Chapter 2: The Morning After Means Nothing

"Shit," she cursed as she mistakenly glanced over at the clock. She forgot Killian for a second as she realized she was late for her chores. She looked around her, noticing he had folded her clothes neatly on the chair. She picked up another one of the faded hand-me-downs she owned and hurried out to the main hall.

She stepped into the hallway just as the group was walking out of the dining hall. Rita, Darian, and Cole were laughing about something. And there, in the center of them, was Killian.

Sara stopped, her breath catching in her throat. She waited for him to look at her. She waited for that spark of sympathy or the heat from last night to show in his storm-cloud eyes.

Killian didn't even blink. He met her eyes once and looked away, continuing to talk to Darian with a casual smirk on his face, as if she were nothing more than a ghost haunting the corridor.

Sara stood there frozen, the realization hitting her. The night meant nothing. She was still the Omega rat. And as far as Killian Blackwood was concerned, she didn't even exist.

She swallowed hard and nodded to herself. I mean, what the fuck was she expecting? Of course last night meant nothing. He just felt pity for her, and it was also a plus for him. She blinked rapidly, afraid that she was going to cry.

She walked to the West Wing, where the maids were prepping. They looked at her with disdain, all of them whispering to themselves about her arrival. She said nothing and just continued working. By the time they were done with the majority of the preparations and she was free, she went back to her room and took another shower, feeling dirty from the day's activities and also needing to prepare for the banquet.

Since she was not actually a maid, the Alpha allowed her to attend these banquets as a normal guest. However, she wasn't just staying in one corner; a lot of the time, she would still have to help out the maids.

A thought crossed her mind. Maybe she should look for him and talk to him and his snobbish friends while she's there. She still didn't know.

She walked around for a bit but didn't see him. A heated argument drifted down the hallway from the Alpha's study. She walked towards it and stopped there.

"That is final! Or you'll regret being my son," Alpha Blackwood's voice commanded. "Now get out."

The door swung open roughly and Killian stepped out, looking extremely angry.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked softly, walking after him.

"Fuck off, Sara."

"Killian—"

"How long were you standing there… eavesdropping?"

"I only just came... I was looking for you and I..."

"Good. Now get lost."

"Maybe we can talk another time then," she pressed further. "When you're less angry?"

"And for what reason should we be talking?" His eyes flashed red in color as he grabbed her shoulder roughly.

"I… last night…"

Killian huffed, shoved her, and walked away.

Sara took in a sharp breath, hating the way her heart constricted painfully. Did it mean nothing to him, or was he just angry? Maybe he's just angry, a voice said in her head. She gasped at how real and comforting it felt.

"Hi," she said softly, the pain alleviating only a little. Was she slowly going mad? Why was she hearing voices?

"I'm here, Sara," the voice whispered again. It was a low, melodic hum that resonated deep in her chest.

"Who are you?" she breathed. She leaned against the cold stone wall for support. Her heart was still thumping against her ribs from Killian's harsh treatment.

"I am Greta, your soul. I am your wolf," she replied. A wave of warmth spread through her limbs, dulling the ache where Killian had grabbed her.

She realized then that today was her eighteenth birthday. She had been so caught up in the chores and the fear of seeing Killian that she had completely forgotten. In our world, eighteen meant everything.

"Why's he acting like that?" Greta whispered, sounding hurt. "He felt the bond last night… while you were sleeping."

"Wait… what?"

Greta was silent.

"He's the one?" Sara asked internally. She looked down the hall where Killian had disappeared.

"He is our mate," her wolf confirmed.

If they were mates, last night wasn't just pity. It was destiny. Maybe he was just scared of the Alpha's anger. She decided she wouldn't hide. She would go to the banquet and find him.

The Great Hall was blindingly bright when she entered. She kept her head down, feeling the eyes of the other pack members on her. She could hear their snickering.

"Look at the orphan," one girl whispered. She nudged her friend as she passed.

Sara ignored them and scanned the room for Killian.

She found him standing near the Alpha's dais. He was surrounded by his friends, all of them laughing loudly at some joke. He looked breathtaking in his formal suit, but his eyes were hard. As she stepped closer, the pull in her chest became a physical ache.

Her wolf howled in recognition. Mate!

Killian's head snapped up. He caught her scent. His laughter died instantly, and his expression shifted into something cold and calculated. He didn't look happy to see her. He looked disgusted.

"Killian, can we talk?" she asked softly. She stopped a few feet away from him, her hands trembling at her sides.

The entire circle went silent. His friends traded smirks, waiting to see what he would do.

"I told you to get lost, Sara," Killian said. He stepped toward her, his presence looming and predatory.

"But the bond... you feel it too, don't you?" she whispered. Tears blurred her vision. She didn't care who heard them anymore.

Killian looked around at the crowd. He saw his father, Alpha Blackwood, watching him with a stern, expectant gaze. Killian looked back at her with eyes that held no warmth, only a cruel finality.

"I don't want a weak, pathetic orphan as my mate," Killian announced. His voice boomed through the hall, silencing the last of the conversations. He took a step closer until he was right in her space. He leaned down, his breath hot against her ear, before pulling back to address the entire room.

"I, Killian Blackwood, reject you, Sara, as my mate."