Chapter 0002

Fiona

I furrowed my brows in confusion, as I stared at them. I slowly walked towards them in the center of the hall.

"Will you be my mate Rhian?" He asked, his eyes quivering with raw emotions.

I froze in shock as my heart shattered into countless pieces, each one piercing my chest with an agonizing pain as I stood there motionless. My eyes, once filled with hope and anticipation, now widened in shock and disbelief as I gazed at him unable to tear myself away from the scene unfolding before my eyes.

"Yes!!" Rhian squealed, as tears of joy glistened in her eyes as Leland put the ring on her finger.

The reality of the situation hit me like a puff of wind, causing me to take an involuntary step back as my heart raced, trying to process the unexpected turn of events.

My whole world came crashing down in front of my eyes. My mind raised with a whirlwind of thoughts, as I questioned the depths of our mate bond.

What's happening?

I thought my mate is not supposed to love anyone but me. How can he just disregard our bond like it meant nothing? All these thoughts ran in my mind all at once as tears welled up in my eyes.

I mustered up the courage and walked up to him, but he simply ignored me and went up to where Alpha Shaw, Rhian's dad, was seated.

"Greetings Alpha," he said as he bowed and knelt down on one knee, "I'd like to seek your permission to mark your daughter Rhian," he said as he stared into her eyes affectionately, the same way he always stares at me or so I thought.

His words echoed in my mind, and the pain emanating from my wounded heart intensified with each passing second, threatening to consume me completely.

"No!!" I screamed, as my voice echoed in the hall and everyone turned in my direction. I clasped my head with my trembling hands, "This cannot be… This cannot be…" I mumbled under my breath.

"No!" My wolf, Tris, screamed in my head also which led to a low growl on my end. She was hurting more badly than I ever was, she couldn't bear the thought of our mate rejecting us after all the promises made and choosing another.

"What about her?" Alpha Shaw asked, referring to me.

"Her?" Leland said, as he walked towards me one of his hands behind his back and Rhian beside him, "she's just a mistake made by the moon goddess," he scoffed "Everyone here knows that I and Rhian are destined mate right from childhood," he continued and everyone nodded as if they were under some spell or something.

"W-why?" I asked softly but loud enough for everyone to hear amidst the tears rolling uncontrollably down my cheeks.

I could not believe Leland who just professed his love to me the night before while we made love could be this cold. The passion and love I saw in his eyes were different from the icy glare I was receiving.

"Why?" He scoffed, "because you are weak," he said flatly. "Of what use can a weakling like you be to me?"

I suddenly went weak in the knees and slumped on the floor as his every word pierced my heart. I was getting a look of pity and confusion from the pack members.

Some of them probably thought I was just a girl heartbroken because a guy I had been crushing on chose someone else, but none of them had the slightest idea.

"Great!" Alpha Shaw said his face beaming with smiles as he stood up from his chair clapping his hands and walked towards Leland and Rhian and hugged them.

Everyone applauded them and I felt betrayed, how can these people be so inconsiderate? Does no one care to know why I'm in the middle of the banquet hall crying, they were all just concerned about pleasing the Alpha and the birthday girl. Just as I was about to pick myself up and avoid further embarrassment, Rhian spoke.

"Fiona," Rhian called trying to be all nice, "whatever you think you had with Leland is just a big confusion," she said smiling sweetly as everyone fawned at her thinking she was so benevolent not knowing she was just a snake. No, she's not, she did absolutely nothing to me. The one I should be angry at should be Leland but I can't bring myself to be angry at him no matter how hard I try. Maybe this was just a big confusion like Rhian said, everything will be sorted out eventually, and Leland will definitely explain everything, this just has to be some prank, I consoled myself.

"No!" Tris screamed again in my head, "he's our mate, he's meant to be nice to us and treat us right!"

I took a deep breath as I stood up from the floor staring into Leland's emerald eyes for any clue whatsoever that this is just a prank but I found none.

"Fiona, I've made a promise to Rhian from childhood that she's going to be my mate when she comes of age, and this is not just an agreement, I love Rhian," he said, staring at her affectionately as he ran his knuckles down her cheeks.

"What about the promise you made to me?" I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. "Did last night mean absolutely nothing to you?" I said in-between sobs.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, trying to feign ignorance, "Let's not make this any more complicated." He looked at me with those emerald eyes, which had always looked at me with love but now it was nothing short of contempt as he spoke, "With all pack members being present and bearing witness, I, Leland Killian White, son of Beta Russell White hereby reject you Fiona Beau Macleod, daughter of Gamma Ferguson as my mate."

And that was it, the final blow, my wolf Tris tried taking control but I used the last strength in me to prevent her, I suddenly felt a lump in my throat as my voice failed me. I could not believe this was happening, Leland told me he loved me, and that was why I gave him my whole body and soul without even sparing it a thought, and now this, what's happening?

"This is definitely a dream…. It's definitely a dream," I mumbled. "Wake up Fiona," I said as I hit my hand hard on my head, in an attempt to wake up from this nightmare I staggered backward and almost tripped before Tamara held me.

"Accept the rejection, Fiona!" He flared as he clenched his fists and veins started throbbing in his neck.

"Don't accept Beau," my wolf, Tris pleaded. She's actually the only one that calls me Beau, "Please, this is all a misunderstanding, everything will be cleared soon," she assured me.

I felt extreme pain in my heart that seemed to claw at my very essence as Leland said the official words of breaking the mating bonds. With every breath I took, it felt as if someone was repeatedly squeezing my heart over and over again.

The thought of every cherished moment, every of Leland's touch while we made love, and all the memories we had intensifies the pain.

"Nothing can be done, Tris," I replied sadly. "It's over now."

"What are you waiting for?" The voice of Rhian broke my thoughts, "He doesn't love you, so why force things? Just accept the rejection and let's be done with it," she

snarled.

"What the hell is going on here?!" A familiar voice interrupted.