Chapter 0002

I want to turn away and run, but I remain frozen on the spot.

The sound of laughter coming from the entrance of the building gets their attention. Nick breaks the kiss, and his gaze soon shifts to where I stand.

I feel so sick that I double-over and throw up on the side-walk. He started to approach with Meg, but I hold out my hand to stop them.

"I'm alright. I think I ate something bad. I'm okay," I called out in a shaky voice.

I could feel them watching me. Meg would guess what this situation was doing to me if I don't get it together. She can't know about Nick and I or my feelings for him.

I straighten before turning away from the two.

"Sara," My best friend called out. "Where are you going?"

I can't face her yet. Looking at her now is unbearable, so I keep walking.

"Sara?"

"I need to get something for my stomach," I call back without turning around.

He was kissing her in public? The same Nick that has a morbid fear of merely talking to me in front of people? I'm his mate. Also isn't that against the rules in his stupid contract?

But then she's not an omega. Meg is far better than me. There wouldn't be much outrage if people saw them together. Whereas, I'm the daughter of the cook that works in Nick household. My father is on his family's payroll just as I am on his.

I still can't stomach the fact that while I was waiting for him so we could talk, he was getting cozy with my bestfriend. I guess this means we truly are over. I wonder what would happen if I went against his non-disclosure agreement now.

I hear footsteps behind me but didn't stop. It feels like my heart is leaving a blood trail with every step.

As I reach the next block, a strong hand grabs my arm and spin me around. Nick glowers at me beneath thick lashes.

I yank free with all the force I could muster and keep walking. Anger and hurt gave me the strength to ignore him as he groans my name.

"Sara!" He grabs my wrist this time.

“I’m talking to you, Sara! Stop!” His voice is hard with a sharp edge. Like he has a right to be angry?

Without thinking, I wrest my wrist from his hand and land a hard slap across his face. Shock brightens his eyes, but he recovers quickly. Catching my wrist again, this time, in a tight grip, he pins me against the large car parked by the road.

“You violated the terms first!” he said through clench teeth.

“By accidentally spouting those three little words?” I push him off me and he releases me quickly, like being too close to me is disgusting.

"It was a mistake, Nick. I wanted to explain that's why I've been trying to reach you. I waited for two hours to see you."

“How could you possibly think we'd still meet today? This thing between us? I was going to end it. Tonight! There's no need to see each other till the full moon. I'll reject you, and we can go our separate ways.”

My heart slumps painfully into my stomach. My first response is a nod. “You should’ve ended it before kissing my roommate in front of the whole campus.”

“Yes, I should have, but I didn’t. Wanna know why? Because you’re not the only one who gets to break the rules!” he leers.

“Well, good for you. You got even. Why don't you return to your... to her before someone sees you talking with the help's daughter." I start to walk away.

"Thanks for your concern. At least, you got the message, Sara," he fired back.

I stop in my tracks.

"I will never love you, mate bond be damned. What we had was just sex, nothing more, you hear me?"

I feel him turned away to leave but stops and adds, "Oh, and don't forget you signed an NDA. If you go about telling pack members about us, I can't be responsible for what happens to your dad."

I couldn't help but look over my shoulder at his face. Maybe I want to confirm if he meant that. But he's already turning and walking away.

******

I want so much to return home to my dad. But home is one of the little cottages behind Reign’s mansion. I return to the dorm after walking aimlessly for Goddess-knows how long.

Meg is not back yet. My relief of not having to face her is mixed with immense nausea. She's still with Nick, no doubt.

Quickly, I go into my room to lock myself inside. But as the night wears on, it becomes clear how unnecessary that is. I lay awake with my eyes wide open until dawn. Meg never returned.

She should be back early the next morning and I'm still eager to avoid her, so I try to rush out for class.

My simple morning routine turns into a chore. I become very sick. My stomach rolls like I truly ate something bad. I spend a better part of the morning with my head buried in the toilet plate. As I sit on the cool floor, dry-heaving, the image of Nick and Meg replays in a loop in my head.

Sometime later, the nausea has lessened, but I've given up on class for that day. I sit on my bed, staring into space when a bang comes on my door. Without waiting for a reply, Meg opens the door and stands between the jamb.

