Chapter 5

Diana

I nervously take a step towards him, my hand subconsciously reaching out towards him, but he coldly raises a palm towards me. I stop in my tracks as my heart gives a sharp twinge.

“Yes I knew you were my mate a long time ago”, his voice flat.

For a second, my brain is too muddled to understand what he is talking about until I realize that he had just answered my earlier question.

“You were too young at the time so I had to wait until you were of age to be able to recognize it too”, he continues.

“Then-“ my voice coming out shaky.

“Now that you are, I can finally say what I wanted to”, he adds coldly. What he says next destroys whatever hope I had in me.

“I cannot be with you. I am an Alpha. You’re a Wolfless wolf. There’s no way I can mate with you. As an Alpha, I need a mate who can stand tall by my side; not someone so weak she cannot even protect myself, much less of the pack if an attack ever came”.

Every single word that leaves his lips feels like a knife being stabbed into my heart. The blood drains from my face and I sway unsteadily on my feet, suddenly feeling light-headed. He doesn’t reach out to help.

I slowly shake my head, as though by doing so, I could will his words away and out of my head, “No. No, it’s not like that. That’s not how it works. The Moon Goddess ordained us as mates. The rest of the details will work themselves out with time- that’s the meaning of Fate. We’re meant for each other-”

“She made a mistake”, he cuts in mercilessly.

My head shakes even more vigorously, my body language plainly expressing my desperation, “The goddess is never wrong-“

“She is this time”, he cuts again, his voice firm.

What is happening? This is not what is supposed to happen…none of this is making any sense…

I take another step towards him again and this time he takes a big one back. Away from me. And the pain in my heart grows even more intense.

Annoyance crosses his features at my stubbornness, “Don’t be ridiculous. You have about as much strength as a human female and not only that, you heal like one too”, and he gestures to my still healing nose.

“If I accepted you, you would quite literally be the easiest Luna to kill in history. Our enemies wouldn’t even have to try hard. They could literally just send an Omega and he would effortlessly be able to get the job done. Hell! I bet even rat poison would be enough to do you in”.

“In terms of value, you have none. You are unable to do any labour that requires physical strength or any heavy lifting like the other Omega. That’s why all you’re relegated to are cooking and cleaning duties. And even with those duties, it’s not like it has to be you. Literally anyone in the pack could do those chores”.

“To put it bluntly, you’re quite literally the most useless member of this pack- a walking burden. And. I. Refuse. To. Mate. With. You”, he bites out. Enunciating each word so that he was sure I could understand him.

These vicious words, uttered in the same captivating voice that had just seconds ago called me beautiful, are excruciatingly agonizing… the same lips that had stolen my breath away with such a romantic kiss could still be used to destroy me so.

His words are brutal and merciless yet his expression is calm. In fact, he doesn’t look like he is trying to insult me or to hurt my feelings at all. He looks as though all he is doing is stating the facts as they are. 

And that breaks me even more. Worse because I know that every single accusation is true. 

…does that mean that I am undeserving of love then?

My throat feeling as dry as sandpaper, all I’m able to croak out is, “Then why-why did you kiss me?” my voice tinting with desperation,

“If you didn’t want me, why did you kiss me? Why? Why?!!” I want to scream and yell at him, but the egg-sized ball in my throat makes my voice come out an agonized whisper,

“Why give me hope that you want me just to snatch it away?!”

His eyes narrow at the blatant disrespect but I don’t care. 

This time he takes a second before replying. His words came out slow as though he is mulling them over, “I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss my mate. I wanted to know if it was worth being with you regardless-“

“And I do have to admit, it’s the best kiss I’ve ever had-

“But unfortunately no, it’s not worth forever being mated to a liability”, he then looks me up and down, “You are quite beautiful too…” and then shakes his head.

“Pity”.

-and that word makes me feel even smaller. And that’s it isn’t it? My entire worth summarized into one word. A liability. 

