7. Unexpected Pain
I couldn't understand what I was saying. Did he just reject me in front of my face?
His expression was devoid of remorse, but he expressed sympathy for me.
I had the sensation that my soul was being sucked out of my body. It was as though a million swords cut my heart at the same time.
"Ahh," Edward dropped to the ground as well, and I knew he was in the same pain as I was.
I was more concerned about him than I was about myself.
Yes, even in this state, his sorrow was more important to me than mine.
"What's going on with you, Edward?" I asked in between the agony.
"Are you suffering the same rejection pain?" He questioned me in the midst of his agony.
"I agree," I said, nodding.
"Don't worry, it'll go away in a little while," he reassured me, but I didn't need that.
What surprised me was that he was prepared to face rejection, and instead of accepting it, he chose to endure the pain he was experiencing right now.
"Please retract your rejection," I implored again, hoping that he would reconsider his decision and retract his words. Still, he appeared sure that he would not.
"I'm sorry, Astrid, but I can't take that back." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I must bear this pain for Charlotte," he grumbled to himself.
That made me a mother. I couldn't say anything else since I was in more tremendous pain than he was.
I felt unwelcome, and that devastated me to a great extent. I'm not sure how I'm going to survive after this; I'm not sure how I will look at myself in the mirror once this is through. I knew it would be difficult for me to deal with the feeling of being unwelcome.
When the pain subsided, I got up, as did he, and we both looked one other in the eyes.
"I'm sorry, Astrid, and I hope you find someone who will make you happy," he said as he began walking away without waiting for a response.
I wanted to scream at him and call him back, but his comments were enough to break me mentally. My Mate has made it apparent that I am weak and do not deserve to be his Mate.
I understand that everyone wants a powerful partner by their side, but am I that week that my own Mate doesn't want me? He prefers everyone else to me.
Mates was supposed to complete us; instead of telling me I'm weak, he should have been my strength, but rather, he's putting the truth in front of my face.
I didn't stop him anymore because there was nothing I could say after he had made his decision to depart and live his life blissfully apart from me.
And what did he say? "You find someone better," he says, and I discover someone who makes me happy.
I was resolved to produce something excellent of myself and prove to the world that I am valuable.
I'm going to attempt to be happy and make something nice of myself.
I continued walking away from him until he vanished into the night.
Is it possible that I am not even worthy of human beings? His mother is human, and he rejected me since I didn't have a wolf.
I sagged down to the earth once more, attempting to make sense of my own existence.
First, I wasn't supposed to find out about my Mate at this moment, and it was a godsend that I did. Second, neither she-wolf nor human feels the encrusting sorrow of rejection until they are nineteen. Once they are, the pain returns but is exacerbated by the passage of time. I'm relieved that I'm at least finished with this.
Yes, there will be a pain, but it will be bearable. However, what I felt was altogether different.
I would have reasoned that maybe my parents lied to me about my age or that I was adopted, but I know none of that is true.
I have some physical characteristics with my mother and brothers. According to the calculations, Sky is two years older than me, and Lance is four, and everything is fine. Still, none of this can explain the pain I experienced.
I sat there for a little more, trying to summon the strength to at least rise up and leave.
I kept my head on the tree trunk and closed my eyes, replaying the events of my life in my mind.
Half an hour had passed, and I was feeling much better.
I was ready to get up and leave when I felt a niggling pain in my lower belly.
It became more intense with time, and I soon felt my body becoming numb; I yelled for help when I couldn't bear it any more.
I wished for someone to come and save me from the torment.
If I mentioned that the pain I was experiencing previously was worse than the impending death, then this is even worse.
I limped around in anguish, begging for death to arrive sooner.
"Please help me," I yelled again.
With each passing minute, my voice became hoarse.
As I twisted and moved, tears began to pour from my eyes.
I don't know how long I stayed there.
I was exhausted and out of energy, but the pain was getting worse by the minute.
I was about to close my eyes and go to oblivion when I noticed someone approaching me.
I looked up to see my brother Sky looking at me, puzzled.
"S... Sky," I said.
He cradled me in his arms immediately. "Astrid, what happened to you?" he worriedly inquired.
I couldn't even respond to him.
"Did Edward reject you, Astrid?" he inquired.
I was perplexed about how he knew, but I couldn't respond appropriately.
Sky asked the same question again. "Did Edward reject you, Astrid?" he inquired sternly again.
I agreed with a nod.
He began to curse beneath his breath. "I knew that asshole would do that and tell me you accepted the rejection," my brother added, smiling.
"No, I didn't; I couldn't think of anything after that," I admitted.
He began cursing beneath his breath once more.
"Sky I'm afraid I'm going to die "I was in a state of fear because of my situation, I explained.
"Don't be stupid, Astrid, no one here is going to die," he said with a shake of his head.
""But," I attempted something but was shushed. "Shh. I said you shouldn't say anything for now, just close your eyes and relax a little "In my ear, he cooed.
When I heard Sky speak again, I tried to follow his instructions.
"If you don't let the clear words whether you accept or deny rejection, you are destined to feel this pain once your mate becomes intimate with someone other than you, but as far as I know, it shouldn't be this serious." Sky finished his sentence.
Now I understand, yet nothing can explain why everything is so intense.
Why am I suffering this agony when I have no say in the matter and have not willingly done anything wrong to any of them?
I shouldn't be in agony in the first place, yet everything here is affecting me in the worst manner conceivable.
Images of Edward and Charlotte raced across my thoughts, and this while they were carrying out the deed.
Sky was terrified after I let forth an excruciating scream.
"What is happening to you again, Astrid?" he questioned, wiping sweat from my brow.
I yelled, "I see glimpses of them having personal!"
"But how?" he asked, but there was something else written on his face as well.
If I'm correct, Sky is terrified of something he can't express.
"I'm not sure," I exclaimed.
He cradled me against his chest and caressed my back in a soothing manner.
I'm glad I have my brother by my side in times like these.
"All right, we'll figure that out later; for now, just relax and try to calm down, and the first thing you're going to do tomorrow is accept his rejection in clear terms," my brother said.
I nodded, admitting my tears.
After a few agonizing moments, I felt a little relieved, and my agony quickly subsided, and I was back on my feet.
"Are you sure you're all right?" Skylar inquired.
"Yes, Sky, I'm fine," I said, nodding.
"If you say so," he said, rolling his eyes at me.
I rose up with all my might and leaned on the tree for support.
"Are you okay?" Sky inquired once again.
I gave a nod.
"Sky, how do you know about Edward, and you said you know what it's like to go through this? How can you know everything?" I inquired.
Sky sighed and looked at me, pleading with me to listen to what I had to say but seeing that I was adamant on learning what was going on.
Sky, too, chose to express his sorrow.
"I understand your anguish because I've been to one," he said.
Surprisingly, my eyes widened.
"What?" I looked at him, perplexed.
"Yes, Astrid, my mate denied me in the 'Union Ground' and rejected me before," he explained.
"Is that why you left the ground so quickly?" I inquired.
"Yes, and I was witnessing you staring at Edward, and I also witnessed my mate wanting someone else over me." I had an inkling of what was going on with him, but I wanted to suppress my gut instincts.
"Who is your mate, Sky?" I inquired.
He huffed, "Who "was" would be fitting."
"So,who was your Mate?" I repeated myself.
"Charlotte," he said.
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