Ariana
The workload for today wasn't stressful so I was able to get off work early.
After I was done with my work for the day, I headed for the adult store Gracie described for me.
For some reason, my mind strayed to Gracie's claims again.
Still, my thoughts was followed by guilt. The guilt was because I was doubting William.
To me, fated mates was important and I placed great emphasis on the mate bond. I believed the moon goddess would never make a mistake.
She knew what she was doing when she paired two different people together.
Besides, William had never done anything that showed me his incompatibility with him.
Sometimes, our views don't agree but he doesn't push his opinions on me.
He was the best person to spend the rest of my life with.
I attributed his recent coldness to the high strains and stress of his job.
Gracie can't be right. She must have mixed up the faces she saw.
I chucked those suspicious thoughts out of my mind.
It would do me no good to torment myself with something that wasn't even true in the first place.
I arrived at the adult store.
The store debunked any misconception I might have had about these kinds of establishments.
There wasn't any hints of pink on the signboard.
The signboard was in a minimalist theme.
I hesitated a bit at the entrance of the store.
I even have half the mind to back out from the surprise I wanted to prepare for William.
I took a deep breath and exhaled softly. I steeled my resolved as I clenched my right fist.
William was my mate, there was nothing wrong with what I am doing.
I pushed the glass door and entered.
The sights in the store dazzled my eyes. It's interior wasn't as low-key as the minimalist design outside.
I felt it then, I had really visited an adult store.
I saw handcuffs, sensual costume and many more things that almost made my mouth drop open in shock.
I pulled myself together and I approached the only reception desk in the whole store.
A petite lady with curly brown hair was behind the desk. Her blue eyes glittered from time to time.
"Hello, I am here to get some stuffs and I would love your help." I said after clearing my throat.
I could not get the words to come out until I tried severally.
She was in a relaxing posture before I approached her.
I don't know if she thought I was an experienced customer that would know what they want. A customer that would just pick what they needed and bring it to the counter to pay.
She changed into a more focused look.
"Oh, you are a newbie." She said, "You can tell me what you need or what you want to use them for and I would give you the suggestion I have." The attendant said.
A name tag was pinned to her chest. I took a glance.
Her name is Neekah.
"Okay." I said calmly.
My voice was stable but no matter how hard I tried to control the red color staining my cheeks, I failed terribly.
Neekah left the desk and came beside me.
"I want handcuffs and a bunny girl costume." I said my request in a rush.
Neekah smiled before going to the shelf's the items was placed.
I didn't know William preferences but I had done a high intensity research online.
Most men liked their girls wearing costumes or doing role-plays.
I saw how popular it was so I decided on it.
I was a newbie in things like this too. All my knowledge came from the internet.
Soon enough, Neekah was back with the products I requested.
She totaled the price before handing the products to me. I gave her my card and she swiped it on the scanner beside her computer.
I tried to keep the smile off my lips as I exited the store. I don't know why I was happy, I just felt like smiling.
I hailed a cab straight to the house I and William shared.
William was the owner of the house.
When I left my past and identity behind, I refused to touch all the credit cards and bank accounts associated with that identity.
I did not want to use anything that is from them.
Since they could not support my love for William, we had to make a clean break.
I can be extremely stubborn when the time arises.
Besides, I did not want William to be subjected to their rejection.
I made the choice of moving away from them with William. I was willing to build a new home with William. A home that belonged to us, a home that didn't have rejection and contempt staining it.
William heeded my wish and we lived together as a couple.
I heard low thrumming coming from inside the building.
It seemed William was throwing a party to celebrate his birthday.
I had a key so I let myself in.
Anticipation burned through my skin like electricity.
I couldn't wait for the party to finish.
I planned to wish William congratulations and I would help him host the guest that came to celebrate with him.
After the party, I would get to the main part of today.
I clenched the bag holding the products I bought with excitement.
I couldn't attend the party like this so I wanted to bypass the living room that acted as the party venue.
I wanted to change into something presentable and I wanted to keep the things I got from the adult store in our main bedroom.
It wasn't appropriate to bring it to the party.
I could not resist sneaking a peek. I wanted to see William.
I saw something that made my heart stop.
The world itself seemed to slow to a crawl too.
A woman was holding William hand and he wasn't pushing her away. She was acting like the true lady of this house.
Gracie's previous words rang in my ears like an haunting curse.
'When I visited my sister in her workplace, I saw William and a woman. The woman has black hair and green eyes. She and William behaved like a couple.'
The words kept repeating in my head like a chilling lullaby.
I looked closer.
The woman that was partially hugging William had shiny black hair and glittering green eyes.
Her eyes was beautiful. It seemed like it would suck the soul out of someone.
She had an innocent air about her too. It was as if she wasn't aware of her charm.
This contrast made her more attractive.
