Rejected Their Broken Luna: Read Chapters 1-5

Cynthia Dion:

Alpha Atticus: Meet me by the lockers after school.

I read his text once more, a smile forming on my lips.

Alpha Atticus had been my crush for years. Naturally, I couldn't contain my excitement when I saw his message appear on my phone.

Walking towards the lockers, anticipating that he would confess his feelings for me, was the most exhilarating two minutes of my life.

Growing up as an Omega Rogue had been tormenting. Everyone around me had always insisted that I would never find a mate, and even if I did, they would never accept me.

Yet, I hadn't found my mate. However, the strong pull I felt towards Atticus made me wonder if he could be the one.

I knew I was getting ahead of myself, but that's just how strongly I felt about him. I have always hoped that when I turned eighteen, I would feel a mate bond with him.

My hopes were shattered the moment I saw him by the lockers.

"Ahhh! Fuck, your finger is inside me," Rosalie, the beta of his pack, moaned as Atticus fingered her aggressively.

It felt like a nightmare I had been invited to witness.

I couldn't even move a muscle as I watched them give in to their desires.

Atticus licked her chin as she squirmed and arched her head back, feeling his fingers penetrate her more deeply.

"Fuck! Better than any dildo---!" she screamed when he inserted his third finger. He was being rough with her, causing her to gasp for breath. But that was enough to shatter me.

"Finger my ho----le," she expressed her desire to be filled in every way, and he had only touched the entrance of her other opening when a gasp escaped my lips, making them aware of my presence.

"Ohhh!" Rosalie moaned even louder until she opened her eyes and saw me. The look of shock made her step away from him and fix her skirt. He turned around and smirked at me.

He knew I had been watching.

He had to know. That text wasn't a declaration of his desire to see me, but rather a demonstration of how he would never be with someone like me.

Many girls had a crush on him, but he only acknowledged me because he felt the pull. However, my certainty began to waver.

"How fucking dare you?" Rosalie yelled in anger, taking steps towards me.

I knew I had to get away from them, or they would bully me to the point of tears for weeks.

"Cynthia!"

I heard Rosalie call my name, chasing me down the school hallway. I clutched my phone tightly, but I had no one to call for help. I knew I was in this situation because I had taken it too seriously.

I wouldn't be running down the hall like a mad person if I hadn't been desperate for the attention of my Alpha crush.

Just a few minutes ago, before the school bell rang, I received a message from my crush asking me to meet him by the lockers. I made a mistake by taking it too seriously. Tears streamed down my face as their image kept replaying in my mind.

That smirk on Atticus' lips crushed my heart. He knew what he had done, but he didn't care.

Desperate to escape from them, I rushed out of the school. The rain only made matters worse. As I stepped onto the road, someone pushed me from behind, causing me to stumble and faceplant into the mud. I quickly got up, gasping for air. When I turned around to see who had pushed me, I realized it was Alpha Enzo, Atticus' best friend and someone who inexplicably hated me.

"Don't tell me you're in a hurry to masturbate while thinking about those two," Enzo chuckled, mocking my state.

I despised high school.

And I despised the royals, especially the alphas.

Despite my aching feet, I started sprinting away. I ran until I left them behind, or maybe they simply stopped pursuing me. I was breathing heavily, trying to calm my nerves, when a black Rolls-Royce pulled up next to me. It was a car I recognized. The man stepping out of it was dressed in a black suit. I was breathing loudly and in tears. I was familiar with his sharp features.

"Zeon Holt!" I whispered to myself, watching him emerge from the car and scan me. He was a 29-year-old friend of my father's. He had a strong jawline, blue eyes, prominent cheekbones, and an overall slender but muscular build.

My father was an older man, but this 29-year-old had been keeping him company, coming home late to gamble some money. He was devilishly handsome and rich, and he possessed a powerful wolf form.

"Are you okay? Why are you in this state?" His British accent was distinct, and his words flowed smoothly from his lips.

"I'm okay!" I lied, but he could tell. Being a wolf trainer gave him that advantage. He didn't care if the rain stained his fine suit and impeccably styled black hair.

"Get inside then. I'll give you a ride home," he offered, holding the car door open for me. Exhausted, I didn't refuse his offer and climbed into the car with him.

