Rejecting Her Chosen Alpha

"Apologize?" I repeated, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and hurt. "You want me to apologize to her after everything you've done?"

He stepped forward, his eyes blazing as he spoke, "We're not doing anything wrong. I'm just taking care of her. Now, apologize!"

For a moment, I considered doing as he asked, but then I looked at Solana, still smirking despite the red mark on her cheek. I realized that apologizing would mean accepting their betrayal, and I couldn't do that. I straightened my back, meeting Travis's gaze with as much strength as I could muster.

"No," I said firmly, my voice steady. "I won't apologize. Not to her, and not to you."

With that, I turned and walked out the door, my heart breaking with every step. But I knew I had to leave. I couldn't stay in a place where my love and loyalty were met with betrayal.

I was determined to leave, to escape the pain and betrayal that suffocated me. But just as I reached the door, Solana whimpered in pain, a sound so pitiful it made my skin crawl. "Travis," she said, her voice dripping with false innocence, "It hurts... Please don't let her get away with this."

Travis's eyes darkened, and any hint of the man I once loved disappeared. "Warrior!" he barked. "Hold her down!"

I barely had time to react before a massive force pinned me to the ground. Gritting my teeth, I unleashed my aura. Even though I didn't have Alpha blood, I was Travis's chosen mate, and we shared a bond that made me stronger than before.

As my aura hit the warrior, he staggered back. Just as I was about to walk away, an overwhelming energy crashed against me, making it impossible to move. Travis was suppressing me with his aura!

I struggled against the invisible weight, my heart pounding with frustration and anger.

"Stop it, Travis!" I shouted, looking up at him, hoping to find a trace of the man I thought I knew. But his eyes were cold, unmoved by my suffering.

Solana stepped forward, her expression a mask of righteous indignation. She raised her hand, and I braced myself for the blow. When it came, it was sharp and stinging, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the betrayal I felt.

"Now you know how it feels," she said, her voice low and filled with satisfaction.

Travis's aura pressed harder, making it difficult to breathe. My vision blurred with tears, but I refused to cry out. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. I closed my eyes, trying to find a fragment of strength within me.

Travis glared down at me. "You owe Solana this. Apologize, and I'll let this slide."

I opened my eyes and looked at Solana, then back at Travis. "You wish! I will never apologize," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper but filled with defiance.

Solana's face twisted in anger, and she slapped me again, harder this time. The warrior's grip tightened, and I gasped for air.

Eventually, Travis gestured for the warrior to release me. I collapsed to the floor, my body trembling from the strain.

I lifted my head, my eyes blazing with defiance.

Travis struggled to contain his anger. "Amari, don't make me angry."

In the past, Travis's displeasure always scared me into submission. His mere frown was enough for me to admit fault, without him having to utter a word.

That was because I used to care about him. But now, I care about nothing.

I glared at him and didn't utter a word.

Travis's eyes narrowed. "Amari, if you behave, I can give you everything you want, even marriage. Have you really thought this through?"

He withheld what I once longed for. Now, he used threats and promises to force my compliance.

Despite being his chosen mate, I would always be second to his childhood friend, Solana. The emptiness inside me grew, and I knew what I had to do. Enduring the pain, I responded coldly, "Travis, let's break off our bond."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, Travis laughed, a sound that cut deeper than any wound. "You can't be serious, Amari. You're not going anywhere. You've always stayed, no matter what."

Contempt laced his words. His arrogance was staggering. He truly believed I was so desperate for his love that I would endure anything. My heart ached, but his next words sealed my decision.

"Besides," he added a smug smile on his face, "think about your mother's health. Didn't you say, her dying wish was to see you marry me?"

Travis, confident in my past devotion, couldn't believe I would leave him, even now that he dangled my dream of marriage before me.

Before I could retort, Solana chimed in. "Travis, I told you she was lying. If her mother were really dying, she wouldn't act like this. Don't be deceived."