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Chapter 4 - Rejected a Fifth Time

Lily

I should have grabbed his hand.

As soon as I stepped inside the room, I realized it would be hard to pretend like Chase's presence wasn't affecting me. Alpha Parker and Alpha Greene went inside another door and told us to wait here, in a small room with only a couch and no place to face away from him.

Just as I was about to sit in the single chair, Megan sat down on it and stuck out her tongue. I wanted to glare at her but instead I sat down in the far corner of the big couch and Chase sat in the other corner. Of course that made my wolf crazy mad but thank god, Jeremy and Jesse sat in the middle. Victor, for some unknown reason, sat on the floor with his ankles crossed.

Jesse sighed, "Victor there is enough space for you to sit here." He patted the spot between us. Victor shook his head, "I feel uncomfortable around Lily. She still smells like mud."

I straightened my posture, "Hey! There is only so much I can do with baby wipes. If you would have let me take a shower-"

"You're a prisoner, w-"

Jesse threw a couch cushion at his face, "Stop being rude." He faces me, "You're not a prisoner. We just couldn't risk you escaping out the window."

"Yes, my strong legs could take a big fall," I lift my legs to prove my sarcasm. I don't know where this attitude is coming from but I like it. It makes me feel confident. Jesse chuckles.

"By the way, we still don't know why you left this place? Hey blondie, why'd she leave?" Megan stares Chase down. I almost forgot he was here.

"Me?" The most popular guy is school looks nervous in front of a girl for a change. My wolf growls in jealousy. They all look at me.

I turn red, "It was my stomach."

"Mhm," Megan turns back to Chase, "For a friend, you seem quite distant from her but yet you were worried." She narrows her eyes suspiciously, "You're her boyfriend, right?"

Silence.

I start to sweat. My wolf is screaming at me, begging me to say yes but I restrain myself. I can't. My heart still aches in pain and I can't just settle with it.

"Ex-boyfriend?" Megan sits up with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Boyfriend?" Victor shakes his head. "He said he was her friend." Megan kicks his leg but Victor just growls back.

Jesse sighs, "Quit being all up in their business. It is quite obvious they are uncomfortable." Jesse has on a poker face but a side of his lips tilt up. He scoots closer to me and places a hand around the arm rest behind me.

"Jesse." Jeremy looks shocked.

"Isn't that right, Lily?" Jesse smiles and leans closer to me. I purse my lips together. He's doing it on purpose, isn't he? I'm not an expert on boys but I'm not dense.

Chase is in front of Jesse in a second, "She's mine." He growls. My stomach does flips and I feel happy for a couple of seconds before getting angry.

"Are you stupid?" I stand up and tilt my head up to look at him. Annoyed, I stand on toes and glare at him. He looks surprised.

"I'm not yours." I stare him dead in the eyes despite the obvious pain in my chest. But this pain is worse. It's double and I know he feels just as hurt as me.

"Look, I'm sorry. I was scared of what the others might think. But can you blame me? Look at you." Ouch. Tears brim at the corner of my eyes as I clutch my shirt where my heart is.

"What?!" Jeremy stands up to face us. "How can you say that?" His voice is low, angry. Jesse grabs him by the arm and pulls him away from us.

Chase ignores him, "You're not Luna material. I didn't want the others to feel unsafe in the future. A Luna can't be weak or-"

"Crap, their mates." Megan whispers in shock and shakes Victor.

Chase takes a deep breathe, "I didn't mean-" He shakes his head and takes a step closer to me.

"You did," My voice wavers. When out eyes meet, his expression turns to hurt when he notices my watery eyes and takes a step forward but I put my hand up. "I didn't ask for this. Do you think I wanted you as a mate?" I wipe my eyes and his eyes water. "I just wanted someone to love me. But I was wrong." My voice is hard and a tear rolls down his cheek. Good.

"I'm sor-" He reaches for me but I take a step back. My shoes hit an object and I feel myself falling. Before I can react, my back hits a hard floor and I groan. Is life against me? I was almost cool a few seconds ago.

I hear voices around me. There are hands on both my arms but I can't see them. I blink and like twenty weird heads shapes appear above me. Are heads supposed to be triangles? I can't remember.

I sit up slowly. My head hurts almost as much as my heart does. Almost.

"Are you okay?" Sounds like Jeremy. "You hit the floor pretty hard."

"The biggest flop I've ever heard." Victor laughs. He begins to do some weird movements with his hands. "You fell like woahhhh and then you hit like - flop." Victor begins to laugh like a hyena. I know it's Victor because it's Victor.

"Victor, you are so insensitive." Megan shakes her head. Once her face becomes clear I give her a smile of appreciation. It soon falls when she begins to laugh as hard as Victor.

"What's going on?" Both Alphas come out the room.

