Chapter 3

My palms were sweaty and my heart was beating faster than normal, as I stood in front of Chase's room. 

After I was dressed up for Chase and taken to his room, Amelia left me at his door and went her own way. I was told that Chase was still in a very bad mood and already fired three workers today. So I was scared shitless. 

He was a heartless man who married me without my consent, he surely wasn't going to treat me like a delicate flower. He doesn't even give two fucks about how I feel. Seeing how he brought me from my pack just to birth him a son.

What if he violated me?

What if he gets irritated that I wasn't good enough in bed and puts his hand on me? 

I've heard stories of how he punishes people with his fists, till the point where they end up severely injured but does he also hit women? 

Oh my god, what if Chase Wheeler is a woman beater? 

I don't think I would be able to--

"What the hell are you doing standing there?" Quinn interrupted my train of thoughts.

I looked up at her, she was on the stairs, almost on the final step.

"I... I... he wants me in his.... He asked me to--" I stuttered. I couldn't even say his name properly. I was that scared of him.

"Why the fuck are you stuttering like a fool?!" She spat. "Chase has finally summoned the courage to look at you in the face..." 

"Huh?" What does that mean?

She looked at me, as if contemplating on explaining further, before she replied, "It's been almost a month since my brother married you. And you know why he married something like you." I didn't miss the disgust in her voice when she said the last part. 

"But he has never touched you, not to talk of sleeping with you. He's disgusted by you. He can't even bring himself to have sex with you even if it's for you to get pregnant. He loathes you that much."

Then why can't he just let me go back to my pack?! I almost yelled.

My inner wolf hasn't even come out ever since I married him. I haven't been myself, so there was no way for her to come out. I hated it here, so did she. 

I wish he'd hate me enough to let me go.

"Hurry up and go in. Chase hates being kept waiting. Good luck. You'd need it." Quinn said and entered her room.

Gingerly, I placed my hand on the door handle of Chase's room to open it before I heard the angry voice.

"Do you think I have all night?! I give you three fucking seconds to come in!" Chase's voice was deeper and scarier when he was angry. 

Startled, I quickly turned the handle, opened the door and entered Chase's room.

His room was massive. The dark interior fit his scary and intimidating image so well as he sat on his king sized bed, with a laptop sitting on the pillow on his lap. The brick accent wall which gave the room a masculine touch, also the brown interior colours of the room made it took in a way.

"I believe I asked for you ages ago." Chase stated, his eyes fully focused on whatever he was doing on his laptop.

Nervously, I locked my fingers together, putting them in front of me and I bent my head low.

"I-- I apologize."I stuttered, not knowing what to reply him with.

He didn't respond to my apology and there was pindrop silence in the room. 

His room became warmer than normal, I was almost sweating.

"Sit." 

"What?"

"I said sit. Don't make me repeat myself." Chase growled.

A little bit shaky, I sat on the leather couch opposite the bed, then I allowed my eyes to wander around, checking out the luxurious room.

Back at home, we are not filthy rich or anything, but we were comfortable. But this was my first time in a luxurious place like the Wheeler's mansion. After almost a month there, I was still in awe of the magnificence of the place.

Still looking around, my gaze landed on the drawer beside Chase's bed and immediately a strong strawberry scent hit my nose, thanks to my heightened sense of smell. Before I figured out why his room smelled like strawberries, I saw an empty wrapper of candy on the floor.

What a shocker. Chase and I had similar tastes.

"I guess he likes strawberry candies too...." I mumbled to myself.

"How did you know I like strawberry candies?" I raised my head up, my eyebrows shot up confusedly.

Of course he'd hear that. As a werewolf, he had heightened sense of hearing.

"Huh? Your room smells like strawberries." I replied, looking at my lap.

"What do you mean? You can smell strawberries in here?" 

What was he talking about? Of course I can smell strawberries. The scent is this strong.

"How did you smell that?" Chase had put down his laptop and his full attention was now on me.

"Because I can smell it...." My statement sounded like a question as I trailed off at the last part.

"I got rid of the smell. I used the smell remover. And it's been days since I ate any candy. Even a dog would not be able to smell strawberries in here...." 

Chase already stood up and was walking towards me.

I blinked twice, trying to figure out how the situation turned serious. The scent of strawberries was so strong that it was like I was in a strawberry farm, and it was probably because he ate a lot of strawberry flavoured candies. So why was he taking it personal?

Should I have just kept my opinion to myself? I totally forgot that he could hear me from far distance.

As Chase walked closer to me, the scent became stronger and my stomach flipped. 

It wasn't the scent of a cologne.

Now that the scent had become stronger, I realized that it wasn't even candies.

