CHAPTER 4: I REJECT YOU, LUCIEN.

~HERA.

Before my five senses could snap back to life from the shock, Alpha Lucien dropped a hard slap on my face. The impact of his slap swept my feet from the ground and I fell heavily to the floor, my head throbbing hard. 

“Who the hell do you think you're to disobey your Luna?!" He seethed, his bright blue orbs glaring daggers at me. 

Seriously?

He's gonna take sides with Blair? Didn't he feel the mate bond between us? Isn't he supposed to protect me instead?

"I'm your mate!” Elsa broke her silence sending shockwaves across the room as the onlookers collectively gasped. 

I never expected Elsa to say that loud and clear. She probably was hurt seeing our mate take sides with another woman. Words eluded my mouth by the time she returned control to me. I was speechless.

Blair suddenly broke into a fit of laughter as if what Elsa had just said was a line from a comic book. 

Elsa possessively growled as Blair threw her hand on Lucien's shoulder, her lips twerked up as she assertively said. “Oh, Hera. Don't tell me you are not just a thief but also insane.”

A peal of laughter swept across the room, Elsa was struggling to take control and lunge at Blair as she couldn't stand the humiliation but I shut her out, I couldn't afford to act on her impulse. 

My gaze drifted back to Lucien, hoping he'd shun the guest from mocking me but he just stood there, staring down at me like some piece of shit from the gutter—The disgusted look from him was no surprise to me, but Elsa was hurt. Her whimpers stung my heart and I couldn't hold back tears from pooling in my eyes.

Fuck the mate bond. I will never cry over this cruel jerk.

As I pulled myself to my feet, he finally spoke up.“What makes you think I will accept a pathetic low life like you as my mate?”. Another round of laughter consumed the room as the guests enthusiastically watched us. 

“And what makes you think I will accept a cruel jerk like you?!” I angrily challenged, his eyes widened in shock followed by loud gasps from the guests.

Is she nuts?

She is crazy.

How dare she challenge the Alpha? Who the heck does she think she is? 

She is definitely gonna lose her tongue for saying this. The guests kept commenting on and on. 

Clearly angered, he shrugged off Blair's hand on his shoulder but before he could reach me, I added."I, Hera Julius, reject you, Alpha Lucien, as my mate!" 

He narrowed his crimson eyes at me, a muscle tightening in his jawline as he tried bottling up the pain from the rejection.

I guessed I underestimated his strength. I thought he'd been rolling on the floor from the rejection pains. He grabbed my neck, suspending the air in my lungs. 

Fury burned vividly in his crimson eyes as he growled, accentuating each word with a tighter grip.“How dare you challenge me, you damned little thief!”

Is he actually gonna kill me with his bare hand in front of his guest? I couldn't help but think as his grip slowly sucked out life from me. My life hanging on a thread. 

“You know what? I have had enough of your existence in this pack.” He added, I felt his long claws grazing my skin. Fortunately, before he could thrust his claws into my flesh, a voice came from behind, stopping him. “What the hell is going on here?” 

I recognized the voice at once, it was the king. Lucien turned back but his hand remained on my neck, though he loosened his grip a bit. “This nuisance needs to be taught a lesson, Father”.

In response, the king nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders.“Okay… but get somewhere else to punish her, not in my party”. 

Roughly, he let go of my neck and I heavily fell on my side, a wince escaped my lips as I felt the bone in my arm shift a degree. 

“I'm gonna come back for you and make sure to skin you alive!” He snarled at me. Facing his men, he ordered. “Lock her up in the dungeon”

*****

At the far corner of the large cell, I remained curled up, hugging my legs to my chest. With my head buried in my thighs, I let out the hoarded tears. My shoulders trembled as I cried harder.

No, I wasn't crying over that jerk. I'm just overwhelmed by the trouble I had been through in the pack for the past few weeks and the scathing pain that came with it. This pack was nothing but a living nightmare. 

I tend to put up a bold face but it's nothing but a facade. I was broken inside, and my only hope to get fixed was finding my mate–The one who could protect me from being hurt. It turned out my mate was nothing but a piece of my traumas.

Why am I so unfortunate?

Things never took a bright side for me. My life was more like a dog mess all because my existence was meaningless to my kind. Most times, I can't help but think that I am cursed because my life is just so terrible to bear. 

All I wished for at this moment was the warm arms of my grandma holding me tight but the possibility of me getting out alive from this cell was slim. I might never get to meet her again. 

“I'm sorry for the trouble I caused, Hera". Elsa sadly mumbled.

“It's nothing, Elsa. We did the right thing, he doesn't want us anyway”. I replied. 

I raised my head as my ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching. Knowing it was Lucien, I got up to my feet, trembling. He'd say he would come back for me.

The poorly lighted lamp at the entrance of the cell illuminated his face as he walked out of the shadows. I frowned, it wasn't Lucien.

It was Lysander. 

“What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, picking my steps forward.

“Oh, I see you like it here”. He replied, pulling up his usual smirk.”How about I join you?"

My frown deepened. What the hell did he mean by that? Before I could formulate a response, he pulled out the key from his pants, unlocking the door. 

Stepping into the cell, he lustfully eyed my body while he said.“You know I once told you I would do anything to get you, now here we are!”

Color drained out of my face as the realization finally dawned on me.“What you're thinking is against the law, Lysander. Don't!” My voice tinged with fear. 

He chuckled.“Looks like someone is finally scared, but I care less. And it would be best if you just compile because no one is coming to save you, not even your damned mate!" He spat as he began cornering me.

In my attempt to cross the room to escape, he caught me by the hair and yanked me against the wall. “You really think you could get away this time?" He asked, chuckling.

“Get your filthy hands away from me!" I yelled enough for someone to hear me. No one did, it was just the two of us.

His lips twisted into a crooked smile."Keep screaming if you had agreed with my deal the other day you wouldn't have been in here”.

An excruciating pain rippled through my scalp as he tightened his grip on my hair, seething.“You really think a poor thing like you can fight my brother—” I kicked him hard in the groin causing him to release his grip and make a run for it to the entrance.

Being unfortunate as always, he caught me by the neck, dragged me back in, and shoved me to the wall. With the little strength I had left, I fought back fiercely, but his strength overwhelmed me. He immobilized my hands above my head, his heavyweight caging my thin frame.

Feeling defenseless, I had no other option than to beg, tears streaming down my eyes.

"Don't be such a crybaby. I'll be gentle with you," He sneered, pulling down his zipper. His pound of flesh came jumping out of his pants.

"You're gonna regret this—" My words trailed off as he suddenly slumped to the ground, standing before me was Eugenia.

She pulled me into a hug before I could utter a word. “We need to get out of here". She said immediately we disengaged.

I looked down at Lysander who was lying still on the floor. I know I shouldn't feel any empathy for him, especially for what he tried doing to me, but… he can't be dead, right?

“He will be fine, I only injected him with some sedative". She said, showing me the syringe in her hand. 

Curious, I wanted to ask how she managed to get her hands on a sedative but she grasped my hand, beating me to it.“Come on, let's go."