The Alpha’s Bride Crowned With Shadows by Tcee Eke

CHAPTER TWO – FATE

LYRA

My mouth opened and closed thrice as I stared at the blue eyes which were fixed on me. Tyler kept staring at me even though my cousin was hugging him.

Tyler was my mate?! I was mated to my cousin’s boyfriend!

These thoughts kept ringing in my head as I stared at them from the hallway. I felt intense pain because I knew there wasn’t going to be a happy ending for me.

I stared at the clock in the sitting room and I sighed, it was almost time for my Aunty and Uncle to come downstairs for breakfast.

I headed back to the kitchen and began preparing mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs for breakfast. Halfway through my cooking, I perceived his familiar scent as he entered the kitchen alone.

“You’re my mate,” he stated.

I gauged his face to see any type of reaction but his face was blank, expressionless. I swallowed and nodded, unable to speak since it wasn’t a question.

In all the years Tyler and Emily have been together he’s never glanced at me or spoken to me, so being close to him and speaking to him made me nervous while sending a thrill across my b*dy.

I served the food into the various dishes and then stared at him boldly for the first time in years.

He had thick bushy brows, a pointed nose, and an oval face. He possessed a strong, athletic build, and broad shoulders. His height was impressive, with a commanding stature. His chiseled jawline accentuated his rugged masculinity, while his blue piercing, deep-set eyes held an enigmatic allure.

His hair, styled effortlessly, added to his charm, the color, a rich shade of brown. A faint stubble adorned his sculpted face.

He was very handsome and now I saw why Emily was head over heels in love with him. I sighed at the thought of Emily.

“Please, go back to the sitting room, I’m sure Emily is looking for you and I wouldn’t like to get into trouble,” I said quietly.

He raised an eyebrow as he stared at me then he finally said what I’d been dreading.

“You can’t be my mate, we can’t be mates,” he repeated, his voice sounding like the mere thought of being my mate repulsed him.

“We don’t get to choose our mates,” I piqued, trying to hide my hurtful expression.

“I’m getting married to your cousin,” he said to me.

“How can you still talk about marriage with Emily when you’ve found your fated mate?” I dared to ask.

I hoped that perhaps the mate bond would make him see sense and possibly accept me as his mate, getting rid of his engagement with Emily.

Instead, his eyes suddenly turned cold as he regarded me with a scornful expression on his face.

“You think I would break things off with Emily just because you’re my fated mate?” he asked, a mocking smile forming on his l*ps.

“Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? Would you reject me because of Emily?” I dared to ask again.

I knew I shouldn’t speak up but I was tired of keeping quiet and being tossed aside and I wouldn’t give up my fated mate without trying at least.

“You want me to reject Emily, a powerful werewolf who would give me strong pups for you, a weakling who hasn’t even gotten her wolf yet?” Tyler asked, his voice a harsh whisper as his eyes were filled with so much disgust it made me cringe.

“My Aunty said I’m a late kind of wolf and…”

“Silence!” he thundered and I whimpered, cowering in fear.

Tears misted my eyes as I bowed my head, fear coursing through my veins. Tyler wasn’t from the Alpha bloodline but he was a Delta wolf and he had strong warrior genes and they’re known for being powerful.

I heard running footsteps as Emily entered the kitchen, her face a mixture of rage and surprise.

“Tyler, what did she do?” she asked.

I stared at Tyler, pleading with my eyes for him not to say a word about the mate bond to Emily but if he had understood me he choose to ignore it.

“Lyra is my mate,” he said, his voice still laced with disgust.

“What?!” Emily gasped, feigning faint and falling in the arms of her beloved ‘Tyler’ who caught her.

I felt humiliated as I stared at the both of them locked in an intimate embrace. I wished more than anything that I had gotten my wolf, maybe he would have been more accepting towards me.

“What is going on?” I heard my uncle and aunt’s voices as they came downstairs and entered the kitchen.

“Mom, dad, Lyra is Tyler’s fated mate,” Emily cried.

“No!” her mom gasped, hugging her and patting her hair.

