Chapter 1. Kicked Out

Selena’s POV

Selena’s heart pounded, sweat dripping down her body as she lay next to her mate. All she could think about was him, the one who wasn’t lying beside her.

Sometimes she wondered if the Moon Goddess was playing a twisted prank on her.

Why had the goddess bound her to a man she had no feelings for? The cruelest part was that Elijah, her mate, was madly in love with her.

He was perfect. He had it all. The money, the fame, the sculpted body that made every girl in town jealous. But Selena just didn’t feel it.

He wasn’t the one.

She wished she could flip a switch in her heart and force herself to love him, but she couldn’t. Her mother adored him. Everyone did. They called them the perfect match, praised their bond, and even joked about the beautiful children they would one day have.

But he wasn’t the man she wanted to have children with.

It wasn’t hate that she felt, just an emptiness where love should have been.

The only reason she was lying in his bed, in his enormous mansion, was because an omega like her needed this stability. For any other omega, this would have been a dream come true. But for Selena, it was a prison.

She was doing this not for herself, but for her parents and most of all, for her little sister…Lily.

Lily needed constant medical attention. She was sickly, fragile, and spent more time in the hospital than at home. Before Elijah, Selena had dropped out of school because every cent went toward Lily’s treatments. No one really knew what was wrong with her. They just knew she needed care, and that meant Selena couldn’t afford to walk away from Elijah.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Elijah’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. “What are you doing?” His eyes trailed down to her pants. Her hand was still there.

What was she doing?

Touching herself. Thinking about the one man she truly wanted, the one who had owned her heart since she was a teenager.

The man she could never have. Not because he was unavailable, but because he was the Alpha of the pack.

Selena was just an omega. Too low, too ordinary. The alpha liked tall, blonde girls with perfect curves and crystal-blue eyes. Not brunettes with scars and quiet defiance.

“Nothing,” Selena muttered, annoyance laced with frustration as she turned away from Elijah, pulling the duvet higher.

“Seriously, Selena?” His voice hardened. “You’re touching yourself while I’m lying right next to you? What, is my d*ck not big enough for you?”

“Elijah, I’m tired,” she said flatly. “Can we talk about this in the morning?”

“No.” His answer was instant, sharp. “We’re talking about this now.”

Selena sighed, the sound heavy and exasperated. “We’re not,” she murmured, adjusting on the bed.

“Selena, you have my mark,” he snapped. “You’re mine!”

That made her eyes flash with anger. She turned to face him, sitting up straight. “I’m not your property.”

“Oh, but you are.” Elijah let out a low, humorless laugh. “You belong to me. Everyone in this town knows it.”

She wanted to go off on him, to scream that he didn’t own her, but she couldn’t. One wrong move, one word too harsh, and she could lose everything. Her parents depended on Elijah’s support, and Lily’s health depended on that money.

So instead, she took a shaky breath and forced out, “I’m sorry. Is that what you want to hear? I’m sorry.”

“Say it with a better attitude,” he demanded. “Mean it.”

Selena scoffed. “Not happening.” She turned away again, lying down on the bed.

“Selena,” Elijah’s voice rose, frustration cracking through, “you’ve treated me like sh*t for the past six months we’ve been together. It’s like you hate me. You won’t even let me touch you!”

“I’m not your sex slave!” she shot back, sitting up again.

“But you’re my f*cking mate! I should get to fck you at least once! It’s been six fcking months!” His voice exploded across the room as he shoved the duvet aside and stood, anger rippling off him. “Six months!”

“Don’t you dare raise your voice at me,” Selena warned coldly.

“Or what?” he spat. “You won’t talk to me? Won’t cook for me? Won’t show me love or compassion? Won’t let me touch you?” He shook his head and scoffed bitterly. “You already don’t do any of those things.”

Selena’s lips parted, but no words came. He wasn’t wrong. He had been kind, generous even, while she remained distant and cold. He didn’t deserve this, he deserved someone who could love him back. But she couldn’t leave him. If she did, her family would lose everything.

She forced herself to soften. “Look…” Dragging herself out of bed, she crossed the room and stopped in front of him. “I’m sorry, okay? You’re right about everything.”

Elijah looked at her, eyes full of tired sorrow. “I should have listened to my parents sooner,” he said quietly. “They were right. You don’t love me. The Moon Goddess made a mistake, we’re not meant to be together.”

Her heart clenched. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Panic stirred in her chest. “Elijah, my love…” She reached out to touch him, but he flinched away.

“Selena,” he said, his voice cracking slightly, “I’m sorry, but you need to leave.”

The words hit her like a punch. “What…?” Her voice was shaky.

“I’m kicking you out,” Elijah said firmly. “Get out of my house. I want you out of my life.”

He turned toward the closet and began pulling out her things, tossing them onto the marble floor. His voice dropped to a bitter murmur. “I should have done this sooner.”

Selena stood frozen, watching everything she had sacrificed herself for scatter across the cold floor.