Chapter 4

Avery's POV

In the pretty ceremony hall, I dressed up in a beautiful gown, ready for the mating ceremony. The place was almost crowded with different people. The air smelled like special herbs, and everyone was excited. Damon, wearing traditional clothes, came up to me with a sweet smile.

The ceremony began fully now, and the elders chanted some ancient blessings, and the colorless flames of sacred candles cast a warm, golden glow in the air. After all this, we danced, and he told me,

"You look amazing, Avery. Today is about us." I forced a smile, still feeling hurt inside.

"Thanks, Damon. You're not so bad either." I said, trying to hide the pain. As we danced, Damon leaned in for a kiss. The crowd watched, and then he asked,

"Avery, will you be my mate forever?" I hesitated, feeling torn inside. Finally, I took a step back and said,

"I can't. No, I won't." The room went silent. Damon looked shocked, and people started talking.

"Why, Avery?" Damon asked, looking hurt. He's such a pretender,so after cheating on me with my stepsister, he could still look this hurt? I can't give in to his tricky deceit. I was pained at what he did, and with tears in my eyes, I said,

"You betrayed us, Damon. I can't commit forever to someone who broke our trust."

"No..no." He shook his head negatively and cupped my cheeks, but I moved away, slapping his hand away from my cheeks.

"Don't give me that look!" I said, and this time I broke down completely in tears. He looked like he loved me, and I really thought he did. If I hadn't seen what I saw the other day,I wouldn't know it's all fake. It was just fake love. Yet he was still pretending and acting innocent.

"What did I do? What's going on? Talk to me. You were smiling just a few minutes ago." He tried whispering in my ears as the crowd's attention on us increased, and I pushed him away, disgusted.

"What's going on between you and Isabella?" This question changed his expression, and all I wanted to hear was the stuttering.

"I don't understand. What do you mean?" He asked me without any particular facial expression.

"I'm aware of your secret affairs with my step sister. How could you do this to me,to think you're trying to deny it?" I increased my voice, loud enough for those around to hear, as my tears streamed freely down my cheeks. I could see in his eyes that there was nothing he could say that would make sense.

Damon really hurt me; he's the reason I went to the bar and ended up having a one-night stand, and for the past few weeks, I've been seeing some strange signs in my body, and I couldn't lie, I secretly feared.

I discovered I was carrying his child. A stranger's child, for goodness sake. I could have gone in search of him, but I didn't know his whereabouts. I just let the pregnancy stay, and I plan to put the pregnancy on Damon after the mating ceremony to protect myself.

Isabella was there, raging as usual, watching me cry in front of Damon. All she's good at is portraying herself to be what she is not.

"It's not really what you think,Avery."

"Tell me exactly what I need to think! I saw it with my own eyes and don't you dare deny it."

"Okay, it was just a mistake; don't mix things up." As he said these words,I felt like stabbing him, but I couldn't.

"Mistake, you say? I'm so ashamed of you! How could you do this to me? This wasn't what you promised me. It pains me that you don't value and cherish me at all!"

"I do. Believe me, I do." He said and this time he was coming closer. 

I could see he was also ashamed, but I don't care; all I needed were explanations. Isabella was already close to us, watching us and focusing on Damon,waiting for what he would say.

"Then why? Why did you do that if you truly wanted me? Why did you do that if you truly yearned for me to be your forever mate? 

“Why Damon?" I asked, and this time, I sniffed in and cleaned my tears.

He couldn't answer my questions anymore, and I knew it was because there was no reasonable excuse he could give, not even when Isabella was around.

"I see you don't have anything to say; just go be with her; I'm done." I said and looked straight into his eyes. Damon was there; he was so shocked I could say what I said.

"You don't mean it,do you? I'm sorry, please." He said that and went on his knees.

There was tension in the atmosphere as the crowd began to murmur. I watched Isabella's reaction keenly; she was so jealous and angry. She came out angry and landed a slap on Damon's face.

"What the hell was that, Isabella?" He asked in a harsh tone.

"How dare you kneel for this piece of trash? She doesn't deserve you. Come to me; I'm here for you." She said devilishly and tried raising Damon up,but he pushed her away.

"What's that? Is something wrong with you? Stay away from me!" He commanded, and she looked so terrified. He turned to look at me,still on his knees.

"Please, Avery, I'm sorry. Give me another chance to prove my loyalty to you." He said, but I didn't want to believe anything he's spitting out of his mouth.

"There's no loyalty to prove; you've broken it already."

"It can still be mended,Avery. Give me a second chance and be my mate forever." He said and this time he stood up to come close to me.

“It’s better you don’t embarrass yourself in front of everyone here; let me be; I reject you!” A large glass came flying towards me, accompanied by an angry yell. 

“What exactly do you want? You witch?’