THE REJECTION

Laura's POV

 

BACK TO PRESENT DAY...

 

My heart stopped. I opened my mouth to speak and form some excuse, any lie that would make her walk away. But before I could force a single word out, a voice called from down the hallway.

"Head slave! We need you in the kitchen immediately!"

She glanced back toward the sound, then turned to me with a cold, knowing glare.

She turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing down the corridor until they faded completely. I stood there frozen, my heartbeat thundered in my ears, my hand still clutching the lingerie tightly in my pocket. I let out a shaky breath and hurried back to my room before anyone else could stop me.

That evening, I dressed for the ball. The lingerie fit me perfectly, hugging all my curves. I put on my mother's wedding dress over it.

The dress was a beautiful olive green, faded from years of wear. It was a bit too tight, squeezing my chest and my hips. But I loved it. It was hers after all.

I walked to the ball with my head held high, but the moment I stepped through the doors, I felt eyes on me. Pack members glanced my way, their expressions twisting into sneers and mocking smiles. I heard whispers follow me as I passed, cruel and sharp.

"Why is she here?"

"Look at that dress. It's falling apart."

"She's so plain, isn't she a low omega? Does she think Ryan would ever look at someone like her?"

I kept my head down, my cheeks burning as I found a spot near the back, hiding at the foot of a large pillar. I felt small, insignificant, nothing like the elegant wolves dancing under the chandeliers.

My dress was shabby compared to their expensive gowns, my hair plain and unstyled, and my face bare while theirs were painted with beauty.

I watched Sasha glide across the dance floor in Ryan's arms, her dress shimmering under the light, her laughter bright. She looked like she belonged there. She looked like she was born to be Luna.

My blood boiled as I watched them spin together, but I forced myself to stay calm. It didn't matter, I told myself. He would pick me anyways at the end of the night.

I stood there through song after song, watching the pack members dance and laugh, waiting for the moment when Ryan would call me forward. The hours stretched on slowly.

Finally, Ryan strode onto the stage. He looked magnificent in his formal wear, strong and powerful and confident. The room fell silent as he clinked his glass.

"Thank you all for coming," he said. "Tonight is a special night. Tonight I will make my choice."

My heart beat faster. I stepped forward slightly, ready to join him on stage.

"I would like to welcome the one I have chosen here on stage."

I smiled, taking a step forward. Then another.

"Sasha Thornclaw is now my chosen mate.” I heard him say and paused in my steps. This wasn't right, even as confusion clouded my brain I knew I had to make it right. Ryan had been sincere.

This wasn't just my chance at the man I'd been secretly crushing on, this was about the mate bond and the pain in my chest as my wolf thrashed inside me, desperate and hurting. This was about freeing my mother from slavery and having a good life for the first time ever.

"Stop," I yelled.

Everyone turned to look at me, the music died down and the pack members stared at me with confusion and disgust. Sasha shot me a cruel look, her eyes were like daggers.

"I'm his true mate," I said, my voice was shaking but I kept going. "We were supposed to be mated, the Moon Goddess chose us to be."

The crowd erupted into murmurs and people whispered to each other. I could hear the word slave being thrown around and I heard someone laugh, but I didn't back down.

"I'm supposed to be his chosen mate," I said louder. "He came to me last night, he told me to come here and he said he would choose me in front of everyone."

Chaos broke out and everyone was talking at once, some people were shouting while others were laughing. Sasha walked up to me, her face was twisted with rage and before I could react, she slapped me hard across the face.

The sound made everyone go quiet, my cheek was burning and I could feel the sting spreading across my skin.

I looked up at Ryan, I needed him to say something, to tell everyone the truth, but he only watched me with an amused smile.

He looked at me with cold, cruel eyes. I felt something in my chest twist.

Ryan's father, the current Alpha Lionel, stepped forward, his voice was deep and commanding and he demanded to know what this was, "is this true, son?"

Ryan stepped forward and he looked at me with disgust.

"Laura has been forcefully trying to seduce me," he said. "She may have become paranoid due to the fact that I was getting a mate, she's delusional, she's desperate and she's been throwing herself at me for months."

I gasped and the words hit me like a physical blow.

Sasha slapped me again and this time, I fell to the ground. My head hit the floor and pain shot through my skull, my vision blurred, but I didn't stay down.

I crawled to Ryan and I reached up and grabbed his pant leg. I begged him and I told him to please claim me, told him I would forget what just happened.

"Please," I sobbed. "Please Ryan, I love you, I've always loved you, just claim me, please."

"Why would I need love from filth like you?"

His voice was cold and cruel and he kicked me off, I flew backwards and hit the ground again.

"Guards," he ordered. "Take her away."

Two guards grabbed me and they dragged me away, I didn't even fight because I couldn't fight. My wolf was whining inside me and the hurt from his betrayal was bursting through my chest.

I was thrown into a dungeon and the door slammed shut. I lay on the cold stone floor, still wearing my mother's wedding dress.

...

Hours passed but I didn't know how many, I was cold and I was shaking, my body wouldn't stop trembling. My wolf was in pain, thrashing and whining and I couldn't think straight, I couldn't feel anything except the pain in my chest.

I must have drifted off because I was jolted awake by the sound of footsteps approaching. I lifted my head weakly, trying to see who was coming, but before I could make out any faces, someone grabbed me from behind.

Panic raced through me as I tried to struggle but they were too strong, their hands were rough as they dragged me up.

"Let me go," I screamed. "Please, let me go."

I felt myself being lifted and carried somewhere, I tried to fight but my body was so tired and the pain from my wolf was draining me. My eyes fluttered but I forced myself to stay awake, refusing to lose consciousness again.

They carried me through winding corridors until finally, I was thrown onto a soft surface. I blinked, trying to focus.

I was in a room.

The room was dark, but even in the darkness, I could tell it was too rich, the walls were paneled with dark wood and the bed beneath me was soft and covered in silk, there were candles flickering on the nightstand. I tried to move and realized my legs were tied.

Ryan was standing over me, his face was in shadow but I could see his eyes, those blue ones I had thought had looked at me with sincerity.

I opened my mouth to speak, I wanted to ask him how he could do this to me. I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to beg him to stop.

"You're still my mate," he said. "Anything I do with you is valid."

"You dressed sexy for me, right?" he asked and forcefully ripped my gown off me as I struggled against his strong arms.

A bark of laughter tore out of him when he saw me dressed in the lingerie. I tried to move but my legs were tied.

"The audience are going to love you, Laura."

My heart beat rapidly.

...what audience?