I swallowed my saliva and take one step backward, but he takes a longer step towards me, bringing him even closer to me. I haven’t seen Jordan in a long time and I always try to avoid him, because he said once that I reminded him of the incident, and he would rather not set his eyes on me.
Jordan is two years senior to me. Oh goodness, that means he has known about me being his mate for the last two years and he said nothing about it. He was scrutinizing me, staring down at me with loathe, and his nose scrunched up.
“Why did you bring me here?” I ask him, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.
He doesn’t respond immediately, apparently enjoying my discomfort. I’m here thinking of the many ways he can end my life right now and no one would know about it. He didn’t just bring me to his brother's death scene this time in the night just to hang out here.
He starts to walk around me in circles, sniffing me as he did.
“I’m sure you remember this spot all too well. This is where you stood and laughed while my beloved brother took his last breath, ” he says with clenched jaw and I feel tears burn my eyes at his accusation. That had been the worse night of my life. How could he even think I laughed through it?
“I didn’t –” I didn’t get a chance to speak, he wouldn’t let me.
“You need to stop denying Tiana!” he exclaims. He was still going around me “How is it that you were here with him but you didn’t get even a scratch? That’s because you had it all planned out, you little she-devil, ” he accused.
I didn’t stop the tears from falling this time. I was barely six years old for crying out loud. How could I have planned to murder the future alpha? What is in it for me? Jayce was my closest friend as a kid.
“Seeing your mum left you and your wretched father, you must have been deranged from that young age, and my unsuspecting brother happened to be your prey, ” I see his eyes flash red and I felt my stomach turn as more tears continued to pour from my eyes.
“Stop it Jordan, Please, I didn’t plan anything. I was barely six, ”
“Oh shut up,” he thunders, his aura filling the air and causing me to shiver. He’s an alpha male after all, and he was going to show me that anyway he could.
He grabbed my neck and squeezed, lifting me off my feet while I struggled with his hands, gasping for air, my legs thrashing wildly in the air. He had that wicked glint in his eyes. He was happy that I was in pain.
“I’ve waited for this day for two years now, ” he grunts before letting me go roughly, making me fall to the floor with a loud thud. I massaged the area his hands had gripped me and coughed severally, water pouring out my eyes but he kept coming for me, and I kept crawling away on the ground. I wasn’t going to die like this, not without a fight at least.
“I found out you were my mate two years ago, and although I would like nothing more than to end your life with my bare hands, I’d rather you stay alive and suffer. Death would be too easy for you. No, you have to beg for it, ” he spat with venom.
I stagger back to my feet but he brings his hands up to smack me on the face. Because I already saw it coming, I easily ducked under his arms. He swirled around and grabbed me by my hair, then drags me back before burying his head in my neck and breathing in my scent.
He lets out a slow groan, then snaps his head to meet mine “It’s so hard Tee, my wolf wants you, but you are a traitor, ” I see him swallow hard but his grip on my hair is so painful. I have already developed a headache and my eyes are turning.
“I, Jordan Thompson Walker, future alpha of Eclipse pack, reject you, Tiana Aldridge, as my mate,” He lets out the most hurtful words. I felt a heart-wrenching pain in my chest, as well as a whimper within me that had to be from my wolf. I’d only just felt her presence and now it seems like she was leaving me so soon.
My first thought was to beg, because it feels like a part of me was slowly dying, but I couldn’t beg. Begging him would mean living the rest of my life in torture. He hates me, he thinks I had something to do with his brothers death. If this rejection was going to kill me, then so be it. I would rather die than leave the rest of my life at his mercy. I would rather die than remain in this pack and die a wretched maid.
Maybe now the alpha would give me permission to leave. A rejection from a mate is a good enough reason isn’t it? But I doubt my alpha would let me go still. Just like his son, he would want me to suffer. Leaving would be too easy.
He releases my hair from his hard grip and I stepped away from him. I can see the smug smile planted on his face. I bet he had planned this for a long time.
To werewolves, the mate bond is very sacred. Our mates are given to us by the moon goddess and they are to complete us. A rejection is very rare and if it happens, it can weaken our wolves or even lead to the death of the rejected, especially if her partner moves on to mark someone else.
