Chapter 4

I could not believe what Aunt Julia said. When I got the chance, I escaped from her and ran towards the crowd, who were listening to Darren's father as he gave his speech. As I squeezed forward so that I could reach the front of the crowd, I could hear the alpha saying to our pack that the new alliance between our pack and the Cross River pack will do wonders for us. People liked that and there were a couple rounds of applause for that. When I finally reached the front, I immediately saw Darren standing in front of me, side by side with the unknown woman I saw earlier. They were facing the crowd. Beside them were Darren's parents and two other people whom I assume must be the woman's parents. I already had a theory on what was happening, but I still wanted to talk to Darren, who also immediately sensed me and our eyes met. I sensed that something was wrong. I couldn't tell if I just imagined it, but when Darren looked at me he seemed to be angry. His stare was sharp and he did not even smile at me. Confused but determined to talk to him, I mouthed the words "we need to talk" to him while motioning him to join me over the corner of the room. His father was also still giving the crowd his speech and the woman beside Darren was talking to his mother, so this was the perfect time for me and Darren to talk too. The whole court was loud from the cheers and applause, so I bet no one would notice us immediately. "Follow me," I mouthed again at Darren and I headed to the left side of the mini-stage where they were. In this corner of the stage is where the high stacks of plastic chairs are being kept so we can be out of sight of everyone else. Thankfully, Darren followed me. I was nervous since he was acting very strange. I wanted to hug him but he avoided it by gently pushing me away. "Darren, what is happening?" I finally asked him when we got face to face. "Aunt Julia told me you have a mate from another pack? I don't understand, Darren." "Milena, let's talk later. I also have to give my speech to our pack—" But I cut him off as I was getting impatient. "Have you told your parents yet? Did you tell them about us? About me as your mate?" Darren shook his head. "I don't think I have to tell them about us anymore, Milena," he said in a tone that was foreign to me, because he sounded so cold that he feels like a different person to me. "What do you mean? I don't understand what you're saying, Darren." He took a deep breath before glaring at me. "I also don't understand, Milena. How could you do this to me? I was your best friend. How could you trick me like that? Did you think that I wouldn't find out?" "What? Find out what?" I was perplexed by everything that he said. "Darren, what are you really talking about?" "I'm talking about how you used your witchcraft on me to make me feel like you are my mate!" he yelled, so loud that I knew people would have heard him. And I was right, because people were suddenly rushing towards us. But that didn't bother Darren and went on lashing at me. "You did not only fool me, Milena, but you also committed a very grave crime that our pack prohibited. Using your dark magic on me to make me believe that we were mates... ha, I couldn't believe that I have fallen for your trick." I was speechless when he said that. First, because this was the first time that I saw him this mad, so I really didn't know how to react to him. Second, I couldn't comprehend how he'd come to that conclusion of his. Did someone tell him this? Was this a part of the regular bullying that I have been enduring for all these years? Has someone found out about Darren and I and wanted us to break up and did this scheme just to keep Darren away from me? There were so many possibilities, but one thing was for sure. I hadn't done any such thing. I didn't even know if I have witch powers just like my mother was said to have. So where is this accusation from Darren coming from? I have to tell him that I did nothing to him. "Darren, I don't know what you're talking about, but I didn't do anything to you. I don't have the power to do what you are saying that I did." "Are you sure? Then why did we become mates?" "Because we are destined to become mates!" I said indignantly. "We had our mating bond!" "Just tell me the truth, Milena. Confess what you did to me before my parents and the rest of the Elders finds out about—" "Find out what?" said a deep voice that we both knew. It was Darren's father, the current alpha. He was now behind us. "What are you two talking about?" "I think I heard her say that she and our son bonded," said Darren's mother, who was with her husband. "Darren, what is this all about?" His parents were both tall, so facing them was quite intimidating enough. But I didn't have the luxury of flinching now. "I am your son's true mate," I told them loud enough for everybody to hear. There were gasps and murmurs after that, and I could see everyone's gaze is on me right now. "That's impossible," said Darren's mother. "How can a weakling like you be my son's true mate?" "We bonded," I told her. "Darren and I had the mating bond." "That's ridiculous," she replied, looking down on me like I was crazy. "My son's mate is Valerie, the daughter of the alpha of the Cross River pack. Valerie, dear! Come here! Tell this half-breed who you are," she said and I heard some of the crowd laughing. The woman stepped forward and looked at me with a poker face. She looked like a princess and she acted very feminine, which is kind of the opposite of how I look, so I wasn't surprised that Darren's mother liked her for her son. I mean, who wouldn't? Plus the fact that she's the daughter of the alpha of another pack, a pack who by the looks of it were wealthy and influential in their own right, it's no wonder that Darren's parents had willingly accepted them here. Maybe Devon was right, I shouldn't have gone here in the first place. Then I wouldn't have been heartbroken like this. "You said that you also had bonded with Darren?" the woman in front of me asked. Her voice was a little soft, but still audible. There was a slight annoyance in her tone. I nodded at her question. "But I am his mate," she added. "We also have a mating bond." "That's impossible," I said. "I'm his mate. Our wolves have accepted each other as mates!" "And so is mine," she replied. "Darren had told me quite a bit about you. Aren't you a half witch? So how can we be so sure that you didn't use your powers to manipulate Darren's wolf? For all we know, you have planned this all along, using dark magic to make Darren your mate." "NO! That is a lie! I didn't do such a thing!" I shot back, crying. "Then prove it. Prove it that you are saying the truth. But how can you do that? We can't just rely on your words, and Darren here swears that he might have been bewitched by you." I looked at Darren, who wouldn't look back at me. I felt so betrayed that my chest felt painfully tight. "There is a way to prove if she's telling the truth or not," said the alpha suddenly. Darren's father was looking at me with scrutiny. "We will be able to find out if you're lying or not, Milena, so you better be prepared."