Scorned

"Hell has no fury like a woman scorned."

That’d been my mantra since the mating ritual during the last full moon. The night Higan Sinclair unleashed the full extent of his hatred for me. He held nothing back, and even the blind could sense it.

I’ve cried, cursed—and cried again, but that was just the extent of my fury, the only release I could afford myself. Higan Sinclair was untouchable, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, while I was nothing more than an Omega—a lowly rank that didn’t even warrant his acknowledgment, let alone his respect.

Before Higan's scorn, I used to believe in love that could conquer anything. My mother would tell me stories of destined mates, of bonds between Alphas and Omegas, so strong they could survive any storm. But those were just stories, weren't they? In the real world, being mated with someone was a two-edged sword, and I was its latest casualty.

A sharp, piercing pain flared in my chest, and I clutched at it reflexively. “Shit!” I hissed through clenched teeth. The pain of a rejected mate had become a constant companion after that night, a relentless reminder that I was unwanted and unloved. The affliction came in sequentially.

I clutched tightly at my chest when the pain struck harder than the last. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them drop. In a desperate attempt to numb myself from the pounding discomfort, I clenched my eyes shut.

I cursed the night I was chosen as his mate. If that night hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have to suffer the agony of knowing when he was doing the unspeakable to another woman. The pain lingered for what seemed like forever before finally subsiding.

I heaved out a deep sigh, as I gathered myself up with all the strength I had left, and headed to class. My movements were slow and heavy with exhaustion.

To my disappointment, ill fate had not finished with me. I was just a few steps from the classroom when I was suddenly shoved from behind. My body staggered forward, and I barely had time to register what was happening before my face connected with the hard, cold floor, my binder spattering across the ground, papers flying everywhere.

I ignored the laughter and snide comments echoing around me as I crawled around the floor trying to gather my belongings. But each time I reached for something, someone passing by kicked it farther away from me and walked over it, leaving their shoe prints. Just as I reached for the last piece of paper which was my AP English essay that I worked so hard on, a polished black shoe planted itself firmly on it.

“Why, hello there, Hardly,” came a sneering voice above me.

I gritted my teeth, my fists clenching around the crumbling essay paper. “Hello, Adolph. Must I remind you for the umpteenth time that my name is Harlyn?”

Adolph’s hand shot out, grabbing me by the collar and yanking me to my feet. He slammed me against the lockers with such force that my binder fell from my grasp again.

“What’s wrong, Adolph? Still hate the name your mommy gave you?” I cooed, keeping my voice as steady as I could manage. His cold blue eyes narrowed, and he lifted me higher, my feet dangling off the ground. I held his gaze, refusing to back down. “If you could use a fraction of that energy in the Alpha contest, you would have been an Alpha by now.”

“Shut up! Why don't you first find a mate that wants you before running your mouth like a loose ass?” He snarled, his breath hot against my face.

His grip became more firm and for a moment I thought he might actually hit me. He abruptly released his grip making me land painfully on my butt. I tried to stand on my feet, but he knocked me on the ground again with his foot.

“That’s enough,” came a familiar voice from behind him—a voice that made my blood run cold.

“H-Higan…” Adolph stammered, his bravado faltering as he turned to face our Alpha.

Higan Sinclair, strolled towards us, his arm draped casually around Tess’s waist. I controlled the urge to roll my eyes at the sight of them. His minions followed behind. Some of which weren’t even part of the Crescent Moon Pack. He would rather treat them better than me. The crushing thought crossed my mind again—it was a reoccurring one.

Higan’s eyes gleamed with a twisted amusement, and I knew he’d seen everything.

“What have I said about treating our own like this?” He asked, as he finally got to where Adolph and I were, his tone laced with false concern. His hand came to rest on Adolph’s shoulder, making him shudder. “It doesn’t reflect well on us. Or on me, your Alpha,” he added, the words dripping with mock authority.

Higan’s gaze shifted to me, and my inner wolf stirred, reacting to the proximity of her so-called mate. But I refused to let him see how deeply he affected me. I remained on the ground, staring defiantly up at him, the rage I’d been trying to suppress bubbling to the surface.

My mind drifted back to the Mating Ritual night. “I’d rather die than be mated with Harlyn Sage.” These were the exact words he said with no hesitation. The horrors of the night after he made the declaration, burned into my soul like a branding iron. He was indeed a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Before that night, his cruelty had been mild, hardly more than a few cutting remarks or a cold shoulder. But after he publicly rejected me, it turned into a full-blown campaign of torment. He’d let his minions do as they pleased with me, all the while pretending to be the concerned Alpha, but I knew better. The mere sight of me disgusted him.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes again, but I blinked them away. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

“Are you okay, Harlyn?” Higan’s voice was a poisonous hiss, dripping with false concern. It made my skin crawl, how barely concealed the scorn was. I wanted to scream, to tear him apart with my bare hands, but I stayed still, stuck in my own silence.

“I’m fine,” I finally managed to choke out. He nodded, a cruel smile tugging at the corners of his lips, and turned away, signaling his minions to follow. As they walked past, Tess shot me a look I’ve known too well, before pulling Higan down for a possessive, claiming kiss. He returned it with equal fervor, and then they turned and left, their laughter echoing down the hallway.

My chest began hurting considerably more like it did before. It was like being stabbed repeatedly with a blunt knife, a constant reminder of my disgraceful bond with him. I watched them disappear around the corner, their laughter still jeering in my ears.

