Rejected, But Survived.

Chapter 2

Rue's Pov

Riley's cold behavior persisted throughout the morning, avoiding any interaction with me. I felt my heart sink as I realized he was intentionally distancing himself from me after our supposedly passionate night together. It hurt deeply, as I had expected him to stay, to wake me up with gentle kisses and romantic gestures. Instead, I found myself chasing after him just to have a simple conversation, my fears becoming more evident on my troubled face. There was little I could do to change the situation.

Finally, after completing the chores I had promised to do the day before, I managed to get him to talk to me after lunch. But what he said shattered me to my core.

"How can you be my mate!? You damn fool! I never considered you as my mate! That's why I tried to avoid discussing it yesterday! But since you won't stop bringing it up!!" His voice rang out, filled with an expression I had never seen before, and suddenly, the joy and happiness of knowing he was my mate vanished from my face.

"Riley, what do you mean? You told me you wanted to be my mate, you told me you wanted to stay with me for a long, long time. You told me you loved me! So, what are you saying now?" I asked, moving closer to him, my naivety shining through. My heart started to break into a thousand pieces. I didn't want to believe what he was implying. All I had ever known was his love and friendship. Why would he do this to me? Why would he utter such harsh words to my face?

"What do you think I mean? I'm going to reject you. I won't have a weak wolf as my mate. How would that benefit me? You don't even know who your parents are, and you haven't been able to shift since..." He paused, his gaze filled with disgust. "It won't hurt much since your wolf isn't even there," he spat out, pretending to care. My heart pounded in my chest, its rhythm echoing in my ears.

"What do you mean, Riley? My heart can't bear it. The mate bond won't simply fade away. Please, don't do this. I'll feel so empty without you. You told me just last night that you loved me. You promised me that you wanted me to give you my virginity because you'd stay with me forever! Because you wanted us to be mates!" I pleaded, my voice trembling with desperation. I had no shame left; I would fall to my knees if it meant he would change his mind. I would gladly clean his feet with my most cherished cloth. He was the only one I believed had my back in the entire pack, and now he was abandoning me completely. Yes, I would throw myself at him, beg him, and do anything in my power to make him reconsider.

"These things happen when a male or female dislikes their mates. They all move on, and so will you. I'm the future alpha of this pack. I don't need a weak, non-shifting orphan by my side ruling with me," he stated dismissively as he began to walk away. I realized then that maybe this wasn't the exact moment he intended to reject me, and perhaps I should have let him go. But I couldn't. I followed him, desperately trying to make him see the reasons why he shouldn't reject me.

"Stop following me," he snapped, not bothering to look back. We were on the training field, an empty space where I could catch up to him without worrying about hiding my shame from prying eyes. No one should witness this version of me. The pity and discrimination I faced from others were reasons enough to prevent him from entering crowded spaces where I wanted to avoid everyone by all means possible. Our pack was built on the unity of families, bound by blood and friendship. But now, with Riley's recent actions, I realized I had none of those connections, not even a friend.

"What do you expect me to do when you're about to shatter the one thing I've been waiting for and depending on my entire life? You took the only thing that belonged to me, the only thing I had control over, and you told me you loved me and wanted to be with me forever," I choked out between sobs. Tears streamed down my face as I contemplated the devastating impact his rejection would have on my very existence. The respect I had received from others was only due to my association with Riley, and their respect for him. Without him, I had no reason to stand tall in front of them anymore.

"If the shame becomes too much for you, I can help you leave the pack. I mean, if that's what you want," he offered, turning to face me. I locked eyes with him, desperately hoping he would tell me this was all a cruel prank and that he was sorry.

"Don't look at me like that," he snapped, breaking our gaze.

"Why are you doing this, Riley? Why exactly? You weren't like this just yesterday. Why are you doing this to me? I don't understand," I pleaded, still clueless about the reasons behind his actions.

"Well, a lot can change in a day. I've come to realize that there are other important things in life, things that matter more than charity," he stated coldly.

"Charity? What do you mean, charity?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Yes, charity. I was only friends with you out of pity. I knew I would have to reject you when I found out you were my mate yesterday. But I wasn't going to let you go without taking something from you. I pitied you enough to fight against my friends for you. But why would the moon goddess pair me with you, instead of a Beta or even an alpha?" His handsome face twisted with disgust.