He started the car in silence. I kept my gaze fixed on the road, noticing how strong his cologne was. He didn't speak a word during the entire car ride, but being in the car with him felt peculiar. My rogue best friend, Mara, had always found him attractive and vowed to capture his attention.

Zeon was known in our little rogue neighborhood as a hunk. Every rogue woman desired to sleep with him at least once, but being only 18, I didn't have such desires. I feared my father would see me getting out of his car. However, it was a surprise when we arrived home and I saw my father standing on the front lawn, wearing a huge smile. It almost seemed like he was proud of me.

"Greetings!" my father exclaimed joyfully.

I followed Mr. Zeon out of the car and found my father suggesting that he stay until the rain subsided.

"You should stay over until the rain stops," my dad said, smiling like a fool.

"Thank you, but I have to g---" Mr. Zeon began to excuse himself, attempting to retreat to his car. However, I decided to ask him to stay for a while. He had been kind enough to give me a ride, and it was the least I could do.

"Mr. Zeon! Please stay over," I whispered, watching as he turned and gave me a brief, enigmatic smile. He truly was the most stunning man around here.

"Okay," he nodded sweetly, accepting my invitation and entering the house with my father, who hadn't stopped smiling the entire time.

I hurried into the only bathroom in the little hallway connected to the lounge. Once I stood beneath the shower, I began sobbing at the memory of Atticus and Rosalie. The fact that he had called me to the locker room just to show me that he would always choose someone better than me hurt the most. As I wept, I suddenly had the feeling of being watched. I turned towards the small hole in the door, caused by my father's anger-induced punch. This bathroom was reserved for showers only, and my father never walked by it while my sister and I were inside.

There should have been some light coming from within, but there wasn't. It could only mean one thing: somebody was watching me.

My skin became covered in goosebumps. Cold shivers seemed to paralyze my body momentarily. I rushed to wrap a towel around myself, and as I raised my head after tying it, light once again seeped through the hole. There was indeed someone who had seen me showering, and now they had departed.

I hurriedly dressed in a white dress, intending to go outside and catch the peeping Tom. However, as I exited the bathroom and reached the lounge, I discovered that Mr. Zeon Holt and my father had already left.

So, who the hell was watching me?

A Few Days Later:

"Cynthia!" Mara's high-pitched voice echoed through the hallway as she called my name, searching for me. I had been hiding in a bathroom stall since I arrived at school that day.

Hearing her voice gave me enough courage to leave the stall and cautiously peer my head out to call to her.

"Pssst! Mara!" I whispered, snapping my fingers and scanning the area to ensure that the group of rich and powerful brats wasn't nearby.

Mara and I had many things in common, but the main one was that we were both outsiders, targeted by these privileged brats almost every day. We were subjected to bullying as soon as we set foot in these hallways.

She finally spotted me in the bathroom, and with her eyes wide, she hurried into the restroom with me.

"Why are you hiding in here?" she asked, then sighed to herself, "Did they bother you again?" Her slim, slender arms wrapped around me in a comforting hug.

"It's alright. I'm used to it, but today is different," I replied, pulling back and giving her a reassuring smile.

"Ohh! Is it about Alpha Atticus? I saw him searching all over for you," she teased, elbowing me playfully while mentioning Atticus. Atticus was the alpha of a powerful pack called the Eclipse Warriors. His parents had passed away when he was just a child, so his older sister took on the role of his mother and helped him cope with the loss and understand the duties of being an alpha.

I was just a rogue, but I had big dreams when I developed a crush on him. One might think I would have given up after what I witnessed that day, but almost a week had passed, and I realized he was apologetic. Although he didn't say it directly, I overheard him telling someone that it was Rosalie who messaged me. I knew he had been involved with her, but he didn't owe me any loyalty.

Today was the mating call ceremony, held for the two alphas who would find their mates among the newly turned 18-year-olds.

That would be me.

Mara and I entered the hall and positioned ourselves among the backliners, who were mostly rogues and Omegas. We were met with disgust and abhorrence.

The elite she-wolves stood right next to the podium. They usually consisted of alpha's sisters, royal beta and royal gamma daughters. They received the utmost respect and were treated gently.

