DONOVAN

I missed Piper, I really did. Even if it had been just one night of him not staying at my house I felt empty. It made me realize how much he means to me. I had fallen deep for him and I was not against the idea of making him my own. I never felt the need to get married, have kids, a family. None of it mattered to me, but when it came to Piper. When I see him, talk with him, and have him by my side, it makes me want more. I want to make him my mate and my husband and have kids with him. 

‘We should also mark him. Complete the bond.’ Dorian said in the back of my mind and I nodded. 

I held back a lot when he was in heat, I badly wanted to put my mark on him, but it was not the time yet and I had to talk about it with him. Completing the bond was a big step and I wanted to respect his boundaries. Maybe him moving back to his house was what we needed—knowing that he would want to see me in his free time from work, staying the night at each others’ house, and many more things we could do together. The anticipation of waiting for a date we could make. I smiled. The idea wasn’t bad. 

The car came to a stop as we arrived home, as I walked inside the house a scent hit my nose and it made me smile. Piper. He was here. I walked to the living room opening the door but what I found was not my mate. I frowned. What was she doing here?

“Helena?” I said confused. She was sitting in the living room drinking tea accompanied by Genevith, who turned to look at me with a weird expression on her face. What had happened? Where was Piper?

“Oh! Donnie, you are back. I was waiting for you.” Helena said with a cheery voice, standing up and coming closer to me. Pulling my arm, wanting me to sit next to her. Her hormones hit my nose and almost made me gag. Her scent was repulsive.

“What are you doing here?” I said in an angry tone, letting go of my arm and going to sit where Genevith had been. She gave me a look as if she was saying sorry. What was she sorry for? I dismissed her and Richard, being left alone with Helena.

“Well, I thought it was a good time to start talking about our wedding.” She said with a big smile and then drank from her cup of tea.

“Wedding? How many times do I have to tell you the truth?” I answered annoyed, this was getting old. I always rejected her with tact but since she couldn’t understand I had to be mean and direct. “I am not getting married to you. I have a mate. Fated mate. I will never get married to you.”

“Well, that mate of yours doesn’t care at all about you. I saw him earlier. He took all his things with him and left.” She said still with that smile in her mouth.

“You are lying,” I said frowning. Dorian was starting to get pissed and wanted to take over to give her a lesson.

“I’m not. He even left this letter for you.” She said taking out something from her pocket and handing it to me. 

I doubted her but still took the envelope in my hands, opening and reading what it said.

“Donovan,

I appreciate all you have done for me, but I don’t want to be with you anymore. I’m taking my things and going back to my house. I don’t have any intention of becoming your mate and I would appreciate it if you accept my decision. Once again, thank you for everything. I wish you the best.

Best regards, 

Piper.”

No. This was a lie. All of it. I knew Piper’s handwriting and this was not it. This was made up. I crumpled the paper in my hands and looked up at Helena once again, she had a big smile on her face and all I wanted was to rip it off her. How dare she try to impersonate my mate? To make me think he didn’t love me when I knew he did. I was done with the woman. I didn’t even care if her family had a history with ours. This shit show was over.

“Do you really think I would believe your lies? You are nothing more than a needy bitch that is after my money and guess what? You are not going to touch any of it.” I said standing, anger in my voice. My hands turned into fists.

“Ha! How dare you call me that? Of course, it was not going to be easy to convince you.” She laughed and her façade fell, showing her true disgusting colors. “But your stupid mate did believe me. He left crying and it was hilarious.”

“What? What did you say to him?” I said raging. Laughing at my mate's tears? This woman was a monster and if she hurt my Piper, I would make her pay.

“I told him you didn’t love him, that he was just a toy to you and he believed it. Oopsie.” She said placing her hand in her mouth faking that she had done something she shouldn’t and I was starting to see red. If she was not going to leave, who knows what I would do to her.

“If you don’t want to fucking die. You better get the fuck out of my house. RIGHT. NOW.” I said in a loud voice, releasing my pheromones to intimidate her more. I turned my back to her, I had to go to Piper. I had to let him know all of Helena’s words were fake, he was no toy to me. He was my mate and I…loved him. I had to tell him. 

“Well, sorry but I won’t go that easy.” I heard her say and then I felt something pinch my neck, some liquid entering my body. I turned and pushed her, taking off the thing she stabbed me with. A syringe. What the fuck?

“What the fuck did you do to me?” I said throwing the syringe away. Whatever it was in it was starting to get to me. Dizziness and tiredness attacked me. My legs failed making me fall on the floor. I tried to move but my limbs were not responding.

“I just gave you a little venom. But don’t worry, it won’t kill you.” She said and fear came all over my body. Venom. It was venom. The God/dess was mocking me once again. I had to get help. Richard. I need Richard. “Have a nice nap, Donovan.” 

I tried to scream for Richard, Genevith, or someone else to come to the room, but my voice never came out. I felt numb and then everything went dark…

THIRD PERSON

Rumors spread fast amongst the flocks. Donovan Howl had been bitten by a snake, his alleged fated mate. Yes, a snake. Helena had planned everything, she had lied and put all the blame on Piper. Fortunately, the venom she had used was the ‘Sleeping Beauty’. From its name only, one could assume its symptoms. It was a venom that upon receiving it, the person went into a deep sleep, like a coma. The antidote was unknown but not nonexistent. The community got heated by all the news of Donovan’s state due to the case being similar to what had happened with his parents. 

Everyone believed Helena, but Richard and the rest of Donovan’s flock. They had heard them fight that day. After the woman left like nothing had happened, Richard found Donovan, the fake letter, and the syringe that he had been stabbed with. The evidence was saved in a safe place and Donovan was attended to by their medics, his condition was stable. Genevith suggested that they should inform Piper of the situation, but Richard dismissed the idea. It was best to keep it a secret from him until they got the antidote. And when the rumors started spreading, he did what his boss would have wanted, he sent some of their betas to protect Piper from afar. He knew nothing would happen to him, but it was better to be safe than sorry. 

And he prayed to the God/dess that everything would be solved soon…