Chapter 5 The Rejection Ceremony

• “How could you? I expected more from you,” Jace’s cold and angry voice washes over me as he slams the door to my room shut, the sound reverberating through the room.
• “That’s not what happened, she—”
• “Don’t you even dare defend yourself, do you have no shame? And in front of her kid?! Really?! You disappoint me,” Jace yells at me, his voice rising in rage, his alpha aura swirling around him.
• I grit my teeth, pain fiddling with my heart, and tears pool in my eyes at Jace’s attitude towards me. This is probably the first time he is raising his voice at me, and he won’t even let me say the truth of what happened.
• “I’m sorry for disappointing you,” I say, blinking to let the teardrop down my eyes, the cold dismissive look in Jace’s eyes slashing my heart.
• This is all my fault, I should have controlled my temper. Even if Alina lied to Jace, and he believed her, the fact remains that I did hit the woman.
• “I’m not the one you owe an apology,” Jace replies coldly, gesturing with his head to the door.
• My eyes widen slightly, my heart lurching in my chest. He wants to make me apologise to Alina?
• Before I can even voice my thoughts, Jace’s eyes flash, telling me that he is mindlinking and barely seconds later, Alina steps into the room, with a pitiful expression.
• She bows her head to Jace first and then to me before suddenly dropping on her knees in front of me.
• “I’m sorry for asking to join you in the car, I overestimated my importance in this household, I know now that I am nothing and no one, please forgive me, I will know my place from now on.”
• My mouth part in shock, my eyes bulging at the woman on her knees in front of her.
• If she wasn’t the victim of Alina’s verbal and almost physical abuse just moments ago, she would not believe it is the same woman playing the victim so well in front of Jace.
• “Cut that crap,” Jace retorts before I can recover from her shock to reply, he gently puts his arms around Alina and pulls her up, cuddling her to his side and he looks into her eyes with a tender passion that I thought he could only look at me with.
• “You are as important as anyone in this household and don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise, you hear me?” Jace says in a calm and passionate voice.
• Alina nods with a sad pout on her lips, and Jace strokes her hair gently.
• I look away, unable to stomach the sight of the shared affection between them.
• I suddenly feel like the imposter in the triangle. Jace and Alina are fated mates, made for each other by the goddess, I’m just a girl Jace married so he could become Alpha. And now he’s getting rid of me to be with the one he was always meant to be with.
• “And as for that car, you and our son can have it, it’s yours now, I’m sure the Luna won’t mind,” Jace continues, “will she?” He shifts his gaze to me, warning me with his eyes.
• “Oh no, not at all,” I retort in haste, faking a smile, “and I’m sorry for laying my hands on you, it wasn’t the best of me,” I say to Alina.
• “You don’t have to apologise to me, Luna,” Alina replies in the most polite voice, but I can see the mockery clear in her eyes.
• Alina turns to Jace and gently rubs his chest, her eyes still fixed on me, “I have to start going now Alpha, I have a lot to shop for our wedding and Brady’s coronation as your heir.”
• “Very well,” Jace plants a soft kiss on her forehead and smiles at her, heightening my discomfort, “I’ll see you guys later.”
• Alina leaves, giving me that same look of victory, and Jace shuts the door before he turns to me, his face losing the smile it had on and it turns grim.
• “Now that that is settled, there’s something you want to talk to me about?” he says, walking past me to sit on the bed.
• My heart suddenly pounds, remembering why I wanted to see him. I take a deep breath to brace myself before turning to face him.
• “The rejection ceremony. I don’t want it to be public, let it just be between the two of us. I don’t think I can face a crowd after that,” I say, the words ripping my heart open but I keep my face stoic, fighting back my tears, wishing it didn’t have to be this way.
• Jace scoffs.
• “And what on earth makes you think I’m going to reject you?” Jace gives me a look that makes me think I’m crazy. “Alina doesn’t know the first thing about leadership. I’m only marrying her so I can remain Alpha and you— Luna. The council approves, I’m keeping you both.”