Him, His Uncle And I!

Breaking news!

Rebecca's pov

“Okay, everyone’s here, right?” Mia asked, glancing around as she locked the door behind us once we got to the dorm.

“How’s Getz?” Erin, one of our dormmates and fellow slave, asked. Earlier, I’d mentioned we were eight in this cramped dorm: Erin, Tyla, and Fiona had been out running errands for the pack all morning, so they’d only heard from Mia about Getty’s condition. We were like a small, close-knit family here, except for Lucy, the manager, who was never around in the dorm room.

“She’s fine; she’ll be getting the surgery,” I replied casually, a bit tired of repeating the same good news.

“By the way, why are you all in here?” I asked, noticing how everyone was gathered instead of preparing dinner. “Who’s supposed to be making dinner if we’re all here?”

“Oh, the main family isn’t here today, so we’re off the hook. The other pack members will just make something themselves,” Fiona said with a shrug.

“Huh? Where did they go?” Kayla asked, mirroring my confusion. It wasn’t often the alpha’s entire family left together—there had to be a reason.

“That’s what we wanted to talk about,” Tyla said with a grin.

Mia, Kayla, and I shuffled over to sit on our respective beds. Our single-room dorm had all eight beds lined up against the wall, initially spaced apart for privacy but now pulled close together. I slept between Kayla on my right and Mia on my left, while Erin, Getty, Tyla, and Fiona slept near one another across the room. The dorm was simple, with just a small couch, a low table, and a single bathroom with one shower we all shared. Most of our belongings stayed neatly piled in worn bags in one corner. This place might be worn-down, but it was home.

“Alright...what’s up?” I asked, keeping my tone casual, though Mia’s earlier mention of Ryan had left a knot in my stomach. I shifted slightly, trying to ignore the unease simmering in the back of my mind.

“Well...” Mia began, drawing it out as she leaned in, clearly enjoying the suspense. “It seems… Ryan is getting a chosen mate instead of waiting for his fated one.”

“What? No way!” Kayla burst out. My heart lurched, but I tried to keep my face impassive. He was really going to do it—he’d be with someone else? My chest tightened, an ache settling there.

“Yes, way! The Luna announced it herself. She said they couldn’t have him waiting forever, and since he hadn’t found his fated mate within the pack, they’ll be traveling to select a princess from another one,” Mia explained, relaying every detail with hushed excitement. She’d probably overheard this at a gathering, because as slaves, we were never allowed into pack meetings.

While the girls shared their reactions, their voices grew distant. The air in the room felt stifling, my skin prickling with unease. The sounds of laughter and chatter only heightened the hollow ache inside me, like I was hearing them from underwater.

“No way, so Ryan really isn’t Rebecca’s mate? How disappointing.” Kayla sighed, her tone wistful.

“I know, right?” Tyla chimed in. “I was really rooting for them.”

“Me too,” Fiona added, rolling onto her back. “Their names even start with the same letter. And remember all those times, years back, when Ryan would actually hang out with us? He’d laugh with Rebecca, and spend all that time together. It was so sweet; I always thought they were meant to be.”

“Don’t you feel disappointed, Becky?” Fiona asked, looking over at me.

My chest tightened. I shifted uncomfortably, lowering my gaze as I tried to push away the sharp sting of the memories they were bringing up.

Kayla, sensing my discomfort, jumped in quickly. “Fiona, come on, that’s a silly question. Becks might’ve had a little crush, but it’s not like she’d care that much. She’ll find someone who loves her just as she is.”

I glanced up, sending her a silent thanks. I didn’t have the heart to tell them the truth—that I had indeed found my mate, And yes, it was Ryan, just as they’d hoped. Only the ending wasn’t what they’d imagined…because he’d rejected me.