THE CURSED LYCAN'S BELOVED

ARIANA'S POV

"I love you, Ariana." Michael confessed to me, and interlocked our fingers as he kept his eyes, fixed on me.

I felt butterflies in my belly, and my blood rushed, making me feel a burst of pleasure in my head which could also be likened to fireworks.

Staring into his eyes, all I could see was love for me. His touch sent my body an exciting signal, and goosebumps came up on my skin.

"I love you, too." I responded happily, and then he grabbed my waist closer to his, then leaned in to kiss me.

"Ariana!" I heard someone call my name, and then out of nowhere, I felt a sharp, tingling pain on my cheeks.

My eyelids opened instantly, and I realized it was a dream, again. This was the 52nd dream I have had, about Michael, the Alpha's son. He was the dream of every woman, including me, and every night, I went to bed, with intense thoughts of him.

Another slap landed on my face, making me to come back to reality, immediately.

"You this lazy girl! Get up now, and start with your daily chores." My mother yelled at me, and with tears, I ran out of the room, then headed to the kitchen.

Despite the fact that my mother had given me so many slaps since I was young, I still couldn't get used to it. It was painful, and sent signals of hatred.

I started with my chores, and ensured to do them as fast as I could. After doing my chores, I went on the usual errand for my mother.

"Stench-girl is awake." I overheard a group of boys say, but I ignored them like I always did.

But unknown to me, they had a different plan, this morning. While walking, all of a sudden, I felt a sharp pain on my buttocks, only for me to find out that they had a slingshot, and had catapulted a stone at me.

"Don't you know that hurts!" I yelled at them, trying my best to restrain myself from getting angry.

"Aww. That's why a human like you, shouldn't be in our midst. You reek of weakness, and are a stain to our pack." One of the guys voiced out, which hurt me.

I decided to ignore them, but Valerie and her girls, confronted me, and pushed me to the ground. As I fell to the ground, she instructed her girls to hold me down.

"Let me go! Let me go!" I yelled, trying to free myself from their grip, but they were too strong for me, even as feeble as they looked.

Everyone laughed, and I noticed Valerie bring something out of her pockets. It was a small container, filled with worms.

"Open her filthy mouth, girls." She instructed them, and they applied force on me to keep me stable as they opened my mouth.

I tried to scream out the word "No.", but it was impossible. I couldn't even close my mouth, talk more of using it to speak.

She brought out the worms, and I watched as they wiggled, then she stuffed them all into my mouth, and they released me.

I screamed out loud, with tears, strolling down my eyes. It was so terrifying and disgusting.

"I hate you! I hate you all!" I cried out, and ran away, into the woods, to my place of solace.

I ran as fast as I could, until I got to the river, and fell to my knees, crying out.

Everyone hated me, just because I was human, and they were werewolves. Even my parents whom I knew, adopted me, hated me so much, and it made me question myself each day, on the reason they bothered adopting me when they knew they were going to torture me so much.

Each tear that strolled down my eyes, was a proof of the pain I felt in my heart, and this time, I'm going to escape from this hateful world. I won't go back home, and would only move further from here.

I rose to my feet, and made to walk deeper into the forest when I heard a familiar voice, call my name.

"Michael." I muttered under my breath as I looked back, and saw him standing at a distance, looking concerned.

Again, I felt butterflies in my belly, and the hairs on my skin, stood as I took in his beauty. His blue eyes made my heart melt, and the posture in which he stood, swept me off my feet, instantly.

He was breathing heavily, and also dabbed at his sweat, without taking his eyes off me.

"Did you follow me?" I asked, realizing he must have followed me.

"Yes, I did. I saw what they did to you, and I felt you might try to run, again." He said, then walked up to me.

Michael had always been the one who cared enough to make me feel better when others hurt me, and he always did his best to make me smile, which only made me fall more deeply in love, with him. But the only issue I had, about him was that he never took my side when other kids bullied me.

Instead, he walked away, so as not to witness all they did. Although, that made me feel hurt, most of the time, but he always had his way of making me feel better, and to understand he cared about me, regardless.

"Michael, I can't keep going on like this. I'm not like you all. I need to find my own people. I need to be myself. I need a place where I can feel happy, where I can feel true love, and care." I said to him, wanting to leave, as soon as possible.

I just couldn't take all they did to me, anymore.

"I understand. But what about me? I would feel empty without you." Michael uttered, looking into my eyes like he was trying to make me understand something.

