ARIANA'S POV.
The look in his eyes was chilling, and disgust, mixed with disappointment crossed his face. His gaze swept the room again, searching earnestly for the one his heart called out to, but once more, it returned to me.
He rose to his feet, his gaze now solely on mine. Or… could it be that he was still acting? Was he perhaps brimming in joy on the inside? Maybe he was waiting for the ceremony to end, so he could scoop me up in his arms when we got to our secret alcove.
I smiled at the thought of it. He really didn't need to. What was the point of it? He was Alpha now. He had the final say.
"The goddess has blessed me with a mate, and I have found her," He began, still looking at me with that stone-cold expression.
I blushed red roses, and tucked my hair behind my ear.
"Ariana Davids." He said, and stretched out his palm.
Was this it? Was this the big proposal? My God! I wasn't prepared! My hands went cold with sweat, and I folded my smiling lips, as I slowly emerged out of the shadows.
Murmurs pierced the hall like an arrow, as everyone couldn't believe what was happening. A human, mated to a wolf prince. Where in the world did that happen?
I walked to Michael gingerly. He was all I could see. They could say a million words about how unworthy I was to be anything but a weak, despised human, but Michael was the only one who mattered. Whatever he thought of me was what I was.
I climbed the dais, and he dropped his palm. With my radiant smile, I approached him, and stood in front of him.
His expression didn't shift. It remained harsh, unhappy.
I really wanted to tell him it was fine, and he could stop pretending, but you know, I'd just save it for later.
"I, Alpha Michael Goldline of the Night Fang pack, reject you, Ariana Davids, as my mate." He said, and my lips parted. I couldn't say a word. I simply stared into his eyes, watching him, looking into his cold green eyes.
Everything faded into the background. All the sounds, faces… everything. All I could see was him, as his words replayed in my head.
I, Alpha Michael Goldline…
Michael rejected me. In front of everyone.
… NightFang pack, reject you…
This was our chance. What was he doing?
… Ariana Davids as my mate.
I couldn't breathe. The room was too packed. I couldn't stop staring at Michael. The sky was falling. The world was dissolving.
The first tear streaked a path down my cheek. No, this was too much. This was way too much.
I could handle him shoving me away, calling me names, and shooting me hard looks in public, but him rejecting me when he should have been happiest was…
Maybe he didn't love me. If he did, he would have grabbed his chance. What was the point of our relationship? What exactly was the point of biting me only to lick my wounds later?
Was I just a toy? A toy that would get broken a thousand times. A toy to fix a million times. Did he even care about me?
I knew I was just a human, and wasn't worthy to be his mate, but this was simply the height of it all. This was one inch too deep.
I took a few steps backwards, watching his stone-cold expression, and turned, walking down the stairs. The people watched me, but I couldn't see them. My tears had blurred all vision.
I couldn't even hear them. My thoughts were loud voices in my head. Why did he make me fall if he was going to do this? Did he know from the start that I'd never be worth it?
The stares burned deep into my soul, as I walked quickly out of the hall.
Immediately I was out, I could take it no more. My feet broke into a run towards my room. I didn't stop, and there was no one there to stop me. Everyone else was in the hall. Immediately I got to my room; I caught myself in the broken mirror I always kept.
But even through its broken state, I could still see how tattered I looked. I looked nothing like someone who was fit to be the Alpha's mate. It felt like a knife twisted into my chest. Who would I ever be fit for? My life had been a mess, and a series of heartbreaks, but this was the biggest one yet.
I tore the dress off me, ripping the weak seams, reducing it to its complete tattered form before putting on a sweatshirt, and a pleated skirt.
It was over. If Michael had rejected me, then what was the point? If he chose a new mate, then our chapter was over. I would forever live in gray clouds.
I escaped through the window, instead of taking the door, and then, I ran…
~
I ran from the cruel cards fate dealt me, but here I was again, about to face another one. One crueler than Michael was. One, in whose hands my wretched life could completely end.
On second thoughts, recalling where I was coming from, the fresh heartbreak, and thoughts of Michael in another woman's arms…
Perhaps, I'd just give up. If he'd just stick his claws into my feeble chest, it'd be over.
But why did all the wicked men have to look like gods? The man staring at me was another one, and he was a hundred times more handsome than Michael would ever be.
I'm not speaking from pain and spite. It was simply the fact. He had a natural bossy aura, even while he simply sat. His dark hair was side swept, and his dark eyes were nothing but mesmerizing. Despite his manly aura, his eyelashes were feminine, long, and dark, commanding beauty with every blink.
His jaw was sharp enough to cause my hands to bleed, and the bridge of his nose stood gallant. His skin was literally shining with money. He looked every bit dashing, astonishing, and simply breathtaking.
Fine, I was a fool anyway. If anyone were to end me, it had to be this man. It seemed the moon goddess was insistent on playing with my heart. Fine; I'd be damned.
I looked at him with the defiance of someone who had nothing to lose anymore, and he cocked his head, with a bit of awe, before he looked away, a little smile curved on his lips.
Was that really a smile? Did I see it right? Oh my God! Was he already imagining what he'd do with me?
He closed the newspaper, putting it aside, got up from his seat, and walked over to me, with his hands in his pockets. My heart roared in fear, and there was that insane urge to step back, but I forced myself to look into his enchanting eyes.
He came to stand in front of me, but unfortunately, the whole world fell aside when he smiled, and held my chin.
It was no longer fear.
It was foolish admiration.