Betrothed, Betrayed, Bound to a Beast

While being unconscious, it felt like I was sent back to the past. Memories of past days started running in my head. I had always been an omega, the lowest rank in our pack's hierarchy. As a child, I had been constantly bullied and belittled by the werewolves of higher ranks. They would mock my weakness, my lack of strength and speed.

But Ryker had always been different. Even as a young alpha, he had always protected me. He always stood up for me when the others tried to hurt me. I remembered the first time he had defended me. I must have been only eight or nine years old at the time. A group of older werewolves had been teasing me, calling me names and pushing me around. Ryker had appeared out of nowhere, his eyes turned fury red with anger as he stood up to the bullies.

"Leave her alone," he had growled, his aura was deep and cold. The others immediately backed off, being afraid of Ryker's alpha position in the pack. From that day on, Ryker had always been there for me, always protecting me from harm.

As I grew older, my feelings for Ryker had evolved from gratitude to something more. I had fallen deeply in love with him, and I had thought that he felt the same way. But, I dared not confessing my feelings to him regarding my lower rank in the Pack. That's why, even after realizing he was my mate on my eighteenth birthday, I remained still. I didn't raise my hope. It was he who made me feel I was important. He was the one who proposed me and called me his mate before everyone. He told me that he would always protect me and marry me since I was his mate.

But, I was a fool to not understand his true meaning behind his words. He never said he loved me. He only said he would marry me and protect me because I was his mate. I now wonder had he been the same with me if I was not his mate?

I slowly came to my consciousness, my head still throbbing with pain. As I opened my eyes I found myself curled in the corner of a dark dungeon, muttering Ryker’s name for help. I smiled ironically for still calling him in my bad days. Some habits never go away. Someone lit a candle and I came to see Layla standing over me with a smirk on her face.

"Well, well, well," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "Look what we have here. The poor little omega who got rejected by her own mate."

I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me to lie back down. Layla laughed, the sound sending a chill down my spine.

"You're so pathetic," she spat. "Ryker never loved you. He only used you for his own convenience. And now that he's broken your bond, you're nothing but a discarded toy."

I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes as tears began to form. Layla's words cut deep, and I couldn't help but wonder if she was right. Had Ryker ever truly loved me?

Layla's smirk grew wider as she saw the tears in my eyes. "You're so weak," she sneered. "You'll never be worthy of an alpha like Ryker."

I felt a surge of anger at her words. I raised my head and looked straight into her eyes before asking, “Are you?”

“What?” She looked down at me with agitated eyes. I continued, “You said Ryker doesn't love me. Does he love you then? No, he doesn't love anyone, Layla. Not even you.”

“Besides, let me clear your misunderstandings. I was the one who rejected our bond, not Ryker.” I added, my voice laced with pride.

However, my words infuriated her. She threw a hard slap on my face, causing me to bleed.

“Ryker, help me…” I couldn't help calling Ryker. Just then a deep male voice sounded from behind, “What is going on here?”

While being unconscious, it felt like I was sent back to the past. Memories of past days started running in my head. I had always been an omega, the lowest rank in our pack's hierarchy. As a child, I had been constantly bullied and belittled by the werewolves of higher ranks. They would mock my weakness, my lack of strength and speed.

But Ryker had always been different. Even as a young alpha, he had always protected me. He always stood up for me when the others tried to hurt me. I remembered the first time he had defended me. I must have been only eight or nine years old at the time. A group of older werewolves had been teasing me, calling me names and pushing me around. Ryker had appeared out of nowhere, his eyes turned fury red with anger as he stood up to the bullies.

"Leave her alone," he had growled, his aura was deep and cold. The others immediately backed off, being afraid of Ryker's alpha position in the pack. From that day on, Ryker had always been there for me, always protecting me from harm.

As I grew older, my feelings for Ryker had evolved from gratitude to something more. I had fallen deeply in love with him, and I had thought that he felt the same way. But, I dared not confessing my feelings to him regarding my lower rank in the Pack. That's why, even after realizing he was my mate on my eighteenth birthday, I remained still. I didn't raise my hope. It was he who made me feel I was important. He was the one who proposed me and called me his mate before everyone. He told me that he would always protect me and marry me since I was his mate.

But, I was a fool to not understand his true meaning behind his words. He never said he loved me. He only said he would marry me and protect me because I was his mate. I now wonder had he been the same with me if I was not his mate?

I slowly came to my consciousness, my head still throbbing with pain. As I opened my eyes I found myself curled in the corner of a dark dungeon, muttering Ryker’s name for help. I smiled ironically for still calling him in my bad days. Some habits never go away. Someone lit a candle and I came to see Layla standing over me with a smirk on her face.

"Well, well, well," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "Look what we have here. The poor little omega who got rejected by her own mate."

I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me to lie back down. Layla laughed, the sound sending a chill down my spine.

"You're so pathetic," she spat. "Ryker never loved you. He only used you for his own convenience. And now that he's broken your bond, you're nothing but a discarded toy."

I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes as tears began to form. Layla's words cut deep, and I couldn't help but wonder if she was right. Had Ryker ever truly loved me?

Layla's smirk grew wider as she saw the tears in my eyes. "You're so weak," she sneered. "You'll never be worthy of an alpha like Ryker."

I felt a surge of anger at her words. I raised my head and looked straight into her eyes before asking, “Are you?”

“What?” She looked down at me with agitated eyes. I continued, “You said Ryker doesn't love me. Does he love you then? No, he doesn't love anyone, Layla. Not even you.”

“Besides, let me clear your misunderstandings. I was the one who rejected our bond, not Ryker.” I added, my voice laced with pride.

However, my words infuriated her. She threw a hard slap on my face, causing me to bleed.

“Ryker, help me…” I couldn't help calling Ryker. Just then a deep male voice sounded from behind, “What is going on here?”

(Sorry for the repetition of chapter. I was facing technical issues.)