Don't think Father loves you because of the treatment it was because of him if not Father would have watched you die outside," Anna said as her lips arched upwards.
I wondered who he was and what was going on there.
She giggled and then left.
Could it be him? Was he back?
He was Raphael the next alpha of the Bloodstone pack, the only one who treated me fairly and equally.
He made sure i was safe from father and sister a lot.
He was the only person I could call a friend.
I must see him immediately, but I looked at myself and decided to freshen up first before heading to his place.
He has been gone for over five years now. He would have changed, wouldn't he? Maybe he would be more muscular and handsome.
I wish he would be my mate because he would be the perfect mate for me and always protect me.
It was late already, and an activity was going on in the pack house.
Oh my gosh, I forgot that today was the annual Bloodstone Ball; it was a ball where werewolves find their mate.
I could find my mate today, but will he accept me?
Me, a wolf-less loser.
But first of all, I decided to look for Raphael in the ballroom.
The ballroom was huge, and it was decorated magnificently in cream. The chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Shining brightly in the room. I searched for Raphael.
Then, I saw him with my sister, Anna, and they seemed happy. He had grown; his black eyes shone brightly, and his brown hair shimmered against the light.
His body was toned, and he was every girl's dream man.
When I smelled that intoxicating scent in the ballroom, it was coming from Raphael.
He was my freaking mate; it was my dream come true.
He looked in my direction, and he knew I was his mate.
He walked up to me, and I waited for him to accept me as his mate.
But his expression didn't seem right.
His expression was one of utter disgust; his lips curled downward in a scowl.
I felt uneasy; a chilly breeze grazed my arms, and goosebumps appeared on my arms.
"I, Raphael Lockwood, reject you, Ella Livingstone, as my mate." Something in my heart shattered into pieces, and the only one I called a friend, who was also my destined mate, rejected me in front of everyone.
Everyone was laughing at me, amused by my misfortune.
He didn't stop there.
"Did you think we were friends? You? A wolf-less nobody?"
What does he mean?
"It was just a bet that I made with my friends to pity you, and it was tiring to always listen to your rambling." He paused.
I stood there dumbfounded, trying to understand what was going on.
He folded his arms across his chest and seemed to enjoy me breaking.
"If only you had awakened your wolf, you would not be this useless, and you would have at least a standing in the pack." He looked at me with disdain as he said it.
I stood there, frozen, as Raphael's words cut through me like a knife. My mind reeled, trying to process the truth behind his words.
How did I think the next alpha of the Bloodstone pack would be delighted to be my friend?
I could not cry, and I will not let anyone rejoice in seeing me cry.
I have had enough of this place, and I did what I felt I should.
"I, Ella Livingstone, reject you, Raphael Lockwood, as my mate." My words hung in the air.
His arched lips came down; he could not believe I would reject him.
With that, I turned around and left the ballroom.
It took all the strength inside me not to cry there.
I decided to get away from all this chaos in my life; besides, I was never loved here.
After I left the ballroom with my back straight, I ran to my house.
I went to the basement and locked the rusting door.
Not believing that my friend of 7 years was just fake, and a bet was placed on me to show that I was worthless.
I could not hold it back anymore; tears streamed down my face like water.
I grabbed my knees and pulled them together, and folded my arms around them.
I cried for about an hour, and I decided to take everything I could take and go.
I was putting my life in my own hands from now on.
Just maybe I could have a life where I was treated equally and nobody judged me for not awakening my wolf.
I grabbed my worn-out bag, stuffed my few belongings inside, and made my way to the door. The weight of the bag felt heavier than usual, a reminder of the burden I was leaving behind.
Those are what could fit in my bag.
Everything I had was a hand-me-down from Anna.
I slipped away before anyone was back from the ball.
I checked outside if the coast was clear.
The streets were empty; it was dark and unwelcoming, as if to mock me that I would always be alone.
Everyone was at the ball. I took a glance at the house that I stayed in for 19 years of my life from a distance, and there are many hurtful memories here.
It was great that I decided to leave.
I ran in the dark so the guards would not notice me.
I didn't know how long I had run, but I got tired at a point and started walking.
As I walked, the darkness gave way to a faded sign creaking in the wind: 'Welcome to White Cliffs'—a town that seemed as unforgiving as the night itself.
It was late, and my throat was parched. I sought refuge in the night bar, hoping to quench my thirst and clear my racing thoughts.
I saw a night bar from a distance and decided to head in.
I stepped into the night bar, where shadows dance and desires ignite. The air is alive with the pulse of the music, a siren's call that draws you in.
Laughter and whispers swirl around you, a heady mix of excitement and intrigue. Every moment is a chance to unleash your wild side, to let go and lose yourself in the night.
I sat down at a side where no one could see me, and I ordered one of the cheapest drinks there, which was whiskey.
The waiter brought it and placed it on the table.
I poured myself a glass.
I clasp the glass, my fingers trembling slightly as the amber liquid glows in the dim light.
The first sip is a slow burn, the whiskey's warmth spreading down my throat, soothing my frayed nerves.
I feel the tension in my shoulders ease, my breath slowing as the chaos of the night bar recedes.
I sipped more and started to see double and say gibberish.
"WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?" I screamed, but no one seemed to pay attention to me as they were partying their life out.
A man was walking, and my hands just moved, and I grabbed him.
"Are you going to reject me?" I questioned him.
He raised his eyebrows; his face seemed to be polished straight from jade.
"Answer me," I bit him on the chest, and he growled. Some people in suits wanted to separate me from him, but he told them to back off.
"Princess, I would never reject you," He arched his lips upwards and gave me a million-dollar smile.
"Then accompany me no…no take me to your place," I demanded of him.
"Sure, anything for the lady," The mysterious stranger said.
I looked at him and snorted, and gave him my bag to hold for me.
"What are you still looking at? Let's go," I barked.
He laughed and led me out.
I stumbled while walking, and he held me by the waist and supported me till we got to his car, and his bodyguards opened the door.
WASN'T I AFRAID HE COULD KILL ME?
I looked at him and he smiled.
His smile seemed genuine, but his eyes hinted at something sinister, leaving me wondering if I'd made a terrible mistake.
Or was it my illusion?