Accept Rejection

Pain radiated throughout my bloodstream. My heart seemed to be pressed from two directions until it felt suffocating. My wolf-who had just gotten up-was slowly backing away.

I fell. My knees kissed the ground again. My hands clutched my chest and my vision blurred with tears. My breathing was labored. This was so painful.

"I, Ruby O'Malley, eldest daughter of Alpha Wildrfire pack, accept your rejection, Jack Montgomery," I said still in the same position. Slowly the pain eased, but not completely.

He clucked. Staring intently at me in silence. His eyebrows drew together with a puzzled expression visible on his face.

"You don't have to pretend to do that. You don't have a wolf." He turned around and walked. Occasionally kicking a small stone that was in his way.

"Whatever. Maybe she's too hurt to fantasize."

Jack's muttering rang clearly in my ears. I wasn't hurt by his rejection, but my wolf was. She repeatedly told me to chase after Jack and not just let him go. But I couldn't do that.

Jackson Montgomery, the son of the warrior leader, was the chosen one who would be Alpha Arora's mate. It had been decided long ago, and in two days it would be done.

I turned around, passing through the hallway to reach the stairs that would take me to the basement. A hand grabbed my wrist and pulled hard. I was forced to turn around and stumbled when a leg extended in front of mine.

I patted my knee for who knows how many times. I could feel the bruise throbbing there. Before I could look up to see who it was, a thick red liquid invaded the top of my head and went down my clothes.

"Oh, sorry. My hand slipped," said Nola, Alpha Arora's loyal follower, with a grinning smile. She deliberately let go of the empty glass in her hand. The loud sound of the glass crashing against the floor splashed the shards of glass stuck in my hand.

Something quite sharp pressed against my leg that was stretched out behind me. I turned my head with a cry I couldn't contain. A high heel was digging into my foot and getting deeper by the second.

"Why do I feel like I'm stepping on something soft? Ah, are you the one who bought this new soft carpet, Alpha?" Livia, the girl with red hair who was also a loyal follower, looked at Alpha Arora with a happy twinkle.

Alpha Arora, who was leaning her shoulder against the wall, just looked at me with a flat look. As soon as a satisfied smile appeared on her lips, the five girls who had been her loyal followers since she was a child laughed loudly.

"Hey, guys. Did you see a woman who didn't have that wolf? Did you see her extremely slow healing process? She's even weaker than humans." Stella chuckled again. Her hand settled on her stomach as if she had heard a funny joke.

"I didn't see it. Maybe she's blending in with the floor. She's always been a pretty floor for Alpha Arora," added Diaz who only smiled with a smirk.

My hands were clenched tightly as I held back the fiery emotions in my heart. Slowly the fists loosened as I rose to my feet. My gaze was straight, just staring at them in turn for a few seconds, then walked away.

"Hey, how dare you ignore us!" Hannah shouted. Her hand moved quickly to pull my hair. I wasn't given time to dodge and try to shake her off when a kick hit my back.

A kick that was strong enough for my unprepared body. My lips slapped hard against the marble. I raised my head with rounded eyes. Blood flowed profusely from my torn lower lip.

I hurriedly brought my legs to run. Stepping quickly with a bloodied hand. Painful throbbing was felt all over my body. My body felt broken, but it was my heart that was sore and tired.

I wanted to be free from this place.

***

Three days had passed after the Alpha Arora mate's appointment day. I missed it. An event that still pained me. He, the mate who had rejected me, united his blood with Alpha Arora in front of the pack members. He had been the mate of choice for my sister, not for me.

Since childhood, my days have been difficult and exhausting. My only hope was the age of maturity, where I would find my mate and he would take me away from this place. But it turned out to be just a wish in the wind.

"Mouse, open this door quickly if you don't want to make mom angry!"

The sound of banging on the door woke up my reverie. I glanced at the slightly moldy wooden door before finally rising to my feet to approach it. Alpha Arora's annoyed face greeted me as soon as the door opened.

"What are you doing that's taking you so long just to open the door? It's still very early in the morning, what are you so busy doing?"

Then what business do you have coming here with such a passionate shout when the sun hasn't even risen fully?

I smiled faintly. "I was in the bathroom earlier," I lied.

Suddenly I took a few steps back. A large paper bag was suddenly handed to me. My hand moved automatically around it to keep it from falling.

"What's this?" I asked with a pair of raised eyebrows. I didn't understand what she was going to do to me this time.

"Immediately change into the clothes in the paper bag. There are high heels in there too."

Alpha Arora looked back and gave an eye gesture. Soon three women with a large box in their hands walked into my room. I recoiled as they forcefully entered before I gave permission.

What did she want to do? Does she want to put ridiculous clothes and makeup on me to treat me?

My lips parted and a second later snapped back shut at Alpha Arora's words.

"Don't ask so many questions. Just put on the dress and sit quietly while they apply light makeup to your face. I'll come back once everything is ready." After saying that, Alpha Arora turned around and walked away.

I was still staring at her until the small of her back disappeared. My arm was suddenly dragged behind my back. With a glare, I jerked her sassy hand away.

"I can change by myself. No need to drag me and follow me to the bathroom," I snapped.

I became submissive because I had no power. A new cut and fresh blood would be waiting for me if I disobeyed. At first, I thought they were treating me that way because I was weak and didn't have a wolf, but it seemed not.

I'm not stupid. I could see it. The hatred in my mother and sister's eyes made it clear that I was far beneath them. Someone who was usually referred to as family because of blood ties was always calling me a disgrace, a girl who shouldn't have been born into the world.

Like this moment. I remained silent until the three women finished applying my makeup. Unlike usual, they gave me a gentle touch and only kept my mouth shut. Although it was blurry, I could see in the mirror that they didn't make any silly makeup.

My gaze drops down. Where the white dress that clings to my body hangs down to the heels of my feet. Beautiful tiles are wrapped around my chest up to my stomach. Both my hands are wrapped in elbow-length white gloves.

I was confused. What kind of drama are they trying to pull on me?

A knock on the door and the makeup artists' footsteps moving away didn't bother me. I was still straight in the mirror with all the complexities in my head. But the presence of someone behind me made my body suddenly stiffen.

"You've accepted my rejection, but why am I still smelling your intoxicating scent?"

Without turning my head, I already knew who was behind me. When his hand touched my shoulder, I was shocked beyond belief. I felt my hair stand up as his breath brushed against my skin.

"I don't want to have you, but I don't want you to belong to someone else either. You can't marry another man. You'd better close your eyes in peace!"

Marry another man?

Before I could ask Jack what he meant, a small, pointy object was stuck in my neck. I turned my head to stare at the liquid that was forcefully injected into my body before my vision went dark.