Rejected: Found By Another

Chapter 7

LYANNA'S POV

I blinked a few times, unsure of how to process his words.

To be fair, I was the one who wanted to leave. I was the one who told him I had no interest in staying with him because I would rather be alone than be around anyone right now, especially if that person is male. I meant those words when I said them. I still do.

I maintain that men are the most untrustworthy creatures to ever walk the earth since the beginning of time, and I believe they should always be kept at arm's length.

After everything I've just been through, I would much rather stay far, far away from the male population.

So why am I suddenly left dumbfounded by Xander's words?

I should be relieved. I should be jumping in excitement at the news of finally being free and able to leave, but somehow something about the way he said it rubbed me the wrong way.

I blinked once more, realizing that I'd been wordlessly staring at him with my mouth agape like some i***t, and I quickly shook my head to clear my thoughts.

Clearing my throat, I finally found my voice.

"I... well, I... I guess, um... I just... I just thought..."

I thought it was better to keep quiet when it became embarrassingly obvious that my words weren't making any sense.

For some stupid reason, I couldn't even bring myself to form a proper reply.

"Is something wrong, Lyanna? You don't seem so sure of yourself right now. Anything the matter?"

Xander said, folding his arms across his broad chest, and I felt my eyes lingered on his bulging muscles for a minute before I quickly looked away.

His question replayed in my head, and I felt my blood boil in anger at the implication of his words.

"I'm very sure of myself, thank you very much. And you don't have to worry, I still have every intention of leaving."

I said through clenched teeth, glaring straight at the walking arrogance in front of me, my anger tripling when I noticed the hint of a smirk at the corner of his lips.

The nerve of this man!

"Well, what's keeping you? You're fully healed, Lyanna, thanks to me. There's no reason for you to remain here."

Xander said, and I felt my fist clench into the beddings in anger.

Exactly who does this man think he is, telling me how to live my life?!!

"You know what?"

I said, climbing out of the bed.

I walked until I stood in front of him, glaring right into his eyes as I spoke.

"You're absolutely right, Xander. I have no reason to keep staying here. I'll be on my way now, my gratitude for your help— which, by the way, I still would have survived without."

Xander didn't say a word back as I walked past him and left the room.

It took me some time to find the main exit, but as soon as I was able to, I was out of the building and hopping my way down the mountain.

I was being unfair and unreasonable, and I was well aware of that.

The reasonable part of me felt a slight amount of guilt for the way I treated and spoke to Xander despite him having saved my life and even healed me of what was supposed to be an incurable injury.

But still, the part of me that's been hurt by Lucien's betrayal won over. After the experience I just had with the man that was supposed to be my mate, I was seeing the world in a new light, and not a good one.

A few days ago, if anyone had told me that such a horrible fate awaited me with Lucien, I would have laughed in their face and told them to get their head checked in the psychiatric hospital. Yet today, here we are.

I refuse to look weak in front of any male ever again. I refuse to let any man think of me as some lost, naive woman afraid of her own shadow.

Lucien was the last man to see me in my most vulnerable state and swore to make sure it remained that way.

'What are you doing, Lyanna? We don't have anywhere to go.'

Reyna's worried voice sounded in my head as I finally landed on green grass and started on my journey with absolutely no destination in mind.

I ignored her and continued to walk. Partly because I felt it was too early to start an argument with her, but mainly because deep down, I knew she was right.

I hadn't really thought things through when I decided to leave Xander's place. All I had been thinking at that time was that I needed to be alone. Away from everyone. Away from him.

I wanted to prove to myself that I was no longer the old Lyanna who needed the help and support of her mate for everything. That Lyanna was gone, dead, and buried, never to rise again. Now, I depend only on myself. The only one the new Lyanna needs to survive in life is herself, ME. No one else.

'Lyanna, I beg you, turn around and go back before you get us lost!'

Reyna said worriedly, and I sighed.

"We won't get lost, Reyna. Stop being so negative."

' You can't be so sure. We're literally in the middle of nowhere, Lyanna, a jungle!'

Reyna argued, and even though I didn't want to admit it, I knew she was right. This whole forest was unfamiliar to me, and if I'm being honest, I have no idea where I'm headed.

'Why do you even want to leave so bad? We were safe with that stranger.'

Reyna asked when I didn't reply to her first comment, and I frowned.

"His name is Xander. And no, Reyna, we weren't."

I have no idea why I cared about whether or not she addressed him by his name, or why I felt the need to correct her, but I decided not to acknowledge that part for now. Or ever.

Men are nothing but trouble. I'm better off forgetting I ever even met him to begin with.

******

It's been hours since I left Xander's place and started my journey. By hours, I mean it's already nightfall. The entire place was dark with the only source of light being the moon that hung from the sky.

I've walked around for hours, and I still haven't made it out of the forest. At this point, I think I'm starting to think I've been walking around in circles. That's the only possible answer I could come up with.

'I knew it. We should have asked Xander for directions, Lyanna.'

Reyna said worriedly as I found a large tree under which we could settle down for the night.

"We don't need him!"

I snapped, and Reyna let out a sad sigh.

'Your misguided pride is going to get us both killed, Lyanna! We've never lived away from the pack before. We can't survive out here on our own!'

Reyna complained, and I felt myself getting increasingly irritated at her words.

"Yes, we can! Stop whining, Reyna, and work with me here. Please. We can't trust anyone, and especially not a male. We need to find a way to..."

The words died in my mouth when I heard noises from somewhere

in the surrounding bushes, causing me to freeze.

'What was that?'

Reyna asked, but I kept quiet as I slowly got up to my feet.

"Who's there?"

I asked, but there was no reply.

After a few minutes of silence with nothing else heard, I brushed it off as just the bushes getting ruffled by the wind.

I sighed and went to sit back down when suddenly, a huge beast jumped out of the bush with a loud, terrifying growl, causing my eyes to widen in panic as it bared its bloodstained teeth at me.

I could tell just from the stench what exactly it was.

A wolf, but not just an ordinary wolf. One who has gone feral.

A rogue...