"I don't understand." I spoke, looking baffled.

"I love you. I love you, Ariana. And every day, I can't help but think about you. If you leave, there would be no reason for me to live, anymore." He voiced out his confession, and my heart skipped a beat, making it to beat faster than usual.

"You're human. But I believe there is something more to you, and I will wait until that very day when everyone would see your potential. Just don't leave me." He pleaded, and my burst of fireworks, displayed in my head.

My dream was currently playing out in reality, and even in a better version.

Michael moved closer to me, and wrapped his arm slowly, around my waist, still staring into my eyes with so much love, in his. "Please stay."

That moment, my resolve to escape this life of misery, broke down into pieces, and my heart was thawed. There was no need for me to escape anymore, as the only person who could brighten my world and make it a better place, had confessed to me, and was ready to be by my side, at all times.

"Don't you love me?" He asked, looking concerned.

"I do. I do, Michael. I love you so much." I confessed as well, and before I knew it, he pulled my head closer to his, and kissed me deeply.

There was this intensity that filled the air, and all I could feel was intoxication and the sweetness of the moment. The kiss lasted for a long while, and it made me feel like a woman, like I was really important and of value.

~

Ever since that day, Michael and I had been having fun, playing around in our secret place, and telling each other the sweetest things the ear would want to hear, and the heart would want to melt on.

Our love story went on for days until his coronation day, which I had been expecting, for so long.

"Michael, don't forget your promise, alright?" I reminded him, feeling a bit scared that I wouldn't be at an advantage.

His coronation day was meant to be the day he would choose his mate, and he had promised me that he would reject his mate, to be with me, and I held on to that promise.

"Yes, my queen. Now, I've got to go." He said, and I let him go.

I felt a tingle of excitement in my heart because I knew that my life was going to change from this very day. All those who mocked me, and made me go through hell, would have no choice than to respect and adore me.

As the event started, I stood among the crowd, and watched as the entertainers made us laugh and smile with their shows and all.

Everyone seemed happy, and excited, especially the ladies who weren't far from me.

"Oh, goodness. I'm certain the Alpha's son would choose me. I am the fairest of all ladies in this pack." Valerie spoke, with pride.

I rolled my eyes, and ignored her. She was going to be shocked the moment Michael calls out for me, and announce me as the one has interest in.

So many wonderful events unfolded until it was time to pass down the title of an Alpha, to Michael, and silence fell, in the crowd.

With joy, I watched as they crowned him Alpha, and then we all clapped.

"Now, it is time for the Alpha to choose his mate, who would also end up being his Luna, during the mating ceremony." The announcer voiced out, and everyone became silent, ready to find out who was going to be the lucky one.

I began to move forward until I got to the front row, and as Michael looked around, I smiled until his eyes fell on me. But all of a sudden, his smile changed into a frown. It made me wonder what exactly was going on.

"Alpha, have you found your mate?" The announcer questioned, noticing he had stopped looking around.

"Yes." Michael responded.

His gaze was still on me, but I wondered why his countenance fell. Then he pointed to me as his mate. I was filled with shock. Could I truly be his mate, or he was only going according to the plan, but in a wiser way?

People gasped in shock, and began to murmur, but this didn't faze me at all. Whether they liked it or not, I was his mate. I walked out to meet him, and before I got so close to him, he stopped me with a hand signal.

"Ariana is my mate." He said as he turned to the crowd, and they all continued to murmur.

So many ladies, looked annoyed, while some were beginning to cry. Then he turned back to me, with an apologetic look, which didn't last long before it was changed to a stern one.

"But I, Michael Dane, reject you, Ariana, as my mate. I break whatever bond that connects us!" he voiced out boldly, staring into my eyes without a hint of pain or regret.

I shook my head, trying to understand the situation.

"I don't understand, Michael. What do you mean by you reject me?" I asked, hoping it was a joke.

"You heard those words, loud and clear, and you know what they mean. I don't want to have anything to do with you as I can't bear to have a mere human, as my mate." He lashed out on me, and that shattered my heart into pieces, rendering me mute and useless.

Tears strolled down my eyes even without me blinking, and I staggered backwards, almost falling to the ground. What exactly did I do to deserve this humiliation, and betrayal?

With the little pride left in me, I turned back, and ran as fast as I could, away from everyone, from their lives, and all that had to do with them.