In the Name of the Sacred Tree

                   LYRIC 

"You used me!" I sobbed, crying to my mate who just rejected me. "Mating with me was your ladder to power, Roderick! Your Pack climbed the ranks because of me! Now that you've achieved your ambition, you don't need the ugly girl anymore, is that it? But you were willing to mate with me a year ago!"

"Oh, spare me!" Roderick rolled his eyes. "Don't act like you didn't know I'd have left you at some point. Hold on, did you really think I'd have made you the Luna of my Pack? I can barely stand the sight of you, Lyric. How do you expect me to take you to Alpha meetings and present you to others? You are disgusting!"

"But I did not give this scar to myself!" I cried bitterly. "And you promised you'd take me to the best doctors. You didn't do any of that, Roderick! It'd have helped!"

"What? Even your own family doesn't care enough to take you to doctors, and you think I would? Quit, dreaming, Lyric and get out of my Pack!"

Tears blurred my vision. It wasn't the first time I was being called ugly, but it hurt more each time it came from Roderick.

I knew Roderick had no love for me when my family paired me with him a year ago. For a year, we lived like strangers despite being mated. I was still a virgin as he could not even bring himself to touch me. 

It wasn't my fault I was ugly. I was burnt with a silver-base branding iron when I was a kid, leaving a huge scar by the side of my face. I still didn't know who was responsible for it, but I've had to grow up with this sting of rejection. Even my own family hated me and were embarrassed by my appearance. 

But I thought Roderick would be different. I thought he'd love me. Apparently, in a world where ranks mattered the most to Pack Leaders, deceit was bound to happen. 

I glared at him. I'd truly loved this man and wished he'd love me back. But now, I wish he'd suffer for what he did to me. 

"You are a monster," I gritted the words. "And I hope you pay for this someday."

He threw back his head and laughed, a hollow sound. "Cursed Lyric, how exactly is that going to happen? I am currently the third most powerful Alpha now. My Pack is up the ranks while your family is beneath me! There is nothing you can do to me anymore. You have always been and will always be worthless!

"Listen, I have rejected you already, and you have accepted. Although, there is one final formality left, but as far as I'm concerned, you're not longer anything to me. So, get your disgusting face out of my pack! This instant, before I have the guards throw you out!" His glare was icy, and before I could respond, he walked out. 

.........

After I managed to pull myself together, I left Roderick's Pack and decided to head home—to my father's Pack. I hadn't been home since I moved into Roderick's Pack, and I hoped they'd be willing to take me in. 

My family had never really liked me. Everything started falling apart after my mother left—abandoning me when I was four. My father chose a new mate and suddenly didn't have enough time for me. Then, I got my scar and he became even more distant. 

The guards let me through the gate, but when I rang the bell of the lounge, my stepsister and her mother opened up. To my surprise, they wouldn't let me in. 

"Go back to Roderick and beg him some more, Lyric. There is no room for you here," Nora said after I explained everything to them. 

Despite my attempt to get them to to pity me, letting them understand I had nowhere else to go, they ordered the guards to see me out.

They've always taken me to be a disgrace to the family and were happy when I left to Roderick's Pack. Now, they didn't want me back. 

.........

By evening, I was seated in a bar, my favorite bar—Faceless Drunk. Over here, they mixed portions strong enough to get a wolf drunk, and you didn't have to worry about being recognized and judged as every customer made use of masks. 

It had been my favorite bar for years. If people had to see my face, they'd think I was getting drunk because I was ugly. 

"You're too ugly." I'd heard those words too many times, I could recite them in my sleep without missing a beat. 

But above all, it was Roderick's betrayal that cut deep. It was even more painful that I could not do anything to him. His Pack was very powerful now, and I was an ugly, rejected girl who didn't even have a family to return to. Nobody could ever want me. What was the point of living?

I emptied the last of my drink and was trying to stand when someone spoke from nowhere: "A refill for the lady, please."

I turned in surprise to find a man taking the seat beside me. The bartender nodded and proceeded to get a refill.

I furrowed my brows in surprise as I looked at the newcomer. I couldn't see his face as he was wearing a mask just like me, but something about the way he appeared told me he was sophisticated.

His suit was a Mason Étoile brand, and his watch was an Aristo Tempus watch. An average Wolf couldn't afford these things. 

"You've been coming here to drink alone for some time now," he said, surprising me.

His voice... It was soothing and impossible to ignore.

I lowered my eyes, feeling a little ashamed. How can he even tell? "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your mask." He tipped his chin toward me. "You've never changed it."

Oh. "That means you also come here a lot."

"I do. It's not quite up to my standard, but it's my favorite place. I like it when I don't get judged by anyone."

The barman returned with my drink. I thanked the newcomer before drinking from my glass.

"From the look of things, you must be troubled. I am, too. So, why don't we make a deal, Miss? Have fun for the night and go our separate ways by morning?"

I looked at him in shock. He was offering a one-night affiar!

"But y—you don't even know me," I muttered shyly. 

"I do not need to. It is simply for fun."

There was something about the way he spoke. I could tell he was a man that didn't care about the feelings of others and was only out to get what he wanted. 

"Although, I must warn you," he tsked. "It will be a long night. I have... problems finishing on a woman. I never finish. So, like I said, it is simply for the fun of it."

Huh? He could not climax during intimacy? But I heard that was the best part of it. How could he enjoy intimacy if he has never finished on a woman before? The thought of it was sad. 

Despite how absurd it sounded, a part of me was tempted. I'd always been curious about intimacy. No one has ever liked me because of my scar, not even my mate—ex-mate.

After much conviction from the newcomer, I gave it a thought.

"Can we keep our masks on?" You'll hate me just like the others if you see how ugly I am.

"Sure." He shrugged. "Your wish is my command, Princess."

Princess? My stomach churned.

Oh, no. He didn't know I looked like a monster. If he knew, he'd run off like the others.

I was tempted to cry. Sometimes, I really did wish I was treated like a 'Princess.'