I remained in the corner of the kitchen, still cowering from fear after Tyler yelled at me. Then my uncle patted Tyler’s shoulders and sighed.

“What do you want to do, son?” he asked him.

My heart pounded with dread as he looked at me. I saw the disgust in his eyes and I shivered.

“I, Tyler Howard, reject you, Lyra Dawson, as my fated mate,” Tyler said to me, his face void of any emotion.

The words he spoke broke my heart into a million pieces as my cousin giggled excitedly. I felt intense pain burning in my chest as tears ran down my cheeks without my consent.

“No,” I wailed, “You can’t reject me. Fated mates are rare, you can’t reject me.”

“The nerve of this b*tch!” Emily cried and slapped me.

I held my cheeks, the sting of the slap leaving a red imprint on my cheeks. It was nothing compared to the pain I felt in my heart though.

“Accept his rejection, b*tch!” Emily snapped.

I shook my head, tears flowing freely down my cheeks as I backed into a corner in the kitchen.

“No, you can’t make me!” I cried.

My Aunty stepped forward and dragged my hair, throwing me to the ground.

“You’re such an ungrateful child! I and your uncle has done nothing but love you and take care of you ever since your parents died in the fire and now you want to steal your cousin’s fiance?” my aunty asked, anger and disappointment laced in her tone.

I stared at Tyler hoping to see something akin to pity in his eyes but all I saw was a cold eyes staring at me filled with disgust.

“I don’t know how you condone her, Aunt Mary, she’s so weak and does nothing,” Tyler said.

His words ripped my heart more and I wondered if he wasn’t feeling my pain. I had hoped that my fated mate would understand that I was a late kind of wolf and not reject me because I had no wolf.

“I’m not stealing Tyler away from anyone, he’s my fated mate,” I cried, refusing to accept the fact that even fate couldn’t help me at this point.

If I accepted his rejection that would mean all my hopes and dreams are in shambles. That would mean I would never leave my uncle and aunty’s house and I would never leave this kingdom.

“Accept his rejection, Lyra,” my uncle said to me.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I shook my head just as another slap landed on my cheeks followed by a kick in my shin.

“Accept his rejection, you b*tch! We have a place to be!” Emily snapped, kicking me in my ribs as another blow from her landed.

I curled up in a ball as they all stood behind her watching as she beat me up until she exhausted herself. My tears had stopped flowing and dried on my cheeks but my heart ached because Tyler didn’t even try to stop her.

Was this how fated mates behaved? I only ever knew my mom and dad as fated mates, I don’t think I’ve never seen an fated mates, my uncle and aunty aren’t fated mates either.

“Stop being stubborn and accept the rejection, Lyra, he doesn’t want you,” my uncle said.

The rejection was a two-way thing. For him to completely break the link between the both of us I had to accept his rejection even after he rejected me.

I looked at Tyler, my eyes red from tears, then a sudden anger rose within me as I stood up, groaning from the pain of the beating I had received from Emily.

My emerald eyes flashed with anger as I channeled it towards him.

“I accept your rejection, Tyler, but mark my words, you shall regret this!” I vowed.

Everyone was shocked by my outburst as I made my way out of the kitchen but my uncle’s voice stopped me.

“How dare you speak to Tyler in such manner?” he asked.

I didn’t turn back, I remained standing and didn’t face them. The anger was still vibrating in my system as I felt a strange energy pulsing through me.

“Since you’ve grown enough wings and you can talk to anyone the way you like I think it’s only fitting the punishment I’m giving you,” my uncle said.

The anger finally dissipated and I turned to face him, my face was once again filled with dread.

“I’m sorry, Uncle Mark,” I mumbled.

“Too late, Lyra, you’re going to the palace,” he said.

I saw Emily’s face curl up with a wicked smile and I frowned.

“To the palace? What for?” I asked.

“I see you want a mate so I’m giving you out to the Werewolf Prince, he’s looking for a bride,” my uncle replied.

I shook my head, dread filling every inch of my skin. This was much worse than rejection. This was a death sentence.