2. The Rejection.

The room emptied slowly. Selene was the first to leave, she never looked at me again.

One moment she stood in the doorway, tears streaming down her face. The next, she turned and disappeared into the hallway.

My mother followed immediately, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as though Selene was the victim here as though I was the one who had done something unforgivable.

My father lingered only long enough to look at me, the disgust in his eyes hurt more than the slap, then he left too.

The door closed, silence settled over the room and for a moment, I simply sat there.

The blanket clenched in my fists, my cheek still burning and my heart still trying to convince itself this wasn’t real that I would wake up and that none of this had happened.

But Remus was still there, standing beside the window, a living reminder that it had.

Neither of us spoke, the silence stretched until it became unbearable. Finally, he said,

“You should pack.”

I laughed.

It wasn’t because anything was funny but because if I didn’t laugh, I might break.

“That’s your advice?”

His jaw tightened. “You need to leave before this gets worse.”

I stared at him.

“Worse?”

My voice cracked.

“My father just disowned me. He didn’t just throw me out.”

My laugh sounded hollow.“He stripped my rank too.” The words tasted bitter.

“By sunset, I won’t even be a Beta’s daughter anymore. I’ll be an omega.”

The title felt foreign in my mouth.

In our pack, omegas lived on the outskirts. They were overlooked, ignored, and blamed when things went wrong.

I had spent my entire life trying not to become one.

Now it was all anyone would see when they looked at me.

Another laugh escaped me.

“My entire family thinks I seduced you.”

Still he said nothing, the silence told me everything.

I looked away.

“You’re really choosing her.”

It wasn’t a question.

Remus didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

My chest tightened, the mate bond inside me reacted painfully, as if my own wolf understood before I did.

And for a second, neither of us moved, then I climbed out of bed and gathered my clothes from the floor.

Remus turned away while I dressed, a small act of kindness but when I finished, I picked up my bag.

“Goodbye, Remus.”

His expression tightened but he didn’t stop me and somehow that hurt most of all.

***

The walk back to my room felt strangely normal.

Pack members passed me in the hallway.

Some nodded politely, some smiled because of them knew yet. The rumors were probably already spreading or they hadn't reached everyone.

Which means for a few more minutes, I could pretend.

A servant carrying laundry greeted me.

I greeted her back.

A little boy nearly ran into me around a corner.

He apologized.

I told him it was fine.

Life continued and that felt unfair somehow.

My room was exactly as I'd left it.

A stack of books beside the bed, a cracked vase on the windowsill and sweater draped over a chair.

This was tiny pieces of a life.

I stood in the doorway, thinking of the eighteen years I had spent in this room and now I had less than an hour.

The first thing I packed was my mother's photograph. My real mother picture, the only one I had although the edges were worn, the image slightly faded even though she wasn't smiling in it. It was all I had to remind me of her.

I wondered if she had known she was pregnant then and if she had known what kind of life I would have.

I placed the photograph carefully into my suitcase then my clothes, books and the small wooden necklace I'd worn since childhood.

I was folding a sweater when someone knocked without waiting for permission, the door opened.

Selene stepped inside, her expression softened, for one dangerous moment, hope surged inside me. Maybe she had come to help or finally realized none of this was my fault.

“Please, I will do anything. Talk to father please.”

She took a step closer. "Do you really mean it?" she asked quietly.

I nodded immediately. "Yes."

"You'll do anything to stay?"

"Anything."

Selene studied me for several seconds, then she said.

"Shift."

I blinked. "What?"

"Shift."

Confusion flashed through me. “Selene..."

"If you're serious, prove it."

My wolf stirred uneasily, something felt wrong but hope was a desperate thing, slowly, I closed my eyes and shifted.

A second later, I stood before her in my wolf form.Selene looked down at me and for a moment she said nothing.

Then…

"Kneel."

My body froze, the word struck harder than a slap.

"Selene..."

"Kneel."

I stared at her.

A part of me wanted to refuse but if this could save my home, I am willing to take the risk.

Slowly, humiliatingly, I lowered myself.

Selene smiled. Her smile wasn’t kind but triumphant.

The sight made my stomach drop, for several seconds she simply looked at me then she crouched beside me.

