Chapter Two

Chapter Two

THE NEXT DAY

Chloe’s POV

My feet tapped against the floor as I waited for Ansel to pick up his damn call, but he didn’t. My sweaty hands clenched the phone tighter. I was a mess, and honestly, I was scared.

I needed someone to talk to. He was the only person I could think of. Probably my best friend too. They were the two people I had trusted with my fucking life.

And now I needed to tell him something important. I felt my mate bond—with some random stranger. I wasn’t ready to let go of Ansel. We’d made a deal, damn it. We promised to reject our mates if we ever found them.

But ever since I bumped into that guy, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Not for a second. What if he came back for me? What if I couldn’t say no? What if everything changed?

Too many fucking “what ifs.”

I tried calling Riri’s number too, but same result. No answer. I needed to talk to them. I needed them to know I’d be going to Nightshade Academy. That I was falling apart. That my father had made a decision I couldn’t fight.

I got into my car and drove straight to Riri’s place. I just needed to hear her voice. Maybe she’d tell me to run away from everything. Maybe she'd help me disappear.

But just as I was about to get out of my car, I saw another vehicle pull up outside her apartment. My heart dropped.

Wait. That was Ansel’s car.

What the hell was he doing here?

I sat still, eyes fixed on him as he stepped out with a huge fucking smile on his face. My mind started spiraling, trying to make sense of it. Did he think I was here? If so, why didn’t he call first?

I grabbed my phone and called him again, watching him closely.

He declined the call.

Right in front of me.

I was about to step out and confront him, but then Riri came out. She ran up to him, smiling like a goddamn idiot.

My heart started racing.

Was this some kind of surprise for my birthday? I tried to tell myself that. Tried to believe it. Maybe they were planning something nice for me.

But I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling building in my chest.

And then… he pulled her into a kiss. On the mouth.

Right there.

I didn’t breathe. My body locked up. My heart shattered.

Tears welled up in my eyes. My throat burned. My feet started sweating in my shoes, and my whole body felt like it was spinning.

I blinked hard, refusing to cry. But the tears were already there. My phone slipped from my hand and hit the car floor.

This wasn’t real. This couldn’t be real.

I bit my lip, my hands shaking as I opened the door. I didn’t care anymore.

“Riri,” I called out, interrupting their little make-out session like it was some fucking scene in a movie.

My chest heaved as I stepped out of the car, trying to breathe through the pain clawing up my throat.

She turned to look at me, and instead of guilt, she looked… annoyed.

“What the hell are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” she snapped like I was the one who ruined something.

I just stared at her. My mouth wouldn’t move. My brain stopped working. I had no strength left to speak.

I gripped the edge of my car for support. Without it, I would’ve collapsed right there.

Was I supposed to cry? Scream? Slap them both?

Tears streamed down my cheeks, no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. My stomach twisted seeing Ansel’s arms still around her. He didn’t even fucking let go after seeing me.

Wasn’t he supposed to let go?

“I guess no secret lasts forever,” he said with a sigh. “You found out. Guess now you have to accept the truth.”

I stared at him, my jaw clenched. “Don’t you have a fucking conscience? How could you do this to me?” My voice cracked as I stepped forward, legs weak and barely holding me up.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, scratching the back of his head like I was the one being unreasonable.

And Riri? She just stood there like she didn’t do anything wrong. Like we hadn’t been best friends since we were kids.

No shame. No guilt. Nothing.

“Let’s break up,” I said, forcing the words out. “You can have her. That’s what you wanted, right?”

I shrugged like it meant nothing. Like I wasn’t dying inside.

But then he said something that made me freeze in place.

“The only reason you had a chance with me was because I thought you were going to be Luna. But I was wrong.”

My fists clenched. My skin prickled with heat. My nails dug into my palm, and I might injure due to the force.

He stepped closer, that smug expression still on his face.

“I heard your father already declared you won’t be getting the position anymore. Guess I wasted my time with someone like you.”

Goosebumps crawled over my arms.

“How did you—” I couldn’t finish. I was about to tell him everything. How the hell did he already know?

"I have people inside. Getting to find out shouldn't be a problem for me." Ansel furthered mentioned.

“You should be happy you dated a piece of shit like me,” he said, smiling coldly. “Too bad I didn’t get to taste what you’ve got down there before you figured out the truth..”

“What?” I whispered, turning to face him, my eyes locked with his.

Tears spilled down my cheeks.

He didn’t stop.

He just kept going, and it scared me. It scared me how he’d seen me all this time. Like I was nothing. Like I was a joke.

“Now move along,” he whispered in my ear as he stepped back. “Go be the daughter who’ll never be loved by her father.”

That was it.

Something in me snapped. Something raw and furious.

He didn’t know what he’d just started. The urge to make him regret what he had said rushed in all of a sudden.

I would prove him wrong. I would show him exactly who the fuck he underestimated.

I would make him regret every single thing he said to me.

He’d bow before me one day.

I would become his Alpha.

I didn’t know how yet, but I’d find my mate. I’d claim the title. I’d take back the ring he ripped away from me.

And when the time came, he’d wish he never crossed me.