DUE FOR REVENGE

Selene’s POV

I could feel it—the rejection clawing, tearing at my insides. It was more than just words, more than just a sentence; it was as if Callum had reached inside and torn out my heart, leaving only the hole. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Mates were meant to be sacred bonds, forged by destiny. But Callum had shattered it without a second thought, without even looking back.

The pain spread across my body like a fire, searing every nerve, every part of me that had ever believed in him, in us. It was like being set ablaze from the inside out. My knees buckled, and I barely managed to catch myself on a table nearby. I heard rejections were brutal, that some didn’t survive it at all. But I hadn’t expected it to feel like dying in slow motion. There was no relief, no way to numb it; it just kept coming, wave after wave, pulling me under.

“Selene,” he said coldly, “Let’s not make this harder than it has to be.”

He didn’t flinch. He didn’t feel a thing. Callum was unaffected, his eyes blank, emotionless, as if he hadn’t just ripped my soul apart. His gaze was colder than I’d ever seen it, void of even the slightest trace of compassion. To him, I was nothing but an unwanted object to him.

“Let’s go,” he said, grabbing my arm, his fingers digging into my skin. “You have an audience waiting.”

I tried to pull back, but I was weak, barely able to stand on my own as he dragged me forward. It wasn’t enough to reject me in private; he had to drag me out to humiliate me publicly, to strip me of any last shred of dignity I might have clung to. I bit my lip to keep from crying out, swallowing the pain that threatened to choke me. But Callum was relentless, pulling me through the hall until we reached the gathering crowd.

He let go of my arm, stepping back just far enough so that everyone could see me, exposed, broken, while he stood there, tall and proud, untouched by the wreckage he’d left in his wake.

“Everyone!” he called out, his voice ringing with authority. “Listen up!”

The murmur of voices died down, and all eyes turned to us. I could feel them, watching, judging. They already knew what this was, what he was about to do, and I could see the cruel gleam in their eyes, the satisfaction in their twisted smiles. They wanted this—they wanted to see me broken.

“I no longer have anything to do with this woman,” he announced, his voice filled with scorn. “Selene means nothing to me. Whatever bond we had is gone, severed. She’s free to anyone who wants her.” He said the last part with a cruel smirk, as if I were some unwanted object to be passed around and disrespected.

A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd, some people snickering, others outright laughing. I wanted to scream, to tell them to stop, but my throat was too tight, my voice lost somewhere in the agony that consumed me.

“Selene here,” he continued, gesturing towards me with a dismissive wave, “she’ll do anything for someone she loves. She’s desperate, clingy, willing to do anything I ask of her. But she’s no longer my responsibility.” He looked me up and down, his gaze filled with disgust. “I don’t want her.”

The laughter grew louder, mocking, merciless. My face burned with shame, tears stinging the corners of my eyes. I forced myself not to cry, to hold on to some semblance of strength, but it was slipping, slipping too fast.

Callum turned back to me, his eyes dark and full of disdain. “If I ever see you again, Selene, if you dare show your face around me or anywhere I am… I’ll kill you myself.”

The words were like a slap, each syllable searing into my skin. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, my heart shattered, crushed beyond recognition. I had nothing left—not even my dignity. When Callum turned his back on me, dismissing me as if I were trash, I felt every eye follow me, their stares stripping me bare, mocking, unrelenting.

I stumbled through the crowd, desperate to escape, to find some place where I could be alone, but the world felt small, suffocating. I made it to the car—my one remaining possession, or so I thought. Just as I reached for the door, I felt a hand clamp down on my shoulder.

“Not so fast,” Callum said, his voice a low growl. “This car? It’s mine now.”

“What?” I whispered, my voice hoarse, barely audible. “You… you’re taking my car too?”

He sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. “Everything you have is mine, Selene. You have nothing.”

He ripped the keys from my hand, leaving me standing there, stranded, abandoned. He didn’t care that I had nowhere to go, nothing left to my name. Then he stalked closer to me, “The clothes you are wearing are mine too.”

“W..what?”

Then he grabbed them and ripped the top of the dress. The whole hall was silent already. I gripped the shreds of my gown, trembling at the monster in front of me. He was about to continue when a voice rang out, “Alpha Callum, You have already rejected her. Allow her to go, this behavior is unacceptable.”

Callum stopped, giving me a glare. I turned to see the man that had rescued me from this. And I saw a white bearded man and he gave me a soft nod.

Then I turned and started walking, my steps unsteady, each one feeling like I was walking further into oblivion. I didn’t know where I was going, and I didn’t care. I just wanted to get away from him, from everyone, to find a place where I could fall apart in peace. The world was a blur, my mind numb, my chest hollow.

It was getting dark when I heard the rumble of a car approaching. I didn’t look up, didn’t care to see who it was. But the car slowed, matching my pace, and a voice called out.

“Selene.”

I stopped, glancing over, barely registering the man behind the wheel. His face was shadowed, and I just didn’t care.

“I know what happened,” he said, his voice smooth, almost soothing. “I have something that might interest you.”

I continued walking. “And who are you?”

“That doesn’t matter right now,” he replied, his tone even. “All you need to know is that I have a proposition for you… something that could help you get back at him.”

I shook my head. “Why would you… why would you want to help me?”

He leaned over, his eyes locking onto mine, and there was a glint there, something dangerous and tempting. “Let’s just say I’m no fan of Callum’s. And I think you’re due for a little… revenge, don’t you?”

A cold laugh escaped me, bitter and hollow. “Revenge? What could you possibly give me?”

He leaned closer, his voice a whisper, yet sharp. “Access to him, to take back everything he stole. But I’ll need something from you in return.”

“What… what do you mean?” I asked, dread pooling in my stomach.

He smiled, slow and predatory. “All I ask for is access.”

“Access?” I repeated. “Access to what?”

He looked me up and down, his gaze lingering, making my skin crawl. “Your body.”

I recoiled, the horror making all the pain go away. “You’re disgusting,” I spat, stumbling back, away from him. “Fuck off… get away from me.”

He didn’t move, watching me with a calm, almost amused expression. “I think it is a small price for what I’m offering you, Selene. Freedom. Dignity. Revenge.”

I wanted to scream at him, to pour out everything I was feeling on him. I was about to tell him to get out of my sight, but my words faltered, my vision blurring, and the world began to spin. My legs gave out, and the last thing I saw was his smirk as darkness consumed me.