"You really would do anything, wouldn't you?"

The words were almost gentle but I swallowed.

"Please."

Her eyes softened again, enough to make hope flare again, then she stood.

"That's exactly why Father won't change his mind."

The hope shattered.

"What?"

"You heard me."

She folded her arms.

"No daughter of this family should be willing to humiliate herself like this over a man."

My chest tightened.

"Selene..."

"Remus chose me. And everyone knows it."

I shifted back immediately, my hands trembling as tears burned behind my eyes.

"You came here just to tell me that?"

"I came here," Selene said coldly, "to make sure you understand that this house isn't yours anymore."

The room went silent.

My voice cracked. “You really want me gone?"

For a second guilt flickered across her face then it disappeared.

"I want my life back."

She turned toward the door before leaving, she paused.

"Father wants you out within the hour. He doesn’t want your scandal ruining her precious daughter’s future."

The door closed behind her, this time I knew she wasn't coming back.

I sat there for a long time after she left, then I wiped my face.

No more begging.

Not for Father.

Not for Mother.

And not for Remus.

He had chosen Selene.

I finally accepted it

***

An hour later, I stood outside the pack house with a suitcase in my hand.

I stared at the front doors one last time; waiting, hoping and praying but the doors remained closed and my home was gone.

I turned away, I was halfway across the square when I heard footsteps approaching.

I didn't need to look up before I knew who it was. Remus  always walked steady, purposeful. He never rushed.

He stopped beside me and for several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then he said,

“I came to talk to you."

A bitter laugh escaped me, "About what?"

His jaw tightened. “The human territory."

I frowned. “What about it?"

"I have a house there."

My grip tightened around the suitcase. “The property is empty,” his voice remained calm. "You can stay there."

I stared at him, for a moment, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

“You’ve already lost your place here.” The words stung. “You’ll have a better chance starting over there.”

Starting over as though it were that simple then he added.

“I don’t want your charity.” I said as I tried dragging my suitcase but he grabbed my arms and I stopped then looked at him.

“This isn’t out of charity. You will be better off there.”

Something in his voice made my stomach twist, I knew what he wasn't saying.

The realization settled heavily in my chest.

"Then what is it?” I paused “ Wait, you want me to leave."

Remus didn't answer immediately but that was answer enough.

The mate bond pulsed painfully.

I swallowed.

"You want me to leave the pack."

"It is not exactly like that but it would be easier. Selene and I are getting engaged and I wouldn’t…" he paused a little and took a deep breathe.

“It would be easier if you leave.”

Easier, the same word again, it nearly made me laugh.

The mate bond inside me ached but I lifted my chin refusing to let him see how much it hurt.

“And what if I stay.”

The question slipped out before I could stop it, for the first time, Remus looked away.

"Aria..."

My heart sank and there it was, that hesitation; the careful tone people used when they were trying not to hurt someone they had already decided to hurt.

I laughed softly again not because anything was funny but because suddenly I understood.

He wasn't offering me a house, he was offering me an exit; a way to disappear quietly to make things easier for everyone, especially him.

My throat tightened.

"Do you know what's pathetic?"

Remus frowned.

I looked down at the suitcase in my hand, to everything I still owned.

Then I smiled.

"I kept thinking someone would choose me. "

Silence.

"I kept waiting for it." My throat tightened. “I don't know why."

The mate bond twisted painfully, and for one terrible second I wanted him to argue and to deny it or tell me I was wrong but he didn't and somehow that hurt more than everything else.

Remus took a step forward.

“Aria..."

"Don't." I said

I closed my eyes, this was it. I opened them again and finally said the words I should have said hours ago.

"I reject you as my mate.”

Remus froze, for the first time that day, real shock crossed his face.

"Aria..."

Tears blurred my vision. “Accept it."

Silence.

Then:

"I accept."

The bond snapped, the pain was so sharp I nearly collapsed, for one horrible second, I couldn't breathe.

Then it was gone, the connection that had followed me for years was gone.

I stared at him through blurred vision and adjusted my grip on the suitcase.

My hand trembled.

"So now we're done."

Remus opened his mouth but no words came out.

I turned away but this time, I didn't wait for him to stop me.