Octavia The Rejected Mate

Octavia's POV Crash!!! Glass shatters and red liquid splashes across the floor as my foot caught on something and I stumbled forward. “Oh No!” I gasped, dropping to my knees to clean up the mess, “I’m so sorry!” I moaned, “Let me help you clean this up.” “No need, Octavia.” The woman, who is one of the guests at my birthday party said to me. “It’s your special day, you shouldn’t be seen cleaning the floor.” I paused for a moment and looked around the room as soft jazz music played from the stereo consols at the tv stand. There was a stream of moving bodies in Uncle Joe’s lounge. I glanced at the wall clock, it’s 5:30 pm, why isn’t Tyler here already, I puzzled myself. He had informed me that he’ll be here by 5:00pm. Maybe he’s trying to get me a birthday gift—my mind reels for possible reasons why he isn’t here already. Looking across the room I spot Eudorah at the wine bar. Thank the moongod my best friend is here at least, I thought as I made strides towards her, maybe she has knowledge of Tyler’s whereabouts. “Hello Eudorah, how are you doing?” “I’m good Octavia, just trying to stack up the wines before the event begins proper.” "Okay. Have you seen Tyler tonight? He promised he'll be here by 5:00 pm, it's 5:30 pm now and he isn't here." Eudorah shrugged at my question, she probably also thought Tyler was here already. She has recently been talking to Tyler more often, which I was fine with until Tyler started asking a lot more questions about her. My boyfriend and my best friend, now nothing serious would develop between them. so I thought. "No! I haven't seen him tonight. did he at least call?” she inquired curiously. "No! And that's the problem, his cell phone is off, I can't reach him. which is weird because this has never happened before." As we were speaking, Mrs. Bucha entered the room, holding a tray with tea cups. Her red dress and bright smile blended with the room easily, she had a fine sense of fashion that I always admired. “Oh! Octavia darling happy birthday,” she greeted me with that smile of hers and handed me a tea cup, she turned to Eudorah, “here is one for you too darling, how’s the event preparation going?” “Good! Good! There is enough wine to go round tonight,” Eudorah answered as she took a sip from her tea cup and looked away into the crowd with a touch of worry on her face. With concern on her face Mrs. Bucha put the tray down and asked, “Girls, what’s going on? You two look distressed, hun!” She could tell by reading our faces. Eudorah was quick to respond, “Octavia can’t find Tyler. She’s been looking for him all evening but he’s nowhere to be found.” “Well that doesn’t call for this much concern, I’m sure he's fine wherever he is,” Mrs. Bucha assured us. “Yes, but he is supposed to be here before Uncle Joe begins my birthday toast,” I protested. “Well he is here, I saw him somewhere outside,” she tilts her head like she’s trying to remember, “Yes! Yes! I remember I saw him sitting on the staircase outside the porch.” Eudorah puffs, “He’s here and doesn’t even let Octavia know?” “Well maybe he’s just trying to catch some air outside.” Mrs. Bucha explained, “A busy man needs time to think and process his thoughts.” “Eudorah is right, that’s not an excuse enough. I should go check on him.” I walked out of the living room through the back door, the jazz music slowly faded away as I closed the door behind me. Whooah! It’s freeing! I hugged my arms together and tightened my body to create some form of friction that could warm me up. The weather was foggy and I couldn’t see clearly. I strained my eyes a bit as I looked towards the staircase, there was a silhouette figure sitting there—That’s gotta be him, I thought. I walked towards him slowly, still wrapping my arms around myself to shield myself from the cold. What could he be doing out here in the cold, I thought. “Tyler”, I called for him, he shrugged but didn’t reply, I took a few steps towards him. “Tyler! I called again with my voice much louder than before. “Yeah, em… Octavia what’s up?” he replied with a low voice, the irony of the situation had me a bit confused. “What’s up… You’re asking me what’s up. No! You know what's up,” I complained. “What are you doing out here in the cold?” “Just trying to catch some air and think.” “Catch some air and think,” I repeated. “Tyler