Darcy’s POV
Groaning, my head hurt so much as I tried to move, and it wasn’t until then that I realized that I had chains on my hands and legs. Wincing, I remembered I made a sound before I fell unconscious, and Anthony looked at me.
The calmness in his eyes had returned, but there was still a surprise underneath it. I knew that no one would’ve been expecting me to make a sound as loud as that.

I’d thought that he would take me away. He looked like he’d changed his mind about wanting a mute and cursed mate, and for a moment, I could feel my heart leaping for joy, my entire being relaxed as I let out one last sigh.
My muscles calmed, and I hoped he would make his way towards me. I couldn’t help but hope that he was going to order the other werewolves to stop and never lay their filthy hands on me, but that didn’t happen.
I still couldn’t wrap my head around it because it all happened so fast before I saw that disgusting face. I was knocked unconscious, and now I’m awake in a cold, dark room with my hands and legs bound in chains.
I’ve been abandoned again, first my mother, then my father, and now my mate. No one wants me, and I’ll always be that reject, that curse no one wants.
Why did I think that finding my mate would automatically make things more accessible? It didn’t, and if anything, it made things worse because not only did he blatantly say that he didn’t want someone like me to be his mate.
He walked away, and he let me go despite knowing that I needed help. He knew I was in danger, but he’d rather abandon me in that danger than help me out of it.

Why does something so horrible have to happen just when I thought that good things would finally happen to me?
It was as though the rumor about me being a curse was true because if I weren’t, everyone wouldn’t treat me like one.
Tears had started trickling down my cheeks, and I did nothing to stop it until I realized that if I didn’t find a way to escape, I was only going to suffer more.
I tried to stand, but the force from the chain pulled me back down. Unable to do anything, I cried until my eyes gave out and no more tears were left to shed.

Sniffling, I cleaned my eyes and looked around for somewhere to pass. Everywhere was thin, and even if I sucked in all of my breaths, I wouldn’t be able to pass through.
This is no time to be harmful, and I must try and escape. The only person that could’ve helped me, the alpha, chose to abandon me.
Only the goddess knew what would become of me if I spent another second in here.
While I was still trying to maneuver to the gate, it opened, and the men from before I lost consciousness appeared. They had gas masks on, and they seemed serious.
I tried to move away from them, but they yanked me up like I was nothing and dragged me out of the tiny room that I woke up in. I looked around, and nothing seemed familiar to me.
What’s going on? Are they going to kill me? Are they going to sell me off? Will anyone even buy me?
Different thoughts were still running through my mind when the guards released me and threw me across a vast room. I winced in pain as I lifted my head, only to see the Alpha standing in front of me.
He looked more than serious his aura reeked of authority, and I was conflicted about whether I should be staring at him like this.
More than my confusion was my relief. My mate hadn’t abandoned me, and he’d even helped me. My mate hasn’t completely let me go.
He cleared his throat as he brought the glass of vodka that he was holding to his mouth, and when I took another glance at his eyes, my breath hitched.
His eyes were cold, and they sent chills down my spine. Fear gripped me again as jolts of vibration rushed through me.
Why does he look like this after making me feel there might be hope for me?
It was as though I’d jumped from the frying pan right inside the fire, and even though he hadn't done anything to me, I could see why people avoided him.
Why did people think that just breathing in the same air as he did would land them in trouble? Why no one but me could stand his aura.
“Do you know why you could get close to me?” He asked. That wasn’t what I was expecting him to say. There were other things I wanted to hear him say, and I wasn’t expecting him to start with that question.
I shook my head even though I knew. I had no idea if I should let it out that I could feel the mate bond when he touched me, but to be on the safer side, I denied knowing anything.
“I know you know, but I’ll tell you, you’re my mate,” he continued, “that’s why you’re not affected by my Lycan, or you would’ve blown into a million pieces when you touched me.” He finished before setting his glass down.
I was delighted to hear that, and it was as though he’d just confessed to me how special I was to him. He cleared his throat again, jolting me out of my thoughts when he realized that I was already lost in it.
I nodded in agreement, and I couldn’t say anything for fear of saying the wrong thing and getting a punishment that would make me regret my existence.
Being the only one who could get close to Anthony, he let me know that he was also the only one who could end my stealer pheromone, and from the way he spoke, I could tell that he believed that we were destined.
The moon goddess had tied us together, and Anthony admitted it. My heart leaped for joy because, for the first time in my life, someone had accepted me.
He didn’t deny me as other people would he admitted that he knew we were mates, but as usual, the following words that came out of his mates shattered all the hopes I’d already built.
“We’re mates, but the last thing I want is a weak werewolf for a mate,” he started after a while of silence as he raised an eyebrow as if to be sure I was listening.
“Your entire existence is a potential danger to me because of how weak you are, and if I should accept this mate bond, then I’m opening the ground for even more harm to myself.” He paused for a while.
“I would always have to protect you, and that’s something that I can’t do. It’s something I can never sign up for because I had tons of problems to take care of, and protecting you shouldn’t be added to the list.” He finished.
My world shattered, and everywhere instantly turned gloomy as I averted my gaze from him. I hate and blame myself for raising my hopes so high.
I should’ve known that he wouldn’t accept me. He made it crystal clear at the market square. Why am I being delusional and thinking that he was going to go back on his words because of me?
“But I have an offer for you.” He said when he was sure that I’d processed and digested all that he’d just finished saying.
“You can be my maid since you’re the only one who can handle my aura and come close to me, and in return, I’ll guarantee your safety.”