4: Pain
1786 Words
CHAPTER 4 Pain
*The same day, RUBY’S POV*
The ceremony was everything I had imagined it would be. The grand hall was breathtaking. High ceilings and large, arched windows allowed natural light to flood the space, casting a warm, golden glow over the polished marble floors. The décor was minimal yet elegant—white drapes, simple floral arrangements, and the gleaming symbol of the pack etched into the wall behind the podium. It was a setting worthy of the occasion, prestigious but not ostentatious, just as Lex would have wanted.
It was Lex’s Alpha Ascension ceremony, he chose to hold it in the human realm, and as his mate, I came to support him. I stood near the back, clutching a small, neatly wrapped box in my hands. Inside was a silver watch I had picked out for Lex, a token of my support. It was a practical gift, something that I hoped he would wear every day, a reminder that I would always be there for him.
Even though he has always been indifferent towards me since we found out we were mates.
He was my mate and I believed he would eventually come around and love me the way I love him.
Lex was at the front of the room, surrounded by pack elders and key members of the pack. He looked every inch the future Alpha, commanding and composed, his sharp suit emphasizing the authority he was about to take on.
When he saw me approaching, his face didn’t light up, instead, there was a look of disgust in his eyes.
“Lex,” I called out trying to sound cheerful.
“I got you something,” I said holding out the gift box, hoping to see at least a flicker of warmth in his gaze.
He glanced at the box and then back at me, his expression unchanging. “Ruby,” he said in a disgusted tone.
“ you shouldn’t be here,” he added, grabbing my arm.
“This ceremony… it’s important. I need to focus on what’s ahead. Your presence… it’s a distraction I don’t need right now.”
His words cut deep, sharper than any blade. A distraction?, I don’t need??.
I always believed wolves were destined for their mates and even if the world turned its back on you, your mate would still be by your side no matter what.
“Why does my case have to be different” I thought to myself.
I didn’t need anyone to spell it out for me. It was obvious Lex was embarrassed to have a mate like me who had a dormant wolf. Sometimes I even get mistaken for a human.
Our relationship has always been one-sided since we realized we were mates. I had tried to make it work, tried to get him to notice me, but Lex was aloof to my existence no matter what I did.
Some part of me still couldn’t let go of the hope that today, of all days, things might be different.
“Lex, I’m here because I care about you,” I said, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay calm.
“I just want to be here for you, as your mate.”
His expression hardened, “You keep going on about, mate this mate that, and I’m sick of hearing it.”
“You should leave,” he said looking at me coldly.
“Bu…t, I want to be here for you”
“We’re meant to be together, and I know you're just acting this way because I have a dormant wolf.”
“Yes, I’m not eager to have a wolf like you! by my side,” He said angrily.
“But Lex I love you”
“You know what, stay, do whatever you want. I won’t have you ruining my mood.” He said before storming off.
The pain in my chest was almost unbearable. I could feel the tears welling up, but I refused to let them fall. I had spent hours preparing, making sure I looked my best, wanting nothing more than to support Lex on this important day. I wasn’t about to let my tears ruin my looks.
The ceremony began. The pack’s elder stepped forward to deliver a speech about leadership, responsibility, and the future of the pack under Lex’s guidance. I listened, but my thoughts were elsewhere.
It was time for Lex to speak, the room fell silent, and everyone’s attention focused on him. He took the stage with a confidence that sent waves of admiration through the crowd. I clutched the small gift box tighter, praying that he might look at me, and acknowledge me, even for just a moment.
But I was met with his cold gaze. After his speech, Lex paused, looking out over the crowd. My breath caught in my throat as he raised a hand, signaling that he had something more to say.
“Before I accept this title fully,” Lex began his voice authoritative.
The room was completely silent, everyone waiting for him to continue. Lex turned his gaze to me and said
“I, Lex reject you, Ruby, as my mate.”
