~Winter~
I should have walked and not waited through the whole thing, but my feet won't budge an my heart wont let me.
Some people laughed, and some people gasped, but tears just streamed down my cheeks and his cheeks. If this was hard for him to do, then why was he doing it?
"I have waited for my fated, and I must say, I was disappointed when I found you. I tried to love you. I tried to make excuses for you in my head, but I just couldn't. The day I knew I couldn't go ahead with this was when I could not introduce you to my foreign friends. Your sense of fashion is terrible, you have no taste, not an ounce of sophistication, and you do not seem like you care to learn. Hayland needs a Luna that would build it and help it survive these trying times. You aren’t that person, Winter. I wanted you to be so badly, but you aren’t that person," He said and released my hands.
"I must say, only a foolish alpha in my position would settle down with you. If I were a peasant or a commoner, with no responsibilities and no standing in society, then a union between us would have been okay," he said.
Pamela yelled his name to interrupt him, but he continued. Brandon pushed through his heart-wrenching words. He was shaking, and tears streaming down his cheeks. I had never seen him cry before, but even his detached expression could not stop his tears.
Was someone forcing him to do this, to say these things, or did he mean them? Did he really mean them?
"I really tried to find a reason to go ahead with this, but there is no way I want to be stuck with a boring, classless woman like you. I will be a miserable Alpha. My people will suffer and they don't deserve that. I also want a woman that would add to Hayland's value, not be a burden. You can't afford to care for your children at the orphanage; how would you take care of my people?" he asked.
"I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that if I felt this way all along, why wait until now? Well, it took me a while to come to this conclusion. My mother was attached to you, and I felt trapped, but there is no way I am sacrificing my people’s future for this. Know that I bear no grudge towards you and will continue supporting your orphanage. You can continue to live in Hayland, but you will never be my Luna. You aren't qualified for the position. I do not care what the moon wants. I know what I want, and it definitely isn't you, Winter," He said and then turned to the crowd. By then, I felt like I was nothing. I was broken, yet my feet won't move. Why won't they move?
"This is when you leave, Winter," I told myself, but I remained frozen on the spot.
I should have turned to my friend, Summer, but I knew she would be crying, too. I could hear her sobs.
"We will have a wedding today and a joining at night when the moon is high; it just won't be between Winter and me," he announced, and I watched him. He seemed regretful and under pressure, but I might have just been deluded.
All my life, I kept myself from getting entangled in matters of the heart, and the one time I took a chance on love because the moon willed it, this happened to me.
I felt like nothing. His mark on my thigh burned painfully. I regretted the night I gave him my body and every time after that. He was my first, and he had sunk his teeth in my thigh. How the fuck was I going to move on from this?
My feelings didn't matter to Brandon. It didn't matter at all. He gave me no say in the matter.
My tears fell freely, and my heart was completely shattered. Still, my feet won't move. Why was I frozen? Why were my tears the only moving part of me?
"I have chosen a mate, Lesley Adamson, The hidden granddaughter of Beta Adamson from the Whitemoon pack. She will be my, your Luna." He announced, and as if on cue, the doors opened, and a bride walked in with a veil over her head.
I could see the brilliant smile behind the translucent veil. She was his ex, and she heard everything he said to me.
I guess this was payback for stealing him. She had accused me a few times of stealing Brandon because it seemed he ended whatever they had after we met. I guess I was the joke all along. I was just a phase, a fucking phase.
Her dress was prettier than mine. It seemed he went all out on it. What I didn't understand was why.
I stood there shaking like a leaf.
I felt a hand grab my upper arm gently, and I turned to look at who it was. It was Summer, and she was in tears.
"Let us go, Winter. Come on. It's over. Let us leave," She pleaded, but I couldn't move. I couldn't fucking move.
How could Brandon do this to me? He hand ruined me for life.
He could have just rejected me or told me this in private before he marked me with his scent. He didn't have to humiliate me like this.
What was my crime?
I never did anything to him.