I could only gaze at them for a few minutes before tears formed in my eyes. I wasn't interested in fancy things or overwhelmed by luxuries. All I wanted was a loving glance and a few kind words to ease my aching heart.

The two alphas of our school approached the podium and faced us. Since our school served as a gathering place for all the packs, the alphas, betas, and omegas from each pack assembled here.

The two alphas, Alpha Enzo and Alpha Atticus, were best friends.

Alpha Atticus was the one I had been staring at the entire time. I had a massive crush on him, and I always prayed that somehow the Moon Goddess would choose us as mates.

"Alpha Enzo from The HellCrest Pack! Step forward and survey the area for your mate," Principal Augustus shifted the attention to Enzo first, who scanned around, briefly glancing at the freshly turned 18-year-olds in search of his mate.

As we stood there, I began to feel uneasy. A surge of excitement and nervousness coursed through my muscles until I heard my wolf's voice.

‘Mate!’

I swear, I even gasped loudly and instinctively covered my mouth. Alpha Enzo was at the top of my hate list, and the sentiment was mutual. He couldn't stand the sight of me.

His blue eyes locked onto my face, a frown creasing his forehead before a smirk played on his lips. His blond, curly hair was styled perfectly that day, seemingly for a specific reason.

The slight disappointment on Rosalie's face indicated to me that she was stunned by not feeling a mate bond with him.

Well, as for me, my hopes had been dashed.

"Before we announce any names, let’s ask Alpha Atticus to find his mate as well," the principal’s assistant, Lady Hila Hughes, interrupted the proceedings and essentially reminded everyone that the Alpha of the largest pack had yet to find his mate.

He didn’t even look around; he stared directly at my face from a distance. I wondered why he would do that until I heard my insolent wolf speaking out within me.

‘Mine!’

I gulped and tightly grasped Mara’s hand to prevent my body from collapsing.

The terror I felt upon discovering I was mated to two alphas was beyond anything I had experienced before. It was like watching myself drown in shark-infested waters.

The two alphas kept their gazes fixed on my face until Lady Hila Hughes clapped her hands excitedly, capturing everyone's attention at once.

"So, may I ask the respected alphas to announce the names of their beautiful Luna?" She blinked deliberately, looking at their faces as the two exchanged a glance, and then Alpha Enzo decided to speak first.

"I didn’t find my mate," he lied, surprising me. I had been expecting an immediate rejection, but he didn't utter my name at all.

"Oh! Perhaps your mate hasn't turned 18 yet. We will conduct the ceremony again next month." Lady Hila offered him a sympathetic smile before shifting her gaze to Alpha Atticus.

My heart was now pounding in my chest. I was genuinely anxious that he might reject me. The fact that the Moon Goddess had granted my wish and made him my mate was a mystery in itself. Call me naive, but even after observing him with Rosalie, I never ceased dreaming about being mated to him. He was the only one who could rescue me from this cruel world.

I didn’t know what I had done so right for her to bestow him upon me, especially when many others were eager to be mated to him.

The intensity of his stare fixed on my face made me wish for him to accept me then and there. However, he did something exceedingly unexpected as well.

"I didn't find my mate either," he lied with a composed expression. With that single sentence and his disregard, he completely erased my presence.

"It was me," I whispered as others began to gather their belongings to leave. Nobody heard me, and I had no intention of revealing it to anyone.

"What?" Mara asked, nuzzling my arm.

"I am --- their mate," I whispered, maintaining unbroken eye contact with them.

"What?" she gasped in shock, "You mean both of them are mated to you?" I could sense that she probably thought I had lost my mind, but I wasn't lying.

However, their decision to hide the truth had left me deeply concerned. What were their intentions with this mate bond?

Cynthia Dion:

It's been two days since I discovered that they are my mates, and so far, they haven't even glanced in my direction. I did hear from sources that Rosalie was quite upset about not being mated to them. I've always seen the three of them together, so I wasn't entirely sure which one she wanted to be with.

‘Or maybe she was expecting to be with both of them, like us?’ Thia chimed in, making me grunt in response.

‘Don't even bring that up. They don't care,’ I muttered, my attention half on the teacher delivering a monotonous lecture while my mind wandered, engaged in a conversation with my wolf. Thia was unfortunately a very weak wolf. She could only communicate with me. This was also a cause for concern, as I was the youngest to transition into any werewolf pack.

