chapter 3
1499 Words
Chapter 3 – Poisoned Whispers
Serena’s POV
The pack house had never felt so cruel.
Every hallway I walked through, every corridor I passed, whispers followed me like shadows.
“She really thinks the Alpha will change his mind?”
“Pathetic. She doesn’t know when to give up.”
“I almost feel sorry for her. Almost.”
The laughter that followed was sharp and cruel. My ears burned, my chest tightened, and my steps quickened, but there was no escaping it. Not here. Not when I lived among them.
I kept my head down, clutching the hem of my sweater as if it could shield me from their words. My wolf whimpered inside me, wounded and restless, but I had no comfort to offer her.
All I could feel were the sparks of the bond still burning under my skin—sparks he’d lit, then tried to snuff out in front of the entire pack.
Alpha Christopher.
My mate. My rejection.
I reached the end of the hall, slipping into the kitchen to find some quiet, but even here I wasn’t alone. Two young she-wolves stood near the counter, their voices hushed but sharp enough to cut.
“Did you see her face when he rejected her?” one whispered, grinning. “I thought she might faint.”
“She should’ve. At least then the embarrassment would’ve been over faster.”
“And Cassandra looked so beautiful standing beside him. She’s the real Luna, not that omega trash.”
My breath hitched. The room spun. I turned before they could see me, forcing my legs to carry me upstairs, but the words clung to me like claws.
Trash.
Unworthy.
Rejected.
By the time I reached my room, my hands were shaking too hard to open the door. I shoved it shut behind me and slid down the wood, burying my face in my knees. The sob tore out of me before I could stop it.
The Moon Goddess had tied me to him. She had given me the one thing I’d always longed for—belonging, love, purpose—and in the same breath, She had ripped it away.
I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, where the bond burned like a wound.
Why him? Why Christopher? Why did my soul crave the one man determined to destroy me?
---
Christopher’s POV
The room was full of voices, but I couldn’t hear a single one of them.
My beta was talking about border patrols, my gamma about supply runs, but none of it registered. All I could hear was her voice. Serena’s voice.
“I won’t accept your rejection.”
Those words haunted me. The defiance in her tone. The fire in her eyes, even through her tears.
I slammed my hands on the desk, making the men in front of me jump. “Enough. Leave me.”
They scrambled out, their eyes wide. The door shut, and silence finally swallowed the room. But silence wasn’t peace. It was worse. Because now I could hear my wolf.
We need her.
“She’s weak.”
She’s ours.
“She’ll never survive as Luna.”
She’s stronger than you think. Stronger than Cassandra will ever be.
My jaw tightened. The thought of Cassandra made me grit my teeth.
Right on cue, the door creaked open and she glided inside, her perfume filling the air.
“Christopher,” she purred softly, her silver gown brushing the floor as she moved closer. “You’ve been working so hard. Let me ease your mind.”
Her hand reached for my shoulder. My wolf snapped inside me, a growl rumbling through my chest before I could stop it.
Cassandra froze, her hand hovering mid-air. Her perfect smile faltered, just for a second, before she replaced it. “You’re still upset about earlier,” she said sweetly. “But you did what you had to. The pack saw strength. They saw an Alpha who puts duty first.”
My wolf snarled again, the sound shaking my bones. She doesn’t belong here. She’s not ours.
I turned away, my voice cold. “Leave me.”
Her lips parted in shock. “Christopher—”
“Now.”
The steel in my tone left no room for argument. Cassandra’s eyes narrowed just slightly, before she gave me a bow and swept out of the room, her gown whispering against the floor.
But even after she left, I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt too tight, my skin too hot. Because all I could think about was Serena.
And the fact that she was hurting—and it was my fault.
---
Serena’s POV
Night fell heavy over the pack house.
I lay in bed, but sleep never came. My pillow was damp with tears, my body sore from holding everything in. I pressed my face into the sheets, muffling another sob.
Mate. My wolf whimpered. Ours. Don’t give up.
“How can I not?” I whispered back into the dark. “He doesn’t want me. He’ll never want me.”
But the bond still burned. Every breath I took was filled with his scent, every thought tangled with his face. I hated it. I hated him. And yet… I ached for him.
Finally, unable to take it anymore, I slipped out of bed. My bare feet padded against the wooden floor as I pulled the door open and stepped into the dimly lit hall. Maybe a walk would help. Maybe distance would make the pain quieter.
But fate is cruel.
Halfway down the hall, I collided with someone. Strong hands gripped my arms, steadying me. Sparks shot through me like lightning, so fierce my breath caught.
I looked up—and froze.
Christopher.
His golden eyes burned down at me, wild, untamed. His grip tightened just enough to send heat spiraling through me.
“Serena,” he rasped, my name rough on his lips.
I swallowed hard, trying to pull back, but his hold kept me in place. “Let me go.”
“I can’t.” His voice was raw, strained. “Every time I tell myself to stay away, I find myself here. With you.”
My chest heaved, my heart slamming. “Then stop rejecting me. Stop humiliating me.”
His jaw clenched. “You don’t understand—”
“No, Christopher. You don’t understand.” My voice cracked, but the words kept spilling. “You’ve destroyed me. Do you know what it’s like to be laughed at? To be whispered about in every corner of the house you grew up in? To hear Cassandra tell everyone how unworthy you are?”
His nostrils flared, his eyes darkening. “Cassandra—”
“Don’t you dare defend her.” My tears burned down my cheeks. “She’s poison, and you know it.”
For a moment, silence hung heavy between us. Then—
He moved.
In one swift motion, he pinned me against the wall, his body caging mine. His hands gripped my wrists above my head, his chest pressed to mine, his breath hot against my face.
Sparks exploded, fire racing through me so violently I gasped. My wolf howled inside me, clawing for him, begging me to give in.
“Do you think I don’t feel this?” His voice was a growl, low and rough. “Every time I touch you, I burn. Every time I hear your voice, I lose control. You think rejecting you was easy?”
His face was so close, his lips inches from mine. The heat between us was unbearable, suffocating.
“Then why do it?” I whispered, my voice trembling.
“Because wanting you will ruin everything,” he snarled, his forehead pressing against mine. “But I can’t stop.”
My knees weakened, my heart raced so fast it hurt. His lips hovered over mine, so close I could taste his breath. For a heartbeat, I thought he would finally claim me.
“Christopher…”
He froze. His eyes flickered with torment. And then—he tore himself away, releasing me so suddenly I stumbled.
His chest heaved, his fists clenched, his face twisted in agony. “Go to your room, Serena. Don’t make me hurt you again.”
I stared at him, my tears blurring everything. “You already have.”
The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. He turned sharply, storming down the hall, leaving me pressed against the wall, trembling, broken, and burning.
---
Cassandra’s POV
From the shadows at the end of the hall, I watched everything.
I saw the way he pinned her. The way sparks flew. The way he almost kissed her.
And the way he looked at her—as if she was the only thing in the world that mattered.
A smile curled on my lips. So the little omega wasn’t as harmless as she looked. She was dangerous.
But that was fine.
Because I would destroy her before she could destroy me.
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- Writer