If he had issues with certain things, he could have told me. He could have complained to my face, and I would have fixed it. I would have compromised.
This was just wrong. I felt small. I felt so little. I felt like shit, and he was trampling and squashing me.
I stood still.
My body shook, and my mind reeled with thoughts while Summer tried to pull me away.
Brandon then faced me and spoke the words I dreaded.
"I, Brandon Knight, reject you, Winter, as my fated mate," He said, and the pain that shot through my heart and travelled over my body helped me realise what had happened.
I screamed in agony, and I couldn't hear anything anymore. There was ringing in my ears and pain in my chest. My wolf was howling, and my veins were on fire. I felt like I was going to die. So much pain. I wanted to physically hurt myself just to transfer the pain, but I couldn't. I couldn't even stand up.
"Accept Winter! He won't change his mind, You have had your fun," I heard Lesley say to me.
Brandon was in pain, too. I wanted to accept it, but I was in so much pain that I couldn't speak.
"Accept," She yelled again, and I nodded, trying to handle the pain.
"I...I... I accept," I said, and I heard Brandon groan in pain.
“Please don’t,” he linked me faintly, but I was fighting black dots by then. My world was slowly going dark.
"Take her away," Lesley commanded, and I felt strong arms carrying me out of the place. Soon, I gave in to the pain and then to the darkness that ensued.
~Winter~ I felt a hollowness when I woke up. An emptiness that I would do anything to fill up. The break wasn’t complete either, Brandon and I were still faintly connected, and I did not know why, but it worsened my emptiness. Remembering the incident made me cry. I cried all night into the morning. I scratched his mark on my inner thigh until the skin was marred and sore. I hated myself for falling and letting him do this to me. I hated myself for daring to believe. Fate never gave me anything good. Why did I think this would be different? Summer and I grew up in an orphanage. We were dumped at the orphanage with only our last names, and they referred to us as thus until we decided to give ourselves names when we turned four. I chose Winter because it was my favourite season, and she chose Summer for the same reason. Summer was a darling by giving me space. The children did not come to check on me in the morning, and I knew it was Summer’s doing. I was glad, but I knew
~Winter~ I heard slow footsteps heading in my direction and composed myself. Brandon walked in, and I did not bother to greet him. He did not deserve my respect. I felt the pull he felt it too, it was in his eyes, but I refused to acknowledge it. He seemed partially drunk in his wedding suit. He had dark circles and looked like shit. His buttons were opened, and his shirt rough. It was clear he hadn't slept at all. He should be happy after the show he gave the crowd yesterday. He should pat himself on the back. Brandon’s eyes were misty and sad. He was broken. He moved close to me, to touch me, but I stepped away from him. "Winter," he said almost in a whisper, emotions pouring out of him, but I was numb, his blue eyes misty, remorse filling his eyes as if he had a wake-up call but realised it was too late. I didn't let his emotions get to me. I was the one that was humiliated and shattered, not him. I was the one marked and ruined for life. I was the trash that had been discar
~Winter~ It's been a month since the Bluemoon incident, and I still haven't been able to get over what happened. It's Brandon’s damn scent and that residual bond causing an emptiness in my soul. I can't move past it, and the helplessness of it is infuriating. Summer believes I will be okay; I think so, too, but the stares and gossip aren't helping matters at all. Now, a month has passed, and I can't say I have healed completely; in fact, I still cry about it. Every time I go out, someone is pointing and gossiping. People look at me with pity. Brandon has tried to reach out several times, but I shut him out. It is best this way. The earlier he accepts he ended things and it is over, the better. I have yet to hear from Lesley, but I know I will. At the rate Brandon is going with his pleas, she will come for me. Even Brandon's mother has reached out a couple of times to check on me. Who was I kidding? It wasn't every day a fated got dumped at the altar. I couldn't believe
