Rejection: The Last Dance

When I woke up the next day, Alpha Jonathan was gone. He never returned since that tiptoeing of his to answer Emilia’s call.

I was thrilled about this since I no longer had to worry about eating with him or hearing his second round of making-up excuses that Emilia and him have nothing between them.

As I prepare myself a simple breakfast of a boiled egg and black coffee, I realize I can actually wake up every day without Alpha Jonathan after all.

As I worked my day as a nurse in the pack’s hospital, Alpha Jonathan sent several missed calls. He called repeatedly. Thankfully, I managed to put my phone in silent mode as part of the working hours rules.

“You’re not going to answer that?” Dr. Alex whispered behind me and I almost yelped. We were both in the elevator as we headed home.

“No. I’m going home anyway.”

My entire day went smoothly and I went home feeling very satisfied.

But I immediately dropped my satisfied smile when I opened the door to my house. The smell of cigarette already pollutes the air even when I’m just on the threshold.

Alpha Jonathan’s displeased face greeted my supposed lovely evening. He put out his cigarette as he strode toward me. “I called many times. None of it you answered.”

I crossed my arms. “Should I? We already broke up, why are you still here?”

His mouth twitched upward. “Grow up, Anastasia! You’re still upset about that pack party dance with Emilia?”

He scoffed. I scoffed back.

“Oh really? Didn’t Emilia go there as your date? You just invited me out of courtesy.” I jerked my chin to his phone. “Look at her Instagram post. She even boasted the whole pack of you and her drinking and dancing!”

“Ana.”

I ignored him. “As for your call, I’m a fucking nurse, Alpha. The pack’s hospital never runs out of patients. I’m busy working the whole day.”

“And you really can’t spare a single damn minute to answer me?”

I straightened my back and leaned toward him. “Who are you in my life then? Aside from being my pack’s Alpha, who are you? ”

His nose flared at the same time anger darkened his face. “And how much money do you make as a nurse, then? You can barely buy a car! I gifted you one yet you still prefer to walk home and pay for a taxi.”

“Oh, so this is what it’s about again? That I’m nothing without you? That I’m poor without you?” I leaned my body back against the wall. “That I can’t live without you?”

Jon pursed his lips as he crossed his arms. “Can you?”

I chuckled. “Of course I can. But I think it’s Emilia who cannot. Why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be kneeling before her and kissing her feet at this hour?”

He snarled at my words. “You always felt like you’re the only one who’s right!” He bared his teeth at me, disregarding his tone. “Perhaps you forgot if only you weren’t as clingy as a leech, I would have never been with you!”

I blew out a breath. “So who’s the leech now?”

Jonathan’s blink of shock made him punch the wall once. “I only said yes to you because you always annoyed me back when we were in college.”

“Oh yes, you’re the dazzling heartthrob back then. The soon-to-be Alpha. I should consider myself extremely lucky to be with you.” My sarcasm was off the charts. It seems it’s what he wanted to say anyway so I just finished it for him.

“You’re unbelievable,” he spat.

“Am I?” I scanned him from head to toe. “Before you hurl insults at someone, make sure you yourself aren’t worthy to be insulted by the same insults too.”

His words, his expression, his actions...they no longer hurt that much. I’m used to hearing and seeing those things. That’s why I broke up with him and rejected him.

I’m no longer a fool. Even a fool in love has its limits.

The silence between us is more deafening than his loud uneven breaths, the clenching and unfurling of his fingers into a fist.

We just stood there by the foyer, staring at each other like some bulls debating who’s going to charge first.

Alpha Jonathan exhaled, "I went with Emilia today. Don't you have anything to say about that?"

My brows met. “Do I have to?” I shrugged and walked towards the living room. “I think that’s great. You finally courted her after all those years of lying to yourself—and me.”

Jon looked at me beneath his shadowed gaze and laughed. “Well, if you’re done whining, Anastasia, then I’d better go. Emilia is waiting for me for dinner.”

“Good. Enjoy your meal and don’t come back if you don’t want to.” I was too tired to argue further that I just slumped on the couch.

I can feel Alpha Jonathan’s burning gaze at my back. Before I knew it, the slam of the front door echoed.

I did the same to my heart.

***

I was still awake late at night when I saw another post from Emilia: “I am always there for you when you need me.”

My blood boiled at seeing this and I can’t even focus on the notes Dr. Alex sent me.

But I forced myself to do so, and I did.

And as I closed my eyes, I remember the old me: the Anastasia who was so dedicated to Jonathan, the soon-to-be Alpha, during her college days. I always worry when he doesn’t eat well. I even prepare his meals and cook dinner for him sometimes.

Well, I can see why Alpha Jonathan was beloved by the pack: he loved to socialize and entertain people. He loves to drink—especially with Emilia.

I am not so into drinking that’s why I thought at first that Emilia was only his drinking buddy.

But she became more than that.

In fact, I never wanted to be a nurse. During that time in college when there’s an extra slot for having a paid trip to the neighboring pack for educational purposes, I begged Jonathan to let me have it.

Instead, he gave it to Emilia.

“You already have me,” he once said. “But Emilia is independent. That’s why I think she’s perfect for it.”

That’s the charm of Emilia. And I realized since then...I could never compete with her in anything. In everything.

As I opened my eyes, I didn’t think twice about deleting Emilia from my contacts and blocking her from all of my social media.

Back then, I was afraid Jonathan would cheat that’s why I added Emilia to keep an eye on her—on both of them. But until now, with posts like this and photos from the previous day...it seems like they’re no longer afraid to let the world know what’s between them.

And I’m between them.

And sure enough, after deleting her, my world felt much more peaceful.

I wasn’t shocked when Jonathan did not really come home. I told him to not come back if he didn’t want to, so he did.

I turned off my phone since I knew no Alpha would no longer bother me with texts and missed calls.

The next day, Dr. Alex sent me briefly on the Dawn Thorn Pack, our neighbor pack, and where his father is the Alpha. “The hospital there had some accident so they need extra staff.”

And since I’m one of Alex’s trusted nurses, I didn’t think twice to rush there and do my job as a pack healer.

I returned to my apartment with no one to wait for me. Unfortunately, Jon called me all of a sudden. “Where did you go, Anastasia? I’ve been looking for you.”