Chapter 2

Alessia's POV

"We need to see and speak with each other." He adds after a few minutes of sending the last message but more a disturbed emoji, then he talks of us being where everyone can see us. My heart starts to get anxious, if this is what he thinks, then why does he add a disturbed emoji, which seems mocking at the same time. 

After the class, he walks abruptly to the podium where our lecturer is teaching from. He waves his hand to the crowd of packing students, they nearly snub him but when they look at who is talking, they all surrender. The hall becomes so quiet, everyone with expectant ears. 

"Hello guys and ladies, I would love to call Alessia Nicole to come on this podium!" A stern face accompanies, fear starts to grip me at his expression. "Listen to all I have to say, thanks." 

I walk with great pride to the stage, amidst the cheers of a few and murmurs of the rest, the jealous winks of girls. None of these negative reactions get to affect me because what has happened to me is much more than I can ever think of. 

He takes my hand, I feel butterflies in my stomach. "This is gonna be great!" I say to myself. Then he faces the audience with me, Gracelynn is shooting dagger eyes at me from below but I just choose to ignore her. She isn't worth it, if Phoenix has decided to take interest in me being his mate, as I think. Looking straight into my eyes, he begins his speech. 

"What do you have that qualifies you to be my mate?" 

"Huh?" I turn to face him really well, I'm shocked to receive this question. At this point, Gracelynn lets out a mocking chuckle, holding her stomach as if she wants to throw up. 

"You heard me right?" Phoenix asks, with a tone firmer than before and a slight smirk on his lips. I stare at him with a confused glare, a blank mind which can't think of the next thing to do as defense here. "Will you reply to me and stop acting like a fool?" 

"What?" 

A heavy slap swipes across my cheeks as I ask this, I'm dumbfounded. I freeze, staring at him with shock. The girls who had been winking at me with jealousy now push themselves to the front where they boo harder, so I can hear them saying. The rest feel sorry for me, a good number but not as much as those who are glad I've been disgraced. 

"Can you look at yourself in the mirror everyday? I think you don't have one in your house?" 

"Why did you say so?" I protest, tears fighting high in his eyelids, his eyes are now crowdy and bloodshot. Anger shoots tight across his face but I wouldn't watch him disgrace me before everyone without saying anything. No, that's not gonna be me. He is the one that taught me to stand up in the face of being dehumanized, which is what he is doing now. I wouldn't fail to use his counsel against him. 

"You wretched daughter of a bitch daring to catch my attention, I have always noticed you and how you wished to make me yours, so sad that you have been foolish up to the extent of believing I would accept you as a mate, when you can't be compared in any way to Gracelynn." My eyes redirect to her down, she smiles with pride, then rolls her eyes on me. 

"I'm sorry!" I mutter in a very low tone, folding my arms and glancing at the floor with a tight face. I feel like hitting him hard in the face right now. I apologize since he sees it as a crime for me to crush on him but I'll never do that on him hurting me, rather I would speak up against him if he should make any degrading comment on me. 

Why is it that no man cares to look my way? All those stories of a billionaire falling for an ordinary, but beautiful girl, why can't they happen to me? 

"Hmmm," I sigh, obviously frustrated and downcasted, the hormones which had skyrocketed to bliss, descended drastically.

"I, Phoenix Grey, Potential Alpha of the New Gardens Pack, reject you, Alessia Nicole as my mate. I declare you unfit to spend the rest of your life beside me as a Luna and prior to this, you are never to step an inch close to me for whatsoever purpose outside of the formal. Guess what will happen if you disobey?" He leans and hisses. "You know what can happen, nothing to doubt." This sends cold shivers down my spine. I know that he means what he says but I don't know what he would do to me if I ever disobey what he just asked, I know it would be disastrous. 

He puts on his tinted sunglasses, walks off the podium leaving me in my own world, I feel like crying but I'll be giving him that power to break me, I'll also be giving my bullies more power to do their work. I choose to act strong, folding my lips, I take a firm stare at him as he walks down to Gracelynn's side. Taking her hands, he walks out of the hall. I decide to leave, go down, pick my bag and go. I wish I had somewhere to go, I wouldn't be returning to that Pack Estate. It's gonna be hell, I can see it from afar. Aveira now has more reason to hate me,  the podium. 

"What were you thinking before, when he called up?" 

"Do you think a girl like you would ever fit in Phoenix's eyes!" 

"Come, don't be naive. You're just perfect for some dumbass, not a prince like Phoenix. He is a prince even though he is not royalty. Come on, just look at him!" 

I try to close my ears from all these comments, from some of the girls down here, though I ignore them, they follow after me. I turn around to answer them." You fucking bitches are angry because I'm his fated mate, at least I have a reason to crush on him. Yeah, he has rejected me but I haven't rejected him, so there's still gonna be room for your jealousy." I say sarcastically, turning off to go walk off with a mocking laughter. They shoot dagger gazes at me but I have nothing to do with that, they can't hurt me. 

I'll find my own way!