Rejected And Forsaken
Chapter 34

David pov.

“That hurt.” I muttered to myself as I leaned against the cold dungeon walls. These cells were colder and darker than the palace but with my wolf vision, I was able to see my surroundings. The cell was enough to fit in three or four inmates but there was just one chain on the wall. This cell was completely empty other than that. I suppose this was designed for the sole purpose of torturing their prisoners. The walls consisted of large bricks that seemed to have aged. I noticed small bugs and insects crawling across the floor and the walls. Some of them kept disappearing in to small holes and cracks in the walls. The foul smell of the place, which possibly meant that this place had not been cleaned that often, made it difficult to breath. I wrinkled my nose as I caught a whiff of a pungent smell.

“Is that wolf bane I smell?” I asked Finn.

“Yes. I guess the whole place is built solely to torture wolves.” Finn said to him.

“Yeah. I’m glad these chains are not burning my flesh. I pity any wolf who gets captured by these night dwellers.” I murmured in response.

“Well…they kind of deserve this.” Finn snickered.

“I wouldn’t say everyone in the pack doe’s Finn. There would many among them who actually have no choice except to accept what they have to face.” I replied. “But yeah, those elders and who ever is responsible for my grandma’s death certainly deserve the worst possible torture.” My response came out more like a growl. Those bitter memories made my anger boil. And they had the audacity to put the blame on me! Oh I’ll make them pay.

“Hmm. And now we have found our precious mate.” Finn added, interrupting my angry thoughts, making me smile. But then, something else occurred to me.

“Finn. You knew it the whole time! Right? And you kept it from me.” I complained. “I was so inclined towards her but I kept telling myself that staying away from her was for her and my own good.”

He just laughed in response.

“Exactly. You were not ready. You didn’t even think of a second chance mate before I mentioned about it. Even she was not prepared for it. But now we all are. And we will face the hurdles in we face together.”

“Right. With me locked up how am I supposed to do that?” I retorted.

“You will see. And speaking about mate I think she is nearby.” His sentence barely ended when her enchanting scent invaded my nostrils. The damp and foul smell of the dungeon was soon concealed by the fabulous pine scent that I had grown to love. My eyes dilated as I inhaled her captivating fragrance. She was here! She was actually in these filthy dungeon. But why?

A little gasp that came from the gates made me snap my head towards it. And there, with her mouth hung open and eyes wide open in shock was the only girl who could capture my heart. The girl of my dreams. My mate.

My breathing hitched and my heart palpitated with the desire to hold her in my arms.

“Mate!” all what I could do was let out a hushed whisper.

My heart ached to see tears filling up her emerald eyes as she grabbed on to the silver bars of the jail.

“David…….my love.” Her whisper was enough to make my heart flutter.

“Why…..who strapped you up like this?” she asked.

I shrugged. “The guards?” I replied.

“Did they hurt you?” she asked in a soft voice.

I smiled and looked away. I didn’t want her to know anything that had happened. But I felt her gaze burn in to me.

“Tell me David. And don’t lie. Because I know already that you have been hurt.” She said, once again making me snap my head towards her.

“Huh?” I gasped.

“You have b***d stains on your face David. And besides, being my beloved meant that I would somehow sense when you are getting hurt.” She answered.

“You mean….”

“Mates can feel each other’s pain you doofus.” Finn muttered in my mind.

Oh no! And Finn is telling me this now only. I stared at my mate who was still staring at me with sad eyes.

“Carol…… I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have felt that.” I answered trying my best to wipe the b***d that had trickled from my nose. But it was hard since both of my hands were strapped to the wall.

“Open this gate.” She ordered the guard who was standing beside her.

“But princess…..”

“I said open this. Don’t you see that my beloved is hurt. And he is being punished unjustly. He didn’t do anything wrong. Now open this stupid gate.” She yelled at the guard who quickly took the set of keys he had. Her voice echoed in the deserted dungeon corridor, and I’m sure that if those who had assaulted me were in there they will hear her voice.

She stepped in side as soon as the door opened and walked right up to me.

“Now release him.” She said. Before he could say anything she glared in his eyes, her eyes burning angrily. “Just do it. And call my father in here.” Her voice was sharp and demanding. She made sure that she was not taking no for an answer. The guard sighed and used his key to open the cuffs.

“Now go and call him. Hurry up.” She ordered. The guard ran off to carry out her orders leaving both of us alone.

She looked at me and touched my nose which had healed by then. She took a handkerchief from the pocket of the coat that she wore and started to wipe off the b***d that had partly dried on my face. Her eyebrows were knitted together and the tears that had gathered in her eyes were now rolling down her cheeks. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t even make eye contact. I kept wondering if she had fully accepted us. Or was she here because of her caring and kind nature. After all she had felt the pain I was in.

I wanted so badly to wipe her tears away. But hesitated because of my suspicions. Was she ok with us being mates?

“Just do it.” Finn urged and my hand involuntarily wiped her soft cheeks. The sparks I felt made me sigh. “I am sorry Carol.” I told her. Her lips were in a grim line but she looked in to my eyes when I apologised.

“David. Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you pretend to be a human? Don’t you trust me?” her questions broke my heart. I had never thought that she would question the amount of trust I have for her. Do I tell her that I was scared?

“I…. I was….” I sighed. “It is not that I don’t trust you. We are in the middle of a war Carol. I….. just couldn’t….” Gulping down a lump, I tried to continue. “I am sorry. I never thought you would be my mate. I…..”

I was silenced by her covering my mouth with hers, taking me by surprise. I felt the sparks explode in that moment. My heart was frantic while I felt my world come to a halt. When she stepped back, with a sly smirk, I felt that I yearned for more. Finn was whimpering in my mind while I ran my tongue over my lips. She tasted so good. But by the way she looked at me, I knew that she was not going to get any closer at the moment.

“David. You have a lot to tell me. But I trust the Lord to believe that there must a reason good enough to be paired with you.” She said. “But tell me, why are you here?”

I faced her completely and sighed before starting to talk. Indeed I had a lot to tell her.

“Carol, I’ve already told you about what had happened and why I ran away from home. All of that is true. I ran away from my pack when they tried to lock me up after framing for my grandma’s death. And I want to get back at them for what they did.” I glanced in to her green eyes which were constantly on my face studying me as I narrated my story once again.

“Actually, I never thought I’d find my mate here….. falling in love was never my plan.” I told her.

I watched her lips curve in to a small smile. “Falling in love?” she asked, her eyes teasing me mischievously.

“Hmmm.” I maintained eye contact while a smirk made way to my lips. Suddenly, she wrapped her hands around my torso and rested her head on my chest. I sighed in content as I returned the hug and kissed her hair. Her scent was driving me insane. Resting my head on her head, I closed my eyes. I need her beside me. I need her to face every hurdle in my path. And I need her to be my life partner.

“Do you love me David?” she whispered softly, making me smile.

“Yes. I do. I’ve loved you for a while already. But I didn’t want to come in between you and the one destined for you. I didn’t realise…..”

“That it was you?” She completed my sentence for me. I laughed and rocked her from side to side. This was bliss. I wouldn’t mind being stuck in these filthy dungeons as long as I’m with her. Just then, someone cleared his throat.

“What exactly is going on?” the king’s voice took us back to the reality. “Why was I asked to come here? And Carolina what do you think you are doing down here?” his questions followed one by one. When I looked towards the entrance, I saw that he was staring at us, with a not so friendly look.

Well, looks like it is time for business.