"Wait, are you truly ill?" she asked with a frown.

"I'll be alright," I replied.

"I doubt it." Her tone is weirdly hateful. There's no hint of a joke in her voice as usual.

"After daring to seduce the alpha-heir?" She takes a step into my room. "I doubt you'll be alright, Sara."

My heart lurches. Did Nick go as far as telling her after warning me about his silly NDA?

She scoffs at the look on my face. "I'm not an idiot, Sara James. I've known for some time now! It's only a matter of time before the pack finds out."

At first, I'm confused about what she meant. Does she know the whole story?

"Did you think you'd just keep coming to school, sneaking around while leeching on the Reigns after this treachery?" She crosses her arms on her chest.

“What are you talking about?" My anger stirs, but it is mixed with fear. They wouldn't revoke my scholarship over this. The alpha and luna doesn’t know about us.

"Are you gonna play dumb?"

I sighed, deciding there's no point for all of this. "How long have you known?” I asked.

“Known what? That you've been lying about running errands for your dad and sneaking off to whore yourself to Reign?”

“Yes, Meg. How long have you known?” My voice is sharp with annoyance. Maybe a carryover from last night when I saw her kissing my mate. My former mate.

“Do you even know he's engaged?” she asked instead of answering my question.

I feel a sharp pang at the revelation. She caught the hurt in my eyes and smiles.

“YOU knew he was engaged yet you went after him?" I said this in an attempt to turn her words back to her. "Now I'm guessing you went after him solely because he was involved with me."

“Involved? He paid to fuck you, Sara. You were never involved with Nick Reign! You’re a nobody. A cheap prostitute. What, you think I wouldn’t find out? How someone like you could afford to share this suite with me was a dead give away.”

My fist clenches. My father paid every penny for this apartment. The scholarship meant I could afford other things that I would originally not be able to pay for. But I didn't say these things to her. It doesn't matter.

She shakes her head before continuing. “But at least you're back to reality now. Nick is through with you and the luna knows."

My mind goes numb from that last statement.

"Who told you that? The luna doesn't know."

"I wanna throw up when I imagine you with him." She grimaced. The hatred in her eyes is unbelievable as she ignores my question.

"My mother always said people like you didn't know how to stay in their lanes. I see what she means now."

"Did you tell the luna about us? You said you've know for a while now." I stared at her in horror.

"What, you trust Nick not to tell his mommy? If he doesn't tell her, who's going to clean this up as quickly as possible to keep the pack from finding out?" Her eyes was full of evil satisfaction as she spoke. It's hard to believe this was my bestfriend of seven years.

I'm totally disheartened to say anything else. Fear is starting to take over. How would the luna clean this up to keep it from getting out? I wish to leave the room but my legs wouldn't move.

“By the way, you said I went after him. You're wrong. He’s a playboy, Sara, and this is all the time he's got before he becomes alpha and settles down with his already-chosen luna. Did you expect him to be faithful in a sex situationship?” She gives a bitter laugh. “to someone like you for that matter.”

“I don’t expect anything from him, Megan. But I also didn't expect this shit from you. I thought we were friends-”

“Maybe we were. All of that ended when you set your claws on the heir to Reign’s empire! Forest Moon's future leader!”

I’ve never seen her look so hateful, but I should've suspected this a long time ago.

Suddenly, memories of the last few weeks starts to flash before me. How my bestfriend was always quick to remind me of my social status. Or of the fact that I'm a welfare student. I always brush it off as a joke. But now I realize she'd known about me and Nick for over a month now, at least.

“I’m so glad that I don’t have to pretend anymore with you. You’ll get kicked out and vanish from my eyes, and everything will go back to the way it should be!” She starts to turn away then stops.

“He can never belong to someone like you, Sara. The fact that you thought he could is just... sickening to say the least.”

I have no answer to that remark. My phone starts ringing before I can digest the hate-filled words.

I snatch it and slide the answer button without looking at the screen.

"Hi, is this Sara James?"

"Yes, who's this?" I hold the phone away for a quick glance. The number is unfamiliar.

"I'm calling from Forest Moon Medical house. You need to come quickly. Your father collapsed and was brought here a moment ago."