Chapter 3

I almost fell, but was able to stagger and get hold of myself again. The push wasn't with full force but had more of an element of disgust and loathing in it.

I looked up at his expression and wished I hadn't because it was covered with hate, which I don't know why.

"I don't understand the lies you are talking about. You saw what we did in the room. Do you have any problems with it?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her slender waist too, drawing her closer to his body. Her head rested on his shoulder.

Torian's words hit me so hard that my legs stumbled back again with more tears falling off. I squinted my eyes at him to be sure if he was still serious or playing some expensive joke. I patiently waited for him to tell me he was pulling my legs, but those were mere wishes that never came to reality.

"Torian, you can't perceive my mate's scent?" I inquired, breathing heavily as if I'd lost my cool anytime soon.

"What scent?..." Oh, your birthday is in a few days. Your scent should spread bit by bit. That's great, but I can't feel anything from it. I can't even smell anything!" He paused and sniffed the air with a grimace, causing my wolf to howl in deep grief at the rejection of our mate. My vision was blurred with tears.

"I'm not your mate! I've found my true mate! You're nothing to me! Go out there in the world and find the man for you. I can't be a mate to a nerdy and clumsy girl like you!" He spat with a raised brow, and I felt the sadness in my heart becoming so intense, causing an agonizing sob to escape my lips.

His friends all around him laughed and watched, as if we were acting out some drama for them. I was feeling the pain while Torian had those smug looks on his face. Even when it all seemed true, I still looked forward to him saying it was all a prank. I can't remember ever hurting him in the past or going against his wish. I had offered my body, my soul, my spirit, everything about me to him.

Where on earth had I gone wrong?

The music, which should have made his voice a bit inaudible, had been paused, thereby making his hurtful words clear and strong enough to break my heart into tiny shreds.

"She's really obsessed," I heard his new girlfriend say, followed by a mocking laugh as she clung even tighter to him.I felt just like real trash.

My mouth opened to talk. I needed to lash back at her or act all tough verbally, but nothing was coming forth from my lips. No single sound came out, just a gasp instead. I'm so saddened to realize all my dreams of being with the next Alpha, Torian, were all sheer wishes that will never happen.

"Torian, you should have said this in a better way than this. "She'd be so hurt at how blunt and despised you sound." Jace chipped in again, sighing and ruffling his hair as he glanced at me pitifully.

"I can't mate a mere Pack hunter's daughter with big glasses and all bookish. I can't call her my fated one in front of everyone. I wished and prayed to find my mate so that I wouldn't have to be around her because of some fucking family friendship or bond.She shouldn't have considered me to be her mate just because of the closeness!" He scoffed, leaving me more heartbroken as my wolf burst into a painful cry, curdling herself into a ball.

I turned around to the door and shuffled my way out, regretting the very day I met him. Tears wouldn't stop rolling, especially when I recalled that he had just termed our relationship as a forced one on his side. Like, all this time it had been a family friendship that had kept us together and nothing else...?

Oh, gosh! I'm screwed.

"Before leaving, can you move upstairs to my room and pick those flowers you left there?" Torian added with contempt, but I would never do that.

Never will I go in there again. I'm shattered and broken. It would have been better if he had rejected me. This denial and scorn in front of his buddies was more excruciatingly painful than words could describe.

School is going to resume tomorrow. I've foolishly made many of my friends believe I was mate to Torian, who was one of the hottest Alpha Princes in the Werewolf school.

They all believed that, since we were vividly close and seen together always. I was overthinking all this while. I had just gotten the biggest hit of my life.

Will I ever get over this?

The front door of Torian's room was slammed shut behind me, and it seemed like that was when I realized it was all happening for real.

I lost him.

He has denied me and taken another mate. I don't know what to feel or believe. Was it true I'm not his mate? Or maybe he decided to deny my pre-scent, enthralling him.

How was I going to face the students in school?

When I got home after a long walk of crying and gnashing of teeth, my parents were relaxing comfortably on the couch in the sitting room, cracking jokes, teasing and kissing like mates, which they are. Mum wouldn't stop laughing as Dad fed her with his sense of humor.

The scene they were playing made my feet stick to the ground. I stood right there on the doorstep watching them with sadness clouding my heart.

I wish I had never thought of this joyous ending, happy ever after with Torian. Maybe I wouldn't have felt so hurt today.

Torian has everything every woman would want in a man, and I had dreamt of what the future would be with him. Not until now.

"Hey, Lola!" My mother called, and I cringed, walking in like I hadn't been standing there.

"Hello.... morning.... afternoon..."I couldn't even tell what time it was, as I further tried wiping the tears which kept springing out and washing their way down my cheeks.

My mom quickly rushed to me in a tight hug, looking very disturbed and confused.

"What happened!!!" she shrieked, her eyes shimmering with great care and attention. Dad also left the couch and scurried over to me.

"Tell your daddy what happened. Anyone dared to touch you?" He asked like the hunter he was, fully muscular and well-trained in tactics and use of the wolf form.

At that moment, I wished someone hit me, so they could solve it and make me happy, but it was never like that.

They can't do anything about the cause of my tears. It was all useless.

"Tell me, baby..." My mom coaxed, stroking my hair and using her other hand to dry my eyes.

I was already 18, yet my parents would never stop treating me like a baby. All they wanted was my happiness and a smile, but this time, they couldn't offer me that. Would they be able to bring Torian back to me?

"The Alpha's son has found his mate." I stated, and they both cringed away with their eyes dilated as a deep frown crossed their faces. While Dad fumed in anger, Mom gritted her teeth. They both had their fists clenched like they would kill someone anytime soon.

"Not only that, he warned me never to get close to him, as he wouldn't want his new mate to feel..." My voice hitched, and I gulped, trying so hard to push back the urge to cry out loud.

"There is nothing we can do about that." Dad breathed and moved over to the liquor bar. He picked up two bottles and shuffled to the couch, plopped down and cocked the drink, gulping it straight from the bottle without transferring it to a cup.

"It's fine, we can't force him, we can't question his choice either, and..."

"Mummy, he is lying! ... I smelled his scent and knew he was my mate. He suddenly dislikes me and cooks up that lie about finding his mate, which isn't me... Please, talk to his father and report to him...Perhaps..."

"Keep your distance from him and never get too close to him. We won't want to become enemies with the Alpha!" Dad snorted interruptedly, and gulped more of the alcohol.

"So, mum, for real, the man I love is gone. I must have wronged him, so he lied." I tried to give myself hope.

"I'm truly sorry for the pain, but the most important thing now is to forget about him and go on with your life!" She mumbled, hugging and patting my back.

"What?!?" My dad shouted suddenly, springing from the couch as the alcohol bottle he held fell off his grasp, shattering on the floor.

Mum broke the hug as we both shrank aside in shock, staring and wondering what caused Dad's sudden reaction. His countenance showed how extremely shocked and freaked out he was.

"What?..What is..." Mum paused and gasped, with an alarming countenance.

They must have gotten some frightening news through the mind link. That's why I'm left in the darkness, not knowing what the fuck is going on.

"A Vampire!!" my mother cried out while my father howled, both shifting into their wolves immediately.

What is happening?