Chapter 2 Two

• /-Sophia-/
• “Alpha…” I stepped forward.
• “Step back,” he growled and I staggered backwards, tears pouring down my cheeks.
• A lot of thoughts ran through my mind. Why was he being harsh towards me? We were mates.
• Couldn't he feel the bond?
• “Levi, please don't…”
• “Address me by my name one more time, and I will slit your throat,” he growled, and I shivered.
• “Forgive me, Alpha,” I apologized. “But I'm not lying. We are mates…”
• “I know that,” he hissed. “But I refuse to be mated to a weak wolfless outcast. The Gray Moon Pack needs someone strong, not a pathetic pushover.”
• The words pierced through my heart like a double-edged sword. Why would he say something like that to me?
• “Please…”
• “I, Levi Colton, reject you…” he looked at me in askance. My heart broke all over again. He didn't even know my name.
• “Sophia… Sophia Everest….” I sniffled.
• “I, Levi Colton, reject you, Sophia Everest, as my mate,” he said, and a scream ripped through my throat with my knees dropping to the floor.
• It felt like I was going crazy from the pain. Tears poured down my cheeks in torrents as I clutched to my chest.
• He walked away from me like he felt nothing. Like my pain was just another annoying occurrence.
• My heart was heavy, this wasn't how I envisioned this day to go.
• The place blew up with laughter and I couldn't raise my head.
• “I must commend you for making this night memorable,” Lucy mocked. “First, you couldn't get a wolf and now, your mate rejected you. What more do you have for us tonight?”
• Their mocking laughter echoed in my head as I picked myself from the floor and scurried away.
• “Sophia!” I heard Joel call after me but I didn't dare stop. The pain in my chest was just too much to bear.
• I returned to my room and shut the door. I fell on my small bed and burst into tears. I desperately needed something to dull the ache in my heart but nothing could console me.
• All my hopes were dashed in one day and now, I was forced to live with the humiliation.
• Taking my life was more tempting than ever. All my life, I had been treated like trash, and this was my one shot at bettering my life, only for it to be ruined again.
• How was I supposed to leave with this?
• These people will never let me hear the end of it. Lucy would never let me hear the end of it.
• The tears continued pouring until there was nothing left in my eyes.
• I was weak and tired.
• You will be fine, Sophia.
• She was just as sad as I was but she knew nothing about the pain I was going through.
• If she did, she would have known that nothing would get better. Things will only get worse and I will never be fine.
• I ended up crying myself to sleep because that was the only thing I could do.
• The next day, I couldn't even bring myself to leave my room. I knew what was waiting out there for me and frankly, I would rather not face the jest.
• Unfortunately, staying in my room was no option either because soon there was banging on the door.
• “Sophia!” My mistress hissed. “Do you now need me to remind you of your chores every morning?”
• I groaned and turned over.
• “Be useful for once in your goddamn life, would you!” She barked, banging hard against the door and I knew I couldn't stay in bed any longer or she would break down the door.
• Which I would have to pay for because no one took the words of a mere slave over the pack members.
• I tried to act like it didn't hurt and opened the door only to receive a hot slap across the face.
• “How dare you keep me banging outside your door? Have you lost your manners?” She bawled angrily and I palmed my cheeks.
• “I'm sorry,” I apologized and she stormed away from me in annoyance.
• “Don't just stand there! Get your sorry self downstairs this minute!” She snapped and I scurried down.
• The stares that followed me made me want to sink into the ground and never show up again but what could I do? It was impossible to do that.
• They didn't even bother to spare me a little shame. They pointed at me and gossiped at the top of their voices so I could hear them and feel horrible.
• “Isn't that the girl that couldn't get her wolf?”
• “You mean the worthless outcast that got rejected by the Alpha?”
• “I don't understand why the moon goddess would make such a terrible mistake, to be honest.”
• “When I saw that silver hair, it was freak alert!”
• They succeeded because the words felt like additional stabs to my already wounded heart.
• I descended the stairs, avoiding as many eyes as I could. I headed to the kitchen and took out the dishes.
• Even the other maids who were better than me, made fun of me. It was just amusing to everyone that I couldn't get a wolf and still got rejected on the same night.
• I wish it was that funny to me.
• “Have you heard?” I heard a whisper.
• I was certain it was going to be about me since it was convenient for people to gossip in my face.
• “The Alpha will be introducing his new Luna tonight,” she continued and my whole body stiffened.
• “You are such a gossip! Where did you hear this fake news?” The other maid rebuffed.
• “It is not fake! I heard the Alpha discussing with his Beta while I was cleaning the hallways,” she defended.
• The plate dropped from my hand into the sink and the noise startled them. They looked at me but before I could say a word, they burst into laughter.
• “Look at her face!”
• “Poor thing thought she was going to be the future Luna!”
• My heart clenched.
• The goddess knew I had never for once imagined myself as Luna. I just needed a man that would love me for me. A mate that would treat me like a human being.
• Someone like Joel.
• But I guess the goddess thought it would be better to make a joke of me.
• I fought back the tears and turned to continue the dishes.
• Who cares if he found another Luna? He already rejected me, didn't he?
• But deep down, I knew I cared.
• A little too much if I may add.
• I could only hope that the maid was bluffing but she wasn't.
• Later that day, Alpha Levi summoned a meeting for all the pack members. Everyone was looking at me funny as I joined them.
• “This meeting is for pack members, weirdo,” someone hissed.
• “Since when did the outcast become a pack member?”
• There were chuckles but I kept my face to the ground, avoiding their stares and struggling to keep my head together.
• “I'm sorry for making you all gather here on such short notice,” The Alpha started. “But the Luna ceremony is around the corner and it is only right that I introduce your future Luna to you.”
• There were cheers along with a few mumbles.
• My heart was drumming against my chest. Some part of my stupid head hoped that he would turn around and introduce me as his Luna.
• Yes, that was how delusional I was.
• “Permit me to introduce to you the Future Luna of the Gray Moon Pack, Lucy Hart…”
• Cheers erupted as I staggered back in shock.
• Lucy?
• Of all the women he could choose from, it had to be the one who made my life miserable.
• She descended the stairs with such grace that one would never believe she was a bully.
• She moved to his side and they locked arms. My chest tightened as I focused on their interlocked hands.
• “She is beautiful, cultured and strong enough to lead our pack to greater heights,” Levi said and the crowd cheered in agreement.
• I didn't realize I was crying until the tears rolled down my cheeks.
• This couldn't be happening.
• Just as I looked up, his cold dark eyes connected with mine. Without wasting a second, I turned on my heels and ran.