Chapter 3
1940 Words
MIA
“You’ll pay for this, I promise you.”
Chloe’s venomous voice cut through the hallway. I turned around to find her glaring daggers at me, flanked by her usual group of minions.
Her face was twisted with pure rage.
“Go tell that to Harvey,” I shot back, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
Even as I said it, it felt strange using my stepbrother as a shield.
But it worked. Nobody dared mock me anymore. They just stared.
Chloe’s face flushed a deeper shade of crimson, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. A small voice in the back of my mind whispered that this wasn’t over, but I shoved it away. After what Harvey did today, no one would dare mess with me again… at least I hoped.
Pushing the thought aside, my mind shifted to someone else.
Caleb.
Anger surged through me as I stomped down the hallway toward his locker. He owed me an explanation. Why didn’t he step in when his own girlfriend was being humiliated?
The moment I stopped a few feet away, he turned around as if he had sensed me. “Mia…” he called softly, his expression already dripping with apology.
I closed the distance in seconds and stopped just inches from him. “Don’t you dare give me that look, Caleb. Why the hell did you walk right past me back there without helping?!”
“Mia, lower your voice,” he hissed, his eyes darting around the hallway nervously. “Someone might hear you.”
I let out a bitter scoff, disbelief flooding my chest. “Even now, you’re more worried about people finding out about us than about me?” My voice cracked. Tears stung my eyes as a chaotic storm of hurt, anger, and exhaustion swirled inside me. “That’s all you care about?”
“Mia, chill out, okay? I’m sure Chloe was just messing with you. You’re always so serious, you probably misunderstood—”
My face twisted in disgust. “You’re such a jerk, Caleb! How dare you say that? Another guy had to come rescue your girl because you’re too ashamed to acknowledge me in public!”
“Mia, don’t say that—”
He suddenly paused. His eyes narrowed as they dropped to the jacket I was wearing. Recognition darkened his expression. “Whose jacket is that?”
“None of your damn business.” My throat tightened, but the words came out firm. “We’re breaking up, Caleb. I’m done.”
I hadn’t planned to say it. The words just spilled out naturally, surprising even me. I loved him. Or at least… I thought I did. For the past few months, my entire world had revolved around Caleb.
I was always the one more invested, always the one making excuses for his distance. It had started to feel exhausting. Pathetic, even.
“Mia! Mia!” he called desperately, running after me. He caught my wrist just before I reached the end of the hallway and pulled me back.
“It smells like Harvey’s,” he said, voice low and accusatory. “Are you cheating on me? Is that why you’re so eager to break up?”
The slap flew across his face before I could think. The sharp sound echoed down the corridor.
“How dare you!” I shouted.
“Because I’m jealous, Mia!” he snapped back, holding his cheek.
“I don’t buy your bullshit,” I hissed, trying to pull away, but he yanked me into a tight hug, burying his face in my neck.
“I can’t lose you, Mia,” he whispered, his arms wrapping around me possessively. “Maybe I’ve been making you feel unimportant… but seeing you with another guy drives me crazy.”
I stood frozen in his embrace, unsure whether to melt or push him away. His nonchalant attitude toward my feelings had hurt me for so long. But then my mind drifted back to earlier — to Harvey’s hands on me, that sudden, electric tingling heat that had bloomed low in my belly and made my entire body come alive.
Right now, in Caleb’s arms… I felt nothing like that. No burning. No throbbing ache. No overwhelming urge to lean in closer.
Was my body playing tricks on me earlier?
Caleb finally pulled back, holding my shoulders gently. “I’ll announce our relationship tomorrow at the Lunacrest quarterly party,” he said, eyes pleading. “So please… don’t leave me, Mia. I won’t be able to take it.”
My anger dissolved almost instantly, replaced by a wave of surprised warmth. “Caleb, you…”
Before I could finish, he leaned in and kissed me. The kiss was soft and familiar, carrying a gentle warmth that soothed some of the hurt. But it still didn’t come close to the sharp, hungry spark I had felt with Harvey.
He rested his forehead against mine. “I don’t care if you’re wolfless. You don’t deserve to be hidden anymore. I’m sorry, Mia. For everything. Tomorrow, I’ll finally make it right.”
THE NEXT DAY
I straightened my glittering purple mini dress, the one I had saved for special occasions like this. It hugged my body in a way I wasn’t used to, but tonight was supposed to be different. Tonight, Caleb and I were finally going public. After all the hiding and secrecy, my love would finally be acknowledged.
That hope had quietly replaced the shame and confusion I felt yesterday, especially the confusing heat that had flared when Harvey touched me.
Speaking of Harvey… I hadn’t seen a trace of him when I got home last night. A part of me wondered if he was avoiding me. Then again, Harvey doesn’t avoid anyone. People avoid him.