that’s just ridiculous.” He turned to look at me with a scowl on his face. I could tell he didn’t like my reply, so I lowered my voice to sound more compassionate. “Tyler you’re gonna get yourself sick if you sit out here in the cold.” He remained quiet as I stood there wondering why. “But you know Tyler you should have called, called to inform me you were already here at my house. I’ve been worried sick all evening running around looking for you and your phone was switched off too.” A stream of cold breeze hit me and I gnashed my teeth, “Tyler you wanna talk about that?” I asked. “Look, Octavia, I just want to be alone now,” he said with a vicious voice. “I’m sorry, but why?” I asked gently with a low tune. “Damn it! Can’t you understand what I just said. Why don’t you freaking leave me alone, ugh!” He grunted, Go back inside and let me be for a moment!” Tyler lashed out at me. Terrified by his rage, I quietly started to walk back inside. When I got to the door I turned around, “You know my birthday toast is about to start, if you want to be here for your girlfriend then you might want to come join us inside.” I had the urge to keep talking and ask why he would react in such a manner but I decided I better let him be. I closed the back door behind me and paused to process the incident that just happened outside. This was very unlike Tyler, he had never lashed out on me like that before, he had never treated me in such a manner. The soft jazz music playing on the stereo was sounding sad, fitting with my inner emotions. Uncle Joe was addressing a group of elders as I made my way to the front of the lounge where Eudorah was sitting, the lounge had been rearranged to accomodate many pack members who were invited to my birthday. “So well…” Eudorah incurred with a curious face, “Did you see Tyler outside?” “Yes, Tyler was outside and he told me to freaking leave him alone, he lashed out at me like I wasn’t the same girl he’s been loving for years.” “What…? That can’t be true. Tyler would never say that to you.” Eudorah seemed even more surprised than I was. “So I thought, but he did say that to me.” “Why?” She asked beggingly. “Apparently, I was disturbing him from being alone in the cold, so he told me to freak off!” “That’s terrible Octavia, I’m so sorry.” It was almost time for the event to begin, as we spoke I noticed Tyler quietly walked into the room and took his seat by the corner. Cling! Cling! Cling! Uncle Joe clings a bottle of wine with a spoon to catch the attention of everyone. The chatter died down and Mrs. Bucha made her way back to her seat next to Eudorah. "Ladies and gentlemen of the Redwood Pack, may I have your attention please?" Uncle Joe’s voice filled the room. "Tonight, we gather to celebrate a very special occasion," Uncle Joe continued, his warm gaze finding me in the crowd. "The eighteenth birthday of our dear Octavia Easton." A round of applause erupted. "As is our tradition, we’ll give a few people the chance to say something about her, it may be your wish or just a simple prayer for her. I’ll go first, then we’ll hear from others closest to Octavia." Uncle Joe begins, “About fifteen years ago my brother Edgar Easton and his wife Becca passed away, leaving behind young Octavia. Ever since I’ve had the privilege of raising Octavia as my own,” his voice tingled with emotions. “She was just a pup then, and has grown into the remarkable young woman we see before us today. I couldn’t be more proud.” As Uncle Joe’s speech comes to an end, a round of applause fills the room. He smiles and nods in appreciation. “Would anyone else like to say a few words?” he asks. A couple of hands shoot up eagerly. Eudorah stood, her voice carrying across the room. "Octavia, you've been my best friend since we were pups. I’ll never forget how we both used to hide in the woods and pretend to hunt rabbits together.” The crowd chuckled. “Your kindness and strength inspire me every day.” After a couple of others spoke, the silence that followed was deafening. Eudorah leans towards me to whisper, “Isn’t Tyler going to say something?” I glanced over at Tyler who sat stone-faced, and whispered back to Eudorah, “I don’t know, it doesn’t look like he is going to say anything.” I could feel the energy crackle through the room, everyone was expecting my boyfriend to say