Rejected once, Accepted By His Rival

Chapter three

/-Ariana-/

My hands trembled as I continued staring at the stain. My chest constricted tightly.

Sure, I would have felt when he slept with her, but he didn't necessarily have to sleep with her. They could go on dates, make out and I would have no idea about it.

All the while, I was enduring the hurt, trying to be the understanding mate; he had been messing around with Benita.

I tossed the shirt aside and got ready. He had better have a very good explanation for this.

I didn't care for the eyes that followed me as I stomped into the building. I was only interested in finding Raymond.

I spotted him with Benita in the lobby. She was leaning too close to him, whispering something in his ear.

He noticed my presence immediately and pulled away from her. My eyes remained trained on him as I matched to them.

“Ariana? What are you doing here?” He asked but I threw the shirt on him.

“How about you explain this to me?” I spat. “Is this why you haven't been home? You've been frolicking around with your secretary?”

A look of irritation crossed his face. People were already starting to gather here.

“What is the meaning of this madness, Ariana? Why are you causing a scene?” He demanded. “Do you always have to be a drama queen?”

“A drama queen? I have barely seen you in weeks, and then I find this, and you stand there calling me dramatic?” I asked. “What is a lipstick stain doing on your shirt, Raymond?”

“Are you being serious right now? You came all the way here to cause a scene because of a lipstick stain?” Benita huffed and I shot her a glare.

“Shut it, I wasn't talking to you!” I snapped and she was visibly shocked.

“That's enough! Take this and go home,” Raymond ordered.

He didn't even offer me any explanation or anything. They just told me to take the shirt and leave.

“Raymond…” my chest tightened. “You didn't even bother to deny it.”

His jaw clenched, but he said nothing. The silence spoke louder than any denial ever could. My heart pounded painfully in my chest as I searched his face for something, anything, that would make this hurt less.

“You’re overreacting,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “It’s just a damn stain, Ariana. Stop making it a big deal.”

Benita smirked, folding her arms as if she enjoyed the show. My wolf bristled at the sight, at her smugness, at his indifference. I could hear the murmurs around me. The stares but I didn't care.

I swallowed hard, fighting back the sting in my eyes. “If it’s just a stain, then tell me, Raymond,” my voice wavered, “why does it smell like her perfume? Why does it reek of her?”

His expression hardened. “I don’t have time for this,” he said, turning away.

I grabbed his wrist, desperate, furious. “Don’t you dare walk away from me, Raymond! Don’t you dare dismiss me like I’m nothing!”

He yanked his hand free. “Then stop acting like you are.”

The words sliced through me like a blade, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. A small, cruel laugh escaped Benita’s lips, and it snapped me out of my trance.

The humiliation, the pain, it all boiled over. My hands curled into fists at my sides.

“You know what?” I whispered, my voice shaking with anger. “You’re right. I must be a fool. A fool for waiting, for hoping, for thinking you still gave a damn about me.”

As I turned to leave, Benita stepped forward.

“You're done with your drama, right? Everyone pities you. It's my turn now!” Benita said. What the hell is she talking about?

She walked away and I stared at her in confusion. I wasn't ready to play any more games.

I made to leave but Raymond caught my arm. “You need to wait.”

“You've got to be kidding me,” I scoffed, trying to free my hands for him. “Let go of me! I'm not going to stay back and wait for your mistress.”

“You will listen to me and watch your tone while you speak to me! I am your Alpha!” He growled and a wave of pain hit me.

There were multiple gasps as his Alpha voice vibrated throughout the rock. I couldn't defy him.

So I stood there, waiting with tears stinging my eyes for her to return. She came back with a brown envelope.

“You came here to accuse the Alpha of cheating because of a mere lipstick stain, maybe you can use that same energy to explain this,” Benita said, handing the envelope to Raymond.

“What is this?” He asked her.

“A DNA test,” she shrugged and Raymond opened it. What is she playing at?

Raymond’s eyes scanned the contents of the envelope, his expression unreadable. The tension in the room thickened, the weight of the moment pressing down on me like a vice. My pulse pounded in my ears as I watched his fingers tighten around the papers.

Then, he looked up, his gaze sharp, accusatory. “Is this a joke?” His voice was low, dangerous.

Benita smirked, her arms crossed. “No joke, Alpha. That’s the truth.”

I felt a cold chill crawl up my spine. “What truth?” My voice came out weaker than I wanted it to.

Raymond turned the paper toward me, his jaw clenched. “Why don’t you tell me, Ariana?” His voice was barely restrained fury.

I grabbed the paper from his hands, my heart hammering. My vision blurred for a second before the words burned themselves into my mind.

Paternity Test Results: 0.9% match.

A strangled gasp left my lips as I processed what I was seeing.

Raymond took a step forward, his towering presence suffocating. “You’ve been questioning my loyalty while keeping secrets of your own?”

I lifted my gaze, shaking my head in confusion. “What is this supposed to mean?”

Benita smirked, arms crossed, as if she had won some twisted game. “It means, dear Luna,” she said mockingly, “that your son isn’t the Alpha's.”