Chapter 3

• Anna’s POV
• “My mate...”
• His hot breath brushed against my ear, and his words echoed endlessly in my mind.
• "My mate... My mate..."
• What does that mean? I don't have a wolf, I can't possibly have a mate.
• After being assigned to the Queen's Palace, I just wanted to take a walk and get some fresh air while everyone was busy with the mating ceremony. I never imagined I would get lost and end up in a situation like this.
• Just a short while ago, Gamma Andrew announced that I had drawn Prince Lucas' card. Just as I thought my fate was doom, he left in a hurry and returned with a shocking announcement: Omegas who drew the queen's card would be exchanged with those who drew Prince Lucas' card.
• I felt a wave of relief because this change meant I wouldn’t have to become a sex slave.
• Has the Moon Goddess finally shown me some mercy?
• I had no idea how big a surprise she had in store for me on this full moon night.
• Now my fate changed again, I don’t know where I am, it's pitch black here.
• A man on top of me, his body reeking of a mix of cologne and alcohol.
• "Please... Please... No..." Despite my throat being hoarse, I kept calling for help. It was eerily quiet, everyone was preparing for the second prince's mating ceremony.
• And then he didn’t just stop there, he marked me.
• The pain I felt when he penetrated my skin with his canines caused me to bite my bottom lip and subdue my screams. I feared that if I made noise and anyone heard me, they would treat me the same way Black Moon Pack’s Luna did when she found me in her son's bed.
• Tears sprang from my eyes when his teeth sank into my skin. That kind of pain was unbearable. I didn't know a simple marking could cause that much agony.
• “You are mine!” he finally took his teeth out of my neck and whispered in my ear, causing my body to tremble miserably.
• He raised his face and stared into my eyes. This was the first time I was seeing a part of him. His eyes! They were sapphire blue and shining under the light coming from the window. He must be extremely good-looking to have such eyes.
• And then, his body dropped on top of me, his face steadily resting and his breathing returning to normal. He had dozed off now.
• I was in disbelief at the encounter I had with this stranger. I had just wanted to get some fresh air at night but ended up lost in the vast palace and even being marked by a stranger.
• I shakily pushed him off me once, but it was so hard to move him. He was tall and broad, muscular to the point that I felt like a butterfly under him. I took a deep breath and applied more pressure this time, rolling him over and quickly getting out of the bed. My dress was torn down from the middle, so I wore it and held it in my fist, racing for the door to escape.
• Once I was running through the hallway, I didn't stop for anything. Thankfully, no one was lurking around, so I managed to get out of the palace. I didn’t feel like going back to the maid quarters. I was devastated with myself and how I let him touch me and mark me. Now I was realizing what could happen because of this mark.
• I didn’t notice how far I had come until my feet started giving up on me. A little farther, and I found my body slowing down as I reached a lake.
• “Ugh!” Dropping to my knees, I closed my eyes and whimpered.
• “This is going to ruin me,” I hissed at myself. Touching the mark burned my skin. It would heal eventually, but it would stay.
• “I should have stayed in my quarters,” I cursed the fact that I had wanted fresh air.
• Moon goddess, why? I thought I could quietly be the queen's maid.
• When have I ever been able to have a peaceful moment for myself?
• I know I need to rid myself of the man’s scent because when I returned, others would smell it on me. No matter who that man is, I must hide myself well. Fortunately, I don't have a wolf. As long as I cover the mark, he won't be able to find me by scent.
• Carefully scanning my surroundings to ensure I was alone by the lake, I discarded my dress and stepped into the water. Its surface shimmered under the moonlight, and fireflies danced around, creating a perfect ambiance. But my heart was heavy, so everything seemed a bit dull.
• Dunking my head underwater, I held my breath for a few seconds before coming up again. I swam around, struggling through the water to take my mind off my troubled life. As I paused and gazed into the still reflection of the lake, tears filled my eyes at the sight of the mark.
• I sighed, but then another shock hit me when I heard rustling from behind the trees. My eyes widened in shock, and I quickly ducked underwater, trying to hide. I waited for whoever had arrived to leave before coming up.
• I could hold my breath for a while, so I stayed submerged, then surfaced slowly to listen for any noises.
• It was quiet again, so I was alone once more. I acknowledged that I needed to return home, it wasn’t safe for me to roam around such a dangerous land filled with Lycans.
• I rushed out of the lake after making sure I had cleansed myself properly. Water dripped down my curves, and I hurriedly wrapped my arms around my breasts. I noticed how sore my nipples were from being played with so roughly.
• My body shuddered at the reminder of his lips against my skin. He had been passionate yet very gentle with me. His tongue had licked my breasts as though drinking from them. The memory made my nipples erect again.
• Standing under the clear sky, I reached for my torn dress when I felt a strange sensation from behind me.
• Through the shadows cast on the tree by the moonlight, I knew what it was—there was someone behind me. From the silhouette, it was a man, significantly taller than me, his broad frame completely enveloping me.
• My body instantly froze, and my eyes remained fixed in space. Fear enveloped me so completely that I couldn’t even turn around to see who was behind me.
• I stood frozen, unable to move, standing there stark naked. Then something gentle wrapped around my waist and finally rested on my shoulder. I looked down and saw it was a slender, well-defined hand belonging to a man.
• The sense of danger made me shiver slightly. I used all my strength to keep myself from collapsing. Soon, I felt something burning against my back and the bulge in his pants pressing against my naked thighs..
• I turned around and met a pair of dark and dangerous emerald green eyes, different from the man who had marked me.
• Then his tall and muscular figure appeared fully before me, snapping me out of my shock. He had curly black hair and chiseled features on an oval-shaped face. His cat-like green eyes and naturally dark lips were framed by thick eyebrows, with a hint of a smirk playing on them. If it weren't for the menacing expression he wore, this man would be unbelievably handsome.
• As I looked at him, his eyes locked onto mine, and my body froze under the scrutiny of those narrow green slits.
• After being marked by a stranger, I encountered another man who looked at me with the gaze of a predator.
• His aggressive gaze locked directly onto me, one hand rested on my waist, while the other held a cigar between his fingers.
• Seeing the panic in my eyes, he seemed quite satisfied. He took a drag from the cigar, exhaled the smoke, and then looked down at me with a smirk.
• "A brave little pup, aren't you?"
• He exuded an aura of nobility, wildness, and danger.
• "You've barged into my territory and still want to run?"
• Oh, Moon Goddess.
• Who marked me? And now, who has trapped me?