7. Unhand my mate.

Marcus's POV:

I felt restless as I paced about the hall, sending my greetings to everyone. It didn't feel right doing that with my Beta beside me, she was supposed to be here. She was to play the perfect hostess as we welcomed our guests.

“Relax, the people are beginning to gossip,” Mark came to whisper in my ear.

“When will she be here? Titus had better not test my patience!”

Mark sighed, “just contacted Lily, she said they'll be moving soon. Can you at least relax? Your impatience is beginning to irritate me,” he snapped.

I gave him a dirty look. “Imagine if your girl was with some sick pervert, how will—”

“With all due respect, don't finish that sentence,” he growled.

A chuckle rumbled from my chest, Mark was a total idiot where Lily was concerned. It was bad when he met her, it worsened as the years progressed.

I had gone too far into my thoughts and was caught off guard when my wolf forcefully turned me towards the entrance. Immediately a strong sensation enveloped me, coursing from my head down to my feet. I hadn't sensed her when she came in because I'd been distracted, but now I set my eyes on her, I couldn't look away.

That's our mate...

I couldn't stop the happy sigh that slipped out of my lips. I had been bothered that she wouldn't want to be Luna, when she actually was Luna.

“Mate,” I tested the words on my tongue.

Mark turned to me with wide eyes, then back to Chloe. “Shit! I can't believe this is happening,” he ended with a chuckle.

I ignored him.

My wolf was mad at Titus for being so close to her. I know I'd sent him to get her, but how was I to know she'd turn out to be my mate? Just as my wolf wanted, I started charging towards them. I was angrier now that I knew he'd been trying to woo my mate, that was a double offense!

Mark followed, blocking my path as he eyed my glaring face. “Let her come to you, there is a reason I've protected her all this time. Relax, so you don't scare her.”

I turned to face him, he also wore a warning glare. Slowly, he backed away from me,

“I'm going to get Lily.”

I muttered a string of profanities under my breath. It was torture enough that I couldn't be close to her after waiting centuries to meet her, but it was a different level of pain in watching another wolf so close to her.

My feet moved on their own accord and I stood right behind them, glaring at the back of Titus' head. I connected him through the link, unhand my mate,now!

Like she'd heard my voice in Titus' head, she spun around locking gaze with me. It took her a few seconds as she stared at me in shock. Her green eyes turned a bright silver when she recognised me.

The time had finally come, the time I'd waited centuries for. The bond roared with a force, pulling us together. I stared at her in amazement as her eyes dimmed their glow until they retained their original green color.

“Mate... ” she muttered so low, that a human wouldn't have heard her.

I was trapped in my own body, while my wolf kept urging me to go to her. All that kept resounding in my head were the fortune teller’s words twenty years ago, “your mate is yet to be born... ”

She was born two years after I gave up on her. I thought I wouldn't see her until I breathed my last, but the moon goddess had dropped her straight into my hands.

I was still in awe of her striking beauty. Her skin as fair as snow, her hair as white as the moon and her plump lips as succulent as a cherry. I loved a beautiful woman anytime and the gods had taken their time to carve out the perfect one for me.

I finally moved towards her, but she took a frightened step backwards. My heart dropped into my stomach and stirred up intense fear there, as I saw the panicked look on her face. Before I could get a word out, she turned and ran out of the hall.

Fuck! Double fuck and fuck over!

That was me living my worst fear, the fear of her not wanting me back. I was scared enough when I didn't know she was my mate. We had no bonds to bind our souls together, but I was scared she wouldn't want to be my Luna. Now we both couldn't back out and that gave me some hope...

My wolf growled, as my eyes flickered back to Titus. He stood in shock, wide eyes staring between me and the door Chloe had just run through. I located him through the link, stay the hell away from my mate and see me tomorrow!

Ignoring all the stares, I went after her. I had just started to contact Mark, when he walked towards me. “She ran out Mark, you needed to see her, she was scared of me!”

He nodded. “I know. We found her on her way into the woods. Lily had suspected that she might pull that kind of stunt, so we waited out there for her.”

I sighed in relief, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Where is she now? Can I go to her?”

“Give her some time man. Lily's talking some sense into her, she'll come around.”

I didn't like the fact that they wanted to keep her away from me. My wolf agreed too, he wanted to see her again. I groaned in frustration, passing my fingers through my hair.

“Mark,”

“Yes?”

“How was it when you first met Lily? Was she scared of you?”

He chuckled, passing me a teasing smirk. “She liked me instantly but panicked when she found out what I was. She was unsure but I proved myself worthy of her love, I still prove myself everyday.”

“Yours is a different case entirely!”

He laughed, putting a palm over his mouth when I sent him a glare. “Let’s just go in and wait for them.”

“And if they don't come back?”

“Then we'll go in search of them.”

I wasn't satisfied with his response, but I obliged. I turned around and marched towards the hall. Just as we were ascending the staircase, Cara called out to me. I groaned, turning to face her.

“What?!” I snapped.

Her eyes were blotchy and her face red. She looked like she'd been crying. “What is this nonsense I hear about you finding your mate?! They're lying right?”

“I do not answer to you. Move out of my way and let me through,” I hissed in a threatening voice. When she still wouldn't move out of the way, I shoved her to the side. “Not now Cara, I have more important things to worry after...”

I went back in to join the party. I could feel Cara's eyes on me but she kept her distance, which was a good thing. I was in no mood to deal with a whining ex lover, she was no longer of any use to me. I have Chloe now...

Did I really or was I trying to convince myself?

*

I was getting impatient, angry and confused. It had been over ten minutes and still, no sign of my white haired mate..

Mark had left my side and was now in a corner talking to Titus. I had caught Titus' glare a couple of time and of course, I glared back harder. The only thing saving his ass were the guest wolves present, I wouldn't have hesitated to show him his place.

I got a whiff of her smell and turned to see her walking arm in arm with Lily. I growled, not liking the close proximity between them. “Thank you Lilian,” I said as she left Chloe before me.

She passed me a little smile then went away to look for Mark.

Her eyes were casted low, her body shivering as her little form stood before me. She gave me a bow, “Alpha.”

I breathed in a sigh, her lovely voice sounding like music to my ears. I brought my hand to her face, gently lifting her head so I could look at her beautiful eyes. She gulped visibly, her eyes darting about but never meeting mine.

“My Luna,” I greeted back. Her face paled as she stepped back a little. I tried to conceal my hurt with a forced smile. “Would you mind being my escort for the rest of the night?”

She was starting to object with a shake of her head but as if remembering something, she nodded. She placed her hand on mine when I offered to follow me reluctantly.

I had to pull her around with a little force. She kept resisting my touches the whole night, trying to keep as much distance from me as she could...