I will tame your very soul.

His each word had been digged in places in my mind like victory flags.

I couldn't just digest that we had met.

The meet wasn't supposed to happen.

The conversation didn't have to take place.

The moron didn't have to be born.

One hundred and eighty two.

The human in me who had lived a city life, didn't want to believe that fact. But what if it was the truth? The two months I had spent back with the werewolves, I had to believe in it.

Maybe, this was why they were lagging behind in thoughts and customs.

One generation was living for extra hundred years or who knew, more than that?

Well, I couldn't marry. . . do the rituals with that centuries old Lycan.

Not because he was old. But because this wasn't the life I had aimed for.

"If you say anything, they won't be pleased. You might get punished too for rebelling in front of the pack," said Emily quietly while not meeting my eyes. "Punishments are different for the brides of Alpha Lycans and they are not any nice, Aunt Misty."

I blinked and gulped hard. "The word 'Aunt' is a punishment enough," I choked out shakily.

Emily stiffened and smiled nervously.

The sound of bagpipe filled the surroundings and my heart started drowning.

"I don't want this," I said, whimpering as goosebumps risen all over my body. I looked at her and shook my head. "Emily, please help me. I can't do the rituals. They are forcing me to do it. Whoever came here earlier through that border was a wolf. I am not. They are making a mistake."

Emily looked at her elder sister worriedly. She had worn a dark blue long heavy skirt with two attached belts around her waist. Her top was too fit for her precious figure.

Reveka stepped ahead while flaring her nostrils. "Moon Goddess never makes a mistake. My father never makes a mistake. Uncle Karam said your name before they left for the borders. You will have to do the rituals, Aunt Misty." She said firmly, making my jaws clench.

"How would you feel if someone force these rituals on you too?" I asked while feeling my eyes getting glossy.

Reveka didn't take a second before replying. "No one forces rituals uselessly. They do it because they are mates. You are his mate and you are meant for him only," she said, making me stunned.

I shook my head in trauma and got up from the bed. "Look, there's a world outside this territory. You never saw it because of the borders. But it is so beautiful and holds so much magic than what you find here. There is so much to learn."

My lips trembled as I neared Emily and grabbed her hands. "I have an old grandmother back at home who waits for me. Girls help each other, Emily. Please help me."

"You are just scared for no reason," commented Reveka in a bored tone. Her clothes were in dark brown color. Both their braids were tightly done, going back like they were about to hit the gym. "If Uncle Karam finds out about what you are thinking, he won't stay calm. He hates it when things do not go like they are supposed to be."

Of course. Like I was thrown here on his lap, as it was supposed to be.

"Mother will get angry," said Emily nervously as the happy tune from bagpiping started floating.

My heart was floating in the pool of uncertainty.

I was getting anxious.

"No. No. No. Let me go. Is there any secret exit? Any tunnel? Please Emily. Reveka?" I said, bursting into a round of tears.

Reveka sighed heavily.

"It will be fine," said Emily while squeezing my hand and looking in my eyes. I looked up at her and sniffled hard. "Mother says, that rituals are the most beautiful process of celebrating happiness. Togetherness. The whole pack comes along to witness the bond of an Alpha Lycan and his mate."

Another sob escaped me as I shook my head and left her hand. Staggering back, I looked around to think of a way. Any way. From where I could just get out of this mess.

"It is the time. We must leave this room, Aunt Misty. They are waiting." Reveka said while coming closer to grab my elbow.

I jumped in disgust and pushed her hand away. "Stop touching me!" I said angrily, through the wet eyes. "I am not doing any of this shit. Your mother is a sadist bitch."

"What does that mean?" Emily asked in confusion while Reveka already had gotten the feeling of hearing curses for her mother.

"Your mother likes to make people sad." I told sobbingly. "What kind of a woman does this to another one!" I cried, while touching my cheek. "Will she be the same if someone force you two!"

Both of them exchanged a helpless glance and looked back at me.

"She is coming," said Reveka while shaking her head.

My eyes widened in sudden fear.

The door opened and entered a woman whom I hadn't seen before. With kohled blue eyes, she peeked inside the room. When her gaze finally landed on me, she smirked slightly.

My eyes took in her light blue dress with a black corset worn upon it. Her shoulder length curly black hair were the best feature, along with the flawless tanned skin.

"Ah! Just what I had expected," she said while opening the door wide along, consequently my eyes too.

I backed away when she started walking towards me. "Come, child."

"You call me child and for what? To take me to a grown man who is obsessed with the thought of having me!" I said through gritted teeth, the tears sliding down my cheeks effortlessly.

