Chapter 3

Bella’s POV.

As the first rays of the early morning sun streamed through the treetops, I squinted and groaned, the light piercing my tired eyes. I tried to turn over, but something was off. I opened my eyes fully and saw that I was no longer in the arms of Devon. Panic rose within me as I realized that Devon was nowhere to be seen.

"Devon!" I yelled, my voice ringing through the trees.

Silence was my only answer, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I wrapped my shawl around myself. I stood feeling sore from last night sex. The thought of it made me smile.

I had only taken a few steps when I spotted him, making his way towards me, a small bag in his hands. I ran to him, my relief turning into annoyance.

"Where have you been?" I demanded.

"Chill," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I went out to get you some clean clothes, remember? Yours were covered in blood."

I sighed, realizing that he was right. "Sorry," I mumbled.

I opened the bag, and my eyes widened as I pulled out a red gown. It was long and flowing, stopping just above my knees.

I had been so foolish to think that Devon would abandon me, especially after our first night together. As we walked through the quiet, empty streets, swinging our joined hands in the air, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

It was early, and the sun was just beginning to rise, the sky a hazy mix of orange and pink. The streets were empty, and I felt like we had the whole pack to ourselves. I couldn't help but smile, a few days from now I would be known as the future Luna, no longer an Omega.

“I will see you later,” he said, when we got to my room window.

“When will you make the announcement?” I asked, nervously.

“Tonight,” he said, smiling.

I gave him a quick hug before slipping inside. He smiled at me and pressed a kiss to my neck before disappearing into the night. I closed the window, feeling a mix of emotions swirling within me. I climbed into bed, pulling the covers over me. I could hear the door creak open, and I pretended to be asleep, my heart pounding in my chest.

I suddenly felt a sudden rush of cold water splash against my face, and I jerked awake, the icy liquid soaking my clothes and chilling my skin. I sat up, shivering, and looked around to see an old woman standing over me, a bucket in her hands.

"Lazy hag, all you do is sleep. Will you stand up and get to work," she scolded me, her voice harsh and grating. I jumped out of bed, my teeth chattering from the cold, and quickly bowed in respect.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, keeping my head down. I hurried out the door, my heart pounding with fear and anger.

As I washed the dishes, my mind raced with thoughts of the upcoming title as the future Luna and the respect I would finally receive. Not all this, I thought bitterly, my hands scrubbing the dishes with a little more force than necessary.

I imagined myself standing before the crowd, my head held high, my name announced with honor and dignity.

A smile tugged at my lips as I imagined the shocked expressions on the faces of those who had scorned and belittled me. This was my moment, and I would make the most of it.

"Excuse me," I said to the maid standing beside me, my voice trembling with nerves. "Have you seen Devon?" I tried to keep my tone casual, but the worry was clear in my eyes.

The maid rolled her eyes, and a sneer curled her lips. "Why do you ask? You want to stalk him again?" she said, her voice dripping with scorn.

I bit back a sharp retort, and instead simply shook my head.

"The guard is looking for him, he has a package," I mumbled.

"He's busy with his father," she replied, and turned her back to me.

I let out a breath, feeling a surge of relief.

“Thank you,” I whispered as I headed back to my room.

I knew what Devon's meeting with Gabriel meant - he was telling him about us. Gabriel was Devon's father. My stomach clenched at the thought of what he might be saying. I slumped down on the floor and began sorting through my clothes, looking for something suitable to wear for this evening occasion.

But everything I had was worn out, and I couldn't see myself appearing before the crowd in them. I wanted to look my best, to present myself with dignity and pride. I slumped back against the wall, feeling frustrated and helpless.

---

I felt a gentle shaking on my shoulder, and slowly opened my eyes. Ariana's face swam into focus, her eyes filled with concern.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her voice soft. "You've been sleeping for a long time."

I groaned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My last memory was of trying to sort through my clothes, looking for something to wear. I must have dozed off, my exhaustion finally catching up with me.

"What time is it?" I asked, my voice raspy.

"It's eight o'clock," Ariana said. My eyes widened in alarm.

"Shit," I said, jumping to my feet. "What's wrong?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"It's almost time," I said, the words rushing out in a jumble.