“Accept the rejection, you moron,” He snarled at me. I can feel myself going weaker and weaker. I do not want to be subjected to a life of slavery but at the same time, I want to be with my mate. I didn’t have much expectations before perceiving his scent this evening and then I had hopes all of a sudden. That’s the thing with the mate bond, It’s so hard to break but I wasn’t going to keep being the pitiful maid anymore, I would rather die than beg. Yes, I’d rather die.
I looked him straight in the eye then, standing to my full height with as much confidence as I could muster.
“I, Tiana Aldridge, accept your rejection, Jordan Thompson Walker. As of this day, I cut all ties binding me to you as your mate,” I say with equal venom in my voice but deep down, I was hurting, my wolf’s whimper had become even fainter and I could barely feel her presence anymore.
The smug smile on his face was immediately wiped off and I saw his Adam’s apple move as he swallows. His eyes had turned darker and I could have sworn I saw pain in them but he was masking it so well, glaring at me like he didn’t feel a thing.
I feel like I may be sick anytime. I haven’t been sick since I remember but right now, I could feel my palms growing cold and my eyes heavy but I kept a straight face. He’s not going to see how much of a wreck I am from his rejection. I glance around the environment again. This is where Jayce died, this is where I got rejected, the two most painful events in my life. I don’t want to remain on this pack lands anymore. Twelve years and four months are enough.
“You are going to regret this,” Jordan spits and reaches for my neck again but this time, I held on to his hand before it reached it’s target area and wrestled with him. He stared at me in shock, surprised that I would challenge him but I pushed with all the strength in me.
He let’s out a loud growl, emanating his alpha aura and I didn’t know when I fell to my knees, breathing heavily. He laughs a sad laugh then, then walks closer to me and kicks me hard on my left side, causing me more pain.
I cried out and clutched at my sides, curling into a ball to protect myself from any more attacks, but he just laughs.
“Pathetic, ” he drawls before spinning around and leaving me there.
I laid there for at least another one hour, crying and cursing. Memories of how the last twelve years had panned out playing in my mind. I didn’t think one could survive the amount of pain I feel right now, but I allow myself take in all of it and nurse the internal bruises I felt, the physical ones were already healing fast.
I straightened my rumpled shirt on my body. I didn’t even realize it was rumpled until I got here. Well, I don’t know anything anymore, it’s like I’m a walking corpse. I don’t feel anything, I don’t see anybody relevant and when I stepped out this morning to the usual snide comments and insults, I didn’t feel the usual uneasiness that I would normally feel, just coldness. I’m standing close to the alpha’s office, his guard questioning me like I wasn’t a part of the pack and had no right to see the alpha, but I soon realize I came at the wrong time. The alpha had two guests in his office but I was so determined to see him that I have been waiting for the past three hours for this meeting to end, and this ugly moron that prides himself as being the alpha’s dog takes the opportunity to interrogate and taunt me. “He’s not going to be pleased to see your face,” he snarled and I glared back at him. I have been reduced to this level, even the guards have no regard for
Layla broke down into uncontrollable tears as she watched me pack my things. I feel overwhelmed really. All the times I envisioned leaving Eclipse, I didn’t ever consider leaving in this manner, not to be given out like some piece of overused dress.I didn’t have much to pack, and even if I did, I don’t want to take much from this place, I do not want to be reminded of this place, so I just threw a few clothes inside my backpack.I haven’t told Layla I found my mate and got rejected on my birthday because that would make her feel worse. I was trying to be strong myself, I know I believed anywhere was better than here, but I’m beginning to doubt that now.The news is that the western wolves which is an aggregate of twenty four packs, of which Eclipse pack happen to be one of them have never been in the good books of the royals. I don’t know exactly what the story is but the hatred has been passed from generation to generation.