Why do I have to endure this torment every time something happens between them? I never asked to be his mate. I never wanted this cursed bond. I was still coming to terms with being an Omega in a strange pack, and now I was being tormented by the deranged Alpha who thought he was too good for me. Technically, he was. But it still hurt.

The fifth bell rang, snapping me out of my agonizing thoughts. I let out an irritated sigh as I gathered the rest of my belongings and shoved them into my backpack with a little too much force. I hurried down the corridor, wanting nothing more than to get away from the place of my newfound embarrassment.

I kept my eyes fixed on the ground while trying to blend into the crowd as I made my way to the back of the classroom where I had found a spot. The familiar faces of my classmates blurred in together, their whispers and snickers fading into the background as I was too drained to care.

All of a sudden, the room fell silent. I glanced up to see our AP English teacher, Mr. Donald marching into the room with a thick stack of papers in his hand.

“Settle down, everyone,” Mr. Donald called out, his deep voice cutting through the remaining whispers. “I have your essays from last week. Some of you clearly didn’t put in the effort, and it shows. While some of you didn’t bother submitting at all.” His eyes landed on me, on the last statement which made my stomach twisted into knots.

I sat up, my mind flashing back to when my essay had been crumpled under Adolph’s shoe. That son of a gun. If only he hadn’t gotten in my way, I wouldn’t be in such a mess right now. I tried my best to throw Mr. Donald the most sympathetic look, but I wasn’t sure he caught it. I pulled out my squeezed essay paper from my backpack and straightened it out as best as I could. I would have to come up with a lie to tell him.

“We have a new student joining us today,” Mr. Donald continued, gesturing for someone to come in. “I expect you all to make him feel welcome.” A loud chatter erupted in the class, and it was justified. Transfer students were pretty rare in Springville. Everyone in school knew each other from middle school, some even from elementary school. And to add to it, it was unusual to have a transfer student in the middle of the school session. The idea of having a new student piqued my curiosity as it did with the other students.

Eager to know who it was, I cocked my head to see the new student walk in. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but he certainly wasn't. He was tall and had broad shoulders like he’d spent his whole life building them. His hair was dark like it had a life of its own. His eyes scanned the room, intense and piercing, as if sizing us all up. He strode with a confident stride, each of his steps deliberate and measured.

“Class, this is Ethan Starrk,” Mr. Donald said, introducing him. “Ethan, feel free to take any open seat.”

When his gaze locked onto mine, I felt a stifling jolt. It was like he could see right through me, peeling back layers until there was nothing left to hide. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my heart stumbling over its own rhythm.

Something about him made the hair on the back of my neck stand, even without speaking a word. His gaze traveled down my body as he strode. And in a flash, he took the seat directly behind me.

The air around me tensed. I could feel him from where he was, just a breath away. The sensation in my belly felt like a trapdoor suddenly opening. Even though my gut was telling me to run for the door, the weight of his presence was keeping me in place.

“Alright, let’s get started with the lesson,” Mr. Donald announced, snapping me back to reality. But the words barely registered. I was hyper-aware of Ethan behind me, his eyes boring into the back of my head. It was unnerving. Class dragged on, and I tried to focus on the lesson, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Ethan.

When the bell finally rang, I hastily packed my stuff because I was itching to get away. And just as I stood up, I felt something–the lightest graze on my neck. It was so brief that I almost thought I’d imagined it.

I spun around, but Ethan was already on his way out, his stride confident, and unhurried. He didn’t look back, didn’t acknowledge me at all, but the tension he left behind was palpable, a blanketed weight in the air, long after he’d gone.

I took a sharp breath as I stepped out of the classroom, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I had made sure he was far gone before making my decision to step out. I would have stayed longer but I had to hand in my essay to Mr. Donald before my next class and I couldn’t afford to be late.

I took a sharp corner, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of the lies I had cooked up, and crashed straight into someone, knocking me to the ground for the second time that day. Or so I thought it was until I realized I was hanging mid-air and a muscular arm holding me in place.

“What the—?” The words caught in my mouth as my eyes met with who I thought was going to be another sneering bully. To my surprise, it was a wonderfully crafted mysterious new student.

His intense gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment the world seemed to stop. The uneasiness and nerves faded away.

What’s with his eyes? An unsettling shade of green with a tint of gold that seemed almost out of this world. Heck! It was out of this world.

My brows furrowed in its own accord. There was definitely something strange about him.

“Are you alright?” He asked, drawing me out of my reverie. His voice held a distinct British accent, low, and smooth, carrying a hint of concern that felt out of place.

I’m fine,” I muttered, trying to pull away from him, but he didn’t budge. Instead, his grip tightened. I could see a frown forming on his forehead, his eyes narrowing and roaming as if he were trying to solve a puzzle.

He leaned in closer, his nose brushing slightly against my hair, and inhaled deeply. For a moment, I thought he was going to say something, but then he abruptly let go of me, taking a step back as if he had been stung. Immediately, I caught myself, not letting my back make contact with the floor. His expression had shifted to something almost… wary.

“You’re… different,” he murmured to himself as if trying to figure out something. “What are you?”

I stared at him in bewilderment. His eyes darkened, a strange gleam flickering between them. Yet there was something else there—curiosity? Perhaps, recognition. I wasn't sure.

Why is he asking me that? Does he know I’m a werewolf? Is he human? He doesn’t look human. Was this a prank?

The words that had no response caught in my mouth. I gawked at him for several beats, and my mind could only form one logical answer.