My father kept the news from spreading, but he also fretted about my early transition at the age of 9, which was too premature. He then grew desperate and sought various remedies for assistance. One of them, a rogue, provided him with a medication, and after that, I never fully recovered. The intention was to prevent my wolf from awakening again until I turned 15, but that didn't quite go as planned. Thia was awake, but she had lost all the strength to transform.

Thankfully, she didn’t accuse me of indulging in this nonsense, recognizing that I was merely a child who had to heed Daddy Dearest's instructions, no matter what.

"And Miss Cynthia is once again engrossed in gossiping with her wolf," the teacher's strident voice and the impact of a marker hitting the whiteboard jolted me back to reality.

"I apologize," I mumbled awkwardly, averting eyes and retrieving the marker for her.

"No need to apologize. Would you care to enlighten us about what you were discussing with Thia? That is her name, right? The one who cannot transition is now consuming your time as well. Your situation is already precarious, with a limited array of job prospects awaiting you in the future, and you're squandering those opportunities too," she continued to scold, while the students laughed and jeered at me.

"It's alright; I can have her as my surrogate in the future. I'm not about to sacrifice my figure for anyone," a beta's daughter declared haughtily, nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders. Her father had lost by just one point in the contest to become the Royal Beta of The Eclipse Warriors, while Rosalie's father emerged victorious. Consequently, Rosalie had assumed the mantle of Royal Beta and become Atticus's right-hand.

The two girls didn't exactly share a fondness for each other, but due to their shared circumstances, they didn't actively despise each other either.

Both were wealthy brats with Beta wolves.

"Ew! I would keep her as my maid," Rosalie's comment garnered agreement from the others.

"Alright, that's enough," the teacher finally intervened after they had subjected me to their remarks. The rest of the school day was a living nightmare for me. Every time I zoned out, someone would hit me with a marker to interrupt my conversation with Thia. Even during recess, I had to seclude myself in the bathroom.

Once school ended, I hurried out as if my life depended on it, only to encounter another jerk.

Jack Rhode.

An 18-year-old gamma and my neighbor.

I despised him due to his persistent attempts to manipulate me into choosing him as my mate after I rejected my actual mate.

"So, did you find your mate?" Just like on my 18th birthday, he inquired.

"No, Jack! I didn't," I retorted, attempting to bypass the blond-haired nuisance.

"I'm telling you, you don’t have a fated mate because of your weak wolf. Just get over it and accept me as your chosen mate," he insisted, his forehead furrowed in annoyance.

"Jack! Why don't you concentrate on finding your fated mate instead? I want absolutely nothing to do with you." At this point, I swear I'm starting to sound like a broken record.

Jack attended the same school as me, and it was an open secret that he was one of the most troublesome individuals around. I had heard about him tormenting innocent girls and even stealing from numerous omegas. Even if those despicable qualities didn't exist, I still wouldn't accept him.

"Huff! Cynthia, I'm giving you just a few days because after that--- I'll make you accept me in front of everyone, one way or another."

"Hey, I hope you don't mind me stealing my friend away from you." Mara materialized out of nowhere, seizing my hand to pull me away from him. Fortunately, the crowd thickened, and Jack got left behind.

I didn't want to engage in that conversation with him once more. I had barely managed to escape the school premises with Mara's intervention.

"Somebody spat on me today," Mara disclosed, taking a seat beside me on the bench. It was our routine to gather at the bus stop, sharing the details of the day's bullying.

"Do you see that bump on my forehead?" I brushed aside my bangs to reveal the raised area.

"Oh my goodness! What happened?" She touched it gently, and when I winced, she withdrew her hand, apologizing silently.

"Everyone was hitting me with markers to prevent me from conversing with Thia," I sighed, recollecting the incident that had unfolded during history class. It was the only period when Mara and I weren't together.

"I don’t understand. Why can't you just go talk to your mates? Explain how others are treating you." She grasped my hand and shook it, attempting to snap me out of my thoughts.

"I can't. You heard them tell everyone they didn't find a mate. They're probably too ashamed that they were mated to me. There's nothing I can do about it." I had grown so frustrated with her bringing it up every other minute that I slung my bag over my shoulder and resolved to walk home instead of waiting for the bus.