"Woah! Easy." She laughed lightly, boiling my blood. Her hand grabbed mine and she looked in my eyes. "You are feisty."

My lips trembled when she whispered, "Feisty ones always get the slow death."

I couldn't see her ears hidden under the curly hairs. "Are you a Lycan?" I asked desperately.

She smiled and shook her head. "I know what you are dealing with, Misty. I suffered it too."

My eyes caught the talisman hanging over her cleavage. The green gem was shining under the candle light.

"You are a Mystic," I whispered in shock, a tear falling on my hand that she was holding, directly.

She nodded while giving me an empathetic smile. "Trust me when I say, the rebelliousness would take you nowhere. There is a right time for that aggression. Now is the right time, only to obey them. You cannot run away. There's no escape from the fates," she said while turning around and tugging on my head.

I didn't move my feet and pulled back my hand. She didn't be leave it and stopped to look back at me.

"I can't. Please, help me. I am not even a wolf," I squeaked out through the sobs. "My Gran is waiting for me. I was thrown to this territory."

She gulped, her cheekbones didn't have much fat. Unlike Nysa, she was young like in her late twenties. There was no hidden sadness in her eyes.

The Mystics were always so confident.

"I am Alvena. I was pushed too. But now, I am in love with my mate. I have sweet pups. The hatred that the packs have created is nothing but lies. Karam is a hardworking, a loving soul. You are fortunate to have someone like him. He understands. He thinks before attacking," she whispered while widening her eyes to emphasize her words. "The others don't."

"But he is a monster," I said shakily. "I have a life outside this territory. I have been wronged."

"I know," she whispered while glancing at my nose. "But what can you do now? Beg? Rebel? Run away and face their bad sides? This is not how you survive in the unknown world, Misty. For sometime, it is better to go with the flow. Let the Goddess take you to the path on her own. The rest of the journey will be your choice."

"I can kill myself."

Reveka flared her nostrils in shock while Emily let out a heavy breath.

They had witnessed scenes like this before.

Alvena gave me a sad smile. "Tell me, Misty. Is he worth giving up your own life?"

I sniffled hard, blinking the tears away. "You are saying these words to change my mind. You are one of them, now. And you have given up. I will die but I won't cooperate."

"What about your Grandmother?" She asked while giving me the angry glossy eyes. "Reveka will give you her dagger and you can kill yourself, very well. But then, what of the old woman?"

My lips parted and vision turned blurry again.

"Take time. Think. Then, work. Some rituals doesn't matter to you. Do they? Do you believe in them? Do you? Really?" She asked, squeezing my hand.

Reveka crossed her arms restlessly while Emily gave me a pleading look.

"If you do not cooperate, they would make you do it forcefully anyway. It is better to have it done smoothly and not get killed for the grandmother you love so much," she said, making my heart squeeze.

My hand loosened and eyes closed as a sob escaped my mouth in extreme terror.

I didn't want this.

I was scared.

"Come, love. The Goddess is ready to bless you both."

________

The red long skirt was heavy. It was so with three layers. But over the cutsleeved red top, they had filled my neck with old jewellery that were someone else's.

Amelia had put them around my neck forcefully, telling that they were of Karam's mother and grandmother. Nysa and her had worn it at their ritual nights too.

The crown of red feathers on my head was heavier than I had thought. There were roses and leaves stitched on it too. Amelia had tied it around my head tight, and used my hair braids too to keep it stable. The rest of the hair were down.

The red cloak over the dress was protecting me from the cold winds by default. The hood was hanging behind, on my back while the hem of the skirt was long enough to trail over the muddy land.

It was the second time I had gotten out of that room. And the view was completely opposite.

The whole pack was awake. The savages were all awake. Wild and messy. Some of the males were shirtless. Some of them eere wearing thin shirts and breeches. The females had worn dresses with frilly frocks and corsets. Some were wearing the ones with simple falls. Some of them were wearing feathery crowns and some had bandanas.

Pointed ears and sharp canines were everywhere. Long hair and beards. Cleavage and drinks. Braids and bandanas.

I could only count to eighty three when the bagpipe tune turned intense and slow. The drums calmed down along with the laughing and mingling Lycans who were looking up at the bricked stage, I was standing beside the so-called mate.

I couldn't even look at him. I just couldn't. I hated him so much. I was too emotional to even give him an angry glance. I was too ashamed of myself for being so weak and controllable.

"Silence!" The mighty Alpha Kingston roared standing beside the two old women, standing behind us.

"Turn around," one of them said, in an sharp edge voice.

My eyes lowered just as I caught her amused wrinkly face. I was scared if I would scream at her face in frustration.

