Chapter 7

• There was a flash of irritation in his gaze before the corners of his eyes hardened. He set his jaw in hard lines and the room seemed to close up around me, growing smaller and smaller.
• “Do you think being my Luna is a joke?” He growled low in his throat as if forcing the words to come out as he took a threatening step towards me. “Kamari Sinclair, do you not know when not to cross the line? I have been tolerant of you all these years. I have given you the option to live quietly, like a dead mouse, but you continue to provoke me.”
• “That’s it, right?” I laughed despite the tightness around my throat. “I’m to live quietly and miserably. You don’t even care if I’m miserable or not!”
• “Is it my duty to make you happy? If you are miserable then that’s on you.”
• “You’re right.” It was my fault I was miserable. I continued to cling to people who didn’t want to be around me. I hurt myself so now I would have to let go and heal myself. I couldn’t continue in this mess of a relationship. “You said it with your mouth. You never loved me and you would never love me so let’s end this bullshit once and for all. I’m sick of it.”
• “Mari, what are you saying?” Rosie came to stand between Elijah and I. “Even if you want to pretend to end the mating just to rile up Elijah, it’s unfair to blame him for your feelings. Eli, please don’t fight with my sister. It upsets me.” She went to his side and held his hand.
• “So that’s what it is,” he laughed. “You’re throwing another tantrum to get my attention.”
• I felt disgusted with myself. This was how worthless I was in his sight and it was all my fault. I made myself so little groveling for his love that he couldn’t even believe I’d leave him behind. In his mind, I was a constant in his life, a stupid girl who would always crave his love and take his insults.
• “If you’re so desperate to be loved then this is not…”
• “Alpha Elijah Sterling,” I cut him off. His hands curled into fists but I didn’t let that bother me. “I, Kamari Sinclair, sever this bond that has us bound.” As I said the oath that severed our bond, I pierced an earring into my thumb to draw blood. “Let the ties between us fade into nonexistence. From this day forth, I renounce my status as your mate and luna.”
• “Mari,” Rosie gaped at me. “Mari, do you know what you’re doing?”
• “If this is how you want to play it, then fine. I accept the severance. Don’t regret it in the future.” Elijah turned away.
• “One more thing.” I stopped him in his tracks. “I will leave this pack.”
• “Where do you have to go?” He turned back to me. “You were adopted into this pack so who do you think will take you in? Shouldn’t there be a limit to how far you destroy yourself for petty reasons?”
• “Let me worry about that. You’re no longer my mate or Alpha so what happens to me doesn’t concern you.“
• “Do as you wish then.” He turned and walked away, slamming the door hard behind him.
• There was nothing. No emptiness or regret. I had thought long and hard last night and I expected to feel at least some sort of longing for the love that was never meant to be but as he turned his back on me, it was like one of a thousand times this had happened and it didn’t affect me in anyway. I wasn’t hurt like I expected to be, just – empty.
• “I thought you were dumb but at least you knew to give up.” Rosie was all smiles once Elijah left. “There was no way in hell you’d be able to hold on to a man who loves me. You were smart to end it.”
• In the emptiness, I felt rising hatred. For this woman standing in front of me, for the man I just broke up with, for my family that treated me like a stain and for the pack that wanted my downfall. All these people hurt me. Every single one of them. I hated them. The hatred spread through my insides fast, almost suffocating me. The urge to scream and break something rose inside me so I threw everything on the table to the ground.
• “Ah, are you finally regretting?” Rosie clapped her hands with a cackle. “It’s too late. Welcome to hell, RiRi. You gave up your position as Luna and there’s no place for you in this pack. Where will you go. Who will –“
• She continued to run her mouth until I slapped her. My hand connected with her cheek, leaving a red imprint on her face.
• “You bi –“ She screamed but I slapped her before she could finish.
• “I should have done that a long time ago.” I looked at her as she held her face, blood on the side of her lips.
• “Are you crazy!?” She screamed. “I’m going to kill you!”
• “What is it?” The door opened and Elijah came in again. “What did you do to her!?”
• “She hit me! She hit me, Eli!” Tears quickly filled Rosie’s eyes.
• “How can you be so cruel?” He shouted at me as he hugged her.
• His eyes were red, his wolf already at the front.
• “How can you hit Rosie? Do you know the hardships your sister has been through? When did you become such a bitch!?”
• “This is family business and has nothing to do with you,” I responded in a monotone. “I am simply disciplining my disobedient little sister. You, a stranger, should stay out of it.”
• “Get out.” He snarled at me. “I can turn a blind eye to all your nonsense but I won’t let your hurt Rosie because of your petty jealousy. Get out of my villa!” He bellowed.
• I walked out of the villa with nothing in my hands. Not my cellphone, not my wallet and not my bag. It was only the clothes on my back that followed me out.
• Rosie was wrapped up in Elijah’s arms while my mother and brother stood by the door, snickering under their breaths.
• I didn’t want to but tears spilt down my cheeks. My chest constricted and I found myself heaving as I walked the lonely road that led to the secluded villa. It hurt. There was no single beautiful memory to hold on to.
• Nights when I had stayed up waiting for Elijah, the days I had tired to get him I warm up to me, the earlier days of our mating when he was obviously depressed because of Rosie’s disappearance and I tried my best to fill the gap in his heart. Everything I had sacrificed for this pack, the love I tried to coax from my family. Everything was all a waste. For twenty years, I had lived as the enemy of these people and I never did anything wrong. I never did anything but try to get them to accept me.
• Even when they rejected me, I still tried my best to get them to accept me. I bent over backwards and became the most flexible person just to garner a bit of love, even the slightest bit of affection, but in the end, I failed.
• Why? Why was I not worthy of love?
• “Luna!”
• Through eyes soaked with tears, I turned and saw the butler running towards me. “Miss, I’m sorry I can’t do anything to help you but take this.” He shoved a wad of cash into my hands. “This should be able to take you home. Please, be safe.”
• “Why are you helping me?” I cried out. “Is this another rouse? Are you working with Rosie? Will I find out this money is fake!?”
• “No, please, calm down. You remind me – you are young enough to be my daughter so why won’t I help you? Please be safe and wipe your tears. Tomorrow will be better than today.”
• That was what he said but it wasn’t. That day, I walked the long and lonely path towards the closest settlement. I had walked for hours when a car driving in the wrong lane picked me from the ground and tossed me into the air.
• I must have been a person cursed with bad luck.