Chapter Three: The Pain Of Rejection

NOAH'S POV 

The night was supposed to be simple.

I had come here for one thing, an investigation. Nothing more. The same building where this pack was celebrating a birthday was also hiding secrets I needed to uncover. And I had just finished my work, ready to leave when… I had.

Help me.

I froze.

The voice wasn’t spoken. It echoed in my head, raw and desperate, full of pain. But no one around me had spoken.

Then, I saw her.

A girl came running down the hall, her body trembling, her dress soaked in something that smells rancid. Tears streamed down her face, but what hit me the hardest was the emptiness in her eyes, like she had just lost everything.

She didn’t see me.

She was running too fast, blinded by her grief, until she crashed straight into me.

I caught her before she could hit the floor, my hands gripping her arms, steadying her. The moment my skin touched hers….

Electricity.

It burned through me like wildfire, my whole body reacting to her as if she was meant to be in my arms.

I looked down at her, my heart pounding.

She was beautiful, despite the pain on her face, despite the tear-streaked cheeks and ruined dress. Her long dark hair clung to her face, her lips trembling, her body weak.

I had never seen her before.

But somehow, I knew.

She was mine.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

She was my mate.

I tightened my grip on her as she wobbled, barely able to stand. “Are you okay?” I asked, my voice low.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, her thoughts poured into me again….

They took my phone… They poured rotten milk on me… They laughed while I cried…

I clenched my jaw, furious, my eyes snapping toward the crowd gathered at the end of the hallway.

They were watching. Mocking.

A growl rumbled in my chest as I turned my attention to them. “Leave her alone,” I warned, my voice dark. “Or you will regret it.”

A few of them shifted uncomfortably. But one of them, a blonde girl standing too close to an arrogant-looking guy, laughed.

“Oh? And who are you?” she sneered.

I tilted my head, stepping forward slightly, my power leaking into the air. “You don’t want to know.”

The blonde’s confidence wavered. I watched as the group shrank back, their faces losing color. They feel it. My power. My presence.

“I’ll make this simple,” I said, my voice deadly calm. “If any of you so much as touch her again, I will make sure you regret ever being born. Do you understand?”

Silence.

Then…they ran.

All of them.

Pathetic.

I turned back to my mate, only to find her gone.

My chest tightened as I scanned the hall. She had run.

I rushed outside, searching for her, my heart racing in a way it never had before.

But she was nowhere to be seen.

Gone.

I ran a hand through my hair, cursing under my breath. Then, I exhaled sharply, trying to calm myself.

That’s when the realization hit me.

Who are you? I thought, staring at the empty night.

Why did I hear your voice in my head?

I clenched my fists, my pulse pounding.

She…

She’s my mate.

And now…

I had to find her.

Daisy’s POV

I ran.

I didn’t stop, didn’t look back. The cold rain poured down on me, soaking me to the bone, but I didn’t care. My chest ached, my legs burned, but I kept running.

Scott rejected me.

He never loved me.

The words played over and over in my head like a cruel joke, making my stomach twist in pain. My body felt weak, my heart shattered into pieces, but I had nowhere else to go.

So, I ran to the only person who had ever truly cared for me. 

My grandpa.

By the time I reached his cabin deep in the woods, I was shivering, my clothes sticking to my skin. I banged on the door, my hands trembling.

“Grandpa!” I called out, my voice raw from crying. “It’s me! Open the door!”

For a moment, there was silence. Then, I heard a sharp click.

The sound of a gun being cocked.

I froze.

“Who’s there?” my grandpa’s rough voice called from inside.

“It’s me! Daisy!” I choked out, my voice breaking.

There was a pause. Then, the door swung open, revealing my grandpa, his sharp eyes scanning me from head to toe. His grip on the shotgun in his hands loosened slightly, but his expression remained tense.

“Daisy?” His voice softened. “What the hell happened to you?”

I stepped inside, my body shaking. The warmth of the cabin hit me instantly, the scent of wood and old books filling my senses. I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I collapsed onto my knees, sobbing.

My grandpa quickly shut the door and rushed to my side. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, his gruff voice laced with concern.

I tried to speak, but my throat tightened, and only more tears came out.

“Scott…” I finally managed to say between sobs. “He…he rejected me.”

Silence.

Then, my grandpa let out a heavy sigh. “That bastard,” he muttered under his breath.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, my voice shaking. “He….he chose Mila over me. He said he’d rather die than be mated to me.”

My grandpa’s face darkened, his jaw clenching. He stood up and grabbed the gun again.

“Where does that little shit live?”

“Grandpa, no!” I quickly grabbed his arm, shaking my head. “It's… It's over. I just… I just needed to come here.”

His eyes softened as he looked at me, then sighed, putting the gun aside. “Come here, kid.” He pulled me into a warm, tight hug, his large hand gently patting my back. 

But deep down, something felt off.

Like something was watching me.

I pulled away, wiping my eyes. “Grandpa… do you ever feel like someone’s watching you out here?”

My grandpa’s face twitched slightly before he turned and walked toward the fireplace. “Why do you ask?”

I swallowed hard. “I….I don’t know. I just feel like… something’s wrong.”

Grandpa tossed another log into the fire, staring at the flames. “You might be right.”

A shiver ran down my spine.

“What do you mean?”

He turned to me, his eyes unreadable. “Sit down, Daisy.”

I obeyed, suddenly feeling uneasy.

Grandpa let out a long breath. “There’s something I should’ve told you a long time ago.”