Wooden sticks had been digged on each side of the stage to hold the burning torches and create light.

A fire itself was lit behind the women in a big iron bowl. They had been throwing things one by one in it as if sacrificing. I saw clothes and leaves, feathers and blood. Almost like how they had done back at the Southern pack. With every drop of items, there were long chants of prayers in scary laid female voices.

They had wailed together. Amelia, Nysa, three to four other women of their age sang songs that sounded so thick in village accent.

Lysar was standing down with the crowd along with the group of nieces and nephews.

My eyes had searched for any face that looked as sad as I was. I couldn't find any.

"When the stars align,
The Moon has given a sign.
You are his and He is yours,
In flesh, in fur.
With claws and canine."

The drums were beaten loudly.

The old woman on the right smiled mischievously. She had dipped her two fingers in a bowl full of red liquid.

It didn't take a single second to realize that it was blood. Thick blood.

My whole soul shook when she asked him to bend and colored his cheeks. I fisted my hands and gritted my teeth to the edge of breaking then, when she drew the stripes across my cheeks too.

The metallic taste spread in the air around me.

Further, she grabbed my hand while the other lady took his.

A loud gasp escaped my mouth when she sliced my palm with a large knife. Chills ran down my spine as I stared at the blood trail leaking down.

Tears filled my eyes in the physical pain. I was numb. Slowly, the large hand grabbed mine.

"To this fire, I submit the mixed blood's drop;
A bond is to be made, blessed for the best hopes
The beast is awakened and so are the mates.
Burn the evils, Maintain harmony as we now join the fates."

I had seen Victor and Gina do it. Thomas and Alyssa. Eva and Leo. Klynn and Orina.

It was the same fucking prayer from the Mating Ceremony.

The whole of my body shuddered at the realization while Karam walked ahead, pulling my hand too.

Blankness appeared in my head in extreme trauma when he forwarded our joined hands and let the mixed blood drop in the fire.

He pulled the hands back slowly, making me observe the sleeve of his red cloak.

Tears slid down my cheeks when the women giggled in satisfaction at seeing the flames rising.

"The Goddess accepts!" They shouted.

Kingston let out a loud howl. The pack followed. Along with drums and bagpipe.

The music of my death.

I sniffled silently.

"You are his and He is yours.
The Goddess opens the doors.
For the Lycan and his mate.
An eternity of blessings and love, she pours."

Amelia howled loudly, standing behind me to face the crowd.

"Now, you seal this deal of all the lives ND afterlives to be lived together, with a kiss." The aged woman with pointy ears said.

I was stunned.

I was gone.

No. This was not happening.

Oh God! What had I even done!

I needed to wake up from this nightm—

He didn't let me even think anymore as I was turned to face by the suddenpull on my bleeding hand. His muscular arms wrapped around my small body comparing to his, while he leaned downwards and pushed me against himself.

I yelped with the same mouth that was caught by his soft lips afterwards, all of a sudden. My eyes closed in horror. In shock.

Victory howls echoed around along with the bagpiper's melody and thrilling drum beats.

His lips moved against mine slowly and fiercely.

Heat risen all over my body while my heart flipped crazily. Waves of shivers crossed my spine. His hands felt so big against my small back.

The taste of his lips was too much to digest when all I could hear were Lycans making noises and celebrating.

As if he had put his hand inside my chest and was moving his fingers. I couldn't stop feeling the tingles all over my skin.

A whimper escaped from me when his tongue fought to enter my mouth.

I didn't even realize that I had clutched his cloak in my fists and was now pushing on his chest hard.

He pulled away and left me panting in extreme shock.

"Mine," he growled in victory, making the cheers erupted around.

Disgust crawled all over my skin when I observed the shoulder-length hair left loose. The beard had scratched my chin and cheeks. My nose was aching.

But that was the physical pain.

No one knew what I was going through mentally. My mind was asking to shut down and run away from me.

Soft wind caressed my wet cheeks while I observed the red cloak over his black breeches. He was shirtless inside. Taut muscles and lean torso.

He might be an art but he wasn't drawn to please me.

My lips trembled and throat shook wildly.

Those amber eyes seemed astonished and I just wanted to die.

A sob escaped my mouth while Kingston shouted, "Wine!"

The crowd roared and started partying like savages.

Holding my bleeding hand, I gave him the most disgusted look.

His mouth parted and eyebrows furrowed.

"Misty." His lips moved while all the sounds had started fading.

A thick silence had started to engulf me while my head twirled like a tornado.

My eyes rolled over and his hands grabbed my form again immediately.

"Misty!"

At last, the darkness helped me escape him

______

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