"Time for what?" she asked, her confusion evident.

"The occasion," I replied, unable to keep the nervous smile from my face.

"What occasion?" she asked, clearly at a loss.

"Gabriel didn't announce anything."

I was beginning to feel desperate, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief, she nodded.

“Have you seen Devon?” I asked, my voice curiously.

“No one has seen him since the sun set….”

I didn't wait for her to finish speaking - I just ran out the door, my heart pounding. Where was Devon? Was he okay? Has something bad happened to him? I tried to calm myself down, but it was hard.

The Alpha was always so secretive, it was impossible to know if something had happened to his family. I prayed to the Moon Goddess, my heart aching with worry.

"Dear Goddess," I whispered, "let Devon be fine. I can't imagine life without him." My voice trembled as I spoke, my anxiety rising with every passing moment.

I poked my head around the door, glancing up and down the hallway to make sure no one was watching. Then, I opened the door and crept inside, closing it as quietly as I could behind me.

My eyes landed on the bed, where Devon was sleeping soundly. I went over to him, placing my hand gently on his neck. His pulse was steady, his breathing even. I let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't sick. But why had he been ignoring me? What was going on?

I leaned down, intending to kiss him awake, knowing how much he enjoyed being woken that way. But before I could touch my lips to his, he pushed me away roughly. I lost my balance and fell to the floor, hitting my back with a loud thud. I cried out in pain, tears forming in my eyes as I struggled to catch my breath. I opened my eyes, looking up at him in shock.

"Devon, what..." I began, but he cut me off.

"Get out," he growled, his face a mask of rage. "Get out, now."

"It's me, your Bella," I said, struggling to get up from the floor. I could see that something was wrong, that he wasn't his usual self.

“Get your ass out of my room,” he roared again.

I turned around and saw no one in the room, I opened the bathroom door, there was no one. I stood in front of him, confused , my heart racing.

"There's no one here," I added, my voice trembling. "Just the two of us. So stop this joke.”

He didn't seem to hear me. He just stood there, his face a terrifying mask of anger.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" he bellowed, and I flinched, my heart pounding.

The room seemed to shrink around me, his rage filling every inch of space. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to take a step toward him, but he held his hand up in warning.

“Don't you dare take another inch," he snarled, his voice full of menace. I swallowed hard, my throat dry.

"What have I done?" I asked, my voice shaking. "We can work this out, we can talk about it, rather than this. We both know I can’t stand this." I tried to sound calm, but my heart was pounding in my chest.

"I have nothing to do with that lowlife omega," he spat, his voice full of disdain. "You know how much you omegas irritate me."

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. My stomach dropped, and I felt a lump forming in my throat. This was the same man who had always defended me, who had always insisted that I shouldn't let anyone belittle me for being an omega.

And now, here he was, insulting me himself. I felt my eyes welling up with tears, and I blinked them away. I would not cry in front of him, I straightened my spine, trying to look strong.

"What's my offense?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What have I done to you that has made you insult your own mate?"

I tried to sound strong, but my voice betrayed me, cracking on the last word. He let out a loud, mocking laugh, the sound grating against my eardrums.

"Don't tell me you actually took that mate stuff to heart," he said, his voice dripping with scorn. I was taken aback.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Did you take any alcohol?" I couldn't help but ask.

His words were like a slap in the face, and my eyes flashed with anger.

"You think we're equal?" He shot back, his voice trembling with rage. "You're talking to your future Alpha!" he roared.

I squared my shoulders, refusing to back down. "And this lady in front of you is the future Luna," I retorted, my voice taking on a dangerous edge.

"Oh, is that so?" he sneered, his eyes cold and hard. "Because you think we're mates, you think you can talk to me however you want?" He had a sudden sly smile on his face and then he spoke up.

"I, Alpha Devon..." he began, but I cut him off. The words I feared to hear was what he was about to say.

I clasped my hands together. “You are only angry with your Bella right now, don’t say anything, we can sort this out tomorrow,” I pleaded with him. But he let out a loud hiss.

"I, Alpha Devon, reject Bella as my mate!" His voice was full of finality, leaving no room for negotiation.

I felt the floor give way beneath my feet, and my heart sank into my stomach. He had said it, he had actually said it.