Chapter 1 - The Failed Surprise
1311 Words
"I can’t believe I’m f**king pregnant."
The words came out in a breathless whisper as I stared at myself in the mirror. I rested a trembling hand against my still-flat belly, fingers brushing the silk fabric of my emerald dress. I had picked this dress because Elian once said I looked like spring when I wore green. Everything tonight was supposed to be perfect.
Elian Blackwood. My best friend since we were pups. My fated mate. My everything.
A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips, even as nerves twisted in my stomach. We had grown up side by side—from muddy knees and tree-climbing competitions to midnight talks and stolen glances. When the mate bond snapped into place on his nineteenth birthday, I thought the moon goddess had finally blessed me. We already loved each other, I was sure of it. Or at least, I loved him. I still do.
Our first time together felt right. Like coming home. I still remembered the way his hands trembled as they held me, the way he looked into my eyes like I was his whole world. That night had been everything I dreamed of. And now... a baby. Our baby.
I reached into my clutch and pulled out the small white box, tied with a silver ribbon. Inside was the ultrasound photo I had gotten just three days ago. A tiny little bean, barely the size of a grape, but it was already the most important part of me. Elian deserved to know. No, he needed to know. And tonight, on his twenty-second birthday, I thought it would be the perfect gift.
Music drifted through the walls from the ballroom below—a lively tune accompanied by the laughter and chatter of dozens of guests. The Moonshadow Pack had gone all out for their Alpha's celebration. Gold and black banners hung in the grand hall, glittering chandeliers sparkled like stars, and the tables were filled with gourmet food and champagne.
But I couldn't find Elian anywhere.
I had looked near the cake table, the dance floor, even checked the garden outside. He wasn’t with his parents or our mutual friends either. My heart started to thump a little harder as I stepped out of the bathroom, clutching the gift box. Maybe he had gone back to the suite to rest. It had been a long day, after all.
Smiling to myself, I took the elevator to the top floor and walked down the hallway toward our room. The heels of my shoes sank slightly into the thick carpet, muffling my steps. As I reached our door, I adjusted my hair one last time and took a calming breath.
But the second I pushed the door open, my entire world shattered.
There he was. Elian. The man I loved, the man whose child I carried. Locked in a kiss with a tall, curvy blonde whose hands were tangled in his dark hair.
My breath caught in my throat, and the small gift box dropped from my hand, hitting the floor with a soft thud.
"Elian Blackwood," I said, my voice slicing through the air, sharp and furious, "what the hell is the meaning of this?"
They jerked apart. The woman looked startled, her lipstick smeared. Elian froze, his expression somewhere between shock and guilt. Then, just as quickly, he straightened, brushing a hand through his hair like he hadn’t just been caught cheating.
"Vidya... I didn’t expect you to come here," he said stiffly.
I folded my arms, planting my heels into the carpet to keep myself from trembling. "Clearly. Who is she? Or should I say, how long has this been going on?"
The woman had the nerve to scoff. "We’ve been together for months, sweetheart. You were just... a complication."
My jaw clenched. I turned to Elian, searching his face for something—remorse, regret, even panic. But all I saw was cold detachment.
"You were going to tell me?" I asked, my voice brittle.
He sighed and looked away. "I never wanted this mate bond, Vidya. I didn’t choose it. I didn’t choose you."
I blinked. "But you—we—you said you loved me. We... we slept together."
He shrugged, like it meant nothing. "It was a mistake. I was going to reject you after the party. But I guess this saves me the trouble."
I laughed then. A short, bitter sound that echoed in the silent room. My heart was cracking, but I wouldn’t let him see me break. Not him. Not her.
Elian straightened, brushing invisible lint from his sleeve like we were discussing something trivial.
“I, Alpha Elian of the Moonshadow Pack, hereby reject you, Vidya Geller.” He said the words straight-up, leaving me stunned.
I felt it immediately — like something inside me unlatched and slipped loose. A tearing, a sudden emptiness. But I didn’t flinch. Not even a breath.
My voice came out calm. Clear. Cold.
“I accept your rejection, Alpha Elian.”
The bond snapped in full, a sharp, invisible whip cracking through my chest. The room swayed for a second, but I held myself still, spine straight, chin high.
He looked surprised then — like he expected me to beg, cry, scream. Maybe part of him wanted that. Some pathetic display to ease his guilt.
But I wouldn’t give him that.
"You really are a coward," I said slowly. "And clearly, your taste has gone downhill. Didn’t know you could go from me to someone this cheap. Must be the alcohol."
The woman lunged toward me, but I slapped her clean across the face before she could say a word.
I turned to Elian. Rage burned in my chest, hot and wild. My hand lifted, ready to slap him too, but he caught my wrist just in time. His grip was tight, controlling, like always.
"Don’t you dare," he said through gritted teeth.
I smirked. "Fine."
Then I brought my knee up and nailed him right in his precious Alpha jewels.
He doubled over with a grunt, releasing me.
Tch. What a loser.
That pain he was feeling right then? It was nothing. It would pass. He’d get up in five minutes, maybe limp off, nurse his bruised ego for a day or two, tops.
But me?
Rejection. Humiliation. Heartbreak.
He deserved worse. Far worse.
"Happy birthday, asshole," I muttered before storming out—but not before I bent down to pick up the small gift box I’d dropped earlier.
The hall felt colder now. My legs moved on autopilot as I made my way to the elevator, the walls closing in, the air tight around me. The pain didn’t hit me until I was out on the street, far from the glittering lights and celebration.
My chest burned. My head pounded. And then came the real pain—the kind only a rejected mate would understand.
It started as a stabbing ache in my heart, then spread through my limbs like fire. My knees buckled, and I barely managed to catch myself against a nearby lamppost.
"It’s okay," I whispered, placing my hand over my belly again. My fingers shook.
"It’s okay, baby. We’re okay. As long as we’re together, I can survive anything."
A single tear slid down my cheek, and then another. My body trembled, cold and weak, the weight of rejection hitting harder with every step I tried to take. My vision blurred.
No family. No home. I had depended on Elian’s family after my parents died. They took me in, raised me like their own. But now, I had no one. Nothing. Just the baby growing inside me.
"We’ll be fine," I whispered again, even though my legs gave out beneath me.
The last thing I heard before the darkness swallowed me was the sound of screeching tires.
Then, nothing.
- Writer
