1. A Rejection.

Aurora POV

 “Forget about everything we had, Aurora. Last night was only a mistake. Erase it all from your memory.” 

  I froze in shock, stifling a gasp. Fear ripped through me as I heard the words of the man standing in front of me. His eyes were cold, glaring at me with pure disdain. 

 I raised my brow in surprise. My mind held a cluster of thoughts, and I was utterly confused, speechless by how he was behaving.

“What do you mean? Forget about what exactly?” I asked him, with anxiety running through me already. 

“Everything. About last night, us together, our love story, our relationship. Everything. Forget about it. I want you to forget about whatever we had together. I only used you for my own lusty desires, nothing more,” he said, running his hand over his face, covering it. 

 I gasped in surprise. Who was the monster in front of me? This wasn't the man I knew last night, the man I knew for years, my loving boyfriend. Why was he acting so cold? The thoughts swept across my mind like a flood, and as a clueless dimwit I was, I had no answer to it.

“Why are you saying this, Adrian? Is the alcohol from last night still…”

“Shut up,” he retorted immediately. “I am saying this with my clear mind, Aurora. I know that you must have woken up this morning thinking about last night, having high hopes that you would be my mate after what happened between us, but I'm sorry to crush your hopes,” he said, furrowing his brows in anger.  

My heart was beginning to beat faster for fear of losing him. 

  Adrian was my boyfriend of seven years. He was the soon-to-be alpha of the Moonshadow Pack, a rival pack to that of my father's. Even though our parents were sworn enemies, I found myself waltzing into his life, and since then, had hopes that he would one day mark me as his mate. 

  I had given everything to him, and last night, my virginity topped the list. I loved him so much to trust that he would mark me. Even though we weren't fated mates, he had promised to announce me his mate. With the power of love, we believed we could end our parents’ enmity, but the man standing in front of me seemed to be so different from who I knew last night. 

“What are you saying, Adrian? I think we can talk this through,” I said, raising my hands to wrap them around his neck, but he grabbed them, pulling them off him. 

“Don't ever touch me again, Aurora. Did you really think that with all that is going on between your father and mine, I would love you?” 

“But you told me you loved me, Adrian. You even had a fated mate, but you told me you didn't want anyone else other than me. Why are you saying this?” I asked, feeling the tears brimming in my eyes.

“And that's the reason why you are foolish because you were gullible to believe me. I'm in love with my fated mate, not you. It was a plan all along. I wanted to hurt the most important thing to your father, and that's you,” he said, smirking, as cruelty danced in his eyes.

 I couldn't believe my ears. Was he the one saying this? Who was this monster in front of me? He had so many evil plans, and I was a fool to believe him.

“You can't do this to me, Adrian. Sexual relationships between mates seal and strengthen their bond. You can't do this to me, Adrian. Please, come back to your senses,” I begged, tears stinging harsh, I couldn't choke it back. 

“You are not my fated mate, Aurora. You're only a mateless whore who goes around trusting random guys and giving herself away to them. This is what people will call you from now on when they learn the truth. You have a chosen mate, right? Guess what will happen? I'm sure he will also leave you,” Adrian mouthed with pure disdain.

 Tears rolled down my eyes. I didn't know that it was his plan all along. For several years, he was planning to ruin my life. 

“I don't care what happened between us. I just used you for my own interests," Adrian said, with cold murky eyes. I could see the hatred in them, a strong detest for me.  

  Someone I gave my all to was now rebuking me, and calling me a mistake in his life, rejecting me, and the love I had for him. My whole world was shattering before my very eyes, yet, there was nothing I could do.

“Adrian, please…” Before I could beg him, he pronounced the most shattering words I have ever heard.

“I, Adrian Huntley, future Alpha of the Moonshadow Pack, reject you, Aurora Graywood, for my chosen mate, and break all bonds with you. Whether you accept the rejection or not, it is over between us. I never want to see you again.”

  Tears rolled down my cheeks. I couldn't even come to terms with the grief I was feeling. The anxiety that burned through me, mixed with his heartbreaking cold words made me want to kill myself.

 I should die. I needed to. Death should just take me away.

 He turned around, and I grabbed his arm.

“Please, don't do this, Adrian. I can't live without you,” I begged, almost as if my life would end if he took one step further away from me.

“If you can't live without me, then die. You can go and kill yourself, Aurora. I don't care what happens to you now,” he said, flinching, and walking over to the bed to grab his shirt. He wore them, and put on back his pants, dressing up, without even looking at me, while I cried and sobbed right in front of him.

 My world was over. What would happen now? What if he leaked the truth about our relationship to my father to make my father feel like a loser? That would make me feel like a disgrace.

 Adrian grabbed his car keys, and walked past me, barging his shoulder against mine, making me fall to the ground, still crying.

“Till we see no more!” He snarled, leaving the room. 

 And those words, so few yet lethal, killed my hopes of loving anyone forever, leaving me to die in the guilt of my stupid sins.

  My phone buzzed on the bed, ringing. I turned around reluctantly, picking it up. Seeing my sister calling, I wiped my tears immediately.

“Where are you, Aurora? Dad is furious. He's been asking for you,” she shrieked, with heavy worry laced in her voice.

 Exactly what I was afraid of – my father knowing about my absence from the pack last night.

“Help me out with a lie, Riley. I am on my way there. You'd see me in no time,” I told her, knowing she would always cover up for me.

“My head is blank at the moment, Aurora. I told him that you had to get something important, and he's been asking what it was. Where exactly are you?” She asked again.

“I am…”

 No. I shouldn't tell her. It would make things complicated.

“What?”

“I was out for something. I will tell you later. First, just wash him off with something,” I said, with strong terror in me.

 Only my father's gaze was enough to make one shiver, and I wondered what I would be doing hearing him scold me.

“Come quickly. He knows I'm calling you, so I'd just find a lie to tell. Hurry now,” she said.

 I hung up before she even said goodbye. Grabbing my small bag on the couch, I ran out of the room immediately, not even speaking to the receptionist to inform her that we had vacated the room. I had to rush to our pack immediately.

 Reaching there, I could feel my feet beginning to wobble. Just the thought of facing my father made me fear, and I wondered what he would say.

 I walked into the pack house and was greeted by two servants. Ignoring them, I headed inside. The living room seemed to be empty, as I found no one apart from the servants working around. We lived in the building in front of the pack house behind, and my father chose for us to have our own special house as the Alpha family.

 I tiptoed my way inside, trying not to be heard.

 “And where do you think you're sneaking into, Aurora?” 

 The voice, thunderous and throaty, shook my core, making me halt in my steps. 

 Oh no, goddess, please save me!