Fated To My Best Friend's Father

Stephanie's pov.

If someone had told me I would leave the moon gala crying, I would have laughed in their face.

Ryan told me to wear blue tonight.

He wanted everyone to see how beautiful his girlfriend looked.

The moon gala looked special, light reflecting against the pool. Music filled the air, and for once, everything in my life felt perfect.

My eyes roamed around and I smiled like an idiot. Final year students danced to the rhythm of the music. They laughed, clinked glasses, celebrating like the world belonged to them.

I pushed through the crowd, searching for Ryan amidst the celebration. I stopped on my tracks when my eyes caught a gathering in the center of the poolside. Students whispered and I walked towards them, wanting to know what the extra mini celebration was.

Maybe a surprise?

Someone moved aside and that was when I saw him.

Ryan.

His hand rested on a lady's waist while hers grabbed his collar. Their lips moved against each other slowly and shamelessly, like they had forgotten the world even existed.

Everyone cheered around them, another wine bottle getting popped open. My heartbeat slowed and for a moment, my thoughts refused to wrap around what was happening.

No.

This isn't right.

This has to be a joke.

Ryan noticed me first the moment he broke the kiss. Then Caroline.

The crowd suddenly went quiet after noticing my presence.

“Wait….” Someone whispered in the crowd. “Is Stephanie not his girlfriend?” Heat crawled up to my neck instantly.

Maybe there was a misunderstanding.

Maybe this was some stupid dare.

Just maybe—

I swallowed hard before I moved closer to Ryan. “Can you explain what this is?”

Ryan sighed softly in a way that showed he was frustrated. “What exactly do you want me to explain, Steph?”

My stomach twisted and I watched as Caroline leaned into him, her hand caressing his chest in a way that made my lips tremble.

Just last night, we were awake until midnight.

He told me he missed me.

He told me to wear the blue dress.

He wanted everyone to see how beautiful I looked.

Ryan stepped forward slightly and leaned in closer, his face just enough to reach my ears. “I found my mate”

Mate!

The word hit harder than a resounding slap and my knees buckled. I shook my head slightly in terror and whispered. “No”

Everything felt distant. The music….. the crowd, even my lungs forgot to breathe for a moment and all I could do was stare at him.

Still, I forced my lips to speak. “And?”

That shouldn't be all. He found his mate, but we promised each other that's never going to change anything.

“And?” Ryan scoffed. “That should tell you we are done, dumbass!”

Two years.

Two entire years of staying by his side…. Two whole years of loving him, was reduced to nothing but this.

My eyes blurred with tears. My face darted to Caroline and there was a smug, victorious smile on her face.

Did I not pray enough?

Has the moon goddess decided to forsake me?

Scratch that, she had never for once been on my side.

All I asked was for her to help me secure my future with Ryan. I loved him, and wanted to end up with him so badly.

My wolf whimpered painfully inside of me and I hated that sound. I hated the tears that burned through my eyes.

I hated how everyone was watching me.

I swallowed my tears back and straightened my shoulder. “Congratulations”

Ryan frowned like he didn't expect that response from me but I walked away before they could respond, letting my tears spill freely through my face.

Everyone whispered behind me and that only prompted me to walk faster, desperate to get away from the lingering eyes.

The back area was empty and silent, compared to the pool area where the celebration was taking place. I crouched down to the floor, clutching my chest with one of my trembling hands, and cried uncontrollably.

This hurts.

It hurts so badly I can't take it in anymore.

I understood that mates were important. Everyone knew that.

But did two years really mean nothing?

Was every kiss, every touch, every promise fake?

We planned a future together. Was I the only one stupid enough to believe them?

I hated how pathetic I looked at the moment, but I couldn't bring myself to stop the tears spilling from my eyes.

“Steph?”

I looked up immediately.

Ellen rushed over to me with her face filled with concern before she crouched down beside me.

“I heard what happened,” she said softly. I swallowed a lump, blinking my eyes and letting the tears fall, again.

“I don't understand, Ellen,” I whispered with a shaky voice. “We were fine yesterday”

Ellen hesitated. It was only for a moment but I didn't fail to notice.

“He found his mate, Steph” Her voice was eerily quiet. “You know how these things works”

Something about my best friend felt strange at the moment and it looked like she was picking every word carefully.

“But Caroline?” I laughed bitterly. “Since when?”

My best friend looked uncomfortable and that made my stomach drop.

“You knew?”

“Everyone knows, Steph” she said, her head hanging low. “I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. You looked too happy with him, I didn't want to be the one to end that”

My lips parted in shock. “What?”

Her words were crystal clear. Everyone knew except me, they already sneered at me whenever they saw me act like his girlfriend.

“Forget him, Steph. You deserve much more better”

Her words made me swallow, the tears bitter in my throat.

Ellen suddenly stood up. “I'll get you water, okay? Then I'll take you home”

I nodded slowly, and the moment she walked away, silence reigned again.

I closed my eyes and stayed like that for a moment.

This will be fine.

It has to be.

People survived heartbreaks, I will too.

After a few minutes, I forced myself up. I should go save Ellen the trouble of looking for my bag, so we can leave quickly. But the second I stepped away from the wall, someone bumped into me, almost knocking me to the ground.

Caroline.

Maybe wanting to go after Ellen was a mistake, because that was where everything started to go wrong.