A STRANGER'S VOICE

ELODIE'S POV 

Everyone stopped what they were doing, silence engulfing the hall. Eloise, Alastair, and my parents glared at me like I was about to do something stupid.

"First of all, I would like to thank everyone who honored our invitation to join us on this joyous occasion. I really appreciate your efforts."

"Now down to the announcement..."

"I want to inform you all and everyone that I, Elodie Moonstone, no longer want to go ahead with this engagement. I no longer want to marry Alpha Alastair and so I am cutting off my engagement to him." I removed the ring on my finger and dropped it to the ground in front of Alastair who had gone pale in shock.

"So with that being said, this engagement party is over!"

Without staying back, I stormed out of the hall. When I got outside, I finally let out the breath I was holding, my heart hammering against my chest. I was still trying to calm my racing heart when I heard someone calling out to me. Knowing it was Alastair, my anger started building up once again.

"Elodie what is the meaning of this?" He demanded, now standing before me.

"How can you call off our engagement in front of everyone?!"

"Are you worried that I called off our engagement or because I did it in front of an audience?"

"Both! How dare you humiliate me like that in front of a large number of people?!" He hollered, his real self surfacing. Almost immediately, he caught himself and went back to pretending.

"Babe, did I do anything wrong? Are you angry with me? I know you didn't mean what you said so please calm down and tell me what's wrong"

I scoffed, annoyed to the highest order.

"Love, talk to me" He made to hold my hand but I slapped it off.

"Tell me, Love. Are you angry because I didn't check up on you for weeks, hmm?"

No Elodie you have to calm down. You can't let him get into you.

"It wasn't my intention, Babe. I was just so busy running around for our engagement party and wedding because I wanted to give you the best grand wedding of your life. That is why I haven't called for weeks. Please forgive me, Babe"

"I promise I will make it up to you. You know I love you so much. I can't live without..."

"Which part of the announcement did you not understand, Alastair?" 

"I no longer want to marry you, it's as simple as that"

"No, Elodie. You can't do that to me. I will die if you're not in my..."

"Cut that crap, Alastair." I snorted.

"Shouldn't you be happy that I am finally giving you the chance to be with the woman you truly love?"

"What? But you're the woman I love..." 

"Do you seriously think I don't know that you've been in love with someone else all these while?" 

Alastair's face turned pale in shock.

"Wh...what? What are you saying, Babe? How can you say something like that?" He stammered, trying to hide his shock. "I'm sure you're saying all of these out of anger. I know you don't mean any of what you're saying."

I grabbed his collar and hurled him to stare me dead in the eyes.

"Look at me Alastair" My burning eyes pierced into his. "Does it look like I don't mean what I just said? Listen very attentively to me" 

"I don't love you anymore. The only feeling I have towards you is nothing but rage. I loathe you with every single vein running through me Alastair and I swear with my life, I am going to ruin you." I let go of his collar and turned to leave when he grabbed my hands.

"You can't do this, Elodie. I am still your mate! I marked you which means you belong to me!"

"Mate?" I let out a painful scoff and flung his hand off. "You already killed our mate bond when you went around sleeping with another woman. So cut that crap, Alastair!" I hollered in rage. 

Almost then, I saw Eloise approaching.

"You came just at the right time, Eloise."

"What's going on, Sis?"

"Let me get this whole thing over with once and for all."

"I, Elodie Moonstone, no longer accept you as my mate, Alastair. Before the heavens, I reject you and everything we once shared. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. It's over." To my surprise, I didn't feel any pain, not even the slightest of it.

But my heart was hurting from the pain of the betrayal. I stormed out of their presence to somewhere isolated. My entire body was trembling uncontrollably, my heart hammering hard against my chest. All of a sudden, my chest tightened and I couldn't breathe anymore. I tried gasping for air while trying to calm my racing heart but nothing was working.

I was having an episode of panic attack and I'm not even with my medicine. The tears I've been trying to hold back finally tumbled down freely.

"I can't breathe. Somebody...please...help...me" I was starting to feel dizzy. "I... can't... fucking breathe. Someone...Anyone, please..."

Just when I was about to slump to the floor, someone caught me and pulled me to himself. I couldn't see his face because I was starting to lose consciousness but I could tell it was a man with how broad his chest was.

"Elodie, you have to calm down. Take a deep breath, okay?" His faint voice came as he cupped my face. "Elodie, look at me. Open your eyes and look at me!"

"Take deep breaths, one at a time. Breath in...out" When he saw I wasn't responding, he pulled me into a hug.

"Everything is going to be fine, Elodie. You will be fine. Just calm down. I won't let any harm come to you, I promise. You're safe right here with me." He patted my head. I didn't know who he was but his assuring words made me calm down.

"I will make every one of them pay for making you go through this. You're mine, Elodie and no one dare hurt what's mine." That was the last thing I heard before darkness engulfed me.