The Alpha's Mistake: Meant To Love Him

1. Turmoil

The following morning, I was one of the first people on campus. As to be expected, sleep evaded me, and I kept tossing and turning all night.

I was sitting on one of the benches, unable to cry, unable to shout, barely breathing, barely functioning… And I just waited.

Being a low-ranked wolf meant that I had little to no interaction with the hierarchy. Being a late-bloomer meant that my chances of being accepted were even slimmer, if not nonexistent.

I heaved a long sigh, as I saw students filling in… They looked carefree, happy even. Most of them had found their better halves, had career paths in mind, and ambition coursing through their veins.

Seeing Julian arrive with Lucille had me gritting my teeth. He had never allowed any girl to be so attached to him… I should know because I once had a crush on the guy. I had even been looking forward to the day I could talk to him.

I never knew that when he would finally talk to me, it would be to break my heart and shatter my dreams.

Looking at the way he made her laugh sweetly, smile, dimple and all, made me burn with jealousy.

Was he actually serious about her? Where did that leave me, his rightful mate?

Heavens, how was I ever supposed to approach him?

My only friends appeared in my peripheral vision, just as I was mentally preparing myself to approach the mate who had rejected me coldly yesterday.

“Are you okay?” Michael asked, his eyes showing his worry more than his demeanor ever could.

Camelia’s voice was made of pure concern, “You don’t look too well, Val.”

“I didn’t sleep well,” I said lamely, heaving a sigh as I watched Julian enter the building, an arm casually holding Lucille by the shoulders.

“It shows,” Camelia nodded, to which I couldn’t help but giggle.

She never knew when to shut up. And I was glad I hadn’t given in to her questioning yesterday. Julian already seemed to hate my guts. If I were to actually spill the truth he so hated, he might never forgive me.

“You should take better care of yourself, you know?” Michael’s comment hit me like a trainwreck.

If they were to know what had happened, they would be so damn pissed, I didn’t even want to think about it… or perhaps, they would understand the future Alpha’s decision, who knew?

“Let’s hit them lectures, dearie,” Camelia held out a hand to me, and I took it without thinking twice about it.

She was not just my best friend. She was my confidant and my safe line… And I actually hated that I was keeping this issue with Julian a secret from her.

But I was hoping she would understand given time and a proper explanation.

Before long, it was lunch, and we were sitting at our usual table, chatting merrily, as if nothing had happened at all… But I knew. Something had changed in me, and I would be forever scarred from the silent rejection I had been subjected to.

** ** ** ** ** **

It had been a solid week since my nineteenth birthday, and I was oh so ready to be done with the infuriating Alpha heir, that I didn’t hesitate to march in his direction once lectures were done.

“We need to talk,” I grumbled, my eyes slightly narrowed at his shirt.

I might be feeling reckless, but I was not suicidal. I was not going to offend him by looking him defiantly in the eyes.

“About what?” His voice was even and cold to my ears.

He couldn’t understand my pain. He knew nothing of my turmoil.

Life truly was unfair, and fate was cruel, but I was planning to make peace with this.

“You know,” I let out a sigh.

“How would he know if you won’t tell him?” Lucille, who had just appeared on his arm, taunted me without even blinking an eye, a dangerously sweet smile on her face.

She knew how to play the innocent card all too well, and Julian seemed to be blind to her antics.

“I was talking to him,” I deadpanned without delay.

“Are you trying to make a scene?” He asked, his voice laced with irritation.

“I am making a scene?” I scoffed, unable to believe my own ears, as I looked up into his face at long last.

He had a handsome face that was chiseled by the gods, a sharp jaw, deep blue eyes I once could see myself drowning in… But he wasn’t mine to look at.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. I was the fated mate, and yet I was the one he deemed undeserving of him.

I averted my gaze, but not before seeing the way his eyes narrowed on me.

“You know you are.” I didn’t need to look at him to know he was livid, his voice showed that more than enough.

I knew then that this fated bond was a lost cause, and I would have to mend my broken heart… away from him and this unwanted audience who appeared to be holding its breath.

I turned on my heel, head held high, and rushed past everyone down the path to the village.

Camelia soon caught up with me. Michael was a few paces behind us.

“What was that about?” She asked, her eyebrow rising as she did so.

“You don’t want to know,” I retorted on a sigh, even as I struggled to keep tears and sniffles at bay.

“How can you say that?” She soon held onto my wrist, not firmly enough that I wouldn’t be able to break free, but gently enough to make my tears spill.

“Everything’s ruined, Cami,” I began to cry pathetically.

“Tell me?” She urged, even as she embraced me.

“Like a true defect, I lost,” I said in between sobs. “I lost, Cami.”

“You’re not making any sense, dearie,” she said softly, as she patted my back.

“I only had but one dream, one wish,” I laughed, the sound gut-wrenching and painful, even to my own ears.

“But what does that have to…”

She didn’t finish before she put some distance between our two faces, and looked at me, her expression painted with horror — and thankfully, no pity.

“Please tell me he’s not…” I didn’t let her finish her sentence, putting my forefinger across her lips.

Understanding dawned on her, and to replace horror, came anger.

“He did NOT…”

Again, she trailed off, and the words that were left unsaid hung heavily in the air between us.

“He did, Cami. He did,” I said brokenly, my eyes cast down.

“You know what? You’re better off without that manwh*ore anyway,” she rolled her eyes after a beat. “He’s nobody, Val. And it’s his fu*cking loss.”

Her attempt at making me feel better was welcome, and yet hurt more than it should.

I had been willing to accept him, with all his faults, despite his playboy ways… And yet, he didn’t hesitate to reject me, no doubt because he felt I was undeserving of being his equal.

“Thank you,” I said simply after a moment.

“It’s chicks before d***s, dearie,” she winked at me, to which I could only giggle.