Their Broken Hybrid Mate

CHAPTER 6 - I REJECT YOU, MATE

*EMILY'S POV*

Ethan stood in the corner of the hallway, his presence impossible to ignore. His arms were crossed casually, but the smirk on his face was anything but casual. It made my blood run cold. His gaze was fixed on me, like he already knew what I was thinking.

I tried to focus on the conversation Mia and I were having, but my thoughts were all over the place. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. “I’ll be right back,” I muttered to Mia.

She frowned but nodded. “Be careful,” she said, her voice low.

I walked toward Ethan, my heart pounding harder with every step. When I reached him, I stopped, crossing my arms to match his stance. “You can’t make me do this,” I said, my voice shaky despite my attempt to sound confident.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Can’t I?” His tone was calm, almost playful, which only made me angrier.

“You’re asking me to humiliate them in front of the whole school,” I said, my voice rising. “I won’t do it.”

He tilted his head, studying me like I was some kind of puzzle he found mildly entertaining. “Let me remind you of what’s at stake,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “One word from me, and your secret is out. Do you really want that, Emily?”

My throat tightened. I wanted to scream at him, tell him he was cruel and heartless, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. Ethan thrived on control, and he knew exactly how to keep me under his thumb.

“Please,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Don’t make me do this.”

Ethan’s smirk disappeared, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. “You know the deal. Do what I say, or face the consequences.” He glanced at his watch, then looked back at me. “You have until break time to make your decision.”

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, confused.

The rest of the morning, I was lost in thoughts.I sat through class after class, barely hearing a word my teachers said. Normally, I was the one taking notes, answering questions, always on top of things. But today, I couldn’t focus.

Eventually my Math teacher noticed my absentmindedness.

“Emily, is everything alright?” She asked, her voice laced with concern.

I nodded quickly, forcing a tight smile. “I’m fine,” I lied, hoping she would move on.

She didn’t seem convinced, but thankfully, she didn’t push.

Mia kept glancing at me throughout the day. The worry on her face was evident and I could tell she wanted to ask me about what Ethan had said. However, she held back. Mia knew me very well and she must have realized that I wasn’t ready to talk.

When break finally came, the cafeteria was packed as usual. The excited chatter of students filled the air, and the sound of clattering trays and laughter added to the chaos. I sat at my usual table with Mia, but I barely touched my food.

My stomach churned as I replayed Ethan’s words in my head.

"You have until break."

I felt a presence nearby and looked up just in time to see Ethan walking past. He didn’t stop or say anything, but he tapped the watch on his wrist, a silent reminder that my time was running out.

Mia noticed. “What was that about?” she asked, her brow furrowed.

I shook my head. “Nothing,” I muttered, but my voice was shaky, and I knew she didn’t believe me.

Panic clawed at my chest as I stared at the food on my tray, my appetite completely gone. I had no choice. Ethan had backed me into a corner, and there was no way out.

After what felt like an eternity, I made my decision. I pushed my chair back and stood up.

“Emily?” Mia’s voice was full of confusion.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “I need to say something,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“What are you talking about?” Mia asked, her concern turning to alarm.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I stepped toward the middle of the cafeteria and cleared my throat. The sound wasn’t loud, but somehow, it was enough to grab everyone’s attention.

The cafeteria fell silent, all eyes turning toward me.

My heart was pounding so hard in my chest and my hands trembled. I clenched them into fists to steady myself and glanced at Ethan, who was sitting a few tables away. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and I knew he was enjoying every second of this.

“I…” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat again, forcing myself to continue. “I have an announcement to make.”

A murmur ran through the crowd. I could hear students whispering, their voices full of curiosity and confusion.

“What could she possibly have to say?”

“Isn’t she just the quiet nerd?”

I swallowed hard and forced myself to speak louder. “The Walker triplets… they’re my mates.”

The cafeteria erupted into chaos.

People laughed, booed, and shouted, their reactions a mix of disbelief and mockery.

“Yeah, right!” someone yelled.

“Grandma Emily and the captain of our hockey team, Ethan," Another chuckled. "That's definitely not possible."

My face burned with shame, but I stood my ground, refusing to let them see how much their words hurt.

Then, to my shock, Lucas, Liam, and Ethan stood up from their seats. The laughter died down, replaced by stunned silence.

The triplets walked toward me. Lucas and Liam seemed confused by my announcement and Ethan - he tried to feign ignorance, but I could see the satisfaction burning in his eyes.

“Have you considered us?” Lucas muttered.

I looked into his eyes and felt my resolve cracking. But then my gaze shifted to Ethan, who was standing slightly behind his brothers, watching me intently. His eyes were dark, filled with a silent warning.

I had no choice.

“I…” My voice broke, but I forced myself to continue. “I, Emily Smith, accept Ethan Walker of the Blood Moon pack as my mate.”

Ethan’s lips curved into a satisfied smirk, but Lucas and Liam’s faces fell.

“What about us?” Liam asked.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes. “But I reject you, Liam Walker and Lucas Walker, as my mates.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Lucas took a step back, his face pale, his hands clenched into fists. Liam looked like he’d been punched in the gut, his shoulders slumping as he stared at me in disbelief.

I couldn’t bear to look at them any longer. I turned and ran away, my chest tight and my heart shattered.

Behind me, I could hear whispers on the lipa of the students. My secret was safe—at least for now. But the cost had been far greater than I ever imagined.