5. Isabella

Isabella POV

"I, Blaine Cross of the Eclipse Pack, reject you, Isabella Brooks—former daughter of the beta—as my future mate and Luna!" he declared, his face set in a hard, unwavering mask.

The brutal words bounced off the walls of the corridor, echoing inside my skull. For a terrifying second, it felt as though the entire universe had ground to a sudden freeze. I stared at him, my mind desperately trying to reject what my ears had just heard as a wave of memories violently rushed back.

I remembered when he used to be so sweet to me. I remembered how he had treated me like a princess, making me feel as though I was standing on top of the world. I remembered the childhood pinky promises we had made to never part, and how I had stupidly prayed to the Moon Goddess to bind our souls together.

But the next instant, the reality of the severed bond hit.

A searing, agonizing pain ripped through me, like thousands of thorny, razor sharp vines piercing through my skin, shredding my flesh and tearing at my very soul. The sheer intensity of the torture was so overwhelming that I genuinely feared my heart would stop beating. I had no choice but to seal it. I had to let him go to make the burning stop.

"I, Isabella Brooks..." I choked out, fighting with every ounce of my fading strength to keep my voice steady, though it quivered violently. "I accept your rejection."

I still couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe Blaine had actually done this to me. My head reeled, the world spinning on its axis.

"Perfect!" Lyra sneered, a look of immense satisfaction washing over her features.

"The bond is officially broken, and I can finally breathe. Now, move your pathetic, trashy ass out of here before someone sees us and starts asking questions."

She reached down, smugly smoothing out the non-existent creases in her elegant blue dress.

Because I had never shifted, my body was already naturally weaker and more vulnerable than any normal werewolf's. But having the fated bond violently ripped away felt as though it had dissolved the very calcium in my bones. I could barely stand.

My gaze flickered to Blaine. He looked completely hollowed out, his eyes dead as if a shadow-demon had reached into his chest and fed on his very soul. I didn't feel a single ounce of pity for him. He deserved to suffer every agonizing second of the spiritual back draft he had just triggered.

I turned on my heel, desperate to escape this suffocating hallway and crawl into my room to let out the dam of emotions swelling in my chest.

"Wait," Lyra’s sharp voice barked behind me, halting my steps. "Do not even think about sneaking back into my party tonight. I don't want your cursed, unlucky face ruining my perfect evening."

With that final warning, she turned and sashayed down the hall, her arm triumphantly looped through Blaine’s.

"Thanks for saving me the trouble! It's the best birthday gift I've ever received!" I screamed out the moment they rounded the corner. I only dared to raise my voice because I knew they were out of earshot; otherwise, I’d be spending the rest of the night locked in the sub-levels.

The adrenaline drained from my system, and my knees buckled. I collapsed helplessly against the wall, finally letting the hot, heavy tears flow freely down my face. I stood there in the quiet darkness, weeping silently, before striking the stone wall with all the physical strength I could muster.

"Ah!" I gasped, cradling my knuckles.

I had foolishly bruised my own hand, but the physical stinging was nothing compared to the deep, suffocating ache rooted in the center of my chest.

Just as I was on the verge of a complete and total breakdown, the faint sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the main corridor. I scrambled to my feet, quickly wiping my face and forcing my expression into a blank mask.

Realizing it was likely just the other omegas rushing about to clean up after the party, I let out a shaky breath of relief.

Taking advantage of the chaos in the ballroom, I managed to slip down the service stairs and slide into the omegas' quarters completely unnoticed. I didn't dare flip on the lights, terrified that Sloane might catch me hiding out of uniform. Besides, I didn't need the light anyway. The darkness suited me. I crawled onto my small cot, pulling my knees tight against my chest and burying my face in my arms.

Alone in the dark, I finally let myself break, sobbing silently into the thin mattress as I wept for everything I had lost.

"Isabella!"

A whispered voice shattered the quiet, making my heart leap violently into my throat.

"Wh—"

I started to shriek in shock, but a warm hand was instantly pressed over my mouth, cutting off the sound.

"It's just me! Please, calm down," a soft voice assured.

I nodded quickly, signaling that I wouldn't scream, and she slowly released her grip.

"Evangeline!" I whispered, my brows furrowing as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. "What are you doing in here? Why aren't you working?"

I forced my voice to sound neutral, desperate to hide the raw, red-rimmed state of my eyes. I couldn't let her know about the rejection. If the gossip spread to the rest of the pack, the bullying from the other omegas would become completely unbearable. I couldn't handle being any more pathetic than I already was.

"I am leaving, Isabella," Evangeline whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and fierce determination. "I am officially running away from this pack. I am tired of living in this hellhole, and I'm tired of being afraid every single day. I refuse to raise a family in a place like this."

I stared at her through the gloom, wishing I could see her face clearly. Did she actually mean this?

"A family?" I repeated, the word sounding foreign.

"Yes," Evangeline breathed, a small, genuine smile in her voice. "I found my true mate right here in the Eclipse Pack. We are escaping tonight. He’s one of the perimeter guards, and he’s already waiting for me at the southern border. I don't have much time left before his shift ends."

My heart sank. She was throwing her modest belongings into a canvas sack and tossing it out the large open window. I lunged forward, grabbing her hand to stop her.

"Evangeline, think about this," I pleaded, my voice cracking. "The second you cross that boundary, you both become rogues. The laws are brutal."

I didn't want her to go. She was the only person in this entire miserable pack who made my existence even remotely bearable. I couldn't bear to think of how empty and cold this place would be without her. The weight of her departure, combined with Blaine's betrayal, felt like a crushing physical force on my chest.

"We know the risks," she said, her tone filled with absolute certainty as she gently squeezed my hand. "But we have to try. I know we'll find a decent, united pack out there that will take us in."

Without another word, she turned and carefully climbed out the window, sliding down the trellis the same way her luggage had gone. I scrambled to the sill, looking down to see her feet hit the grass safely.

Before she disappeared into the shadow of the trees, she paused and waved back at me.

Even in the dim moonlight, her wolf vision eyes would be able to see me clearly, so I forced a massive, supportive smile onto my face, waving back until she vanished into the woods.

As the silence of the forest swallowed her path, a dark, dangerous thought bloomed in the corners of my mind.

Maybe... I should run away, too.