Rejected by My Fated Alpha

His warm hand brushed against my bruised cheek, and I flinched, the pain sharp and raw. He sighed, his guilt palpable, but it did nothing to ease the ache in my chest. "It's my fault for being careless," he murmured, his voice low and tinged with remorse.

"And you," he continued, his tone shifting to one of frustration, "why did you take it so seriously when I was just joking with friends? If you could let things slide, last night wouldn’t have ended so badly."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. His words felt hollow, like he was scolding a misbehaving pet rather than speaking to his mate. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear, whispering, "Don’t be mad. I care about you too much to see you upset. Please, just hear me out."

But I couldn’t. The weight of his betrayal pressed down on me, suffocating. My wolf stirred in the back of my mind, a low growl of resentment echoing through my thoughts. I opened my eyes and met his gaze, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "Do you care that someone else has violated me?"

His expression froze, the warmth in his eyes turning to ice. He recoiled as if I’d struck him, his discomfort written all over his face. "Lilia," he started, his voice strained, but before he could say more, his phone rang.

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut. I could hear Octavia’s panicked voice through the receiver, sharp and desperate. "Alpha, I was trying to buy a gift for Lilia to apologize, but I think a man is following me! What should I do? I’m so scared—" Her voice cut off abruptly, replaced by a scream.

Marcellus’s face darkened, his concern for her immediate. He pulled me off the bed, his grip rough and unyielding, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through my abdomen. I winced, but he didn’t seem to notice. Grinding his teeth, he glared at me, his Alpha aura radiating with a force that made my knees buckle. "Lilia Dean! How can you be so heartless? If something happens to Octavia because of you, I will never forgive you! Move!"

He dragged me to the car, my body trembling with a cold sweat as the pain in my stomach intensified. But he was oblivious, his focus entirely on Octavia. Ten minutes later, we found her by the side of the road, crying softly with blood seeping from her foot.

Marcellus didn’t hesitate. He scooped her up, cradling her like she was the most precious thing in the world, and rushed into the hospital elevator. All the while, he berated me through gritted teeth, "You better hope Octavia’s alright!"

The elevator ascended, but it suddenly jolted to a stop, the lights flickering out. Darkness engulfed us, and I froze, my fear of the dark surging to the surface. Since the attack in that alleyway, I’d been terrified of the dark, and Marcellus knew that. For years, he’d never left me alone in the dark. But now, he was too preoccupied with Octavia to notice my trembling.

I crouched against the wall, my body shaking uncontrollably. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I instinctively called his name, my voice choked with fear. "Marcellus…"

But in the darkness, Octavia’s whimpers drowned out my voice completely. "I’m so scared, Alpha. Hold me tight, don’t let go…"

Marcellus comforted her, his voice soft and reassuring, forgetting entirely about me. Perhaps he had already forgotten.

I said nothing more, burying my head in my arms and letting the darkness swallow me whole. It wasn’t clear how much time passed, but when the lights flickered back on and the elevator resumed its movement, I stumbled out, gasping for air like someone who’d narrowly escaped drowning.

While Octavia was being examined, I tried to rest, but Marcellus stormed over and pulled me back to her bedside. Pointing at her, he demanded, "Apologize!"

I shook off his hand, my own trembling with rage, and slapped him across the face. Tears welled in my eyes as I shouted, "Disgusting! Marcellus, you’re so despicable!"

He stood there, stunned, his Alpha aura faltering for the first time. But his silence only deepened the chasm between us, a chasm I knew could never be bridged.