Marked, but rejected by my Stepbrother.

FIVE

Raine's POV.

Samuel and Travis stared at each other for several, tense seconds, neither one of them saying a word. The circle of wolves that surrounded us had begun to murmur softly amongst each other, speculating about what was going on here. A huge lump had begun to form in my throat. The suspense was killing me.

Finally, Samuel spoke again. “Fine, Travis. I’ll do it.” He didn’t wait for Travis to respond, he pushed his way through us and addressed the rest of the wolves. It was like he was presenting a case to a jury. My stomach lurched dangerously as he began to speak.

“Last night, my son, and your next alpha, Travis, found his mate. Who is that mate you might ask? Well, she is none other than the half-breed mut, Angelica.”

Oh boy, here we go. I felt my face burn as the blood rushed to my cheeks. He was really going to put me on the spot like that. What an asshole. More murmurs erupted from the crowd.

“Now, as all of you would agree, Raineis not one of us. She does not belong with us. She belongs out there with humans. She is definitely not worthy of my son.”

The crowd nodded and ‘aaah’d’ their agreement to Samuel’s rather rude statement. Some of them even clapped their hands. My face burned even hotter. I looked up at Travis, but his eyes were locked on his father.

“My son feels the same way we do. He has no interest in taking this half-breed as his mate. He has no interest in her whatsoever. In fact, Travis already has his eye on another. A much more suitable wolf for a would-be alpha. Sheila.”

Samuel pointed at the tall, skinny, blonde wolf that was standing directly behind us. I jerked my head around towards her, so did Travis. She had a sharp face and wore an ugly sneer as she watched us with folded arms. I jerked my head back at Travis, but Samuel spoke again.

“Travis wishes to reject this half-breed, for all of you to see. Isn’t that right, son?” His voice was dripping with disdain and twisted pleasure. My absolute worst fear was becoming a reality right in front of my eyes.

Travis glared at his father and then he looked down at me. He had a pained expression on his face and a strange look in his eyes that I didn’t quite recognize.

“Is that true, Travis?” My voice was low, but surprisingly even. “Well, is it?”

Travis held my gaze. He looked upset. He gave the impression that this was the last place on earth he wanted to be.

“It’s more complicated than that, Angelica.” His voice had a strange plea in it.

“What’s complicated about it, Travis? You don’t want me. You never did. You want someone else. It’s simple really. I just don’t know why you didn’t do this last night? Did you want a little piece of me before you tore my heart out? Is that it?”

Travis looked hurt. Samuel and Sheila were hanging onto my every word, so was the rest of the pack.

“It’s not like that, Angelica. Please try to understand?”

I took a few steps back from him and folded my own arms over my chest in a gesture of defence. Rage, humiliation, and heartache was rising up inside me and mixing dangerously, like a volcano that was about to erupt. Tears stung the back of my eyes, but I bit them back. I would not cry for him. Not in front of everybody.

“Understand what? That you’re about to do exactly what you promised you wouldn’t? That you’re exactly the type of person I thought you were? That you’re exactly like your bastard father?”

The crowd gasped as one. No one had ever talked about Samuel like that. Not out loud, at least, but I no longer cared. I was done with him, I was done with Travis, I was done with this pack, I was out of here.

Samuel looked absolutely livid. Travis looked like he was about to throw up. He took a step towards me and reached out for me, but I moved out of his reach and slapped his hand away.

“Just do it, you coward! DO IT! DO IT!” I bellowed at him, unable to contain my rage and my anguish any longer. He just stared at me.

“Enough!” Samuel interrupted. “Do it now, Travis. Get it over with you.” He had a nasty grin on his face.

Travis sighed heavily and looked me right in the eye. His voice broke as he spoke. “RaineJones, I Travis Scott hereby formally reject you as my mate in front of our pack and alpha. I don’t want you as my mate.”

A chilling silence fell over the quad. No one said anything. No one even dared to move. They all waited with baited breath for my reaction.

His words stung like acid. It felt like he had plunged his hand into my chest and ripped out my heart. I felt woozy and off balance. My legs threatened to give way under me. The tears that I had been holding back now streamed freely down my cheeks. The pain was unbearable, unlike anything I had ever felt before and I knew instantly that I never wanted to feel it again.

Travis had a look of great anguish on his handsome face as he stared at me. I even imagined seeing a tear in one of his eyes. Samuel and Sheila looked utterly pleased with themselves. The rest of the wolves all gaped at me with wide eyes.

I wiped the tears from my face, angrily and moved over to where Travis was standing. I stood on my toes so that my mouth was able to reach his ear and I whispered in a dangerously calm and even voice.

“I’m going to make you regret this someday. I’m going to make you pay, and that’s a promise.

Revised Prologue.

“Just do it, you coward! DO IT! DO IT!” I bellowed at him, unable to contain my rage and my anguish any longer. He just stared at me.

“Enough!” Samuel interrupted. “Do it now, Travis. Get it over with you.” He had a nasty grin on his face.

Travis sighed heavily and looked me right in the eye. His voice broke as he spoke. “RaineJones, I Travis Scott hereby formally reject you as my mate in front of our pack and alpha. I don’t want you as my mate any more.”

A chilling silence fell over the quad. No one said anything. No one even dared to move. They all waited with baited breath for my reaction.

His words stung like acid. It felt like he had plunged his hand into my chest and ripped out my heart. I felt woozy and off balance. My legs threatened to give way under me. The tears that I had been holding back now streamed freely down my cheeks. The pain was unbearable, unlike anything I had ever felt before and I knew instantly that I never wanted to feel it again.

Travis had a look of great anguish on his handsome face as he stared at me. I even imagined seeing a tear in one of his eyes. Samuel and Sheila looked utterly pleased with themselves. The rest of the wolves all gaped at me with wide eyes.

I wiped the tears from my face, angrily and moved over to where Travis was standing. I stood on my toes so that my mouth was able to reach his ear and I wh

ispered in a dangerously calm and even voice.

“I’m going to make you regret this someday. I’m going to make you pay, and that’s a promise.