Rejected and Saved by my Alpha

5

LILY

It was morning when I finally reached the address Alex had given me: driving under a massive storm while sobbing was not, in fact, an easy feat, and more than once I’d forced myself to take some breaks to try and rest and … well, cry.

I had discovered I had way more tears to cry than I thought – they had started falling as soon as I’d left the pack lands and hadn’t stopped until now. There had been some moments in which they’d been more intense, but they had never once stopped falling.

I couldn’t remember a time in which I’d felt so … lost. Not even when my mom had died, and my father had been away with his mind, overcome by grief for losing his mate.

Now, though, it was different. I wasn’t just lost, driving among lands and places I’d never seen, out of the safe haven of my pack, but I was also alone.

There was no one I could turn to for help – no packmates, no family, no friends … no mate. I was utterly, completely alone, and I wasn’t so stupid as to believe Alex’s friend would let me crash on his couch for an indefinite amount of time.

I’d have to rebuild my life from scratch, with what little savings I had in my bank account, my car, and my education degree. I wasn’t even sure I had enough money to cover a deposit for a rental.

A hoarse laughter left my lips as I shook my head.

All because he had to f**k my stepsister, I thought as I turned off my car. All because she needed to get the f*****g upper hand, even this time.

I was thankful for the anger I felt coursing through me, as, after all, I’d always been. Anger had always been there for me, whenever something or somebody hurt me, quickly covering up the pain of the betrayal with its white, scorching fire. The fact that I couldn’t really express it, against my father or, now, Connor, was useful as well, because it allowed for that anger to stay inside of me and simmer. Had I let it out, screamed and shouted and vomited all I wanted to say to them, it would have quickly left, uncovering the pain.

And I didn't want to deal with that. It was bad enough that anger couldn’t quite hide it all, and that was just the pain of betrayal. The mind-shattering pain of the bond breaking was an entire other matter, one that had me doubling over in pure pain more than once. I could feel the remnants of that bond whimpering and trembling into my soul, searching and reaching for their other half … and not finding it, and dying a little bit more each moment.

It was, undoubtedly, the worst kind of pain I’d ever experienced.

No, facing it in its entirety would’ve been too much.

Maybe tomorrow.

Or, even better, never.

Alex’s friend lived in a small, cute town built on the curve of a river, with nice houses and cafes all around: since it was november, the trees around it were losing their leaves, that covered the street with beautiful hues of yellow and red.

Seeing those colors was like having a knife twisted into my heart. Connor and I had decided to hold the ceremony in the pack house’s backyard, surrounded by that beautiful foliage, which would have covered the aisle as well.

This is wrong. This is not my place – this is not where I should be.

I should have been miles away from there, in mine and Connor’s room, getting ready to marry him – an event that should’ve taken place in less than two hours.

But I was here, in an unknown town where I didn’t know anybody, while, back at home, Connor and Jane were using the wedding I had planned and that I should’ve enjoyed for themselves. She’d probably already moved into what had been our room – Willow would have never stood for her precious little princess to be left alone while pregnant, and Jane would have surely taken the opportunity to move in with Connor and legitimize herself in the eyes of the pack.

My stomach twisted and turned as another wave of nausea hit me.

It hadn’t been the first that day – or night. Or whatever.

Maybe I should have some breakfast, I thought, eyeing the cafe across the road. My stomach was closed, but my last meal had been the lunch of the day before … and I knew I needed food, despite not being hungry.

I took a breath and nodded.

Let’s try to at least be reasonable, I decided, stuffing the car keys in my pocket and walking towards the cafe. Starving myself won’t lead to anything. Besides, maybe putting some food in my stomach will help.

The more I got closer to the cafe, the more the delicious scent of coffee, pastries and breakfast instensified, tickling at my nostrils – and the more my mouth watered: yes – food was definitely the answer here.

It would definitely help me not only regain some strength, but also distract my mind from the s**t show my life had just turned into – something I was desperate for.

I ordered following my heart and stomach - coffee, orange juice, two chocolate croissants, an egg and salmon toast, and some bacon to top it off: not my usual pick, but this was not a usual situation. Thankfully, the place was pretty cheap, despite not really looking like it.

As soon as it arrived, I hurled myself on the food, desperate for the distraction it’d provide.

At least until I got disturbed.

“Well – that’s what I call a break-up meal”.

I took a breath to try to calm myself down.

Honestly, just who the hell decided to bother someone who clearly didn’t want to be bothered on a random Saturday at 8 AM?

“Could be,” I huffed, taking another bite of my bacon.

The man who’d just spoken let out a soft chuckle, and with the corner of my eye, I saw him smiling.

He stood there for another couple of seconds, and I decided I’d had enough.

“Can I help you with anything?” I asked, turning towards him.

The man in front of me was tall, with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes: he looked … friendly. Approachable.

“I think I can help you, Lily Cooper,” the man said – and my guts froze.

How … how does he know my name?

“I’m Damien Carter,” he said, sitting in front of me. “Your brother Alex’s friend”.