Chapter 3

_Dahlia’s POV_

Murmurs erupted along with the laughter as I immediately wrapped my arms around my body.

“Is this the new humiliation ritual?”

“What's with that underwear? Even my grandma is more stylish.”

“And Dahlia Hart strikes again! What hasn't this omega done for the sake of love.”

Shame washed through me as I hugged my body tighter. My eyes watered as my nails dug into my skin.

Annabelle's laughter rang the loudest of them all and I could blame myself for being stupid enough to believe her. From day one, she has been nothing but a bully so what the hell made me think this would be any different? How could I have been so gullible?

“Wait… what are those scars?”

“Why does she have so many of them? Does she live in the forest?”

“Even wild animals don't have that many marks.”

As soon as I heard that, I immediately yanked the blindfold off my eyes and ran to get my dress but it was nowhere in sight.

What was I even thinking? I had been so focused on pleasing Taylor that I had forgotten all about the scars I hid away from the world. I thought if he loved me, he would accept them.

“What are you looking for Taylor?” Annabelle drawled with a smirk. “Shouldn't you be trying to see if he loves you more right now?”

I glanced back at her to demand my dress but when I saw the disgusted look on Taylor's face, my heart clenched. The tears filled to the brim and I immediately grabbed the duvet to cover up.

The camera lights didn't stop flashing.

“Stop it…” my voice cracked. “Stop recording please…”

They continued laughing because apparently my situation was funny to them. Taylor came matching towards me and I thought maybe, just maybe he would defend me for once.

“What is the meaning of this embarrassment?” He fired. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you really have to act so desperate and cheap all the time?”

His words cut through me like a blade and all I wanted was for the ground to open up and swallow me.

“I… I just wanted to make you happy. Annabelle…”

“Keep her name out of your mouth!” He yelled. “Are you trying to pin this embarrassing sight on her? You keep saying you want me to show you off but this is the exact reason I feel ashamed to let you anywhere close to me!”

My lips parted as the tears rolled down in torrents. I couldn't believe he was actually saying those words to me.

“Taylor…”

“You know what, it's over between us! I don't want to see you anywhere near me ever again!” He shot out and turned around.

His words didn't fully register at first until he left the room. Then they hit me like a shock wave. I blinked rapidly.

Did he… did he just break up with me?

“Taylor, wait…” I yelled, struggling to run with the duvet wrapped around me but instead, I ended up making a bigger fool of myself by falling.

Despite the laughter, I didn't waste another second in getting up. I pushed through the crowd, running after him, because I really couldn't afford to lose him.

Eyes followed me as I ran down the hallways. Right till I got back to the hall and that was when I froze in my tracks.

There was a big picture of me standing in my underwear, blindfolded and wrapping my arms around my body on display. I knew for certain that this was the very first photo of me Annabelle clicked. The one she said was for Taylor.

Another wave of shame washed through me. How could I have let this happen? Atlas would kill me if he ever found out about this.

But that wasn't really important now. Taylor was still nowhere in sight. I scanned around the hall for him, ignoring the fingers pointing at me.

After several minutes of fruitless searching, I almost gave up. Everyone was back in the hall so I slipped away, hoping to retrieve my dress from the room.

As I walked down the hall, the sound of moans startled me. I should have turned around and left at that moment.

But there was this sweet smell of lavender that melted into my nostrils. My wolf stirred for the first time, startling even me.

‘Mate.’

Mate? How? And now of all times?

But I didn't even get the time to ask too many questions as I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

'Mate,’ my wolf cried again, pushing me to follow the scent. My feet began moving on their own towards the direction of the moans and I couldn't help but hope that it was Taylor.

I mean, no matter how painful it would be for him to break up with me and jump right into kissing someone else, I would still prefer him over a total stranger.

My fingers curled shakily around the door handle and for a second, I considered just turning away but my wolf wouldn't let me and the pain in my chest was increasing by the second.

I finally gathered the courage to push open the door, clutching my chest with my other hand. I was gasping now. My lungs felt like they were closing up on me. Even my knees were on the verge of giving out.

Inside the suite, the moans grew louder and I followed them down to the room. I don't know what I was expecting but the scene before me was both shocking, infuriating and incredibly flustering.

It was Jace in a fucking threesome. He was buried deep in one of the girls, who in turn had her face in-between the legs of the other.

I froze on the spot, unable to look away as he pounded her. Her moans filled the room along with the clapping sounds of her ass cheeks. Those mesmerizing blue eyes locked with mine and my cheeks flamed.