CHAPTER 4 Reject

LEAH'S POV

His words cut through me like a knife, deepening the ache in my heart. I wanted to scream, to demand an explanation, but my voice failed me in the face of the betrayal before me.

Instead, I could only stare at him with tear-filled eyes, feeling utterly heartbroken and abandoned.

"What the hell am I doing here? And what the hell is she doing here?" I spat out, my voice seething with anger.

"We were just talking..." Aiden stammered, trying to come up with some lame excuse.

"Just talking? Seriously?" I scoffed. "You really think I'm that stupid? I saw you two cozying up like there's no tomorrow. You told me it was over between you and her, but here you are, sleeping with her."

"Look, Leah, you got it all wrong, alright? Why don't you just go home, and we can talk about it tomorrow at school," he said, trying to brush off the whole damn thing.

What a freaking jerk. I felt utterly betrayed by my mate, and he didn't even have the decency to own up to his damn actions in front of Caroline. The pain in my chest was too much to bear, and I knew I couldn't stand another second in their presence.

"I can't believe you," I whispered, my voice trembling with hurt and disbelief. And with that, I turned my back on them, leaving behind the shattered pieces of our so-called relationship.

As I walked away, a surge of anger and sadness engulfed me. How could he do this to me? I thought he was my mate, someone who would cherish and respect me, not some two-timing player who couldn't keep his word. I deserved better, and I was done wasting my time on someone who clearly didn't give a damn about my feelings.

You know what they say, easier said than done. And damn, I was shattered. I mustered up the courage to go over to his freaking apartment, all excited to tell him I was pregnant, thinking he'd be thrilled and we could handle this together.

But guess what? The asshole was still cheating on me! Did he ever really break up with Caroline, or did he just use me like he did with all those other girls?

I felt like the whole damn world was collapsing around me. How could I have been so blind and naive? I was a damn fool to believe his lies and fall for his smooth talk. All those secret rendezvous and whispered promises, and for what? To be just another notch on his bedpost?

I was hurt, hurt like never before. It felt like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless and lost. Why the hell did I buy into the idea of keeping our relationship a secret? It was all for him, so he could keep playing the damn field and avoid any consequences. What a freaking jerk!

I just couldn't stop the tears from falling down my face. My heart felt heavy with sorrow. I couldn't comprehend how everything had changed in an instant, how the future I had imagined with him had crumbled before my eyes.

Lost in my distraught state, I walked along the road back to school, my mind consumed by the painful betrayal I had just witnessed. I was so wrapped up in my emotions that I failed to notice the oncoming traffic, stepping perilously close to the path of an approaching car.

Just as disaster seemed imminent, the car screeched to a halt, narrowly avoiding colliding with me. Startled, I stumbled backward and fell to the ground. The driver, a guy named Ian, watched the scene unfold from behind the wheel, concern etched across his face.

Seeing the situation, Ian signaled his friend Colton, who was sitting in the car with him, to check on me. Colton swiftly exited the car and hurried to my side, offering me a steadying hand.

"Hey, are you alright?" Colton asked with genuine concern, his voice laced with worry.

I looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, feeling a mix of pain from the fall and the emotional turmoil within me.

"I... I'm fine," I managed to reply, my voice quivering with sadness and gratitude.

Colton's concern didn't waver as he assessed my injuries. "Are you sure? It might be a good idea to go to the hospital, just to be safe."

Feeling overwhelmed and wanting to be alone, I hastily declined his offer.

"No, really, I'll be okay. Thank you for your concern," I said, trying to regain my composure.

As I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of Ian through the car window. There was something in his expression as he looked at me, a mix of curiosity and concern that touched me unexpectedly, causing a pang in my heart.

I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it felt like he understood the pain I was going through.

"Take care of yourself," Colton called after me, his voice filled with genuine concern.

I offered him a weak smile, my heart heavy with the weight of my emotions.

"Thank you," I whispered before I quickly walked away, leaving Colton and Ian behind.

As I continued my journey, I couldn't shake the encounter with Ian from my mind. There was something about him, something that made me feel seen and understood in that moment of vulnerability. It was as if he sensed the pain I carried and cared, even though we were practically strangers.

I shook off the swirling thoughts of Ian and focused on the matter at hand - my pregnancy. How the hell am I going to handle this while continuing school? The idea of everyone finding out and making me a laughingstock in the entire damn school made my blood boil.

What about my dreams, dammit? Will I still be able to achieve them now? This unexpected twist in my life was throwing everything off balance. I had plans, aspirations, and now it all felt like it was slipping through my fingers.

Back in my dorm, I couldn't hold back the flood of sorrow and succumbed to a heavy bout of crying. These pregnancy hormones, combined with the heartache of Aiden's betrayal, left me feeling even more vulnerable and sensitive than before. I've never been this emotional, and it was overwhelming.

Amidst the pain and confusion, thoughts of my half-sister, Clara, flooded my mind. Clara was the rock at home, the pride of the entire pack. Unlike me, she exuded confidence and strength, never holding back her true feelings. But beneath that tough exterior, Clara had a heart of gold, and she was the only one at home who truly loved and was kind to me.

At first, I wanted to pour my heart out to Clara, to share the burden I was carrying. But I hesitated, worried that she'd rush to my school out of concern. I didn't want to trouble her just yet. So, I made a difficult decision – I'd keep my situation a secret for now and sort things out with Aiden on my own terms before involving Clara.

As much as I wanted to lean on her, I knew I had to find some strength within myself first. This was my mess, and I wanted to show Clara that I could handle it, just like I've handled other challenges in my life. When the time is right, I'll confide in her and lean on her support. But for now, I need to gather my own courage and face this storm alone.

The next day at school, as usual, Aiden dragged me into the deserted gym changing room, attempting to get close to me. But this time, I wasn't having any of it. I pushed him away

"Back off, Aiden! I can't deal with your games anymore. Tell me what's going on with Caroline." I asked as I needed answers before I'd even consider getting close to him again.

To my surprise, Aiden's reaction was nothing like I expected. His face contorted with a cold, bitter laugh.

"Oh, please. Do you think you're worth my time? You're just a nobody, and I'm not going to make our thing public. You're just a convenient little toy for me to use."

"Oh, trust me, I wanted to slap his sorry ass too," I thought to myself. But instead, I took a deep breath, mustering all the strength I had left, and decided to play it cool. I needed to catch him off guard and show him that I was not going to be just another pawn in his twisted games.

With a steady voice, I pushed him away and locked my eyes with his, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

"Is that how you see me, Aiden? Just a damn toy for your amusement? Well, I've had enough of your games. I deserve better than being treated like trash."

Aiden looked taken aback, clearly not expecting this reaction from me. I could see the anger and frustration in his eyes, but I refused to back down.

"I reject you as my mate, Aiden," I continued, my voice firm and resolute.

"I don't want to have anything to do with your sorry ass," I said.

Aiden couldn't handle the rejection, and he lashed out, pushing me aside before storming out of the room.

I stood there, trying to gather myself, when suddenly, I heard a voice from behind me.

"You should have punched him."

I turned, startled to see that I was no longer alone.