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CHAPTER 2 The Biggest Bully

Seraphina's steps echoed through the quiet forest, her breathing shallow as she tried to put as much distance as possible between herself and the celebration that was still unfolding in the ballroom. Each step felt heavy, like the weight of Orion's rejection pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. The farther she went, the colder the night became, but it wasn't the chill in the air that made her shiver- it was the sting of his words, the look in his eyes when he chose Elara over her.

She felt a sharp pain twist in her heart as the memory replayed in her mind. All her prayers, all her hopes, were crushed in an instant. He hadn't even spared her a second glance. The bond she had believed was there had been nothing more than an illusion, a cruel trick of fate. And now, she was left to pick up the pieces of a future she had so desperately wanted.

The soft rustling of leaves behind her brought her back to the present. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She had felt him the moment he stepped into the clearing, the air thick with his presence.

"Seraphina, wait," Orion's voice called out, slightly breathless as he caught up to her.

She stiffened but kept walking, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he had broken her. She didn't want to hear his excuses, his explanations. Nothing could undo the pain of what he had done tonight.

"Seraphina, please," Orion's voice was closer now, almost pleading.

Her body tensed as she stopped in her tracks, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. She didn't turn to face him, didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her face.

"What do you want, Orion?" Her voice was steady, but beneath the surface, it trembled with the weight of her hurt.

He stepped closer, and she could feel the heat of his body behind her. "I didn't mean to hurt you. But... I needed to choose someone strong, someone who could handle the responsibility of being Luna. Someone who-"

"Someone who isn't weak?" she cut him off, her voice sharp and cold. She turned to face him now, eyes blazing with the fire of her pain and anger. "Is that what you think of me, Orion? After all these years, after everything, you still see me as weak?"

His gaze faltered for a moment, the confidence he usually carried with him shaken. "It's not like that, Seraphina. You know what it means to be Luna. It's more than just being a mate. The Pack needs strength. I need strength by my side."

"And you think Elara is strong?" Her voice cracked with disbelief. The irony of it all was almost too much to bear. He had chosen the one person who had made her life miserable, the one who had tormented her since they were children. "You chose Elara. My biggest bully. The one who has spent years tearing me down, making me feel like nothing. And you stand here and tell me that she's strong?"

Orion's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "Elara might not be perfect, but she has the qualities I need in a Luna. She's proven herself-"

"Proven herself by breaking others down? By humiliating me? And you stood by and watched every single time. You never stopped her, Orion." Seraphina's voice wavered with the raw emotion she had been holding back. "You never defended me, not once. And now, you've chosen her, made me the laughing stock of the Pack in front of everyone."

She took a step back, the space between them feeling like an endless chasm. The pain in her chest intensified, the rejection cutting deeper than she had thought possible.

"You've ruined everything, Orion," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "Everything I hoped for, everything I believed in... gone. And for what? For Elara?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand to stop him. "I don't need your explanations. I don't need your pity. You've made your choice, and now, I'll make mine."

Orion's face hardened, frustration flickering in his eyes. "You don't understand, Seraphina. This is bigger than just us. The Pack-"

"The Pack doesn't care about me," she snapped. "They're already laughing. They're already mocking me. You did that, Orion. You made sure of it when you rejected me in front of everyone." Her voice trembled, her fists clenching at her sides. "And the worst part is that you never even saw me. Not really. You never believed in me."

He took a step forward, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "Seraphina, I didn't want it to be like this. I thought..."

"You thought I'd just accept it? That I'd stand there, smile, and watch you take her hand? You thought I'd be fine with being thrown aside, just like that?"

He didn't answer, his silence speaking louder than any words could.

The pain in her chest was unbearable now, a deep ache that threatened to consume her. She had loved him for so long and had believed that they were destined for each other. But now, standing before him, she realized that the Orion she had loved had never truly seen her. He had never understood her, and now, he had chosen to break her in the worst way possible.

"I was never good enough for you, was I?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of every moment she had doubted herself, every time she had tried to prove her worth to him. "All those years, all those times we spent together, and I was never enough."

He didn't respond. He couldn't.

Seraphina took a deep breath, her heart shattering with every second that passed. She had prayed to the Moon Goddess and had begged for Orion to be hers. But now, standing before him, she realized that she didn't need him. Not anymore.

"I'll never forgive you for this," she whispered, her voice filled with pain. "You've taken everything from me."

Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Orion standing in the clearing, alone. Tears burned in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not now. Not in front of him.

As she walked deeper into the forest, her heart ached with the weight of his rejection, but she knew one thing for certain: she would never let him hurt her again.

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