It was a natural, delicious scent. 

Chase was now standing in front of me. He placed his index finger and middle finger on my chin and raised it up. 

I looked into his grey eyes and immediately they turned yellow and trapped me in.

The strawberry scent hit my nose harder than before, in a way I had never perceived a scent, and then it clicked.

The strawberry scent I was perceiving wasn't coming from the numerous candies Chase ate. It was not from any cologne.

It was his scent. His natural scent.

And only mates can smell each other's scent this strongly.

My eyes widened.

"You can perceive my natural scent, Layla."

Chase Wheeler is my mate!

After Chase and I found out that we were mates, he straightened up from his bent position, walked into his closet and started undressing. Then few moments later he said from the closet, "Leave." 

That was three days ago.

Three days ago since I found out that Chase Wheeler, the most powerful Alpha is my mate. And three days ago was the last time he spoke to me.

When we found out we were mates, I didn't expect us to bond immediately. I wasn't even thinking. I was pretty blank.

But when he entered his closet and started undressing, that day, I started preparing myself mentally for what was to come, because I couldn't say no to us bonding and I didn't know what to expect.

But I surely wasn't expecting him to ask me to leave.

A knock on my door brought me out of my overthinking and I answered, "Come in." 

Bennett, the butler of the family stepped in.

Bennett was a middle aged man, who looked like he was in his middle fifties. He rarely mingled with the other workers in the house and was always stuck by Chase's side. Seeing how despite being a human, Bennett was able to stay with Chase, he must be a very patient and loyal man.

"Mrs Wheeler, sorry to disturb you but you have a call." Bennett announced.

"A call? From who?" I asked.

"Your father. Jacob Foster." 

Hearing that name for the first time in several weeks, my heart beat faster.

I took the phone from Bennett and placed it on my ear to answer the call.

"Hello."

"Layla. It's your father speaking." My stepfather's familiar voice replied from the other side.

"I know." I said quietly.

"How is Chase Wheeler? How is it being among the most powerful pack?" He asked.

My stepfather was speaking to me for the first time after many weeks, after marrying me off like a piece of commodity and the first thing he has to ask was about Chase and his pack???

"Why aren't you responding?!" He was starting to sound angry. "You're being good over there, right? You better be good to Chase and his pack members. I'm sure you already know this but there is no place for you here anymore, Layla. If the Dark Moon pack are not pleased with you and they chase you out of their community, you better get ready to become a rogue. My pack will never accept you back here. Be good to Chase, that's the only choice you have." My stepfather concluded and the line went dead.

Did he call me to tell me that I had been abandoned?

My own pack. People I considered family. They were my only family. They abandoned me for their own selfish interests.

My heart was shattered but I could not shed a single tear. I must have exhausted my tears.

A week passed by, Quinn and Francesca never failed in their duties to let me know that I was not welcome in their pack and as Chase's wife and Chase was still ignoring me.

When we had dinner together, he'd avoid eye contact with me and not say a single word to me. I know I was an overthinker but I was very certain that he started avoiding me after we found out we were mates. And seeing how Quinn has never mentioned it to me, I guess he didn't tell her either. 

Did he plan on completely ignoring the fact that we were mates? 

Why else was he not bonding and not acknowledging our fate as mates?

Then I decided I was going to confront him. I knew that might be a stupid decision because nobody confronts Chase Wheeler and goes scot free but we are mates, right? He couldn't possibly harm his mate. Right?

"Why are you outside? You should be locked up in your room." Francesca asked. She was dressed elegantly and had a a scornful look on her face.

Amelia was with her and she gave me a small friendly wave, which surprised me.

"I-- I'm looking for Chase...." I said the last part in a low tone.

I wasn't surprised when her expression turned to an angry one.

"Why the hell are you--" 

"Francesca, Amelia, you guys are freaking late for the pack meeting, why are you still here?!" Quinn scolded them, interrupting Franscesca's outburst.

Franscesca gave me one last dirty look and walked away with Amelia.

"Chase wants you in the pack meeting." Quinn said.

I spun around and found no one in sight. 

Who was she talking to?

I touched my chest, silently asking if she was referring to me.

"Of course dumbass. We are the only ones in the goddamn room. Chase wants you in the pack meeting today." 

"Why?" I had to ask.

"Don't ask me stupid questions. Just follow me." She rolled her eyes and started walking towards the door.

Why the hell am I wanted in the Dark Moon pack meeting?!

"Don't get too excited. Chase is the most unpredictable werewolf I've ever met." Quinn told me.

Was he ready to bond?

My heart unexpectedly tingled at the thought.

Or does he have something unexpected in mind?