Everyone steps away from me but Jeremy and Chase keep their hands on me. My head can't take it. The arm where Chase's hand is burns and Jeremy's touch feels gentle. I stand up slowly and shake my head. I feel dizzy and two hands steady me. I can tell which is which, great.

"Is she okay?" Alpha Parker seems concerned.

"She blacked out," Jesse scratches the back of his neck and briefly glances at me, "It's a long story."

"I did?" I start to worry. I blacked out a few times when I would get beat but I'm always worried my brain will get damaged. "How long?"

"About two minutes," Jesse tilts his head, "It was pretty long."

I gasp, "Will I die?" How many hits can a brain take?

"Chill, girl. It was just two minutes," Megan shakes her head.

"This always happens!"

"It does?" Chase and Jeremy ask in worried unison and Chase glares at him.

"Chase," Alpha Greene's strict eyes fall on Chase's hand on my arm. "What are you doing?" He doesn't look pleased.

Chase immediately drops his hand. My heart aches and my wolf howls in pain. It pushes me to grab his hand but it hurts worst that he's not even confident with me in front of his father.

Alpha Parker clears his throat, "It's almost time for us to depart but I enjoyed reading over the contract and coming together to finalize this friendship."

Alpha Greene straightens up, "Yes indeed. But I was hoping we could have some dinner after I talk to my son and - " He glances at me in disinterest, "Lily." My mouth turns dry. An alpha shouldn't hate a pack member but care for it - me. I feel a sense of dread after realizing why. I broke a rule, I left the pack without telling the Alpha I decided on leaving. And I trespassed another pack's land with the Red Dawn's scent on me. I put them in danger and could have caused a war.

"Dad - "

Alpha Greene interrupts Chase, "Don't embarrass me son."

Chase doesn't say anything. Instead he takes a step away from me.

Double ouch.

I want to glare at this man, this man I used to respect because he seemed like he cared about everyone in the pack. "Alpha," I bow to him. Everyone looks surprised.

"I wish to leave the Red Dawn Pack as soon as possible." I glance at Chase with a my lips pressed together, "With your permission."

From the corner of my eye, Alpha Parker looks conflicted but curious.

Chase shakes his head, his eyes and face full of so many emotions. That's right, burn you jerk.

Alpha Greene looks embarrassed and suspicious, "I will need a plausible reason for your sudden request."

I look at the floor, "I broke a rule. I left without asking for permission." I want to stare at the Alpha's eyes and tell him to burn too.

"I agree," His voice is curt, "But why shouldn't I imprison you?"

"He's my mate," The word sounds disgusting coming from me. Chase holds his breath.

I take a chance and stare at Alpha Greene in the eyes. He looks displeased and shocked. Angry almost. "Why wasn't I aware of this?" The Alpha's eyes are on me but the question is directed to Chase.

"I - I- "

"Jerk." Megan looks at Chase with hatred, "You rejected her, didn't you?" Jesse grabs her arm and pulls her back. It hurts to hear it from someone else but I'm glad she said it or I would have cried.

I turn back to Alpha Greene, his expression looks slightly pleased and I want to slap it off. Is he my parents? Why is this happening to me? Did he hear rumors about me? Glancing at my shoes and body, I realize Chase is right. I'm just not Luna material.

"I see. In that case, request accepted." Alpha Greene dusts off the cuffs of his suit, "I'll need it in writing of course."

I scoff in disbelief. He doesn't care either. "Is that right? How's this for writing?!" I take off my shoe and raise it above my head but a hand stops me. It's burns.

I look at Chase. And search his face. Search for a sign that he will fight for me but all I see is hurt but most of all - regret. He regrets this - at this very moment. He regrets rejecting me but he won't take it back. As expected.

I pull my arm away and throw my shoe to the side. I raise my hand to slap him but my wolf takes over it and stops me.

Really? This mate pull is a whore. How can it prevent me from hurting him when all he has done is hurt me back? I place it down and brush shoulders against him as I walk past. My shoulder burns from the contact, begging me to make contact again. I grit my teeth together, the tears brimming at the corner of eyes.

I turn back around and bow down to Alpha Parker, "Thank you for nothing." I'm too hurt to care. He can kill me for being disrespectful. I don't care.

Now that I'm officially free, it doesn't feel right at all. I feel worse knowing that he won't do anything to fix the pain he is causing me. I know he can feel it, the way my heart is shattered and aching inside. The way my whole body is starting to burn in regret and pain. The worst I've ever felt despite going through abuse for so many years. The pull - our mate pull - is fighting to make our bodies make contact. But it's weakening now that the alpha officiated our separation. My separation from the pack and his wolf. From him.

His back is away from me but he whimpers. He hits the floor and curls up into a worm.

I walk out the room. Out the pack house. Away from the bullies. And back into the forest.

A rejected mate.

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