Betrayed by my Mate, Accepted by his Father

Two

Chapter 2:

Reina’s POV

The world was spinning. My legs felt like wet noodles, and my head pounded like a drum solo. The blood from my nose was still a sticky mess on my lip, a constant, crusty reminder of the disaster. My wolf was a screaming, wounded thing inside me, but the anger was a cold, hard core.

I stumbled out of Mateo's room, leaving him and Amelia to their pathetic little victory. My own room felt miles away. I just needed to get there. To hide. To curl up and let the agony consume me in private. But my body had other plans.

Halfway down the hallway, the world tilted. The floor rushed up to meet me. My legs gave out completely. I hit the ground with a sickening thud, the pain in my chest flaring, making me gasp. It wasn't just heartbreak anymore; it was like my very essence was being torn apart. My wolf let out a silent, desperate whimper.

"Reina!" A voice. Distant. Concerned.

Two pack guards, big, burly men who usually stood stoic at the Alpha's door, were suddenly kneeling beside me.

Their faces were grim, a mix of shock and concern.

"She's collapsed!" one of them barked. "Get the Pack Doctor! Now!"

Great. Just what I needed. A public spectacle. My humiliation, now broadcast to anyone within earshot. My wolf just wanted to dig a hole and disappear. Or maybe just bite someone. Probably Mateo.

They lifted me gently, surprisingly so, and carried me through the packhouse. Every face I saw was a blur of pity, shock, or curiosity. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could just vanish. This was worse than the betrayal. This was the ultimate shame.

I woke up in the Pack Doctor's office. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled my nose, replacing the lingering scent of Mateo's betrayal. Dr. Thomas, a kind, older wolf with tired eyes, was checking my pulse.

"Reina, you gave us quite a scare," he said softly. "The mate bond breaking... it's a severe shock to the system. Your wolf is in deep distress." He was talking about it like it was a broken leg. But it was my soul. My entire future.

"Will I... will I be okay?" I whispered, my throat raw.

"Physically, yes. Eventually," he replied, his gaze sympathetic.

"But your wolf... it's rejecting the rejection. It's fighting the loss. That's why you collapsed. It's a rare, intense reaction."

He left to get me some more medicine, leaving me alone for a moment. But not truly alone. I heard hushed voices just outside the door. Nurses. Pack healers. Gossips.

"Did you hear? Her wolf is *rejecting* the rejection."

"Poor thing. It's like her wolf can't let go."

"So Mateo really broke it, then? Completely?"

"Yeah, and she collapsed right in the hall. It was bad."

"Guess she wasn't strong enough for him after all."

My blood ran cold. They knew. Everyone would know. My deepest, most agonizing pain, now public knowledge. My wolf, which had been whimpering, let out a low, furious growl.

The next few days were a living hell. I was confined to my room, supposedly for rest, but it felt like a prison. The whispers followed me even there. When I finally ventured out, the looks were worse than the words. Pity from some, but mostly... mockery.

I heard it in the hallways. "There goes the rejected Luna-to-be."

"Her wolf couldn't even handle it. So weak."

"Mateo made the right choice, clearly."

Then Mateo came. He stood in my doorway, looking uncomfortable, his handsome face clouded.

Amelia, my sister, was right behind him, a smug look in her eyes that made my wolf snarl.

"Reina, I... I'm so sorry," Mateo mumbled, not meeting my eyes. "It was a mistake. A moment of weakness. Amelia... she just came on to me."

My wolf roared inside me. Lies!

"A mistake?" I rasped, my voice raw. "You broke our bond, Mateo. You broke me. And you blame my sister?"

Amelia stepped forward, her voice sickly sweet. "Oh, Reina, don't be so dramatic. Mateo and I just have a stronger connection. It was bound to happen." She even dared to touch my arm.

I flinched away as if burned. "Get out," I whispered, my voice shaking with a fury I didn't know I possessed. "Both of you. Get out of my sight."

Mateo looked relieved, turning to leave. Amelia gave me one last pitying, fake smile before following him. They left me alone with my shattered heart and my howling wolf.

My mother came in later, her eyes red from crying. "Oh, my sweet girl," she murmured, stroking my hair. "It will get better. You'll find another mate."

One afternoon, I was trying to get some fresh air in the pack gardens. Amelia and Mateo were there, of course, holding hands, looking sickeningly happy.

Amelia saw me first. She leaned into Mateo, whispering something, and they both laughed. A cruel, sharp sound that pierced my heart.

"Look, Mateo," Amelia called out, loud enough for me to hear. "It's Reina. Still moping around? You'd think she'd get over it by now”