I stood in the middle of the crowded ballroom, the bass of the music vibrating through the floor as students laughed and mingled around me. My eyes scanned the room frantically for Caleb.
My phone dinged.
“Hey babe. Come meet me at my private suite now.”
A smile broke across my face. My heart fluttered with excitement as I slipped away from the crowd and headed toward the suite. Alphas like Caleb and Harvey had their own private rooms in the academy.
When I reached the door, I took a deep breath and pushed it open without knocking. I thought it wasn’t necessary.
“What the hell are you doing, Caleb?!”
The words tore out of me in pure shock.
Chloe and Caleb were tangled on the bed, kissing passionately. The moment they heard me, the kiss broke. Chloe wore a smug, satisfied grin. Caleb, on the other hand, looked more irritated than guilty.
“What are you doing here?” he asked coldly.
I stared at him, my heart cracking open. “Is that all you have to say? I just caught you cheating on me!”
“You should have knocked first,” he replied flatly. “Maybe you wouldn’t have seen this.”
“Caleb!” My voice broke.
“Oh, shut up, b***h,” Chloe snapped as she stood up, eyeing me with pure malice. “Your naivety is honestly pathetic. You’ve been lying about being with Caleb, and now you’re interrupting my time with my boyfriend?”
“He is not your boyfriend!” I yelled, tears already burning my eyes. “He’s my mate!”
Caleb’s expression hardened. “I am not your mate. I have nothing to do with you.”
His words hit like ice in my veins. My whole body went cold.
“Guys! Did you get that on camera?”
Other voices filled the room as several students emerged from hidden corners, phones raised, cameras rolling. Their faces wore matching smug expressions.
“Looks like our dear Mia is trying to two-time. Messing around with Alpha Harvey and still throwing herself at Caleb,” one of them mocked.
“It’s typical for these wolfless bitches. Thank goodness we caught it on camera. Harvey will finally see how pathetic she is and stop protecting her,” another added with a laugh.
Everything clicked into place. This was a setup. Caleb never planned to announce our relationship. He and Chloe had orchestrated everything to humiliate me.
“You never planned to tell anyone about us…” I whispered, my voice barely audible. The fight drained out of me, leaving only hollow exhaustion. “You tricked me. Made me look like the bad guy…”
“Stop being delusional, Mia,” Caleb said cruelly. “Whatever we had wasn’t real. It was a bet. I wanted to see how a wolfless nerd would taste in bed, but you wouldn’t even let me f**k you. Our so-called mate bond means nothing to me.”
I wanted to scream that I was waiting for the right time — that I wanted it to be special. But the words died in my throat. I would only sound more pathetic.
“What were you thinking?” His face twisted with disgust. “That I would actually make you my Luna? You?”
The pain in my chest became unbearable, like something was physically tearing me apart from the inside.
“You know what? My patience has run out. I can’t stand you anymore.” His lips curled into a malicious smile. “So that’s why… I, Alpha Caleb Knox, reject you, Mia Bennett.”
The moment the rejection left his mouth, a sharp, searing agony ripped through my chest.
“Arghhh!”
I cried out and collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. The pain was excruciating — as if my soul was being shredded. Tears streamed down my face as my body shuddered violently.
Malicious laughter echoed around the room.
“Stand up and watch how it feels to have the real deal,” Caleb sneered.
He grabbed my arm roughly and yanked me to my feet. His fingers dug into my chin, forcing my head up so I couldn’t look away. Then he crushed his lips against Chloe’s in a fierce, passionate kiss right in front of me.
Their moans filled the room while the others cheered and giggled. The sounds blended into a nightmarish chorus I knew would haunt me forever.
When he finally broke the kiss, he flung my face away. “Enjoyed that?”
With trembling breath and tear-streaked cheeks, I forced myself to meet his eyes.
“I, Mia Bennett… accept your rejection.”
My voice came out hoarse and broken. I searched Caleb’s face for even the slightest hint of pain, but there was nothing. Just cold indifference. He had never loved me.
Shit. You’re such a fool, Mia.
“The wolfless b***h has some audacity!” someone mocked. “Look at her trying to play the strong woman!”
Laughter erupted again.
“We’ve only just gotten started,” Caleb drawled sarcastically. “You can stay and enjoy the show if you want.”
He turned back to Chloe and kissed her again, even more intensely.
The tears poured uncontrollably now. I couldn’t take another second. I bolted from the room, their cruel laughter chasing me down the hallway, through the lobby, and out of the building.
Thunder cracked overhead as heavy rain began pouring down. I didn’t care. I just needed to get as far away as possible.
I hadn’t gone far when a strong hand suddenly grabbed me from behind.
“Let me go! Let me—”
A cloth was pressed over my nose. My vision blurred instantly, and everything went black.
- Writer
