A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate

Ovelia's POV

The black wolf withdrew his clawed fingers, slick with blood, from my left arm, only to plunge them back in again with a cruel relish.

"Arggghh! Please stop!" I begged, my voice trembling with fear and desperation. The wicked satisfaction glimmering in the werewolf's eyes sent shivers down my spine; he relished every moment of my torment.

With a swift, jerking motion, he tore his claws free from my flesh once more, then yanked at my necklace, breaking it apart as if it were nothing more than a flimsy string. He ripped the side of my dress, the fabric tearing easily, exposing my skin to the cold night air and his malevolent gaze.

A twisted smile crept across his lips, filling me with dread. "Ace didn't mark you yet," he taunted, his voice dripping with a sickening sweetness. "Instead of killing you, why not make you my mate?"

The implications of his words made my heart race for an entirely different reason—horror mixed with an urge to survive. Then, a thunderous voice echoed, "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" A massive gray werewolf charged toward us, sinking its fangs into the arm of the black werewolf holding me. The black werewolf recoiled, releasing me, and I collapsed to the ground in a daze.

Through my foggy vision, I recognized the gray beast. It was Ace, transformed into his werewolf form. With a fierce kick, Ace sent the black werewolf crashing into a tree, and a wave of relief washed over me as I finally breathed freely.

Just then, Ann rushed to my side, her presence a soothing balm against my fear. She knelt beside me, gently lifting my head and resting it in her lap.

"You're bleeding, ma'am Ovelia," Ann said, her voice trembling with concern. I could see tears threatening to spill over her cheeks as she tore a piece from her dress and pressed it against my wounds. "This cut on your arm is deep; it won't stop bleeding." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, revealing the depth of her worry. "I'm so sorry we were late. Ace and I should have been here sooner."

With all the strength I could muster, I raised my right hand, trembling slightly as I brushed away the tears on her cheeks. "Please, don't cry," I whispered, attempting to muster a smile that I hoped would ease her pain. "I'm okay." But as the words left my lips, another cough of blood escaped, and darkness began to creep into my vision, pulling me away from the light of her worried gaze.

Ace's POV

A seething rage coursed through me, a fire igniting deep within as my wolf surged to the surface. I was relentless, pounding the black wolf that had harmed Ovelia, each blow fueled by a protective fury that eclipsed all reason. I seized the creature by the throat, my fingers tightening as I locked eyes with its feral gaze.

"Why are you here in the forest? What do you want with Ovelia?!" I growled, my voice a low, dangerous rumble. The anger simmering within me was palpable, a mix of claws and teeth ready to unleash chaos.

He smirked, a sinister laugh escaping his lips, "I'm here to kill Ovelia—to make you suffer. But when I saw you haven't marked her yet, I realized you won't truly suffer if I end her life." I tightened my grip around his throat, watching as pain flickered across his face, the flicker of desperation almost satisfying. Yet he forced out another taunt. "So, I'm planning to make her my mate. But then you showed up. I should have just killed Ovelia right away because now I can see the fury burning in your eyes, and it's hilarious!"

Every word he uttered sent a wave of fury coursing through my veins. I could feel my blood boiling as his laughter echoed in my ears like a mocking bell. With an animalistic growl, I punched him squarely in the gut, feeling the satisfying impact of my fist against his body. His eyes widened as my rage manifested, and in one swift motion, I ripped his left arm from his body.

"Arggggggg!!!" he screamed, the sound piercing through the air, full of pain and shock. The sheer brutality of the action filled the air with tension, an electric charge that enveloped us both.

"My wolf is itching to kill you, but I'll give you a chance to escape. Tell your entire pack that if they dare to repeat this, I'll make sure the Shadow Pack is wiped out!" I growled, my voice laced with fury as I watched him dash away from the kingdom.

"Ma'am Ovelia!!!" Ann screamed, her panic cutting through the silence.

I turned to Ann, and my heart sank at the sight of Ovelia, unconscious and slumped against Ann's trembling legs. Without hesitation, I rushed toward them.

Ann was sobbing, clutching Ovelia tightly, her tears soaking the ground.

"Ann, she's just fainted. Listen closely; her heart is still beating," I reassured, kneeling beside them, trying to mask my own growing fear.

"How can you still be so calm, Sir Ace? Don't you care about her?" Ann snapped, anger mixed with desperation. "She has so many bruises.. she's bleeding... she even coughed up blood!"

Her words hit me like a punch. My heart raced as I took in Ovelia's pallor, the urgency of the moment clawing at my chest.

I was taken aback when I saw the bruises on Ovelia's body again. My heart sank; how could I have been so foolish to think they were gone? During our wedding ceremony, I overlooked them, not realizing that Ann had simply covered Ovelia's bruises with foundation.

My wolf's rage surged within me. "You have no right to speak to me like that! You're just a maid!" I snapped at Ann, my voice laced with anger. I could see the fear etched on her face, but then something changed. Her expression shifted from fear to fierce determination as she exclaimed, "I'm not just a maid! I'm Ovelia's personal maid, and soon Ovelia will be your Luna. I won't let anything happen to her again; I will protect Ma'am Ovelia even if it is cost of my own life."

Ovelia made no mistake in choosing Ann as her personal maid.

"Protect? You weren't even there to safeguard her earlier," I said coldly, watching as guilt washed over Ann's face. She looked down, ashamed. "Anyway, Ann, carry Ovelia on my back. We need to get to the Palace and call a doctor."

Once they were both settled at my back, I started toward the Palace. Guilt and anger churned in my gut. If only I hadn't left Ovelia after our wedding ceremony, none of this would have happened.

A sudden gust of wind swept by, and I heard a whisper that sent shivers down my spine. "Please make her safe." It was the first time in my life I had ever heard the wind speak, and it was unlike anything I had felt before. What was this strange connection Ovelia had with the wind? It was almost as if it protects her.