THREE

'Ermm….. Mark…' I called him.

'What am I doing?' I asked myself.

'Yeah' he muttered absentmindedly which I didn't even notice cause, I had something I needed to get off my chest and I needed to find the best way to say it.

'You remember that tomorrow is my birthday right?'

Mark shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing 'Ohh!!! I actually forgot sorry'

That reply suggested immediately to me that something was definitely wrong but, instead of pressing on to find out what was the problem, I acted like I wasn't hurt by his reply as always and went ahead to continue the conversation.

'So I was thinking….Uhmm….' I struggled trying to find the right way to say what was on my mind.

'I was…..actually hoping that we….we.. can finally get to go on a proper date you know like ermm …..go to a restaurant sit sit…. down eat and chat…. that's what I would want us to do for my birthday.'

Mark hissed and asked 'Are you trying to tell me that the dates we have been having here in this beautiful scene, are not proper dates?'

I could notice the anger in his voice but why was he angry, I didn't mean to make him angry 'No that wasn't what I meant…. Kind of,,,, I enjoy our dates here but,….. I…uhm….I want us to go out together, I want us to be seen together you know like an actual couple'

Mark was up in an instant 'I told you that when the time is right, we will do all that isn't that so?'

'Yes that was what you said but I felt…….. I…you know what, never mind what I said' I didn't like how Mark always acted whenever I brought this issue up with him but, I also didn't like making him angry.

Mark wasn't done though at least I had given him a solid reason to do what he came here to do 'I don't think I can do this anymore Isabel, I think we need to call it quits' he said without blinking his eyes.

I felt my body freeze I didn't understand what he meant 'I ..don't understand Mark, what do you mean by ermm….calling it quits?'

He groaned in frustration and scratched his head 'I mean we should end things, this isn't working anymore Isabel'

'Wait….what I….I...don't understand, what are you saying?' I asked foolishly for some reason my heart was beating so fast and I didn't know why I was scared all of a sudden.

'What don't you understand?!!!! Are you that dumb?!!!! I don't think we should continue this…whatever it is anymore it's that simple, do I need to spell it out for you?!!!' he yelled furiously.

I was shocked beyond words, he just referred to our two years relationship as 'whatever it is'.

'You told me I was….your mate….Mark you…you said….I'll be your Luna' I said with tears rolling down my cheeks, I couldn't believe it; my own mate who was gifted to me by the moon goddess would betray me like this why?

He sighed and said 'I'm sorry Isabel but I have found someone else and I can't choose you over her because she has a lot to offer me and you don't'

He spoke the words with no remorse, each sentence sharper than a sword plunging deep into my chest.

'Was that why you kept us a secret? Was that why you hid our relationship from people so that they would never find out' I asked sobbing more.

Mark gave me a small laugh, a laugh that made me cringe in fear, I couldn't recognize him anymore 'There was no relationship to begin with, you were just too dumb to see that. You actually thought I'd choose you, a daughter of nobody to be my Luna, wow you are so delusional. I only used you since you were so easy to get, I never loved you not even once and it's so funny you never noticed that.'

I gasped, as my heart constricted painfully in my chest, I tried saying something but words failed me. I wept uncontrollably watching his eyes stare at me like I was a stranger like he was disgusted by my presence. There was no affection in his eyes only hatred…hatred for me.

All this while, I thought that I had finally found the one person who would make all my pain go away but I was wrong. Everyone in the park stared at me with contempt saying how unworthy I was to be a member of the pack.

'She had no wolf for light's sake, what the hell is she doing in our park?' I would hide most times refusing to go to any social events organized by the park even though Jasmine would not let me but, I didn't want to be made a joke.

I continued like this until I met Mark, he became my friend, my consoler. He was the only one that kept me sane aside from Jasmine who has always been my pal and who always had my back. He would cheer me up when I was down and tell me that it wasn't a sin or a crime to not have a wolf, he convinced me that one day the moon goddess would give me my own wolf. He told me that I was rare, that I was a unique being. He gave me hope and I felt safe with him.

I couldn't hold myself anymore and so I turned and ran as fast as my writhing legs could carry, weeping along the way. I got home, threw myself on the couch and continued weeping.

Mark has shattered my heart, he lied to me, he marked me and I gave myself completely to him only to realize now that everything was a lie. The touch, the whispers, the sound of his voice, the laughter we shared, the way he said he loved me; every single thing was a lie. I cried helplessly hoping I wouldn't wake my mother up. I had to be strong at least for my sick mother, I didn't want my mother to see me like this. I wiped my eyes and swore to never allow myself to get hurt by any man again. I wasn't going to allow myself to be used again.