Chapter 3

Khalid walked off the stage to hand the mic to the MC, who was too shaken to move from where he stood. Then I watched as he left the room afterward, leaving confusion in the air.

  My legs gave out, and Dilan caught me as I was about to fall to the ground, tears welling up in my eyes.

  The excruciating sensation followed. Bell was breaking inside of me. My soul twisted like it was being dragged. I fought to prevent any attention in my direction, but the pain was just too much.

  Even through the pain, I could hear the murmurs around me. Soon, everyone was gasping, and the entire hall had eyes on the girl the Alpha’s second son was holding.

  Slowly, they started putting the pieces together.

 “Wait… is it that Omega?”

 “She’s the one?”

  “How did she manage to get the next Alpha as her mate?”

  “Why is my Dilan with her?”

 “I saw Khalid looking in a particular direction as he spoke. So it must be her.”

  “Why does she look so surprised then? Did she really expect that he’d accept her?”

 The last of those words drove my tears to the edge. Bell was weeping. She wanted release. She wanted me to free her and run out of here—she strangely also wanted me to go find her mate despite the fact that he had just rejected her.

  My entire body shook. There were whispers from all corners, and I could tell a small crowd had gathered around me, even though my face was buried beneath my arms. Some people were laughing at me. Someone mentioned how happy I must’ve been, thinking I’d won a jackpot for “accidentally” being mated to Khalid.

  I felt sorry for myself—and for Bell too. I was shaking so much I wasn’t sure if I could even stand.

 Dilan was still by my side, crouched next to me on the floor. I was relieved that I wasn’t completely alone, but at the same time, I felt uncomfortable. Why hadn’t he left? Why was he still with me after what happened?

  People were already murmuring about him. What would they think was going on?

  Suddenly, he stood up.

  “It would be much appreciated if you all leave. You came for the Alpha’s birthday, not to watch and gossip like fools over my family’s business.”

  His choice of words amused me, so much so that, in a different state of mind, I might have laughed.

  I felt the crowd disperse, but I still couldn’t raise my head. I wanted Dilan to leave too. The Alpha and Luna were bound to come here any moment now. I wondered how they would react to the situation.

  But I knew I didn’t have to wait to find out.

 I picked myself up and ran out of the hall, no clear direction in mind. Bell was screaming at me for release. But I wouldn’t shift here. I needed to get out of the house and into the woods instead.

  ***

  Since the pack-house was busy from the event and the crowd was scattered, I found a way to sneak out without the guards detecting me.

  I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, the pain of rejection pushing me forward. There were tales about how it felt to be rejected by a mate—how it burned, how it broke—but I never thought it would be this unbearable. The pain was like holding your breath on purpose, only to realize you couldn't exhale again. It really felt like I would die.

  At some point, I stripped naked, hiding my clothes near some bushes. The distant chirping of birds calmed me a little, and I wondered if all the birds were okay—if any of them were going through something like me.

  Then my bones cracked, and Bell burst free.

 My black wolf sprinted deep into the woods, refusing to stop because stopping meant thinking. Thinking meant remembering him. I clawed at trees, tearing at the bark as if that could tear the agony from my soul.

  Even in wolf form, I was crying.

 Bell collapsed onto the dried leaves, her breaths shaky. I thought about my parents. What would they want me to do? Would they blame me if I ran away? If I ended my pain the easiest way possible?

  A fresh wave of sorrow ripped through me. Then Bell was up again, running harder.

  I knew where we were going.

 There was a way out of the pack—a dangerous one. It was forbidden, but that was the point. That was my aim. If I got killed there, at least I wouldn’t have to do it myself.

  Then, suddenly—

 Something brushed against my fur. Not deep enough to wound, but hard enough to knock me off balance. I yelped as my body crashed into a tree, the impact rattling through my bones.

  Pain lanced through me as I shifted back into human form. My hands dug into the ground, breaths coming hard and fast.

  An arrow.

 Chills danced on my skin as I crouched lower, bracing for another one. But when I lifted my gaze, my breath caught.

  Dark boots stood before me.

  Then his scent hit.

 A scent so intoxicating, so unbearably sweet that it almost knocked me out.

  I swallowed hard, heart pounding. How was he here? Did he… follow me?

  I shivered as I slowly pushed myself up, and soon, I was staring into the most stormy gray eyes I had ever seen.

  “Omega?”

 His voice sent a shiver down my spine, momentarily making me forget the pain he had caused.

  Bell stirred. She was elated, desperate. It took all my self-control not to throw myself at him.

  His gaze swept over me, sharp and assessing. Then it hit me—

  I was completely, utterly naked.

 Heat crawled up my skin, but I refused to back away. Instead, my eyes flickered past him, taking in the wooden door that stood open behind him. Underground storage. Everyone knew he was a master of weapons, so I guessed he had a hidden stash there.

  I forced myself to meet his gaze again, even though looking at him felt like standing too close to a flame. He was huge. Broad shoulders stretched the white fabric of his shirt, muscles rippling subtly with every movement. His presence did something strange to me—made me feel weak, yet aware of myself in a way I hadn’t before.

  And as much as his presence comforted me, it also terrified me.

  “You should go on,” he said at last, voice void of emotion. “I mistook you for a rogue, hence the shooting. Send my regards to the people of the Moonlight Pack… if you make it.”

  The breath left my lungs. 

  The pain returned.

 Bell reached for his wolf, but—nothing. It felt like an empty void. Like his wolf was shut off.

  I clenched my fists. He rejected me, fine. He hated Omegas, fine. But did he really feel nothing? Did his wolf not fight him? Was there truly no part of him that ached for me?

  Tears pricked my eyes as the questions tore through me.

  No. It wasn’t true.

 I refused to believe he was just… empty. That he didn’t feel anything.

  Then his voice cut through the air again—low, deliberate.

  “I was waiting for you.”

  I froze.

 My heart stuttered in my chest, and my gaze snapped to his.

  Waiting… for me?

  For a split second, hope bloomed inside me, fragile and trembling. Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe he wasn’t as heartless as he pretended to be. Maybe he—

  “I’m glad to hear that you’re more patient than me, brother. Though I’m confused as to what you’re doing here.”

  The voice that spoke wasn’t his.

 My stomach dropped.

  Slowly, I turned to find Dilan standing there, smiling at Khalid.

  And just like that, the hope shattered.

  Khalid hadn’t been speaking to me.

 He had been speaking to his brother.