1 - The Rejected Luna

[Rosie's POV]

“You're crazy! You humiliated me at our sacred ceremony! Can't you see the entire pack’s elders are scolding me for your psychopathic behavior!?”

“Sorry,” was all I could say. His slap marks still hurt on my face. How should I tell him? I'm doing all this because my body belongs to someone else.

“I have to reject you,” he said, finally giving in. “I, Beta Mike, reject you as my Mate, Rosie Mauvelous. Answer now. There's a lot of mess you've made that I need to clean up tonight.”

“I, Rosie Mauvelous, accept your rejection,” I retorted with a downcast face. Mike dragged his feet angrily, leaving me still in my wedding dress. Alone.

I staggered back to my mansion alone in my reverie. It would be a lie if I wasn't hurt after being rejected by my Beta mate, for so many times. But what could I do? It was all better than having to endure the hatred of my own family. 

Arriving home, my step mother and sister greeted me in the living room, rather than my father who had been indifferent to me. In front of them, I kept my face flat. I knew they were happy about my rejection this time.

“Your Beta will be hurt if he sees your flat face right now, even after he rejected you,” said Linda, my stepmother. Beside her, her Beta daughter also looked at me with a scornful face.

“Let it go, Mother. A pretty Luna like her doesn't know how hard it is to get a Mate,” Chandite Magenta said. “Even if you get rejected today, you can just open your legs the next day. And, boom! You'll get a new Mate just as easily. Fucking cheap.”

“Are you guys done talking?” I retorted, choosing not to fight with them. “If so, I need to go to my room. I need some rest. Get out of my way.”

“What did you say!? How dare you say that to me!” Linda raised her hand and slapped me. My father, who was busy with his guests, came over after hearing the commotion in the living room. His presence only made matters worse. 

“Rosie,” he called, coldly. A chill ran down my spine. That voice reminded me of all the abuse since he'd divorced my mother to marry Linda.

“Did your Mate reject you again?” he asked. He saw me nod my head, and his face was full of anger. Disappointment. Shame. If there had been no guests, he would have beaten me here too.

“Go to your room,” he ordered hurriedly as if he wanted to get rid of me immediately. “We'll talk later.”

I slammed my bedroom door loudly, letting them know I wasn't doing this on purpose.

“Why didn't you say the truth?” My wolf, Liliana, finally spoke.  “If you tell your father the truth, I'm sure he'll understand.”

“Understand what?” I snapped, crying in the corner of the room. “Tell him that I forced to made all my mates reject me? That it's better to be rejected than to be tortured by my stepmother? That my body already belongs to someone else?”

That was right.

Psychopathic Luna, cursed Luna, it was all an act.

Thanks to my mother, I was blessed with a face as beautiful as a goddess. Beautiful hair, skin as white as milk. 

My beauty makes anyone who sees me, fall in love. And this backfired on me. My stepmother, Linda, labeled me a prostitute because every night, a Beta would propose to me.

My step-sister, whose face was not as pretty as mine, spread fake news about me having a mental illness. 

They would make fun of me as 'The Lucky Beauty', for using my face to seduce many betas.

From then on, I made all my mates reject me. Whether it was messing up on the day of the ceremony, making the elders angry, or running away on the wedding night. I did everything so that no one would mate with me.

Because that's the only way to keep their mouths shut. Before going to bed, I always think. Maybe I should be born ugly. Instead of having a beautiful face, everyone hates me.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

I wiped my tears hurriedly, hearing someone knocking on my bedroom door.

“Come out. Father is calling you.” It was Chandite's voice. “And bring your exam papers from the academy. He wants to see it.”

Oh my. I forgot to throw away my exam papers!

Not only pretty, but I'm also smart. All this time, Father only knew that I was the dumbest student at our pack academy. The stupid Luna princess at our Alpha Pack.

That's because I threw away all my test papers that had perfect grades, replaced them with bad grades one. I know I'm a coward. Go ahead and make fun of me if you want. But, this is the only way I can live a peaceful life.

“You got another bad grade.” In the living room, my father sat me down with him. He had a very disappointed expression, seeing the only daughter he had, never passed any exams.

“What about your singing?” he asked. “If your grades are so bad, at least you have one skill you can show in front of your Mate later.”

“I-”

“Her voice is terrible!” Chandite cut me off as soon as she found out I was going to say that I passed the singing exam. “She failed the exam, Dad. All the teachers made fun of her.”

“Ha ...” My father let out a disappointed sigh. “At this rate, you'll die a virgin with no mate, Rosie. What Alpha would want a stupid Luna like you?”

“But, Father!” My rebuttal was too late. My father had already left with a disappointed heart.

Beside me, Chandite smiled with satisfaction. Once again, she had managed to bring me down in front of my father.

“Satisfied now?” I said, full of pent-up anger. “Lying to dad, when all the teachers praised my voice in the exam yesterday.”

“And you think I care?” she chided, selfishly. Her hand pulled my hair to bring my ear closer to her and whispered. “Don't worry. You just need to sell your pretty face, and tomorrow, a Beta will propose to you. Easy, isn't it?”

It was so easy for her to say that as if I was a prostitute. But what pissed me off even more. Of course, it was me. Because I was a coward, and couldn't tell the truth.

Chandite went where she would be loved by her mother. Seeing their love, reminded me of my dead mother.

It was one of the things that kept me silent. If I told Father everything, Linda and Chandite would be kicked out. 

I just couldn't bear to see them separated. Because I know the pain of separation. My mother died when I was very young. I just didn't want them to feel it.

'If I die with mom ... Will I be free from all this?' Suddenly, the thought hit me. 

I hastily slapped my face. 'You can't, Rosie. You promised your mother to live and carry on the blood of the Secret Luna that your mother gave you!’

It doesn't matter that everyone hates me because I have a big job to do. All this torture is nothing compared to the secret my mother gave me before she died.

“Rosie.” Dad suddenly called me with his hurried steps. “Change your clothes now. Your alpha is coming today.”

“What?” I said reflexively, as my heart dropping into my stomach. “Father! You promised to let me free this year! You promised to arranged after I graduated from the academy!”

'Because that's the only way I can escape from this damn pack. I'll pass the singing exam, find a job, and run away. Only then can I find a Mate to pass on my mother's blood, my duty.' I said irritably, to myself.

“Silent!” My father dragged me forcefully into the room, locking me in from the outside. “Don't expect to come out before you change your clothes. Make up your face as pretty as you can. This is your last day to embarrass my pack.”