something. After a long pause. Tyler's dark eyes met mine, finally standing up to speak. He cleared his throat, "Octavia, we've known each other for a long time. I know you used to think we’ll end up together, but our paths don't align the way you had thought.” My anxiety begins to grow as his voice gets more vicious. I can hear whispers ripple through the crowd. “What’s he talking about?” someone asking, I also needed to know. I got up from my seat tomeet with him where he stood, “Tyler please can we speak together in private?” I asked him. He runs his hand through his hair. “Sorry everyone I’ll like you to please excuse me for a minute,” he tells the crowd. I take Tyler to my room upstairs and lock the door behind me, “Tyler please what’s going on?” I pleaded with him. “Well obviously, I’m rejecting you as my mate," he says. “Tyler why? What have I done to deserve this kind of treatment from you?” “Octavia I can stand here and bore both of us with the explanation of why you’re not fit to be the Alpha’s mate?” He challenges me, “You should know already.” “I can’t believe I wasted all these years with you, thinking you would transform before your eighteenth birthday, but here you are; never, ever transformed into a wolf.” “Tyler I can’t believe that’s what this is all about. I thought you loved me for who I am.” “What the hell! Love you for who you are! You want me to waste my energy, time and love on you. You’ve gotta be kidding me.” “Look, I am the Alpha of the redwood pack. I have a responsibility as alpha to protect this pack. How am I supposed to do that with someone like you? An alpha needs a strong mate as his luna, not a weakling like you.” “Arghh… Tyler! Damn you!” I expressed my resentment. “I can’t believe you’re such a terrible person,” I spoke with so much anguish in my voice. “Shut up! and listen to me clearly, Octavia.” He pushes me to the wall and punches the wall beside my face with his bare fist. I could feel dust from the wall get into my eyes and nostrils. Now I am terrified of him, his actions are that of a monster. “You’re weak!” He screams in my face. “You’re just a girl with no wolf. An apola like you is not fit to be luna of this pack and I careless about your feelings or emotions. If you’re smart you’ll lay low within this pack and act like you don’t exist. Now, if you don’t have anything else reasonable to say, I'd like to go back to the lounge. I have a rejection to announce.” Tyler left the room slamming the door in my face, and I stood there frozen like ice as cold tears streamed down my face. Despite my door being closed, I could still hear the voices coming from the lounge. Tyler clears his throat, “sorry for the interruption everyone, I’ll like you all to please pay attention as I continue. As you all know, the redwood pack has very strong rules and traditions we adhere to. Besides, we have some vicious enemies, to protect our pack against the enemies we can not afford to be weak at any line of defence, so I hereby announce my rejection of Octavia Easton as my mate.” The crowd reacted with murmurs and whispers, then I heard someone from the crowd ask, “So who will be your mate now?” “Good question,” Tyler replies, “my new mate and potential luna of the redwood pack is here with us in this room. But this will depend on her acceptance or rejection of my offer.” Tyler turns to face Eudorah, “Eudorah Bucha, will you be my mate and luna of the redwood pack? Mrs. Bucha’s face lights up excitedly to Tyler’s request for her daughter to be his mate. Eudorah hesitated for some seconds, she looked confused as to what would be the right decision to make, but Mrs. Bucha wouldn’t let this oppourtunity pass her daughter by, she leaned over to Eudorah, “Say yes my daughter,” without giving Eudorah a chance to think, she pressures her, “you have the chance to become the luna of this pack, say yes to Tyler’s request.” Eudorah then stood up from her seat with a bit of shame, “Yes Tyler Giovanni, I accept your offer to be your mate.” The crowd cheered them on and clapped, almost like everyone had forgotten about me. I fell to the floor as I wept, tears poured down my face. I wondered if this is all Eudorah had always wanted. Maybe this is why she always acted nice to Tyler, she had always had eyes for him. She had always wanted to take my boyfriend and become his luna.