He knew.
The weight of that realisation hit me hard.
I picked myself up from the ground and swept the grass off my blue dress.
The blue dress that I so excitedly picked out for him. That morning felt so long ago.
I sniffed and wiped my face on my sleeves.
I decided that I wasn't going to tell anyone about what happened. Not until I come up with a solid plan.
She whined, agonized.
We slowly made our way back home.
--
"Hahaha, I'm fine, guys! Oh my god, you guys kicked up such a big fuss! Xena and I just decided to go for a run, you know, to mark the last day of our singlehood I guess!" I laughed, as convincingly as I could.
Al, my mom and my dad eyed me suspiciously.
"Seriously! I just realised that… I won't be alone with Xena anymore now that I know my Mate is out there and it is just a matter of time we bonded. So I figured, this is my last chance to do something with my wolf, alone." I reassured everyone.
"You were never alone…" Al muttered.
I smiled at him and gave him a big, warm hug.
"I know, Al. I know."
They gave up trying to interrogate why I disappeared for 7 hours and passed it off as another one of my incomprehensible quirks.
As it got dark very quickly, Al headed back home while I prepared for bed.
Sleep eluded me. I lay there, thinking about what happened.
I wonder, what am I going to do tomorrow?
--
I woke up the next morning having only slept a couple of hours.
I drifted in and out of dreams, flashes of an unfamiliar wolf haunted my nightmares. He was a great red Wolf, usually a colour reserved for royalty, he was chasing after me and howling loudly. I remember running and running across the fields.
I grudgingly got out of bed, even though I was contemplating if I should call in sick at school.
I quickly dismissed the thought as it would be way to suspicious to Al and my parents too.
Heartbroken and tear-stained, I got myself ready.
I couldn't cover my sunken cheeks and dark eye circles anymore. I did not have any energy left to do it either.
I still didn't know what to do about Ethan, Stacey and even, myself I guess.
--
Al and I got to school quietly after I said that I had a terrible bout of migraine last night and didn't want to talk much.
Al looked at me for a while before nodding quietly.
My heart ached.
For what? I'm not sure anymore.
The moment we reached school, insanely loud cheering and laughter were heard.
We could see a large crowd forming in front of the assembly area. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and yelling at the top of their lungs.
Al and I moved closer to get a better look at what was happening.
Through the gaps, I saw Ethan and Stacey standing in the middle of the podium as all their friends and schoolmates gathered around them, cheering and celebrating joyously.
I didn't know what was happening.
The sight of them together still causes spasms of aches to my heart.
I noticed Ethan sniffed the air and then he spotted me and we made eye contact.
I stiffened up.
Ethan, upon noticing me, suddenly held Stacey's hand and lifted it above their heads triumphantly!
"Wooo wooo" the crowd went mad.
That's when I noticed the engagement band on her finger and the bite marks on Stacey's neck.
He marked her as his Mate.
My heart sank, further than I thought it could.
My face flushed red and hot. I thought I might pass out if I continued to watch this scene unfold before me.
Without warning, I pushed past the throngs of people and ran into the washroom.
Al looked shocked.
--
As I sat on the floor of the toilet cubicle, I cried so hard into my hands.
Indeed. How could my destined Mate take another for his own? I didn't know what to do anymore. Rejection of mates were uncommon, I have never heard of it before.
I don't know what I am going to do now.
Dark thoughts crossed my mind. It would be easier that way, wouldn't it?
Xena shifted around, uncomfortably before nuzzling against me.
"Yeah Xena, I know… I won't do that to my parents, don't you worry okay?" I reassured her quietly in my mind.
I quickly washed my face and got ready to face Al and his incessant questionings about my unusual behaviour.
As I pushed the washroom door open to brace myself for it, I unexpectedly crashed into Ethan!
Wait what?
"Come here." He dragged me forcefully into an empty art supply room down the corridor.
My forearm ached painfully from his firm grip.
His scent was intoxicating. I hated myself for thinking this way.
He pushed me into the supplies closet and shut the door behind him.
"You mutt!", he hissed angrily "I will NEVER accept a weakling as me, Luna. You got it? You better keep this to yourself."
I looked at him, sadly.
"Of course. I didn't tell anyone." I replied curtly.
"Good. Look at you. You are ugly, skinny and weak. How will that reflect on me, the Alpha?" He continued, " Only someone as beautiful as Stacey is worthy of my status, and I have already told everyone that she is my Mate. So you better behave yourself, you get it, mutt?"
Disappointment and dread filled me.
How could I ever want to be with someone like that?
I rather be Mateless than to be with him.
"Can I go now?" I asked, emotionlessly.
"Hmph. You make me sick. So I will tell you this once more, and this is the last time. Stay out of my way, you disgusting runt." He spat at me, before leaving the closet, slamming the door behind him.
I broke down.
--
(Ethan's POV)
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Xander, my wolf howled at the loss of our Mate.
Being in that close proximity with her made me giddy.
Her warm, luscious scent of brown sugar, sweet vanilla and fresh petrichor made me mad with desire. Nothing I have ever experienced, not even with Stacey.
As I wanted to do instinctively was to grab her and mark her as my own. I wanted to kiss her and smell her. I want to fuck her so badly.
But how could I?
I was made to be the next Alpha, I cannot be seen with the weakest and ugliest she-wolf in the pack. What a disgrace!
I felt like the Moon goddess played a dirty trick on me.
I spat on the ground, angrily.
Now that I have announced to everyone that Stacey is my mate, I have to roll with it.
Fuck that ugly mutt.
(I want her. How?)