Chapter 1

Elise POV

“I reject you, Elise Silverman of the Midnight Pack, as my mate,” he growled, slamming my head against the wall as I tried desperately to claw at the hands clutching my throat.

Pain swept through me along with humiliation. I'd always been desperate to find my mate, to find the love that was denied me, but now I wish I had remained oblivious.

He didn't even care how much this hurt me. His entire focus was on rejecting me as soon as possible and I knew why.

Because I wasn't her. I wasn't the one he was in love with, and the girl he'd already practically declared as his chosen Luna.

“Say it,” he snarled, his face inches from mine, his lips curling into a twisting smile, “reject me, or I’ll make your life more of a living hell than it is already.”

My life was already miserable, and the thought of it getting any worse made me feel sick to my stomach. I knew he meant it to and that his position would give him complete control of me. He'd always been callous towards me but this was a new low.

I choked. He tightened his grip as tears trailed down my face. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get him to release his grip.

I was struggling for air, and time was running out.

I’d waited for this moment for so long, and now it was like a nightmare and nothing like the fairytale I had envisioned.

I'd been so foolish to think my mate would accept me. Stupid to dream of something that would never come true. It would have been better not to dream at all.

The moment he had felt the bond, felt the thread connecting us, he’d sought me out and led me into the nearest empty hallway, his eyes flashing with anger. When he’d told me we were mates, I’d had one brief second of hope that he might accept me, might keep the blessing of the moon goddess in spite of how he originally felt about me. I’d waited for this moment so long and although I could not feel the bond myself due to my wofless state, I'd still hoped my mate could look past that and accept me for who I am.

Unfortunately, dreams never live up to expectations, and this was no different.

“You disgusting fat bitch, reject me now before anybody sees us,” he hissed, looking over his shoulder worriedly and gritting his teeth.

There was no one there, but it would only be a matter of time before somebody discovered us in the hallway and he was desperate to prevent that.

The words should have stung, but I was used to them by now. I was not what you would envision a shifter to look like. While the majority of the women had long blonde hair and big baby blue eyes, a slender body, and porcelain skin, I was the opposite. My hair was Raven black; my eyes were dark emeralds. Freckles littered my cheeks and nose. I had a curvy silhouette with wide hips and a generous bosom. My skin was pale golden from being outdoors all the time. I was repulsive in their eyes, and I had lain awake almost every night praying that my looks would change and I might become like them. The moon goddess never heard my prayers, though and I was left resigned to my fate.

“Please,” I managed to whisper, “I can’t speak,” I choked.

He glowered at me and then exhaled loudly in frustration.

He released me, and I rubbed my throat, desperately drawing in oxygen. He'd almost suffocated me and I could feel my body trembling as it fought to remain upright.

“Do it,” he snapped again, "hurry up."

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I begged, hating how small my voice was.

My pride was shot. I couldn’t bear the humiliation of a rejection, even one in private. It only confirmed my worst fears. Somebody like me was unlovable. Nobody would ever find me desirable. I was going to be alone for the rest of my life.

“You think I want somebody who looks like you?” he scoffed, “you’re so fat and ugly. Nothing like your stepsister Seraphine, who I really want as my Luna. I would never have you as my mate in a million years; it would be too humiliating.”

My heart skipped a beat. The disdain in his voice, the venom dripping from his words was enough to bring me to my knees.

I could barely keep myself from whimpering as he eyed me like I was nothing to him.

“I…” my voice wavered as he glared at me, “I reject you, Alpha Tristan Bradshaw of the Midnight Pack, as my mate.”

I had no choice but to utter the words and sever the bond, even though I knew it was going to be painful.

The pain was indescribable as the thread that connected us promptly snapped. Tristan was almost undeterred by it, but as an Alpha, he was stronger than I was. My knees buckled, and I fell to my knees with a heavy thud, my head bowing down as I stared fixedly at the floor.

It was done. I'd been rejected.

“You'd better keep your mouth shut about this. I don’t want it known that you and I were mates. Somebody like you would only damage the reputation of this pack. So, get the fuck up,” he growled, “and get moving before anybody sees you. Be thankful I’m still letting you remain in this pack,” he added darkly, “but you so much as run your mouth and that changes.”

It was a small mercy. I nodded, still staring at the ground, tears silently trickling down my cheeks.

He stared at me for a long moment and then turned on his heel, storming away as I remained on the ground, gathering the strength to get back up. To continue with my life and pretend this didn't happen. To pretend this moment wasn't seared inside my mind and permanently there as a reminder never to let myself get my hopes up ever again.

I was unlovable. The mate nobody wanted. The pathetic weak omega who was only good for serving the pack and keeping my stepsister and stepmother happy.

“Face it, Elise,” I murmured wretchedly as I forced myself up and dusted myself off, “nobody is ever going to love you, not like this. Your only purpose is to serve and to stay as invisible as you can.”

I let out a sob and then wiped my tears away with the back of my hand and forced a fake smile on my face. I doubted anybody would look closely at me, though.

I headed back to my house, shoulders slumped, body curled inwards, and dried tears on my face.

I was late, and I already knew what that meant. Broken hearted or not, my life was one whole shit show, and now the day was going to become much, much worse.