Chapter 2: The Public Rejection
1112 Words
Teresa’s POV
Jordan's eyes hurt me in place while the world whirled around me. My heart is racing, felt like it was about to explode from the intense tug of the mate link, which becomes hotter by the second. In me, my wolf screamed, begging him to embrace us.
Jordan, however, moved forward. Even the warriors bowed their heads as his powerful aura swept across the gathering. His voice sounded like thunder.
With his golden eyes fixed on mine, he declared, "I, Alpha Jordan, reject you, Teresa, as my mate."
All around, there were gasps. My heart was twisting so badly that I felt like I would pass out, and my knees were wobbling.
"No," I said in a whisper while shaking my head. "Please don't."
Like claws tearing through flesh, the rejection tore through me. Her howls reverberated in my mind as my wolf whined inside of me, broken. My heart cried out for him with every beat, yet his icy words went deeper than blades.
The audience shifted. Some laughed softly behind their hands, while others uttered shocked whispers. I heard them.
"The weak omega? The mate of the Alpha?
"What a disgrace."
It makes sense why he turned her down. She is nothing.
I wanted to be completely engulfed by the ground. Shame burned on my face. I could still hear my father saying, "Don't you dare embarrass me." Once more, I had failed.
A whispering voice broke through the chaos before I could catch my breath. Evelyn.
In the moonlight, her beauty shone brightly as she stood close to Jordan. As she went forward, her warrior form moved confidently, and her long dark hair sparkled. Her lips formed a sneer.
Despite having harsh glints in her eyes, Evelyn said quietly, "Poor little Teresa." Her voice carried just enough to be heard by many as she leaned toward the closest gathering of women. Did you truly believe that she would become Luna because of the Moon Goddess? Look at her. Weak, awkward, and a coward's daughter. An Alpha wouldn't degrade himself to that level.
My embarrassment was fueled by the laughter that surrounded her statements. Brave and assertive, Evelyn's hand touched Jordan's arm. "A Luna ought to be powerful. Lovely. Honored. Not a burden. I believe the Goddess erred, and I am the one who can correct it.
I became unable to breathe as my chest heaved. When Evelyn noticed the tears in my eyes, her smile grew.
My wolf was shouting louder, and the rejection bond was pulling stronger, but I couldn't stay there for another moment. Before I knew it, my feet were moving, propelling me through the throng. People stepped aside, their eyes piercing, their stares like swords cutting at my back.
"Dismissed by the Alpha..."
"Pathetic."
"She ought to vanish."
I took off running.
I raced till the ceremony lights behind me dimmed and the voices died down. With my fists screaming in pain inside of me and my chest heaving, I staggered into the darkness. My wolf wept, heartbroken.
Why is he not interested in us? She sobbed. We own him! He should belong to us!
I wiped away the tears flowing down my face and said quietly, "I don't know." "I'm not sure why."
However, fate proved unkind to me even during my flight. When I heard a familiar voice close by, I froze. Jordan's. He was talking to his Beta, Marcus. My heart racing, I hid by pressing against a tree.
Marcus, she's weak," Jordan remarked icily. "The pack would be destroyed if she were chosen."
Marcus paused. “However, she is your partner. The connection…”
Jordan interrupted, his voice as cold as ice, "I will not bind myself to a useless omega. Our adversaries would chuckle. They would lose faith in me. I'd rather have Evelyn by my side. My Luna will never be Teresa.”
To prevent myself from yelling, I covered my mouth. What little hope I still had was dashed by his words. In my chest, every phrase seemed like another razor twisting.
Marcus's head dropped. "Alpha, if that's your choice."
Make a choice. My ears rang with the word. This was his choice. Without hesitation, he had decided to reject me and break my heart.
Tears blinding me, I staggered back and ran away once more. Everything was a haze. His words hurt more than anything else, even as my lungs ached.
My father was standing at the door when I arrived home. When he spotted me, his eyes blazed with rage.
"You useless girl!" he said, clutching my arm till it ached. "Are you even aware of what you did? Everyone in the pack is giggling at me. At Us!”
I screamed, attempting to distance myself, "I didn't do anything… I didn't cause it, he…”
He shouted, "Silence!" and slapped me across the face. My cheek exploded with pain, and I staggered to the ground.
His teeth were exposed as he towered over me. "Are you against my death? Do you wish to destroy me? I'll terminate you myself if you ever reveal your identity again and embarrass me once more. Can you hear me?”
My entire body trembled. My voice broke as I said quietly, "Yes, Father."
Keep out of sight. Keep quiet. Or I'll make sure you wish you hadn't been born.
I curled into myself and nodded hastily. My little, broken wolf whined.
I slept on my thin bed with tears soaking the pillow later that night when the house went dark. The pain in my chest persisted. It burned through me like ice and fire twisting together. I said quietly to the Moon Goddess while pressing my hands to my heart, but she didn't respond. Just quiet.
Then I heard it. Voices. My dad's. I held my breath and froze.
Careful not to make a sound, I slipped and approached the door. Even though he spoke softly, I could sense the poison in his voice.
He said to someone outside, "Yes. She is not useful. A load. Take her if you want her. Do what you enjoy. I don't give a damn. Make sure she's gone, please. I will inform the pack that she was taken by rogues.”
My blood froze.
Rogues. He was conversing with rogues. He was deceiving me.
My heart struck my ribs hard. Beyond Jordan's rejection, the betrayal was more profound. My own father desired for me to be dead.
To prevent a sob from escaping, I covered my mouth. Outside, he heard violent voices in the shadows. My dad gave a sour laugh.
My body trembled as the world shook around me.
- Writer
