Fated Luna

Chapter 8 – Rejected Cruelly

Tom



I stood there, stunned, my feet rooted to the spot as the luxurious car sped away with Alyssa inside. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I had just seen. The way that car stopped for her, the way she got in without hesitation—it all felt wrong.

I sniffed the air, but whoever was driving had masked their scent well. Still, I was sure of one thing: the driver was a werewolf like me. Was it Professor Thomson?

I frowned deeply, a mix of annoyance and frustration bubbling inside me. Alyssa had just walked away, like she didn’t care anymore, and that stung. I thought she’d beg me to come back, that she’d want me to choose her over Elvie. I clenched my fists, anger simmering beneath the surface.

Even though I had cheated on Alyssa with Elvie, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Alyssa had already moved on to someone else—maybe even Professor Thomson.

How did they already seem so close? Why did he pick her up like that? My thoughts spiraled, and I couldn’t help but feel that Professor Thomson was only using her to get what he wanted.

The idea gnawed at me. What made it worse was knowing that Alyssa had never given herself to me. Elvie, on the other hand, was different—liberated and eager for a one-night stand. I had been weak, seduced by the ease and thrill of it.

But now, the jealousy burned in me. I wasn’t used to the idea of Alyssa being with someone else, especially not someone like the mysterious Jake Thomson.

With a frustrated sigh, I muttered under my breath, “She’ll come crawling back. And when she does, I’ll make sure to reject her cruelly.”

I grinned at the thought, imagining Alyssa begging for my attention, only for me to turn her down just as harshly as she had walked away from me today.

As I turned to leave, my phone buzzed in my pocket. A part of me hoped it was Alyssa, but when I checked the screen, I frowned. It was Elvie. I reluctantly answered the call.

“Where are you?” Elvie’s voice came through, light but with a hint of impatience. “I want to have lunch with you and my father. We’re already at the restaurant near the university.”

I hesitated for a moment, still annoyed by the whole situation with Alyssa, but I couldn’t exactly ignore Elvie. “Alright, I’ll be there,” I said, trying to sound neutral.

The walk to the restaurant was filled with my racing thoughts. I couldn’t shake the image of Alyssa in that car, but I pushed it aside as I neared the restaurant.

When I arrived, I saw Elvie waving at me enthusiastically from a table. Her father, Beta Arnold, was sitting beside her, along with some high-ranking officials from the university. They were already eating, and I felt a slight knot in my stomach as I approached.

“Elvie. Beta Arnold,” I greeted them both. Beta Arnold looked at me seriously, giving a small nod before gesturing for me to sit down.

I sat, and before I could say anything, Elvie leaned in close, her voice low. “Why didn’t you answer my call earlier?”

I couldn’t tell her I’d been with Alyssa, so I lied. “I was just checking on something,” I muttered, hoping she wouldn’t press further.

Elvie seemed satisfied with that answer for now, but then she leaned in again, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Did you already reject Alyssa? Did you officially break up with her?”

I lied again, the words coming easily despite the unease growing inside me. “Yeah, I did. It’s over between us.”

Elvie grinned, clearly pleased by my answer. “Good,” she whispered, nodding to herself like everything was falling into place.

Before I could say anything else, Beta Arnold cleared his throat, drawing my attention. His expression was serious as he looked at me, and I could tell this wasn’t going to be a light conversation.

“Tom,” he began, his voice steady and authoritative, “are you courting my daughter, or is there already a relationship between the two of you?”

I opened my mouth, unsure how to respond, but Elvie jumped in before I could speak. She smiled brightly, turning to her father. “Dad, Tom and I are still getting to know each other, but we both feel something special. We could be fated mates.”

I felt a pang of unease at her words.

Fate mates?

I wasn’t sure about any of that. But before I could respond, Beta Arnold’s frown deepened.

“Really, I heard Tom already has a mate,” he said bluntly, looking straight at me.

Elvie looked taken aback, her smile faltering. “Y-yes, But... but Tom and Alyssa already broke up,” she stammered, clearly surprised that her father knew about my past with Alyssa.

Beta Arnold let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head slightly. “Even if they’ve broken up, that doesn’t mean you should assume you and Tom are fated mates, Elvie. You need to be sure about this. Don’t rush into something based on fleeting feelings.”

Elvie’s face turned a shade paler, and I could feel the tension in the air. She clearly wasn’t expecting her father to be this cautious. I stayed silent, unsure of what to say, and just nodded along.

Beta Arnold stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. “Come, Elvie. Let’s go home.” His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Elvie blinked, clearly caught off guard by how the lunch had ended. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly, standing up as well. She shot me a look as if she expected me to say something, but I couldn’t find the words. I was still reeling from the fact that her father knew more than I expected.

As they left the restaurant, I sat there, feeling a mix of relief and confusion. The whole situation with Elvie felt like it was spiraling, and I wasn’t sure how long I could keep up the act. But for now, I had to focus on keeping things together, even if that meant more lies.