Chapter 4
991 Words
Chapter 4
Ivy’s POV
My body grew pale, my skin stretched too tightly over my bones as I lay helplessly on the cold, damp ground of this prison.
I had been here for three full moons, waiting for the worst, my only company being the silence of my suffering. Occasionally, the guards would throw scraps of food at me, remnants of their own meals, chewed bones with no meat left, crusts of stale bread that tasted like spoiled meals. Most times, they didn’t bring food at all, leaving me to writhe in hunger, my stomach growling in hunger as the days passed.
My lips were cracked, dry to the point of peeling off and bleeding. When I tried to lick them, my tongue felt like sandpaper, due to the lack of water.
The ragged dress clinging to my body reeked of sweat and filth; the cold had sunk into my very bones, making me numb to everything.
Then, suddenly, I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. My weak body refused to move, but I forced my head up, lifting my hollow eyes toward the prison gate. My vision blurred, but I recognized the person standing in front of the prison gate. It was Selene.
She stood with a smile.
The guard beside her moved, his keys jingling as he unlocked the iron gate as the door swung open and Selene stepped inside.
She smirked. “I came to personally invite you to a special occasion,” she said. “Today is my mating ceremony. And Ronan…” she dragged out his name, her lips curling, “will be getting married to me today.”
I said nothing.
Her smirk deepened. She wanted a reaction.
She squatted before me. She forcefully grabbed my chin, forcing my face up to meet hers. Her nails dug into my skin.
“A day to remind you to take your eyes off my man,” she whispered. “He can never be yours. The maid will get you cleaned up so you don’t mess the atmosphere of my wedding day with your smell.”
Something inside me snapped.
Summoning every ounce of strength I had left, I gathered what little saliva remained in my parched mouth. And then, without warning, I spat on her face.
The wetness landed on her flawless cheek.
She froze. Her eyes widened. Then her face twisted into rage and disgust.
“Go. To. Hell.,” I rasped.
“It stinks…. How dare you?” Her eyes burned in furry.
Immediately, she gave me a hot slap. “You dirty pig.”
Pain exploded through my skull as I fell back onto the ground, my already weak body grew more weaker..
Selene stood as she wiped my spit from her face. “Take her away,” she snapped at the guard before turning on her heel and storming out of the cell.
The guards hands grabbed me by the arms, yanking me up. My legs barely held my weight as the guards dragged me forward. My vision blurred, I was starting to feel dizzy.
The grand hall was filled with werewolves that honored the invitation. Flowers decorated every inch of the room. The pack had gathered in full attendance, dressed in their finest outfits to witness this day.
The maids had given me a thin dress, the one that barely covered my bruised body. Dirt clung to my bare feet as I was led through the crowd, their whispers piercing my ears.
“Here she comes.”
“No wonder Ronan rejected her.”
At the front of the hall, Ronan stood tall, his broad body clothed in ceremonial attire. His eyes held only cold the moment he saw them bring me in. And beside him, Selene stood with a victorious smile, her hand resting possessively on his arm.
The Elder stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Tonight, we gather to witness the union of Alpha Ronan Blackwood and his chosen mate, Selene.”
Then Ronan’s voice cut through the air like a blade.
“But before I take my mate,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine, “I must first rid myself of a mistake.”
Silence fell.
Ronan stepped forward. He towered over me, his presence suffocating. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with cold indifference.
“I, Ronan Blackwood, reject Ivy as my mate..”
I felt the rejection pain as I held my chest.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Some faces twisted in amusement, others in pity.
My hands trembling, my throat tightening as I forced myself to stay standing.
He had already taken everything from me, my freedom, my dignity. But this? This was a final, brutal humiliation. Rejecting me in the presence of everyone.
“Do you accept the rejection?” the Elder questioned, his voice neutral.
I opened my mouth, but no words came.
Ronan’s gaze hardened.
I swallowed, forcing air into my lungs. My voice was barely above a whisper. “I… I accept.”
The moment the words left my lips, something inside me cracked. The bond shattered.
“Throw her far away from this pack. Her presence contaminates the atmosphere.”
More pain shot through my chest as it burned like fire, a searing agony that made my knees buckle as I fell to my knees. My wolf whimpered, curling into herself. She felt the pain too.
Laughters we’re erupting around me. The pack cheered.
Selene beamed, stepping forward as Ronan turned away from me, no longer acknowledging my presence. She reached for him, her hands sliding over his chest. “And now,” she purred, “we can finally be together.”
Ronan looked down at her. And he smiled.
The sight burned into me, more painful than any wound I had ever endured.
As the pack rejoiced, my body swayed in exhaustion and heartbreak consuming me as the guards grabbed me as they led me out.
- Writer
