CHAPTER 3

Delilah's POV

Alpha Sterling's voice boomed across the ceremonial grounds. "My son will not bind himself to the daughter of a faithless whore who dishonored her mate's memory."

The world tilted and I looked at Jaxon, waiting for him to defend me. To fight for us the way he promised this morning when his fingers were inside me and he swore I was his forever.

He finally looked at me with ice blue eyes that were cold and empty.

"Jaxon Sterling, do you accept this female as your mate?"

"No." His voice was flat. "I, Jaxon Sterling, reject Delilah Calloway as my mate and sever our bond before the Moon Goddess and this pack."

The pain dropped me to my knees. The mate bond that had glowed warm inside me for two years suddenly ripped apart and it felt like someone tore out my still-beating heart. The white dress pooled around me in the dirt as I screamed. Storm howled in pure agony inside my head and her pain mixed with mine until I couldn't tell where hers ended and mine began.

The pack erupted in laughter.

"The whore's daughter got what she deserved!"

"Did you really think a Sterling would want trash like you?"

Jaxon walked toward me and I looked up at him through tears, still desperate for some sign that this was a mistake. His face was disgusted as he stared down at me.

"You made it so easy," he said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Just like your slut mother, spreading your legs and letting me touch you whenever I wanted."

The words hit harder than Sarah's fists had.

"You're lucky I was too disgusted to actually fuck you. I was terrified I'd catch something from a whore like you. Your mother probably taught you all her tricks, didn't she?"

Someone threw rotted fruit that hit my shoulder. Then mud, then garbage, then stones. The pack threw things at me like I was an animal while they jeered and laughed.

"You really thought I loved you?" Jaxon laughed. "You were entertainment, something to pass the time. Did you actually believe I'd claim you publicly and make you my Luna?"

The garbage kept coming and my beautiful white dress was covered in filth. The flowers fell from my hair one by one.

"You're nothing but the daughter of a slut," Jaxon said. "And you'll never be anything more."

"Get out of Riverbend territory before dawn," Alpha Sterling commanded. "You and your whore mother. If I see either of you after sunrise, I'll have you both whipped."

I forced myself to stand even though my legs shook. The bond was gone and Storm had retreated so deep I could barely feel her. I turned to run but Jaxon's voice stopped me.

"Finally," he said, his voice suddenly warm and affectionate. "Now you can be my mate and we don't have to hide anymore."

I froze. Those were the exact words he'd said to me this morning.

I turned around slowly.

Jaxon stood with his arm around Sarah's waist. The same Sarah who'd beaten me bloody hours ago. She wore a beautiful silver dress and smiled up at Jaxon like he hung the moon.

He was looking at her the way I'd always dreamed he'd look at me.

"Did you really think he wanted you?" Sarah's voice rang out clear and mocking. "Goddess, you're even more pathetic than I thought."

Jaxon laughed and pulled her closer. "She was fun to play with though. All that desperate hope in her eyes every time I touched her."

"I told her this morning to leave," Sarah said loud enough for everyone to hear. "When I had her bleeding on the bathroom floor, I told her she didn't belong here. Should have listened."

The pack laughed. They all knew. They were all in on it.

"The bruises on her face really complete the look," Jaxon added. "Trash covered in garbage. Fitting."

Sarah pressed against him and he kissed her. Right there in front of everyone, his hand sliding up her back while the pack cheered.

This morning those hands were on me. All of it had been lies.

"You should go," Sarah said, smirking. "Before we have to hurt you again."

"Almost wish she'd stay," Jaxon agreed. "Watching her finally realize how worthless she is? That's the best part."

They'd planned this. The beating, the ceremony, the rejection. I was never anything but a game.

"Run along now, reject," Sarah said sweetly. "You're ruining our mating ceremony."

I ran. The white dress tore on branches as I sprinted through the crowd. People spat at me and someone tried to grab my hair, but I was moving too fast. I ran until the forest swallowed me and I couldn't hear their laughter anymore.

My lungs burned and my ribs screamed but I didn't stop until I reached our cottage and burst through the door.

Mom rushed toward me from the kitchen. The birthday cake still sat on the table with one slice missing. "Delilah! What happened?"

I couldn't speak. I just stood there shaking in the ruined dress. My chest felt like it was caving in. The bond was gone and Storm had retreated so far I couldn't reach her.

Mom pulled me into her arms and held me tight. "Talk to me, baby. What happened at the ceremony?"

I tried to answer but only sobs came out. Mom guided me to the couch and sat beside me, holding my hand while I fell apart. The pain in my chest kept getting worse.

It took several minutes before I could form words.

"He rejected me." My voice was broken. "In front of everyone. His father said the Sterling bloodline wouldn't be tainted by me. Jaxon rejected me and called me diseased. He said I was entertainment. The whole pack threw things at me and laughed."

Mom's face went pale and her hand tightened around mine.

"He was with Sarah," I continued through sobs. "The girl who beat me this morning. He's been with her the whole time. Everything was a lie."

"Oh, sweetheart." Mom's voice cracked as tears rolled down her cheeks. She pulled me against her chest and held me while I cried.

A loud crash came from outside. Footsteps pounded on the porch.

Someone slammed their fist against the door so hard the whole cottage shook.

"Open up! By order of Alpha Sterling, you have until dawn to leave Riverbend territory!"

Mom's eyes went wide with fear. She looked at me, then at the door shaking under another brutal hit.

"We need to leave," she whispered urgently. "Right now."

The pounding got louder and more violent.

"Come out now or we're breaking this door down!"

Mom grabbed my arm and pulled me toward my room.

"Move, Delilah. We don't have time."