Page 4 of The Alpha Wolf's Bullied Bride

I open my eyes and stare at my reflection on the iridescent surface of the water that acts as a mirror, my fingertips causing a ripple effect that’s almost hypnotizing. My long locks of blonde waves billow out to one side with the gentle breeze, a wind that carries over the sweet scent of jasmine flowers. I frown when I recall that those flowers only exist on the north side of Rosette Valley. I’m about to tear my gaze from my mirror of water when I see Flynn’s face reflected next to mine.

Shrieking in surprise, my attempt to stand up quickly has me losing my footing. I hold my breath instinctively, quick reflexes preparing to plunge into the pool as I shut my eyelids.

But the plunge doesn’t happen. Instead, a pair of strong hands capture my arms and pull me to stand. Hands that burn like fire through each layer of my flesh, igniting the blood in my veins and piercing my eardrums with a faint ringing that has me snapping my eyes open, my heart skipping a beat when I meet the intruding depths of Flynn Lycoan’s amber eyes.

The same dissonant ringing I heard the other night at the pack meeting, after completing the blood sacrifice to connect with the Moon Goddess. It’s here now, resounding in myeardrums as goosebumps pebble across the flesh of my forearms and my heart begins to race.

Flynn’s eyes turn to swirls of golden pools, drawing me in and immersing me in the distinct scent of flowers that don’t bloom close enough to spread their fragrance in the air. He doesn’t release my arms, a frown growing on his face that reflects my own confusion.

Am I dreaming? Or do his eyes really flit to my lips for a fleeting second before he captures my gaze again, a stare so hypnotizing that the ringing in my ears turns into a tiny voice that begins to chant a single word in my mind—a word that makes absolutely no sense, given our circumstances? A word that doesn’t stop reverberating in my mind, even when I search the sharp features of Flynn’s face for a way to disprove it. But tracing his sharp jawline, mapping the way his plump lips remain parted, and noticing the gentle sway of dark tresses falling down his forehead only serves to make the voice louder in my head.

“Lila…?” Flynn hesitates, his usually raspy, deep male voice nothing more than a whisper.

“M-mate….” The word skitters off my tongue, joining the chanting in my mind and ringing in my ears. It’s a word that means everything and nothing at the same time. Everything, because my heart pulls forward as if reaching out to Flynn. Nothing, because of his horrified frown and gasp when he abruptly releases his grip on my arms.

“What did you just—?” Flynn’s question is cut off by the sudden appearance of a group of female Blood Moon wolves.

The group I didn’t hear approaching, too caught up in my trance-like state. A trance that I suddenly snap out of the moment I hear Cynthia’s voice.

“Oh, look what we have here…”

The last thing I need right now is to be cornered by the Delta’s daughter, who slides her arm through Flynn’s as he remains glowering at me with disbelieving, accusing eyes.

I should run, I think, eyes flitting across our surroundings before my vision is pulled back to Flynn as if it’s being controlled by a rubber band. He hasn’t stopped glaring, a look of deep disgust on his face as his nostrils flare.

“Did you just call Flynn your mate?” Cynthia chuckles sadistically, her group of lackeys joining in on the chorus of amused laughter.

My heart pounds, only now it’s because I’m fearful of what comes next. Out here, in broad daylight, there aren’t any shadows I can stick to. Not after what just happened, and the word I spoke aloud.

What have I done?

Cynthia hangs on to a stunned Flynn, caressing his arm as she looks at me with a revolted glint in her eyes. “What a joke,Omega,”she spits the word as if it’s bitter on her tongue. “You don’t even have a wolf. How dare you think you could ever be Flynn’s mate?”

“Looking like that, too,” Gloria, one of Cynthia’s minions, chimes in with a click of her tongue. “Maybe you should try cardio instead of chasing after Flynn.”

Another round of ruthless laughter fills the air, a shiver of sheer panic coursing down my spine. I turn my eyes on Flynn, hoping, praying that he silences them.

I couldn’t have imagined the softness I just saw in his eyes—a stark contrast to his usual behavior around me—but when hemurmured my name earlier, I could have sworn it wasn’t as cruel as he always is.

Flynn gulps, turning his face to Cynthia when she cups his cheek.

“I hope the Omega wasn’t bothering you, honey. She seems awfully misguided, don’t you think?”

Flynn nods as he turns back to me, a menacing glint in his eyes now, as if he’s just been bewitched by Cynthia’s presence. Gone is any trace of compassion I thought I sensed, making me realize that I can’t trust my senses at all. Without a wolf, I’m disconnected from any intuition I would have had.

That’s why I made a grave error, calling Flynn my mate.

“Misguided?” Flynn scoffs derisively, shaking his head. “More like crazy. Do you think I’d ever wanna be with a worthless Omega? Please!” he chuckles and rolls his eyes.

“Of course. She’s just a fat piece of nothing. A baby elephant!” Cynthia giggles.

I coil into myself, shoulders curling as I hang my head in an attempt to shut their voices out. I’ve faced them so much over the years—especially Cynthia—but their bullying doesn’t cease to sting where it hurts the most. The Delta’s daughter had once been a friend, until she received her wolf and realized that I was handicapped in that department.

Ever since my eighteenth birthday, I’ve been packing on weight as if my metabolism is non-existent. It’s only added to my low standing in the pack, where even the Alpha’s son laughs at the joke.

“Baby elephant, huh?” he quips through a laugh, turning rueful eyes on me. “I suppose you are considered ababy,since you haven’t reached werewolf puberty yet.”

A round of horrendous laughter fills the air around us, but it isn’t as petrifying as the ringing in my ears that hasn’t subsided. It’s that electric pulse that thrums in my head that has me lifting my head to look at Flynn with disappointment filling my chest.

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