"Now where are you headed?" she shouted, realizing that I needed some time alone.

"We'll meet at school tomorrow, Mara!" I called back, quickening my pace to put more distance between us.

After crossing the road and nearly turning a corner to vanish from her sight, I had an epiphany. She was right; I couldn't keep this information to myself. Eventually, I'd have to make my mates accept me. If they weren't willing, perhaps I could find a chosen mate, but even for that to work, I would need a rejection from them.

‘No! We must not get rejected,' Thia vehemently dismissed the notion.

I was about to provide a more nuanced explanation when my steps came to a sudden halt near a desolate road, where I spotted a familiar car parked in the middle. There was no mistaking it--it was Atticus's car. I recognized the golden crown sticker on the windshield's corner. However, it wasn't merely his presence that startled me; it was what I witnessed them doing inside the car that left me frozen in place. It was a torment to a mate's eyes.

Atticus was exhaling a puff of cigarette smoke, appearing completely out of it, while Rosalie was seated in Enzo’s lap, locked in a passionate make-out session with him. Her body was almost reclining onto Atticus, and his hands were entwined in her hair, tenderly stroking them.

However, Atticus seemed more absorbed in his cigarette than in her. The scene was unsettling, and suddenly, an explanation for their lack of interest in me became apparent.

Standing there, tears welling up in my eyes, I felt like my heart was being torn apart. That’s when Atticus noticed me gazing at them, his eyes locking onto mine.

Cynthia Dion:

I jolted myself out of the daze and instinctively took a few steps backward. Our eye contact grew more intense, and I could sense his anger emanating from his gaze. He turned to utter something to Enzo, who also shifted his attention towards me. Meanwhile, Rosalie hastily retreated to the backseat of the car, apparently fixing her appearance.

‘We should get out of here and head home,’ Thia's voice resonated in my mind, and her urgency reminded me of the danger I might be in. I could have stood there, wallowing in the internal turmoil caused by the sight of my mates being intimate with their best friend in a weird threesome scenario.

I quickly stepped back a few paces and then spun around, sprinting away from them. The last glimpse I caught was when they emerged from the car. Atticus seemed to be fully dressed, while Enzo was zipping up his pants before he followed after me.

I doubted Rosalie had any intention of following me; her focus was likely too consumed by whatever was happening inside the car. In hindsight, my idea to outrun them was utterly foolish, given that I had only just reached the curve of the hill when I found myself face to face with the two of them.

"Ah!" I couldn't help but emit a scream of terror, instinctively covering my mouth with my hand. My breath came in ragged gasps as I took small, wary steps backward, attempting to put some distance between us.

"You enjoy watching people have sex?" Enzo's tone was gruff, and he advanced towards me with an agitated rhythm in the rise and fall of his chest. Meanwhile, Atticus positioned himself to the side, ensuring I didn't attempt to escape again.

"I didn't mean to—I was just going ho—home," my words came out in hesitant stutters. I couldn't muster the courage to meet Enzo's gaze, even though I wasn't the one caught in the act of betraying a mate.

"No! You clearly enjoyed it. I've heard omegas like you enjoy taking it in the ass too. Should I buy you a sex toy?" Enzo taunted, shoving me with enough force to make me stumble and fall onto my back. Despite the discomfort and the throbbing pain in my rear, I stifled any sound of pain, determined not to give them the satisfaction.

"What's your aim here?" At last, Atticus spoke up, his voice carrying a touch of exasperation. "Why didn't you just leave?"

I was lying on the ground, my back against the hard earth, and I finally mustered the courage to meet Atticus's gaze as he knelt down and locked eyes with me. The mesmerizing gray hue of his eyes reflected my own image, and in that moment, I realized the truth--he would never be drawn to someone like me.

"Huh? Why did you stand there with tears in your eyes?" he continued, a hint of smugness tainting his words when he mentioned the emotional state he'd caught me in while witnessing their interaction with Rosalie.

"Really? She was crying?" Enzo's hands came together in excitement as he knelt down on the road alongside Atticus. Dealing with Enzo's bullying in the past had been challenging, and now, being this close to both of them after discovering we were fated mates only amplified the complexity of my emotions. I was both entranced and shattered.

