didn't say a word only sat on the bed looking around her at the decor and the choice of majestic colours around the room.

"Alpha king everything is ready." Spoke the blonde one bowing to her superior.

He took a last glance at his wren and then left to take his bath.
Wren put her head on the luxurious pillow her little mind playing tricks on her. She actually found her mate appealing and she likes his aura, he was strong, rich, and dominant; in appearance wise she hasn't seen any other male that can compete with him and still look as masculine as he is, but was she ready to accept him after what he did to her? She wasn't sure.

Nonetheless, he was her husband now, or as he said her mate, she felt a wave of butterflies whenever he touched her and his scent was divinely masculine, extravagant.

She just couldn't bring herself to lay back down peacefully. Wren took slow steps towards the bathing area's huge doors knocking before she would take steps back and ditch the idea, "May I please come in." she asked softly "You may." He summoned.

She entered slowly not so sure about what she was getting herself into. "You may leave, I'll handle this." She ordered politely smiling at them.

They both looked at the Alpha King who shocked them the second he nodded. They bowed down before leaving filled with jealousy.

"Who does she think she is? That little peasant wants to steal our king." Spoke the blonde
"Well, we will see if she can handle that." Responded the other mistress.

"I'm sorry, I- I guess as your mate it's my duty to care after you, even if you're not treating me well my grandmother taught me better than this," She spoke softly looking down while playing with her fingers nervously.

"Then do it." There was a ghost of a smile on his lips that disappeared in a second. She took the soap between her little hands and applied it on his huge back massaging it in the process, she then proceeded to wash his beautiful hair, massaging his scalp as well, as she finished rinsing he kissed her hand earning a flushed mate.
"It was relaxing, good girl." He winked standing up as she turned away immediately after letting out a gasp of shock, "I can take it from here go to bed, angel." She nodded walking away and out as fast as possible.

He went out topless wearing only some loose pants; he got between the sheets and ordered, "Come closer, my wolf is restless."

She moved ever so slightly not to get him angry but he wasn't satisfied, he took her by the waist making her straddle him while putting her head on his chest, " Now, this is better." He sighed in satisfaction.

"It's uncomfortable." She whispered in fear, her tense body giving her away
"Relax, why are you so scared?" He questioned in his deep voice.
"Because you traumatised me?" She stated sarcastically.
"If you behave I won't harm you. Learn to understand that you're wedded now and you have a mate, an Alpha King at that, I know it's not easy to satisfy me, but I appreciate efforts." He winked passing his right hand along her spine.

" what would you do if I run away again?" She asked what she, later on, considered the stupidest question of the century.

"I will find you, whip you into submission, then chain you to my bed and I don't guarantee all the artistic things that can happen to your little self on this bed." He explained his arms tightening around her. He buried his face in her neck breathing in her scent to satisfy his Lycan.

"You're unnecessarily cruel, I want to go back to Papi's," She declared, her body not relaxing for once.

"We will visit them next month." He pretended not to understand what she meant.

"No I want to stay there, I don't want to be your mate, your bestiality doesn't appeal to me. I should have married Tengun when he proposed to me and got this deal or whatever you call it, bond? Broken." She blurted not weighing her words, something she didn't learn back in her village.

"Who is this Tengun? " He asked his grip becoming agonising.

He flipped her under him pinning her hands beside her head "Don't make me repeat myself," He yelled.

"He- he was my neighbour, my childhood friend." He let go of her hands, aggressively spreading her thighs while she struggled to free herself from the monster hovering over her much smaller frame, "Lay still if you don't want to face consequences." He threatened to earn only more squirming as she was expecting him to harm her.

He smelled her and was satisfied smelling her innocence,
he suddenly locked his experienced lips with hers roughly taking what was his like the starved beast he was she tried, Wren struggled to keep still as she wanted to free herself at any cost but overpowering an Alpha king was impossible, even for other strong soldiers let alone for this little human girl, he pinched her bottom to make her open her mouth and he succeeded.
It was her first kiss yet her lips were swollen and bruised as she panted out of breath all flushed and embarrassed.

That night she couldn't sleep, his presence scared her and the heated kiss didn't leave her mind for a second.