~Winter~ Summer and I remained at the window, drinking and staring at the moon. I wondered what the moon had in store for us next. Would we ever get a break? Will my heart mend? I couldn't tell, and I hated being in the dark. "Right now, I need time to be still to plan our migration," I finally spoke, and Summer was silent. It would have been easier just to leave if the children weren’t involved, but we owed a duty to keep them. Walking away wasn’t an option if we wouldn't be doing it together. That is when an idea clicked in my head. I could not tell if it was the alcohol or something spontaneous, but the idea was vivid, and I was willing to share it. "Are you squirmish about crime?" I asked Summer, and she looked at me wide-eyed as if I were crazy. I knew I needed to calm her down, which I did. "Please just answer," I said, and she relaxed. "No, tell me, Sparkle, I am listening," She said, and I nodded. "I say we rob a jewellery store, sell the loot, head to Greenville and
~Winter~ Another two months passed, and Summer and I never discussed the planned robbery. It was as if it was a forbidden project, and we shouldn't discuss it. Although Brandon had stopped sending the food support, we could still feed ourselves. Regardless of the calmness of the situation, Summer and I had it at the back of our minds that we would have to leave Hayland eventually. Brandon had stopped troubling me too, but I knew it was Lesley's doing, not his heart's desire. I was still healing, and the ordeal with the orphanage had kept me occupied. We baked more than usual, and the people patronised us often to support the orphanage. If baking could secure our roof, I wouldn't be so apprehensive. Returning from a bread delivery, I noticed Brandon's car parked at the orphanage's gate. A lump formed in my chest, and it felt like something was squeezing my heart. My pulse quickened, and a sense of nervousness enveloped me. The apprehension only intensified. Despite the false
~Winter~ I did not give two fucks about Lesley's weak attempt at public display of affection. I knew Brandon didn't love her because even though she interlaced her hand with his, his eyes were fixed on me. I could see regret and pain evident in Brandon's eyes. He was in pain, and he wasn't hiding it. I wondered how bad the threat to Hayland was that he opted to ruin himself like this. I could see he wasn't a happy man, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Lesley smiled at me, and I fought the urge to laugh at her. Knowing she was just a money bag to Brandon made me want to laugh. "Well, this place is an eyesore. We must tear it down and build something better to rent out at a better price to outsiders when they come. If you can afford the rent, you can move back in, but I want you out in six weeks," She said and stood up. "What!" I exclaimed and looked at Brandon. By then, Lesley was leaving. I could see clearly that she was the Alpha, not Brandon. "Six week
~Winter~ Six weeks was a very short time to plan and execute a crime successfully, so Summer and I had to devise a plan quickly. Planning to commit a crime was one thing; laying out the plan was another. We were amateurs that were under a lot of pressure. We had to be careful not to make mistakes. The options were between Haymonth and Mountain. They were both wealthy places, but Mountain was closer. We spent two days looking around the place while we baked loads of cakes and bread, hoping to come up with some money. Brandon requested we deliver cakes to him at his house for three days, and I planned to make those rounds successfully in the evenings to create an alibi. The bus left Hayland for Mountain in the afternoons, so delivering cakes in the evening would mean we never went anywhere. No one would suspect if an investigation were launched because we wouldn’t be taking the bus; we would be going through the woods in wolf form. It was a dangerous venture, but that was our bes
~Winter~ I arrived home to see the children having supper. There was meat today. Thanks to Pamela, I smiled. It wasn't like we were impulsive when we started the orphanage. Business was good in Brighton until a baking factory opened a couple of chains in Brighton, and we couldn't make sales anymore. But that wasn't the main reason why we left. The Pimp we rescued Chelsea from was out to get us, and knowing we could be targets for pimps ourselves, we knew we had to leave. We never told Chelsea she was the reason we abandoned our home, and we planned to keep it that way. Some would say we should have reported to the Alpha of Brighton but people like us are always cut off from those in charge. That was my appeal to Brandon; he opted to see and welcome us to his territory instead of assigning a Kappa to do it.I guess he ended up acting like them in the end.Summer and I waited until the children were in bed before discussing our plan.I took a shot of cheap gin and sat on the bed to d