"Why?" Atticus queried, feigning a pout on his lips.

"Come on, you can confide in us. Tell us, why did you have tears in your eyes?" Enzo urged, his expression displaying a hint of concern. I couldn't decipher whether he was beginning to realize that I was his mate or if he was toying with me. Regardless, his approach seemed to be working.

"Because----you are----my mates," I managed to stammer out, the effort to complete a simple sentence underscoring the extent of my nervousness. Both of them turned to each other, exchanging a glance with raised eyebrows before directing their attention back to me.

"Oh! So, you were upset that it was Rosalie in that state and not you?" Enzo inquired, his tone attempting to convey a sense of composure. However, I caught the slight curl of his lips into a smirk before he bit his cheek, pretending to be understanding.

"No!" I vehemently shook my head, repelled by the very notion of being in the state Rosalie had been.

"Really? But you seem to enjoy getting involved with older men, don't you?" Atticus leaned in, his words laced with an accusatory edge, his eyes piercing into the core of my being.

"I'm a vir--" I began to explain, but Atticus interrupted me with a dismissive shake of his head and a contemptuous grunt.

"Haven't you promised someone that you'll give yourself to him when you turn 18, for a hefty price? And now that you're 18, did you fulfill that promise or did you have a change of heart?" His audacious allegations knitted my eyebrows together in disbelief. He seemed disturbingly confident as he painted me as a repulsive individual offering her virginity for money.

"Don't you need money to live like the other girls do?" He prodded my cheek with his finger, pushing the limits of my patience to the brink.

My composure shattered, and I felt a torrent of emotions welling up inside me. Tears streamed down my face as I broke down emotionally.

"I haven't done any of that!" I choked out through sobs, desperate to defend myself against his accusations. Yet, they didn't appear the least bit concerned or sympathetic about my emotional turmoil.

"Oh, just cut it out!" Atticus scoffed in response to my tears, a blatant indication that he doubted the sincerity of my emotions.

"Perhaps she had a change of heart after discovering she's mated to two alphas. Maybe she was envisioning a life of luxury," Enzo chimed in, his laughter resonating as he clapped his hands in amusement.

While Enzo appeared to be playing the part of a typical taunting brat, Atticus exuded a palpable anger.

"No! That's not true. I did--" I attempted to clarify, but my words were drowned out by Enzo's laughter and Atticus's dismissive grunts.

"Listen!" Atticus's tone grew more intense as he leaned in, his grip on my arm tightening slightly. "I'm giving you 10 days to tell that guy to back off. Break whatever love spell you've cast on him and mend your ways. Because in 10 days, I'll become your worst nightmare, Cynthia!" The way he spoke my name was not how I had ever wanted to hear it. It shattered me into a million pieces, and yet, I was powerless to do anything about it.

"10 days!" Enzo stuck out his tongue, displaying all ten fingers as if counting down. He then patted Atticus's shoulder, who rose from the ground, straightened his jacket, and walked away from me.

Enzo turned back a few times to send me mocking glares, while Atticus never once glanced back in my direction.

The rumor about me and older men may have stopped him from telling the elders that he found his mate.

I returned home after shedding all my tears on the side of the road by the hill. But stepping into my house meant entering another battle that required a different kind of strength.

"What took you so long?" my dad's voice boomed the moment he laid eyes on me. My eyes were swollen, and my nose was red and puffy, yet those obvious signs of distress didn't capture his attention. His anger was simply a result of his lunch not being on the table as soon as he wanted it.

"There was a mate-call ceremony today, so the classes started late," I lied, entering the kitchen without bothering to change my clothes or wash my hands.

"And what about you? Did you inform the principal that you don't want any mates?" He followed me into the kitchen, evidently suspicious that I might be pursuing any potential mates.

The house I lived in was a far cry from a nurturing home; solace was only attainable when my 11-year-old sister, Flora, was by my side. Flora held a rightful fear of our father, a man whose wrath was communicated through brutal beatings that persisted until we lost consciousness. I had made it my mission to shield my sister from harm, enduring the blows intended for her. Yet, I couldn't help but wonder how much longer we could sustain this tumultuous existence.

My mother's passing during my childhood had left Flora and me alone to confront our father and grapple with life's adversities together.

"I did," I fibbed in response to my father's inquiry.

