CARRISA'S POV
Standing before the Alpha twins, my heart pounds so loudly that I can hear it in my ears and I'm scared that they can hear it too.
Well, they probably can due to the mate bond.
Here I am, dressed in my server's uniform—simple and unflattering while they stand before me like gods of another realm. Kaine and Jaime De Cruz. I knew their names without even ever meeting them. Everyone knew them.
They stood there with their striking features and commanding presence. Now I feel like an imposter in my own life. I can't shake the sense that I'm about to be judged, not just for my station, but for who I am at my core: an omega.
I open my mouth, ready to speak, to introduce myself but all that comes out is silence. The twins' expressions are icy. I can see the mocking amusement in their eyes.
"You've got to be kidding me" one of them says. I think his name is Kaine. I've always heard the maids talk about them and at this point, I think I can tell the difference. Kaine is slightly taller than Jaime, his brother.
"A maid" Jaime says in disbelief "Really? Even worse, an omega"
They walk closer to me and I instinctively take a step back, feeling scared. Of course, they wouldn't be pleased. They're Alphas for crying out loud.
"What's your name?" Jaime asks me.
"Carrisa" I whisper "Carrisa Mendez"
"I, Jaime De Cruz, reject you, Carissa Mendez, as my mate" he says.
"And I," Kaine says "Kaine De Cruz, reject you, Carissa Mendez, as my mate"
I close my eyes, feeling my heart pound so loud in my chest that I feel it would burst. I stand there, wanting for the agonizing pain to follow but nothing happens. When I open my eyes, the twins are surprised as well.
Why? Why didn't anything happen?
"It didn't work" Kaine says in disbelief.
"I guess she'll have to reject us then" Jaime says with a sigh.
Kaine looks me up and down, shaking his head "An omega in a server's uniform. How cute"
Jaime walks closer to me, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "I bet she thinks this is some kind of fairy tale, don't you? A little omega dreaming of her alphas."
The words cut deeper than I expect. They aren't just mocking me; they are rejecting everything I am. I feel the sting of their mockery wash over me. I feel a wave of shame that makes my skin crawl. Still, I clamp my mouth shut. I fight back the tears forming in my eyes. I won't cry here. I'm not willing to give them the satisfaction of my hurt.
Kaine steps closer, towering over me, his presence suffocating. "You need to understand something. This bond you think we have? It's not real. You don't belong in our world."
A knot forms in my stomach as he continues, "We're here to help you see that. You need to reject us. It's the only way you can escape this... nonsense."
I can see Jaime's eyes glinting with a cruel excitement, as if the idea thrills him. "Go on then, say the words. Reject us, and we'll make it all go away."
It feels like a test, a cruel game designed to break me. I open my mouth to reject them, my heart pounding in my chest. "I—reject you." The words feel foreign on my tongue, but as I speak, nothing happens. No burst of magic, no release from the invisible bond that holds us. I stand there, trembling.
Kaine's expression darkens. "What's wrong, little omega? Can't even reject your alphas properly?"
Before I can respond, a voice cuts through the tension. Sir Arnold Belcrest interrupts, appearing from nowhere "Perhaps we should consider a more... persuasive approach," he suggests.
The twins exchange glances, and Kaine speaks first. "No, Arnold. It's not that simple. She needs to reject us from her heart. It won't work any other way."
"Then she stays here," Arnold says.
Jaime shrugs, turning his attention to me "That makes sense. But make no mistake—yourstay will be hellish"
"Good"Sir Anold said "You'll make her regret every breath she takes in this castle. That way, she'll have no choice but to reject you"
Kaine smiles evily, his expression darkening further. "I'll break you, omega. I promise you that. You'll beg for the rejection before it's over."
Jaime's smirk widens. A chill runs down my spine as he adds, "And if you don't beg, you'll just suffer. It'll be entertaining to watch."
A whirlwind of emotions crashes over me—fear, confusion. I am trapped and I did nothing to deserve this.
This isn't how I imagined meeting my mates. Every girl dreams of meeting a mate who will love her and care for her. Instead, I meet two, not even one, mates who want to make my life hell. All because I'm an omega.
I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing as they continue to sneer at me.
The night drags on, and soon a maid appears to escort me to my new room. She walks quickly through the dimly lit hallways. When we arrive, I gasp at the state of the room. It reeks of dust. There's barely anything in it - a thin matress, a small desk in a corner and a window with a broken glass.
"This room is… too bad even for the maids," she admits quietly "I'm so sorry, Issa."
I force a smile, though my heart aches. "It's okay. I can handle it."
Once she leaves, the silence of the room presses in on me. I sink onto the threadbare mattress, feeling utterly alone. Just then, a knock interrupts my thoughts. Standing up, I wonder who it is. Maybe it's the twins. Maybe they've come to make mockery of me.
I open the door to find Amy standing there. I sigh in relief. I'm glad to see her.
"I heard what happened," she says, stepping inside.
"I don't know what to do, Amy," I admit, my voice cracking. Tears form in my eyes, and I fall into her embrace. "They rejected me. They think I'm nothing."
"You're not nothing," she whispers fiercely, holding me tight. "You just need to reject them. That's what my dad said. Just say the words and you can leave this place."
But as I try to muster the strength to reject them again, I hesitate. "What if it doesn't work? What if I can't?"
"You have to try harder," Amy urges, her grip tightening as if she can transfer her strength to me. "You have to mean it, Issa."
The pressure mounts. It feels like a weight I can't bear. I pull back, shaking my head. "I can't. I need air."
Before she can protest, I flee the room, desperate for a moment of clarity amidst everything that's happening. I need to think, to gather my strength before facing the darkness that's in the castle.
As I walk down the corridors, I wonder what fate has in store for me.
Taking a deep breath, I lean against the wall and close my eyes.
I guess I'll have to stick around to find out.