Chapter 2: Nearly crushed

The pain hit her like a sharp wave, but she forced herself to bear it. She would leave with her head high; no one would see her suffering.

She watched as Edward’s face twisted in agony from the broken mate bond. She wouldn’t leave right away, she needed to see him feel the torment, the same torment she was going through, a torment he couldn’t bear.

Then, Edward collapsed, clutching his chest, the pain coursing through him.

Without thinking, Lucille ran out of the hall and into the night. The pain tore at her, her face contorting, but she kept running. She didn’t stop until she reached a closed shop, collapsing onto its pavement, curling up, as if trying to protect herself from the excruciating pain.

The agony of the broken bond was so intense that she groaned deeply. It hurt, but she was free. Free from her tormentors, free from Edward Jones, the mate who had only humiliated and shamed her.

Eventually, the pain slowly began to ease. She sat up, leaning her back against the shop wall. Tears flowed freely, the ones she had held back in the hall, when the weight of humiliation was too much to bear.

No one was around. No one was watching. So she let herself cry.

Inside the hall, Edward sat on the floor, groaning in pain, while everyone around him just watched. No one stepped forward to help. It was his pain, his burden to carry.

They were all werewolves, so they understood exactly what he was going through, but their faces were filled with shock. Many of them didn’t know that the girl they had tormented for four years, the one Edward had allowed them to bully, was his fated mate.

What was supposed to be a grand party quickly fell apart. How could it go on when one of them had been humiliated by a "commoner"? And not just anyone, but Edward Jones, the one who was respected because his father was one of the top leaders in the country.

Though Edward had finally managed to push through the pain of the broken mate bond, something else remained: the shame of being rejected by someone so beneath him, someone so lowly, especially in front of everyone.

He had told her never to tell anyone that she was his mate. It was common for the elites to be fated to each other, but his mate was different. She was poor, from a miserable background.

Edward knew that his position, his reputation, would be destroyed. He had hoped that she would cheat on him with one of the wealthy guys from university, given her poor circumstances, but she never did, no matter how much he wished.

He had even planned to frame her, thinking that with all his hatred toward her, she might slip up. But no, she always managed to escape.

Then, she had chosen to reveal the truth, and of all places, she did it in front of the same people he had desperately tried to hide it from.

Not only had she revealed her identity, but she had rejected him publicly. The embarrassment was unbearable.

Then there was something even worse, the shame of knowing that his lowly mate was outshining him. She had earned a perfect 5.0 GPA, while he could only manage a 3.02. The gap between them was wide, but that wasn’t what stung the most. It was the fact that everyone knew. Everyone in that room, everyone at the party, had seen it all.

Edward quickly rose from the floor, not bothering to look around, his head bowed in humiliation. Without a word, he stormed out of the hall, leaving the guests in stunned silence.

"Eddy!" Mark, his friend, rushed to follow him, but Edward didn’t even glance at him.

"Eddy, wait!" Mark called again.

Finally, Edward slowed his pace, his heart pounding with fury. "What?" he asked, his voice cold.

"I'm sorry about that," Mark said, his voice quiet with regret.

"Is that all?" Edward spat, his tone sharp with bitterness.

Mark took a deep breath before speaking again. "You can't drive in this mood. Let me do it."

He wanted Edward to return to the party, to act as if nothing had happened. But he understood the humiliation that Lucille had caused. If Mark had been in Edward’s shoes, he probably would have reacted the same way.

Without a word, Edward dug into his pocket, pulled out his car keys, and handed them to Mark.

"And who’s driving yours home?" Edward asked, his voice still distant.

Mark gave him a comforting pat on the back. "Let’s go. I’ll bring it back later."

Together, they walked to where Edward’s sleek, luxurious car was parked. They climbed in, and Mark started the engine, driving off into the night.

The party had ended abruptly, and many guests had left in their cars, while the few who remained lingered, discussing the events of the night.

Lucille didn't know how long she had been sitting on the pavement. She was startled when the loud honk of a vehicle nearly deafened her. She looked around, feeling her face. Her tears had dried, but she could still feel a sticky substance on her skin. It must have been the wine that had been poured on her.

She gently wiped her face with the hem of her dress and stood up. She wondered if the party had continued after she left. If it had, it was probably getting lively by now. A bitter smile curled her lips.

She glanced down at the shoe in her hand. The other one was probably thrown away by now. What good was one shoe? It would be easier to toss it in any nearby trash can. But as the thought crossed her mind, she quickly dismissed it.

She would keep it, to remember her final year class party, to remember the humiliation she had endured, and most of all, the courage she had shown.

Clutching the shoe, she began walking toward the bus station, hoping to catch the usual free bus provided by the werewolf leaders. As she reached the station, she saw the bus already in motion. If she missed it, she'd have to wait a long time for the next one.

Without thinking, she ran, waving her arms in the air, hoping someone would notice and tell the driver to slow down.

But then, her foot caught on the hem of her dress, and she stumbled. She fell hard onto the ground, her face slamming against the rough pavement.

A sharp scream escaped her lips as pain shot through her body. She tried to get up, but it felt like every part of her was on fire. 

Just then, the sound of a speeding car reached her ears, growing louder and louder. It was racing toward her, and before she could react, the tyres screeched, the sound deafening in the still night air.