However, it seemed he wasn’t done with me just yet. He could still crush to smaller pieces whatever is left of my broken heart.

“I, Magnus Aldridge, reject you Diana Castellanos as my mate. By my will and my word, I sever the bond and fate that exists between us”.

Immediately, I feel as my wolf who had began to stir retreat even further back into my mind; all activity stopping as she falls dormant once more.

I stagger back, hand clutching at a chest that feels as though it is doused in flames. My legs give out and I collapse to the floor. And the entire time, I am unable to look away from his face.

My mind feels fractured by the shock and I try to gasp for air. Yet no matter how much I take in, it just doesn’t seem to be enough. 

I want to scream but the impact of those malicious words leave me with an emptiness so profound I can’t even find the voice to make a sound.

All of a sudden, my head spins and I curl into myself, gasping for breath. The pain in my heart is so intense it feels as though my lungs are collapsing.

This can’t be happening…no…no it’s not possible…the Fates can’t be this cruel…after everything I have been through, after suffering with the terrible cards the universe had dealt me, they can’t possibly not let me have this one piece of happiness.

I shake my head. This must be a dream- a nightmare that my exhausted brain must have conjured up. However, the pain in my heart tells me that is very much real.

My mate has just rejected me…I wasn’t even aware that that was possible but somehow, he had. He didn’t want me. He doesn’t want me.

“I’m going to be late”, I vaguely hear him mutter in annoyance.

“For your sake, you had better accept the rejection so we can put this all behind us and carry on with our lives”. 

“I’m not cruel. Just because I don’t want to be with you doesn’t mean I’ll let you keep suffering. So know that If you don’t accept the rejection, the pain will never stop”, he adds, a furrow in his brows as though he were a teacher lecturing a dull student, his entire aura oozing impatience.

I however am unable to utter a single word, much to distraught and in pain to be able to process a word of what he is saying.

Annoyed, he rolls his eyes and looks down at his watch, “Well you can stay here until you’ve got yourself back together and then you can leave”, he says dismissively, 

He takes a step closer only to realize that I am still curled up against the door, “Move. I need to go”.

Getting no reaction from me, his brows furrow tighter, “I said MOVE!” 

This time, he uses his Alpha Command and my body instantly obeys, quickly scrambling away from the door. He might not be my mate anymore, but he is still my Alpha.

He takes one last look at me before striding out, the door banging shut behind him, and I am left alone in the silent room, tears flowing down my cheeks and my body wracking from the pain of rejection coursing through my being.

…

Miles away…

“No! No! Please… oh God No… ahhhhhh!” and with a sickening crunch, a dark creature swoops in bites down on his shoulder. The bite hadn’t been too deep, just enough to maim, but not enough to kill. It is about to take another bite when suddenly, something stops it in its tracks.

Something has changed. It doesn’t know what it is but it rudely forces his human consciousness back to forefront for a second. Its eyes flicker from blue to brown and back again.

What is it?

The creature growls in annoyance. Whatever it is, it feels familiar. It drops the man and tilts its head in confusion.

Its familiar… this feeling… it feels like something from a past long gone…

What is it?

The creature shakes it head again with an even louder growl.

Taking the opportunity while the creature is distracted, the injured man, tries to slowly drag his body away. Unfortunately, the movement brings back the creature’s attention to him.

Its prey is getting away.

The blue in its eyes wash out all the brown and its muzzle curls in a terrifying growl. Lightening quick, it snaps its jaw around the man’s throat, picks the man’s body and viciously shakes it, biting down harder until the gurgling sounds from the dying man come to a stop. It throws the body to the side and the man falls like a broken doll, right beside his own weapon.

With a loud howl, the creature disappears deeper into the dark forest.

Unknown to the creature, deep in the recesses of its soul, something rope-like; thin but firm, has appeared, emitting a soft and ephemeral glow.

It is a half-formed mating bond.