From an early age, my father had indoctrinated me with the belief that mates were inherently malevolent. Through persistent manipulation, he had succeeded in fostering this perception in me, until the day my gaze fell upon the magnificent being that was Atticus.

Alpha Atticus Snow was an epitome of breathtaking allure, arguably one of the most exquisite individuals to tread the earth. He commanded reverence as the school's most popular figure and stood as the Alpha of one of the most affluent packs.

A solitary glimpse of him had the power to shift my perspective, altering my thoughts and desires. For three unceasing years, I fervently beseeched the cosmos, praying day and night to be fated to him. Miraculously, my prayers were answered. Nevertheless, my father's bitter proclamations now resonated as more than just words--they held a resonance of harsh truth.

Are mates truly evil to each other?

"Good. Because remember, mates only bring trouble and sorrow. I feel pity for those who acquired mates today," he shrugged, his words laden with a dismissive air. He then departed from the kitchen, but not before his gaze landed on what I was preparing for him.

"A toast and an egg? I asked for lunch, not breakfast," he retorted with a condescending lift of his nose.

"You don't earn enough to warrant the desire for extravagant meals," I retorted in return, my patience wearing thin due to his ceaseless complaints and nagging. Despite being the family's main provider, he rarely contributed much to the household expenses. Nevertheless, he expected me to conjure up a gourmet meal out of thin air. The constant pressure was draining.

"Damn it! I'm not eating this garbage. I'll go eat out with my friends," he waved his hand dismissively before striding out of the kitchen, displaying a lack of concern for his daughters' well-being. He seemed to prefer spending time with his affluent friends rather than worrying about his own family.

I couldn't fathom why these wealthy individuals befriended him. They would occasionally visit our home and treat me kindly, while my father would observe their interactions with a wide grin plastered on his face. Furthermore, their compliments about my blue eyes sometimes made me uncomfortable.

Trying to evade the thoughts concerning my dual mates, I shifted my attention to my sister, who had just entered the house with a school bag seemingly heavier than her own body.

"Flora, quickly go change, and then we'll have bread and eggs," I called out cheerfully, thinking that finally, we could enjoy a meal in relative peace, now that our father was absent. However, instead of a response filled with enthusiasm, her cries echoed from our bedroom. Our shared room was modest, with a single bed in the center allotted to Flora and a mattress on the floor for me.

"Flora! What's wrong?" I rushed out of the kitchen to find my sister sobbing on the mattress.

Upon closer inspection, her condition horrified me. Her shoes were missing, her hair was muddied, and her bag was torn.

"Who did this to you?" I knelt down, enfolding her in a comforting embrace, my fingers gently brushing through her hair as I absorbed her pain while she wept into my chest for a solid ten minutes.

"Flora, please tell me who did this," I implored once more, deeply concerned about what she had endured at school.

"Liliath," she stammered through her hiccups, "Alpha Enzo’s sister." She had released herself from my embrace to reveal the names. An immediate surge of guilt coursed through me. It seemed as though my connection with Enzo was indirectly causing harm to my sister.

"What did she do to you?" I inquired, my expression a mix of anger and bluntness.

"She threw me into the mud and started hitting me. She even had her friends take my shoes at her command, and then she took all my books. I have a test tomorrow," Flora choked out, her hiccupping punctuating her words as she wiped her cheeks with trembling hands. My heart ached with a combination of pain and fury.

"I'll retrieve your things, okay?" I cradled her face in my palms, assuring her that by the end of the evening, her belongings would be back in her possession.

"Now go take a shower and have something to eat. I'll handle the rest," I stated as I rose from the mattress and dialed Mara's number.

In a matter of minutes, I recounted to Mara the unfortunate events involving my sister since Enzo had discovered our mate bond. It didn't appear coincidental; I was convinced that Enzo had manipulated his sister into tormenting Flora.

"So, you're planning to walk straight into the lion's den?" Mara's voice was tinged with hysteria at the notion. "You do realize they're having a gathering at Enzo's place tonight, right? It won't just be Enzo you'll be confronting today; his entire crew, including Rosalie and Alpha Atticus, will be present," she informed me of what to anticipate. Despite knowing it wouldn't be a simple task to retrieve my sister's belongings, I was determined to try.