Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Emelia's POV
As soon as Alethea stormed out, I tried to stand up, but a sharp pain shot through my body, forcing me back onto the ground. I gritted my teeth, tears streaming down my face. The pain was unbearable, and I knew I needed medical attention. But the thought of losing Ryker kept me from seeking help.
I slowly got up again, determined to push through the agony. I made my way to my closet, searching for something to wear. But as I reached for an outfit, I remembered Alethea's cruel words: "You'll never see Ryker if you go to the doctor." I couldn't risk losing him, not now, not ever.
I collapsed onto my bed, my body screaming in protest. My wolf, sensing my distress, urged me to seek medical help. "We need to go see the doctor, Emelia. Our health is more important." But I refused to listen, fearing that if I went to the doctor, I'd lose Ryker forever.
My wolf persisted, trying to reason with me. "Do you think Ryker will marry you if you lose your life? You need to visit the doctor." But I remained stubborn, refusing to budge.
Finally, my wolf took matters into her own hands, beginning to heal me from the inside out. I felt a warmth spread through my body, easing the pain. I took a deep breath, relief washing over me. I knew my wolf was trying to help me.
As the pain subsided, I realized that I had to find a way to see Ryker without Alethea's interference. I couldn't let her win, not now, not ever. I made a vow to myself: I would find a way to be with Ryker, no matter what it took.
Few hours later
I checked my phone for what felt like the hundredth time, my anxiety growing with each passing minute. It was already 6 pm, and Alethea and Ryker were nowhere to be found. I had been waiting for hours, my mind racing with thoughts of what could be happening.
As I lay on my bed, my anger and frustration boiled over. I felt myself losing consciousness, my eyelids growing heavy. The last thing I remembered was the pain in my thighs.
When I came to reality, Alethea was standing over me, a maniacal glint in her eye. "Wake up, Emelia," she sneered, her foot connecting with my thigh again.
I sat up with a start, my heart racing. "Where is Ryker?" I demanded, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
Alethea's laughter was like a knife to my heart. "He doesn't want to see you," she taunted. "He's disgusted by you, Emelia. He says you're not worthy of him."
My eyes widened in shock as she showed me a video on her phone. Ryker and Alethea were hugging, their faces filled with laughter and joy. I felt a pang of jealousy, my heart aching with longing.
"Look at us," Alethea sneered. "We’re meant to be together, not you and Ryker. You're just a pathetic, ugly little thing."
I gazed away, attempting to conceal my distress, but Alethea insisted I continue watching. The video revealed Ryker's disdain for me, his words piercing my heart like a dagger. "I don't like Emelia, honey, she's too skinny and doesn't hold a candle to your beauty." His voice was like a slap in the face, leaving me reeling.
I snatched the phone from Alethea's hand, my eyes fixed on the screen as I struggled to process Ryker's rejection. The pain was suffocating, my heart shattering into a million pieces. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair, unable to escape the agony.
"Do you believe it now?" Alethea asked, her voice laced with triumph, as she yanked the phone from my grasp.
I was consumed by regret, my mind replaying all the moments I had held onto hope. "All this time, I've been pining for a guy who doesn't want me," I thought, my heart heavy with sorrow.
Alethea's voice snapped me back to reality. "Now it's your turn to reject him, Emelia. Tell him you don't want him."
I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat. "I refuse you, Ryker," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Alethea scoffed, her expression a mix of annoyance and impatience. "Is that how you reject a mate?" she asked, her tone dripping with disdain. "Repeat after me: Ryker Blackwood, Alpha of the Nightshade Pack, I reject you."
I parroted her words, my voice laced with pain and sadness. "Ryker Blackwood, Alpha of the Nightshade Pack, I reject you." The words felt like a death sentence.
As I uttered those words, a wave of dizziness washed over me, leaving me helpless against its power. I closed my eyes, surrendering to the darkness that consumed me.
“The deed is done, I recorded every bit of it,” Alethea said happily, her voice piercing through my foggy mind.
When I finally opened my eyes again, I was met with a dull ache that permeated every fiber of my being. My mind was foggy, my limbs heavy, and my surroundings unfamiliar. I lay there, trying to make sense of what had happened.
As my memories slowly returned, I realized that I was still in my bedroom, curled up on my bed. Alethea was nowhere to be found, but the pain and heartache she had left me with lingered.
I turned to my wolf, seeking answers. “What happened? Did Ryker come visit me and I missed it?”
My wolf’s response was laced with sorrow. “You rejected Ryker after seeing him and Alethea together in a video. She urged you to reject him because he doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
The memories came flooding back, and I felt a part of me ripping apart. Rejecting my mate was just as painful as being rejected. I could feel the ache in my chest, the tears streaming down my face.
I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the mirror, my reflection a testament to my anguish. “Am I not cute enough? Am I not unique enough?” I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. “Why am I always the useless and rejected one?”
I thought back to my mother’s words, her praise for my beauty now feeling like a lie. “If I’m really pretty, then why did my mate dump me for my step-sister, who isn’t even his mate?” I lamented, my pain and anguish echoing through the room.
I felt like I was losing myself, like I was disappearing.
“Why, Ryker, why?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Why did you break my heart like this?"