1 : Broken Expecations

"Abort this pup", the most unexpected words from Rubel hit Haya's ears as she felt the earth beneath her sliding away. She was looking straight into his eyes without reacting and with an expectation that he might regret saying that and take his words back. 

But his eyes didn't show any guilt. She gulped and paused for a while before speaking anything.

"You're kidding me, right?", she faked a smile.

"No, I'm not. Why would I? I would be kidding if I had asked you to keep that pup", Rubel said in a disgust-filled voice. 

"But.....", she choked, trying her best to control her tears. "But we love each other"

"Huh? What? When did this happen?"

"I'm your girlfriend", her devastated eyes shook. 

"But not my mate. You're not my mate. I hope you remember. I have my mate. Harper! And I'm gonna have my pups with her in the future. You're just a dumb she-wolf who doesn't deserve to get pregnant with an Alpha's child. You got it?"

Haya was getting all the unexpected moments of her life in just one day was hard for her to digest. She lost the ability to say anything or fight with Rubel for her rights. 

"You thought I would leave Harper for you and your stupid pup?", he pointed at her belly. "Who knows you, by the way? Who are you? Is there anything that makes you special to be an Alpha's mate?"

"But you were the one to mate me", she pushed herself to speak. 

"You won't stop proving yourself stupid. When did I mate with you? Did I mark you? Did I declare you my mate? I just slept with you. That doesn't mean I had left everything behind"

She realized that every word coming from his mouth was true. He never said he loved her, nor he ever marked her. 

"It'll be better for you if you let this mess go and live me peacefully. And if you don't wanna leave it, you better shut your mouth", stepping closer, he pointed at her. It shuddered her in fear and she shook her head. "Fix this in your mind. If anyone gets to know about it, I won't spare you"

Rubel left the common room after breaking her heart into several pieces. All the tears she was huddling inside her streamed down her cheeks as she knelt on the ground. She couldn't believe what had happened in her life all of a sudden. 

Haya Arcel was nineteen years old, an average-looking she-wolf of the dark nightingale pack. Her father was the Gamma of that pack, working as the chief soldiers, so as her two brothers. From a very early age, she was never treated specially as she had nothing extraordinary in her. Even in the college itself, she was treated as a random student with average grades and fewer friends. Rubel Wesson was the future Alpha king of her neighboring pack who used to hit on her even a week ago. Now, he didn't even consider her worthy of him. However, deep down, she realized she expected too much from a man she met a month ago. 

Always craving for love and attention, it wasn't difficult for Haya to fall in love with someone who would make her feel a bit special or else pretend to do so. She hadn't found her mate waiting for an entire year after her eighteenth birthday. 

Her hands skimmed down to her stomach when she cried her heart out before going out of that common room. She wasn't allowed to show her tears or share her grief with anyone. 

After a while, she could manage to stand up and control her tears but the fear of handling a teenage pregnancy without the person she slept with was near to impossible for her which she could realize. 

Her legs wobbled to walk, stressing all the limbs of her body. Among a bunch of students around her walking, gossiping, and talking, she was left unnoticed. None had paid attention to the girl who was walking along the corridor like a dead body. However, it didn't bother her. She was overlooked by everyone all her life. 

Settling herself in the first row, Haya stared at the wooden table as if her eyeballs were frozen or she had been hypnotized. She was already pressurized enough for not finding her mate yet. In addition, now she was carrying a pup of someone who was not even her mate. She thought of the horrible consequences and the backlash she would get from her family, her pack, her friend, and everyone around her. Horrible thoughts crammed inside her, delivering cold shivers all over her body. 

She didn't wanna be a stigma on her family and her pack.

"Hey, Haya", a girl slammed her bag on the table, bringing Haya back to the earth. The girl had worn a similar t-shirt to Haya and big trousers. 

"Natal..lia", Haya's voice shook.

"Are you enunciating my name for the first time?", the blonde-haired girl rolled her hair. "Natalia. What's Natal-lia?"

She lowered her eyes again, dragging herself aside to make some room for her good friend Natalia. She didn't have any best friends. Natalia and a few students used to get along with her well. However, Natalia still cared a lot for her, they might be in the process of being best friends.

"What happened? Your mom scolded you again?"

Haya nodded while denying. 

"Then you can't memorize any lesson?"

Haya denied that time too when Natalia kept guessing the reason for her downward mood. 

"Well, what's then?", Natalia sighed in frustration.

"I'm good", Haya muttered. She wasn't comfortable talking about her unexpected pregnancy, which might bring out more questions for her. Natalia didn't even know that Haya was dating Rubel. She wouldn't believe too, no one would believe.

Haya denied that time too.