My heart began to ache.
I lifted my lips into the semblance of a smile.
I had to be mistaken.
The woman that was holding William was someone I was very familiar with.
Someone I placed on the same level of importance I attached to Gracie.
She is Rhodes Maddox, a person I took as a best friend.
Gracie didn't know her. It was because Rhodes didn't want to associate with Gracie and I respected her decision.
Rhodes was my best friend and William was my fated mate. They would not do this kind of thing to me.
Still, I was disturbed. I had no interest in going up to change into something better.
I wanted William to clarify my doubts now.
Doubts are not good in a relationship. It is better I address the issue before it became a thorn in my heart.
My smile faded.
Who was I fooling? It had already taken the place of a thorn that continued to batter my heart.
I approached William.
I did not mind the fact that the bag I held might seem inappropriate for the people present at the party.
"William, what is happening here? Why are you holding Rhodes like this? It is going to make people misunderstand." I asked as soon as I stood before them.
I ignored the way my words made me sound pathetic. I sounded like a woman chasing the love of an unfaithful husband.
Rhodes sipped a little bit of wine from her glass before she focused on me.
I felt like a child throwing tantrums under her gaze.
Still, I was not willing to give up like that.
I was an omega, my emotions can be easily influenced.
I know myself. I was unique. I can be very headstrong as well.
Sometimes, emotions would do nothing to obstruct my decisions.
This was one of those moments.
I did not want Rhodes to oppress me in any way or form.
I did not want to seem like someone that is beneath her.
William looked at me with complicated emotions in his eyes.
For some reason, I felt like the emotions in his eyes already answered my question.
Still, I refused to believe that irritating and heartbreaking conjecture.
I had to ask personally.
"There is nothing to explain, Ariana. We are not fit to be mates." William said calmly.
He was so calm that it was frightening.
I clenched my fist, "What do you mean? We are fated mates. How are we not fit to be mates? Are you questioning the moon goddess's choice?"
William' calm demeanor made me feel like I was losing.
I wanted to use the moon goddess as way to warn him.
William sighed, "I am rejecting you. Rhodes is a better fit."
I stared at Rhodes. She was smiling happily. She did not say anything to refute William' speech.
No one would think she was a mate stealer by looking at her face and demeanor.
"I don't want to drag this out." William' voice sounded more evil to me, "I, Alpha William Sloane, reject you, Ariana Glade as my omega and Luna."
My heart broke into a thousands pieces and I felt like the light of my life was being snuffed out.
The mate bond between I and William was trembling. It felt as if a person was using a blunt knife to cut a piece of my flesh.
After some time, the mate bond finally snapped.
Indescribable anguish spread from the bottom of my heart.
Aside from my heartbreak and pain, I noticed that William mentioned a Luna.
He told me he had separated from his pack but he wasn't a rogue. He had lied to me.
Our relationship was built on lies and deceit.
I didn't bother to question anything.
The truth was was as clear as day.
"I, Ariana Glade accept your rejection." I spoke even as my pain raged through my body.
I felt the mate bond disintegrate completely.
"This is what I don't like. You are too headstrong and stubborn." William said as he shook his head.
Putting the pain aside, I felt anger.
Did he expect me to beg him?
I was stubborn. I knew that I have this trait.
I did everything he asked. I abandoned everything to be with him and this was all I received in return.
"You are no longer the heiress you were before. You are proud and poor now. You are not fit to be my mate." William commented and things clicked in place.
After I abandoned my identity, William' attitude chilled slowly over time.
He wanted my money but I disappointed him by leaving them behind.
"Little missy, William is someone of a higher caliber. Do yourself a favor and leave." Rhodes said with a smile.
Doing our friendship, she was haughty but it wasn't this severe. She was hiding beside her competitor like a cold-blooded snake. She was waiting for the right moment to strike.
I felt like the rose colored glasses that had blinded me crack.
I saw the people before me in their true nature's.
William was selfish, cruel and greedy. His inflated alpha ego needed to be stoked by a woman like Rhodes that catered to his needs.
Rhodes was an evil woman that wanted what wasn't hers.
Knowing their true natures didn't mean I wasn't pained by their betrayal.
I was swimming in agony.
None of the people present said a word. They just stared at me hostilely.
It seemed these people was from William' pack.
Tumultuous emotions wrecked through me with no way to vent.
I turned around and left the house.
I threw the bag holding the surprise I had prepared into the trash bin outside.
I dialled Gracie's number.
It rang three times before she answered.
"You were right." I said with a numb voice.
I didn't give her a chance to speak before hanging up.
Today felt like the moment that tore my life apart.
I wanted to forget my sorrows.
I wanted to let go.
I remembered that Gracie mentioned a club that was near our house.
I was wrong.
It was William's house.
I was going to make this night a night to remember.