My heart sank. At that moment I couldn’t process the words he had just spoken, but the gasp of the pack and my throbbing heart brought me to reality.
I could feel the dagger stares of his pack members cut through my flesh.
The small box I held slipped from my hands, hitting the floor. The watch, the gift I had so carefully chosen, lay forgotten at my feet. Lex turned away, continuing the ceremony as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t just shattered my heart in front of everyone.
My vision blurred with tears as the room seemed to spin around me. Without thinking, I turned and ran. My footsteps echoing in the grand, empty space.
Outside, the sky had darkened, and as I ran through the streets, the first drops of rain began to fall. The day couldn’t have gotten any worse. It was almost a relief, the rain masking my tears that just kept pouring. It was as though the heavens knew how I felt.
I kept running, my thoughts a tangled mess. I was tired of it all. What was the point of trying anymore? Lex didn’t want me, he never did. My pack thinks I’m useless even though my dad is the Alpha. All I had done was delude myself into a false fantasy.
The thoughts that I had lurking in the back of my mind now surfaced, sharper and more insistent. Maybe it would be easier to just…stop. To stop trying, stop hurting, stop existing in a world that didn’t care about me. Would anyone even notice if I was gone?
The rain was still pouring by the time I collapsed onto a bench in a small park. I sat there drenched, feeling completely and utterly alone. Till I heard someone sobbing nearby. I looked up, startled, and saw a woman sitting on the other end of the bench.
She looked at most a year or two older than me. She was drenched and her blonde hair was plastered on her face by the rain. She held a suitcase in her lap, her body shivering from the cold.
For a moment none of us spoke a word. The atmosphere was only filled with our sobs and the sound of the heavy rain. The silence was broken when she asked if I was okay.
I looked up at her, my eyes swollen. “I…I don’t know”
“I’ve just been through something… awful. My name is Ruby, and the man I love just announced to everyone that he didn’t love me back.” I added, tears still rolling from my eyes.
She looked at me like she understood exactly how I felt.
“It’s like having your heart ripped out, isn’t it?” She said, her voice shaking.
“yes, I feel like the ground should open up and swallow me”
“What about you? Are you okay?” I asked her.
“I’m Aria,” she said in a hollow voice.
“I just…the man I love cheated on me with my best friend and kicked me out of his house with divorce papers.”
“I have nowhere to go,” she added
Her words echoed in my mind, a mirror of my thoughts. Nowhere to go. Nothing left to hold on to.
“I guess love just wasn’t meant for us,” I said, looking at the sky still pouring down.
I felt the warmth of Aria’s hand on mine squeezing it tightly. In that moment it was as though the world had slowed down and our hearts were in sync.
“We’ll figure it out,” she said, her voice stronger now, as if she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to comfort me. I nodded, but the words didn’t sink in. I wasn’t sure there was anything left to figure out.
The rain continued to pour, drenching us both as we sat there under the little shade, two broken souls amid a storm.
“I… I need to go,” I whispered suddenly, pulling my hand away from hers.
I could see Aria’s face filled with concern. “Ruby, please don’t do anything rash. We can wait out the rain here,”
“I won’t, I just need to be alone,” I said, trying to give her a reassuring look as I walked away.
The streets were deserted, the storm having driven everyone indoors. My footsteps splashed through puddles as I wandered, not caring where I ended up. My vision blurred and my head pounded.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice the figure in front of me until it was too late. I collided with him, the impact almost sent me to the ground.
“Are you okay?” a deep voice asked.
I looked up, my vision hazy, as I tried to focus on the man in front of me. His face was partially obscured by the rain, but there was something about him that felt… different.
“I… I’m fine,” I mumbled, though my legs felt like they might give out any second. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I swayed, struggling to stay upright.
“Hey, are you sure you’re alright?” He said as he reached out to steady me.
His strong arms held me in place, but I could feel myself losing consciousness.
“Mr. Cassius” I heard a voice call out before I blacked out.
- Writer