It was pretty dark when we got to our destination. My back ached from sitting upright and my butt hurts too. I’m really hungry now. We didn’t get to eat all through the day and we did not stop throughout the journey, except for when we needed to fill the gas, and right now I feel like my bladder would burst open anytime soon. Alpha Simeon did me dirty no doubt. I bet they are happy right now, they finally have the leech out of their skin. I wonder what Jordan is up to at this time. I was no longer close to him since the incident so I can not predict. It’s a relief I don’t have to see him henceforth, maybe that would help mend my pain. I shook my head, I don’t want to think of him or Eclipse pack. The door to the truck was flung open and it was time to come out. I sighed loud, then shook Rose who had slept for most of the journey and we got out. We had to come down at the gates for searching. My first sight of the royal palace left me staring in amazemen
The night went by too fast and now we are ready to meet with the royals. I’ve been tensed since I woke up this morning and I think Rose feels that way too. In the short time with her, I have noticed she doesn’t really talk much. I took out time to wash my hair and Sadie helped me straighten it out, leaving a small parting at the side with more than half of the hair falling to the right. When she was done, I marveled at how long and beautiful my hair is. It fell to my waist and Sadie couldn’t stop running her hands through them with an occasional “wow” I would love to dress in my usual jeans and t-shirts but we were provided with gowns that were ‘befitting’ to meet the royals. They made it clear that we were to dress with class around here and we were to be of utmost decorum. We would not be meeting the king today, he is a very busy man and he just lost his father a week ago so he is still not in his best mood. I kind of felt relieved after I learned that. Muc
I opened my eyes to a pair of green ones staring down at me and I forced them close almost immediately, my heartbeat picking up again. I’m not sure where I am or what time it is and the air surrounding me is almost suffocating. Pull yourself together, I tell myself before forcing my eyes open again and I’m met with the same green eyes one more time. This time, he has a smirk on his face. Seeing him up close made it even harder to breathe properly. My cheeks were instantly flaming hot at his close proximity. He’s the cutest thing ever, and I could keep staring into those eyes forever and get lost in them. “She is awake,” a particular female voice says and I whip my head to see the princess and Petra on the other side of the room, looking down at me as if they were too scared to come close. I blink severally as the thoughts of what happened came flooding back and I look away in embarrassment. Just one touch from Prince Ryder and I literally passed out. He didn’
I didn’t get too far, or should I say I didn’t get anywhere at all. I had barely taken three steps out of the room when a bulky man blocks my path. I didn’t see him coming, so I bumped into him and let out a yelp, like a thief who had been caught in the act.Looking up at him, I quickly concluded I do not like him. He’s so large, with his muscles popping out everywhere and his hard face looked like a trained assassin. I could see a muscle twitching in his neck as he held my eyes with a wicked stare.“And where do you think you are going?” He says in a deep voice and cocked a brow at me but to my surprise, he smiled.“Out of this place,” I answer him with a deep frown, my eyes still locked with his. I realize then that I wasn’t scared of him one bit. He may be all broad and mean-looking but I didn’t feel threatened by him. For someone who had lived most of her life serving others and was told never to sp
I stepped back to allow Princess Elsie in. Behind her is another girl carrying a tray which she sets on the table, then she courtesies and left, closing the door behind her “Oh dear. Have you been crying?” Princess Elsie asks. I think it’s pretty obvious what I’ve been up to, she didn’t need to ask, so I just looked away and avoided her eyes. Princess Elsie looks magnificent and she’s the typical description of a fairy tale princess that I read in books and watched in cartoons as a kid. She is at least five foot an nine inches tall with long blonde hair that is neatly packed without a strand out of place. Her skin is flawless and without a single blemish. When she spoke, I notice her one sided dimple on her right cheek. She has a strong aura around her. Her confidence and poise did not come from years of practice, she was born with it, and an angelic talking voice . I wonder how it would sound when she sings. Her nails too were very flawless and you can easil
Ryder’s POV It’s been a year and six months already and we still do not have a clue who is behind the attacks. They seem to have a similar pattern, combing through different packs and attacking their alpha’s and luna’s. In the past eighteen months, at least thirteen pack luna’s have mysteriously died, or their alpha’s just go missing and their abductors or killers always leave the same message, in the same handwriting. … Justice or nothing… At first, my dad tried to solve the riddle but he has a lot on his hands and with everything that was happening around me at the time, I decided to soak myself in more work and take the case off his hands. I needed the distraction and I have been so engrossed in uncovering this mystery for the last eighteen months and each time I feel I was close to uncovering the case, I find myself at a dead end again. Another pack just sent a message that their alpha mysteriously