"Anyway, you're always a silent baby", Natalia mocked, looking at the square-shaped mirror she had just taken out of her bag. "You know the captain of our football team is back. Now, we'll win for sure"

Haya frowned at her. "From when did you start taking an interest in football?", she asked, being curious as Natalia bit her bottom lip. "Well", she whispered. "Not football but I definitely have interest in the captain"

Haya could sense the answer so she didn't react much, "Oh!"

"Oh?", Natalia glared at her. "Aren't you interested? Just imagine, Aaron Samuels, the most handsome student AKA the captain of the football team, is standing in front of your eyes, looking at you. And you're looking at him", Natalia cupped her face while looking at any random way. She must be lost in her dream world. "And calling your name"

"Haya Arcel!", a coarse, husky voice said her name as Haya's eyes automatically moved in the direction from where the voice came. 

She found Aaron Samuels, wearing a blue jersey and boxers, standing at the entrance of the class with his fellow players. He was not unfamiliar to her. Haya had come across him most of the time as they were in the same college. She never paid attention to the tall, grey-haired guy with a pair of blue eyes and a good muscular body with caramel skin. 

Almost all the girls were staring at him, along with Natalia. No one heard he took Haya's name. Even Haya wasn't sure that it was her name that escaped from his mouth. She took a few seconds to sense anything.

"Haya Arcel? Anyone?", Aaron rolled his blue eyes to scan all the girls. Haya assured herself that he had called her and strived to say something.

"There's no Haya Arcel", a girl spoke from the third row. Haya couldn't speak.

"Are you sure?", Aaron raised his eyebrows. 

"Is there? I don't think so", that girl said, looking at another girl.

"Umm... No. I don't think there's any Haya"

Haya gulped and looked at Natalia, who was busy staring at Aaron. She didn't even listen to anything, Haya thought. 

"No", another voice said.

"Well, then.....", Aaron attempted to say something.

"Ex... Excuse me!", Haya managed to say aloud as all the eyes shifted to her, including Aaron's. "I'm Hay-Haya Arcel"

She stood up while rubbing her palms against each other. Aaron looked at her carefully for a while, scanning her entire face in detail, as she felt more nervous.

"You're Haya Arcel?", the first girl spat. Haya shook her head.

"Oh! We didn't know", another girl from behind said. 

Haya felt disappointed, but she had adjusted herself to that environment where she was no one special.

"Well, you're selected for the head cheerleader for this tournament", Aaron announced.

"What?", a bunch of voices echoed in the classroom. When Haya was in both surprise and joy, the entire class was shocked which didn't let her smile.

"How can she become the head cheerleader?", that first girl in the second row argued. "Just look at her"

Haya hanged her head in humiliation. She always had an interest in this sector but because of the lack of personality and attitude, she could never make it up. She was always in the last row of cheerleaders. 

"Are you sure it's the name of the new cheerleader? Maybe you read something wrong. This name can be of that person who is kicked out of the team because of the lack of charm", the former head cheerleader, Riley spat from her seat.

Haya sensed her eyes burning, and she hardly tried to control her tears.

"There's nothing wrong. I'm not mistaken", Aaron muffled, taking a glance at Haya. He could not accept the inhuman humiliation she was facing, still not uttering a single word. "And Haya Arcel has made it. Please accept that and stop being so unprofessional. Better for your future and career", he shrugged, gazing at everyone as he shifted his eyes back to Haya. "Join the rehearsals from today and make your team"

She shook her head. Aaron walked out of the classroom without dragging the things anymore. 

"How ridiculous!", Riley scowled at Haya.

"Huh! Let it be. I guess there's some misunderstanding and the authority will realize it soon", said the girl who was supporting Riley in bashing Haya.

Haya didn't answer back, and sat down.

"What just happened?", Natalia finally came back to her senses.

"Nothing much", Haya feared of misunderstandings now. She had become the head cheerleader. Was that the misunderstanding of authority? Just like her relationship with Rubel was nothing but a misunderstanding to her. Her heart twisted.

It wasn't enough to burn her from the core. Rubel entered the classroom with Harper, his hand wrapped around her waist. Harper was one of the most beautiful girls in the college and also the prettiest she-wolf of her pack. She was a good student and had a melodious voice with a few achievements in signing. No doubt why Rubel thought Harper deserved to be the Luna of his pack and the mother of his child.

They walked to the fifth row near the window. Haya's shameless eyes were glued to them while Rubel didn't even notice her. 

Haya stepped out of the classroom with a heavy heart. Time was passing at its speed, with the complete world running along with it. Only her life seemed to be messed up.

"Everything will be fine", her wolf, Serena said. 

She never felt lonely from the age of eighteen after her wolf finally came out. However, she never listened to Serena. Her wolf warned her a lot when she was getting trapped with Rubel. 

She came to her senses as her phone rang. Her heart sank, discovering her mother's call.