chapter 2

Mark dragged the guard who had been hitting Maya to some secluded place and threw him on the ground.

"Alpha, please forgive me, I was just following orders."

"I have just been away for a short five years and you are already treating my pack like animals?" Mark questioned angrily.

The look on Maya's face at how she endured the pain made his heart wrench in pain.

"We can't defy our luna. It was her order to teach that omega a lesson."

"Omega?"

"Yes."

"When did this happen?" Mark asked.

Maya was an omega? That was beyond his imagination and expectations.

The last time he saw her was the day before his twentieth birthday when he was supposed to announce his luna in front of his pack.

He did not dare to see her because he knew that he had let her down.

But Lily had promised to take good care of her like her own sister, was this the way siblings took care of each other?

Turning one into the lowest ranked in the pack and even abusing them?

After his birthday celebration, he immediately left the same night to go for a secret training that only he and his father knew of.

He never thought that when he came back five years later, everything would have changed.

"Tell me everything you know," Mark demanded.

He had the urge to snap this man's neck but logic told him otherwise.

"After you left five years ago, Miss Maya was accused of stealing some expensive jewelry belonging to miss Lily."

"Beta Collin and his wife Melissa wanted to cast her out of the pack but Lily stood up to her and requested they don't chase her away."

"She requested that instead they should leave her in the pack but lower her rank to an omega."

"Miss Maya protested and was ready to leave because she said that she was innocent, but instead she was tied up and locked in the room for one week without food or anything."

"When she finally left, she was so weak that she couldn't even stand. Then miss Lily took her back into the house but she was in charge of cleaning and cooking." The guard said.

He dared not to omit anything because he feared for his life.

Mark was so shocked after hearing the whole story.

He could not believe that a lot had happened while he was away.

"And why were you whipping her earlier?"

"As I had told you, it was an order from our future luna. Now everyone in the family listens to her, even her parents. No one dares to defy her orders!"

"Was it only today or it's something that has been happening over the years?" Mark asked. His voice was cold enough to send the guard trembling in fear.

He did not dare look him in the eye or even dared to raise his head.

"Speak!" Mark roared. He was on the verge of losing control.

The pain in his heart made him see red.

"Err, it started five years ago. Every time luna Lily was pissed off or in a bad mood, she could order us to bring Maya over then we will torture her while she enjoys….."

"Enough," Mark said in a low growl.

His nails had started to grow and fangs were now visible.

His eyes had turned a deep blue color, an indication that his wolf was raging.

It wanted to wreak havoc and destroyed everything it came across.

"This will remain between us, if you are told to do anything by miss Lily, you have to report to me," Mark ordered before he left in huge strides.

"Yes, Alpha."

Mark did not wait for the guard's reply. He immediately transformed into his wolf form and ran to the woods before letting out a loud howl.

He needed to put his emotions under control. Although he believed what the guard had said to be eighty percent true, he still needed to do his investigation.

So he mind-linked with his beta and gave him some instructions.

The two of them had both left the pack at the same time although they had gone to different places to train.

Beta was alpha's right-hand man, the more powerful he was, the greater his alpha would be.

He couldn't believe that Lily had the heart to torment Maya to that extent.

Lily heard the howl and her heart trembled. They were mates, they had some connection with each other.

But why did he sound angry? Had something happened to him while he was away?

Mark runs into the woods. Feeling the wind rub on his skin and the soil beneath him, the feeling of nature was the best remedy for any wolf.

He felt one with nature. The trees, the soil, the wind, and the air, it gave magical healing to his unsettled moods.

He was the fastest in the pack because he was born under the wind moon.

He was considered intelligent, self-driven, and stubborn. Once he decided on something, he would never change his mind.

But because of his pack, he changed his mind. Because of his family, he hurt the person he cared about the most.

Mark ran around the woods, and climbed trees at a terrifying speed, he seemed to be one with the wind, so mystical, so magical.

After an unknown amount of time passed, he transformed back to his human form.

Standing under the tree but naked, Mark was not embarrassed at all.

He had been angry earlier that when he transformed, all the clothes were torn apart.

He dazed out for a moment, mind linked with his beta to bring him some clothes before he climbed the tree and lay down.

If Maya was here, she would have looked away shyly and urged him to cover himself, but she would sneak peeks when he was not looking.

He had found it amusing and always ended up teasing her of being a hypocrite. They would then chase each other in the woods as they laughed their hearts out.

Before he knew it, he had missed her so much. He never thought that he will be heartless to that extent.

Why had he made such stupid suggestions and even assured her that she will definitely become his luna?

Deep inside, he did not want to lose her but because he had the pack to consider, he made the decision that hurt her the most.

He might think that his rejection was not a blow to Maya because they were not real mates, but to Maya, all that mattered was the person she loved.

Whether he was her mate or not, she had given all of her heart to him.

Although Mark did not feel the pain because there was no mating bond between the two of them, he could still feel that Maya had truly been hurt.

Soon, his beta, Jay, arrived with his clothes. After putting them on, they left the woods.

"What was with the howl?" Jay asked his alpha.

"Why do you ask?"

"It was filled with rage. It sent everyone shivering with fear."

"It was nothing, I was just letting out some steam."

"Okay."

….

Mark arrived at Lily's House, now the for the second time...

When he entered, he noticed that the house was neatly arranged, but the person he wanted to see was nowhere to be seen.

He managed his anger and walked towards Lily's room with his usual gentle expression.

Although they grew together, he and Lily did not have a deeper bond between them, but for the benefit, of the pack, they had no choice but to be together.

Although Lily's parents were just second in command, they had a lot of connections from outside the pack. Marrying her meant that their pack would be stronger than before.

"Baby…." Lily screamed and threw herself at Mark the moment she saw him.

"You really are back?"

"Yes. How have you been?"

"I have been missing you every day with each passing second," Lily said, stealing a kiss from Mark.

Mark took the opportunity to deepen the kiss and kissed her passionately.

He did not look like the man who had been feeling sorry just a moment ago.

Men sure were fickle. Once beauty threw itself at them, they will forget about everything else.

Lily enjoyed the intimate act of her man.

She was pleased as punch as she indulged in the kiss.

'Maya look, the moment you man came in, he immediately pounced on me and kissed me like crazy." Lily thought smugly in her heart.

"Let's go to your room," Mark said after sensing that someone was looking at them.

He pushed Lily to the room and before he closed the door, he managed to catch a glimpse of a lonely figure retreating.