Chapter 4

Rescued

“Jade?” My voice quivered. “You're…you're with Ryder?”

“Yes, Celine. I'm with my mate. And you're being a nuisance with your incessant calls so don't call him again.” She warned sternly and then a beep followed, showing that she hung up.

Seconds passed but the phone was still pressed against my ear. I couldn't move. I could barely breathe. Tears rushed down my eyes like a waterfall, staining the sheets.

Ryder was with Jade. He didn't reject her.

Spelling it all out like that piqued my agony and yanked viciously at my heart. I cried all night. But in the morning, I was awake, waiting.

Barely past 8 a.m, he returned home. I could hear his voice downstairs, giving orders to the Omegas.

Minutes later, he walked into our room, looking rough and drained. But not in an exhausted way. More like in a flushed way. Like he had fun all night.

His expression hardened as he saw me standing in front of him. My arms folded around my chest with tear streaks on my face.

“What is it, Celine?” He asked gruffly, throwing his suitcase on the bed and tugging off his tie.

Did he really not have a clue? Or did he plan on playing dumb until the end?

Well, I wasn't gonna play that game with him anymore. Today, he would have to admit it all to my face. I need to know what's left of our love.

“I called you last night and Jade picked up. She said you two were together. Is that true?”

“Yes,” he affirmed, without hesitation. There was no flicker in his eyes. No slip of emotion. No…regret. Just a blunt “yes.”

My heart bled even more, but I had to keep my emotions together for this confrontation.

“You didn't reject her?”

“I have no plans to.” Another blunt reply. A tear dropped from my eyes.

“You…have no plans? You promised me!”

“Yes, and I thought I could do it. But I can't. She's my fated mate. How do you expect me to reject her?”

“I don't know, the same way you made me reject mine?!” I yelled hysterically in his face. More tears dropped. I was already a mess. A heartbroken mess.

How could he be so fucking cruel?!!

“I’m sorry, Celine. I shouldn't have asked you to reject him.”

“You're…sorry? What's that gonna fix?”

“Nothing. But I'm sorry. Just…” he paused, ruffling his hair. “Just don't expect me to reject Jade because I won't. I love —”

“Ryder, stop,” I hugged him, desperately, so he wouldn't complete that. “Ryder, please, don't do this. We have a child coming. We should stay together for our child. Also because we love each other…”

“I don't…” he replied softly and I slowly let go of him and stared confusedly at his face.  

“What did you say?” Just to be sure I heard him right.

“I don't love you, Celine.” He repeated, staring right into my eyes. “Not anymore.”

I gasped. “Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“How? I don't understand. Ryder, we…we started out alright. You used to love me. We used to be so in love. What changed?”

“Jade came. She changed everything.” He replied matter of factly. “She'll come live here, Celine. As my Luna.”

I couldn't take it anymore. My knees gave out and I slumped to the floor, shedding sad tears. But that didn't stop Ryder from slashing my heart even more with his words.

“You'll have to vacate the Luna position. It belongs to Jade. She also wants you to be her personal assistant when she becomes Luna.”

“What makes her think I'll accept that offer?” I asked, looking up at him with daggers in my eyes. “I'd rather leave than be her assistant.”

“You’re not leaving. You’ll stay here and be her assistant.”

“I won't…”

“You either do it or I have you thrown in the dungeon. Take a fucking pick.” Ryder deadpanned and left the room.

I was gobsmacked to my bones. A part of me hoped all this was just a nightmare and I'll be waking up soon.

But that nightmare proved to be my reality because a few days later, Jade showed up here. Ryder wasn't bluffing when he said I'd vacate the position for her. He gathered the elders, threw a Luna coronation party for her and she was crowned the new Luna.

I became her personal assistant and that was the beginning of my misery.

“Fill up my glass, slowpoke.” Her angry voice snapped me back to reality.

“Huh? Sure, ma'am. As you wish.” I hurried over to her table and filled up her glass with wine.

I stepped back, lowering my head. It was a month later after my ugly demotion. There were a lot of people gathered here. Ryder had organized another celebration. He said he had something to announce.

A load of people was snickering at me, saying mean stuff about how I became a downgrade. I've been a laughingstock since Jade showed up.

It’s been a month. So I should get used to it by now but I wasn't. With my face lowered tears were still dropping. I haven't stopped crying since my life got so drastically ruined.

“Greetings, everyone. And thanks for coming.” Ryder began, and the hall quieted. “I want to announce something very important.”

What could it be? I've been weirdly anxious about it ever since I heard of the party.

“My Luna is pregnant and will soon give birth to the heir of our Pack.” He announced and everyone cheered.

For a brief moment, I forgot the identity change and felt excited. But then it dawned on me immediately that he wasn't talking about me or the baby growing in my womb.

He was talking about Jade's. She was pregnant. And her child will be an heir. Ryder never officially announced my pregnancy but he already named Jade's few weeks pub as the heir.

Anger. Bitterness. Agony. Rage. They all mixed up in my heart, causing my blood to boil.

I could endure any embarrassment from him. Hell, he made me a servant but that was fine.

But I'll never be okay with watching him do the same with my child. I'd rather leave than stay here and watch my child be turned into a slave, like me.

After the party, I retired to my room, pretending to be asleep. But when the premises quieted, I snuck out with a small bag where I packed a few things and then the little cash I had.

I wasn't sure where I was running off to but anywhere was fine. Anywhere but here.

The underground passage was my escape route. Just a few people knew of its existence. I was one of those few. Luckily, there were no guards there so I followed it down until it brought me to the borders of the Pack.

I winded up inside the woods, running hysterically, just as the warning bell went off.  A bell that might have announced my disappearance.

My legs were weary and heavy but I couldn't stop running. Going further into the woods. I need to get as far away from my pack as possible.

Deafening guttural growls went off behind me and then beastly claws picked me up and hurled me into a tree.

I fell with a yell, writhing in pain on the ground. Looking up, I saw two wolves growling hungrily at me. Their skinny texture and the animalistic red shade of their eyes proved they were rogues.

Hungry rogues. And I was their prey. Me and my unborn child.

“Please…please…help me…” the words left my lips, as my whole body ached. They were coming closer to me, ready to tear me apart.

I shut my eyes in tears. “Please…” the words left my lips again, softly. “Help me. I don't wanna die…”

Like on cue, a loud, reverberating growl transcended and then it was followed by scratches, bites, and blood splashes.

I dared to open my eyes and there was a gigantic creature ripping those rogues apart. It was a very gruesome sight.

When it was done, it turned to me. Eyes burning with a greenish-yellow sensation. Mouth filled with blood. And there was something else.

An unexplainable calm aura that came from the beast. Not just any beast.

A Lycan.

Shutting my eyes again, I let the darkness overtake me. But the scent of cinnamon and lilies lingered in my nostrils, calmly sending me off to oblivion.