My heart shattered into a million pieces. The realization hit me like a wave, drowning me in sorrow and disbelief. All this time, I had believed in his love, in our connection, only to discover that it was built on pity. The pain consumed me as I struggled to comprehend why he would play with my emotions in such a cruel manner.

I took two steps back, the harsh reality crashing down on me. This entire relationship was built on false pretences, not genuine affection or love. I felt a strong urge to sink into the ground of the field, or perhaps disappear into the depths of the sea, never to face anyone again in this pack or in this life. The purpose I had clung to so dearly had been shattered into irreparable fragments, and even if we tried to piece it back together, it would never be the same.

"Riley! What are you doing out here... with her?" A girl, one of Riley's friends, approached us with an air of excitement. I wished I could be in her position, but my heart was too broken to muster a smile. They all tolerated me, but none of them truly liked me. The conversation with Riley had only confirmed it—I was a charity case.

"We're just talking about something, nothing important," he replied as if trying to conceal the fact that we were mates. Of course, this matter was not as important to him as it was to me.

"What something?" she pressed, observing our serious expressions. Then she turned to me, her tone dismissive. "Why isn't she laughing like she always does? Why does she look so grim?"

I didn't answer because I didn't think it was any of her business why I looked the way I did. After a few seconds of silence, she waved it off. "Never mind, my love, come with me. What you both are discussing seems unimportant now. I have something I want your help with."

My love? She drew closer to him, intertwining their arms, and planted a short kiss on his lips. She glanced at me, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil around her, before focusing her attention on him. But he looked at me as if caught in his own web of deceit. This was the reason behind his cruelty, the true motivation. He had made me believe he loved me while being involved with someone else, someone I naively thought was just a friend—the alpha's daughter. I had heard rumors that Riley had been promised the title of the next alpha because of his friendship with her, a way to secure power within the pack. Whenever I voiced my concerns, Riley dismissed them as unimportant. But now, she boldly referred to him as "my love." This was an utter shame. How could I hold my head high in the pack when everyone, except me, knew I had been deceived all along, under the guise of pity?

"What are you waiting for, Riley? Do what you came here to do," I spat the words at him, my voice trembling with hurt and anger.

"What is she talking about?" Lola asked, confused.

"Nothing that concerns you," he replied dismissively.

"No, I want to know. It seems like you two were having an intimate conversation," she turned to me again, her voice dripping with disdain. "What are you discussing with my babe? Are you throwing yourself at him? Is that what this is all about?" I couldn't find the strength to respond; the pain was too overwhelming. I wanted to flee as far as I could, to escape from this world that had been my only reality.

"She's my mate. The moon goddess paired us together. I was in the process of rejecting her when you arrived," Riley stated solemnly.

Lola burst into laughter, a laugh that bordered on madness. It was far from funny; there was nothing amusing about this situation. But I knew deep down that it would all come to an end soon anyway.

"So, you were mated to her? What are you waiting for? Reject her," Lola urged, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"I was just about to

, Lola."

"Then go ahead."

"I can't believe you're letting her dictate your actions. This isn't like you," I found myself saying, my voice barely audible as I focused on my trembling fingers, desperately trying to regain some composure.

"Does it matter what she tells me? I was going to reject you regardless," he retorted coldly.

"Yes, please reject her. My bed has been eagerly awaiting you," she taunted, kissing him passionately. The scene unfolded before my eyes, and it only deepened the pain.

"I, Riley Sullivan, the future Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack, hereby reject you, Rue, a nameless and rankless individual, as my mate." The force of the mate bond breaking sent a shockwave through my body, stealing the very air from my lungs. At that moment, it felt as if death itself had embraced me, and maybe it was better that way. If this didn't kill me, I was determined to find something that would.

Lola stood beside me, not extending a helping hand, but rather urging me to complete the rejection ceremony. "You must accept the rejection," she said with a cold detachment.

Summoning the last remnants of strength within me, I managed to utter, "I, Rue, accept your rejection, Riley Sullivan."

The impact of those words knocked me out completely, and I felt my body crumple to the ground. Neither of them made any attempt to assist me. I realized then, with a crushing wave of despair, that I truly had no one.

As they began to move away from me, Lola's voice rang out, filled with malicious anticipation. "Everyone is going to hear about this. I can't wait."

Deep down, I knew I couldn't return to the pack, nor could I bear to stay in this world for a single moment longer. No one would even notice my absence. I simply needed to summon the strength to rise from where I lay, to gather the shattered fragments of my being.