Chapter 1

• Mia:
• I hissed as he pulled out of me, my chest rising and falling as I watched him sit at the edge of the bed, his back facing me for a second too long before he got up.
• The warmth of his body was gone in an instant, leaving only the sting of reality in its place.
• I watched him dress, his movements swift, precise, like he wanted to be anywhere but here. He didn’t turn around, didn’t spare me even a glance, and I had to force down the frown threatening to form on my face.
• I had told myself not to expect anything.
• And yet…
• The way he had held me, kissed me, touched me, it replayed in my head like a cruel joke. I never expected him to mark me, not tonight, not ever. But I also didn’t expect this.
• The least that he could have done was hold me. But it seemed to me that it was nothing more than a dream like this never even happened.
• “You never did tell me how things were going to be between us now,” I said, breaking the silence. “And you know… with Claudia as well. You know she is going to be angry about this.”
• He froze.
• For a few moments, he did not even say a word. It was as if he did not exist. It was as if he was debating whatever it was that he had in mind.
• I sat up, wincing at the soreness in my body, but I ignored it, keeping my eyes on him. “The two of us are going to have to announce that we’re mates. I doubt she’s going to appreciate it very much. And she might end up causing little trouble.”
• “I never planned to.” He said, taking me off guard. The coldness in his voice made me tense up, and I didn't say a word. I believed that he was joking, but when I saw that he did not turn around to look at me, when I saw that he did not seem to stir, I frowned.
• I frowned, my grip tightening on the sheets. “Nathan, this isn’t a joke to play around with.”
• “I’m not playing you, Mia,” he said, his voice devoid of any warmth. He finally turned to face me, his piercing golden eyes meeting mine with nothing but indifference. “I never planned to mark you, and I believe you’re not stupid enough to think that an Omega who was cursed as not to have a wolf, would ever stand beside an Alpha. Did you really believe that I would be choosing you over Claudia?”
• The words sliced through me, but I forced myself to stay still, to not react.
• A growl threatened to slip from my throat. He was the one who called me here. He was the one who kissed me, touched me, whispered my name like it meant something. And now he was acting like I was the one begging for this.
• “Then why did you invite me here?” I demanded, my voice quieter this time, laced with something dangerously close to hurt. “I don't understand why did you call me here.”
• Nathan exhaled, like this conversation was already exhausting him. Hell, it was even as if he was bored. As if I was just some kind of burden and that he wanted to get rid of.
• “I was curious about how it would feel to fuck my mate.” His tone was so casual, so indifferent, that for a second, I thought I had misheard him. But then he smirked. “You were the best I’ve had in a while, I’ll give you that. But the last thing I need is for Claudia to know about this. I think that you know very well what it means to stay quiet about something, especially like this one.”
• I couldn’t breathe.
• He stepped closer, his face inches from mine as he added, “So if you have any value for your life, and your dignity, you’ll keep that pretty mouth of yours shut.”
• I didn’t even realize I had clenched the sheets in my fists until my nails dug into my palms.
• He had always been cruel, but this?
• This was a whole new level of cruelty.
• “You have to be kidding me right now, Nathan,” I whispered, shaking my head. “The two of us were friends. The man I knew wouldn’t act like some arrogant, power-hungry…”
• A low growl rumbled from his chest, his Alpha aura pressing down on me, but I didn’t stop.
• He had waited for my father to leave before coming to me. He had kissed me like I was his. And I had thought, stupidly, naively, that since he had refused to reject me when we discovered the mate bond last year, that there was still hope.
• That maybe he would fight for me.
• That maybe, deep down, he cared.
• I had never been more wrong.
• Nathan scoffed. “I’ll let your attitude slide just this once. And I will let you believe that the two of us were ever friends. It seems to me that you've forgotten your place anyway.”
• I let out a bitter laugh, standing up and gripping the blanket around me. “Do you really think Claudia isn’t going to find out?”
• “As long as you keep your damn mouth shut, we won’t have a problem.” His voice was ice. “Otherwise, I’ll make sure you regret it. And I think that you don't want to play with that game.”
• My stomach twisted in disgust.
• I turned away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing how deeply he had cut me. “Get the hell out of my house, Nathan.”
• He didn’t move.
• So I turned, bending down to grab my clothes, keeping the blanket wrapped around me for the little dignity I had left.
• “I believe you know the way out.”
• The ache in my chest grew as I heard him exhale sharply.
• Then, just as I thought he would leave, his voice came again.
• “I believe we forgot something.”
• I clenched my jaw before turning back around. “And that is, Alpha Nathan?”
• A cold, empty smile tugged at his lips. The smile did not reach his eyes, and I frowned as I realized what he was referring to. I looked down at my feet, bracing what was to come.
• “I, Alpha Nathan Ivanov, reject you, Mia Ortega, as my mate and Luna.”
• The breath left my lungs.
• My fingers curled tighter around the blanket, my nails nearly piercing the fabric as I fought to not react.
• Not in front of him.
• Nathan’s expression didn’t waver. It was clear he had planned this for a long time.
• The final blow.
• The rejection that I should have known would come the second that I found out that he was my mate.
• I swallowed hard, forcing my lips to curve into a smile as I lifted my chin.
• I would not beg.
• I would not cry.
• And I sure as hell would not let him win.
• I took a breath and met his gaze head-on. “I, Mia Ortega, accept your rejection, Alpha Nathan.”
• Nathan’s smirk faltered for a split second. He did not expect me to reject him back. That was something that I could tell for sure.
• It was barely noticeable, but I saw it.
• Good.
• Keeping my expression composed, I opened the door for him. “Now, if there’s nothing else, you may leave, Alpha.”
• His golden eyes studied me for a long moment, like he was searching for something, some crack in my armor, some sign of weakness.
• But he wouldn’t find one.
• Not today.
• “I would like to get dressed please…”