Chapter 3.

Marissa POV.

The moonlight silkily flows my face as I bathe in it. Hearing the door open, I try to open my eyes, but they feel like lead weights. The faint smell of the warm earth after it rains invades my nose. My eyes try to focus on the person who has entered my room. All I can make out is a blurry figure. 

This person’s aura is truly otherworldly, as if it doesn’t belong in the current surroundings. If I die, I can die happy knowing I have seen something so gorgeous. Maybe the figure is an angel sent to bring me to Moon Goddness Selene. 

Warm fingers trace the path of my dried tears from under my eyes down my cheeks. The touch leaves a slight trail of heat in their wake. A low moan leaves my mouth at the touch.

“You are still so selfless that you would rather sacrifice yourself to save those who don’t deserve saving.” His voice is low and magnetic, reminiscent of somebody that I used to know. I hear this man take a seat next to the bed.

The only guy who would visit me and touch me like this is… Damien?! Who knows, but right now I’m too tired to care.  

When I eventually wake up. I feel significantly better. Well enough for me to be discharged and leave. But I have questions for him before I leave here. If he despises me so much, why the hell did he come into my room? Pulling the needle out of my hand, I pull the blankets back. I get out of bed and change out of the hospital gown and into my clothes. 

I need to find him. Leaving the room, I go to search for him. Walking through the ward, I hear Jessica’s voice. I pause outside the room and the door is partially open. Peering inside, Damien is laying on her bed with Jessica resting her head on his chest.

“Have you marked her?” She asks, drawing circles on his chest with her index finger. Seeing this it should hurt me, but it doesn’t. I was so stupid to think it was him who visited me. If it wasn’t him, then who was it?

“No, I would never mark her. The only one who is worthy of wearing my mark is you.” He answered as he affectionately gazed down at her. I scoffed with disdain. I’m not surprised by his words. This isn’t something that’s new to me, but it does hurt that he treats her differently and he would rather take her as his chosen than be with me, his actual fated mate.

“If that’s the case, then why do you keep her around? Don’t you think it’s cruel to use her?” Jessica whispers. Oh, now she wants to act all sweet and nice. She needs to remember I know what she did and the real reason she ran away. Jessica is a murderer. She killed her fated mate and left the pack under the pretext of breaking up with Damien. I’m sure he would still love her, regardless. Some Luna she would be. But in the New Dawn pack, I don’t think they would appreciate someone like her as their Luna. Not after what she has done. It is expected of a Luna to be a mother to all. That is not what Jessica is. The pack will fall with her as their Luna.

“Fool, I keep her around because she is still useful to you. She is only good for her blood and nothing else. Don’t be mistaken again, it’s you I love, not her.” Damien kisses her. I feel my cheek become wet. I don’t know when I started crying, but I won’t let him use me anymore. Wiping my cheeks quickly I hear Jessica giggle. I feel sick. They deserve each other.

I go to walk away when I hear her ask the question that will set me free. 

“So, will you reject her, then?” I hold my breath, waiting to hear what he says. 

“Yes, but only when you have recovered. Then you will officially be my Luna and we will have many pups.” He adds after an imperceptible pause. 

“And we will teach them your favourite Alpine skiing in Wolffrost Snowfield!” She pecked him on the cheek at the height of her enthusiasm.

Don’t listen anymore, Marissa, just go! I tell myself.

Determination sets in. I'm leaving. He will kill me if he finds out I’m carrying his child. A child who would be illegitimate, an abomination. What did I do so fucking wrong to be treated this way? What did I do? I break down asking these questions to Selene. A sob leaves my throat as I prepare to leave when the door opens and Damien stands wide eyed looking at me. He knows I’ve heard everything. My tears turn from hurt to anger. If he wasn’t my mate and Alpha, I would have knocked him out, but I can't. I need to leave and keep my pup safe.

A rage boils in my veins when I snarl at him in an act of pure anger.

“You are a fucking disgrace!” I scream at him, drawing a crowd around us, and right now I don’t care. He has hurt me for the last time. 

“Watch your mouth, Marissa. I’m still your Alpha.” I laugh like a madwoman as I move towards him.

“AND I’M YOUR MATE!” I scream loudly for everyone to hear. A collection of gasps ring out around us as his eyes go even wider and I see his wolf on the surface as he growls at me in warning. I smirk, knowing he would never let me leave, only if I’m dead. My pup would never survive, and neither would I.

“YOU AND YOUR WRETCHED PACK HAVE TREATED ME LIKE SHIT! YOU PROMISED TO MARK ME TO MAKE ME YOUR FUCKING LUNA, ONLY IF I USED MY BLOOD TO HEAL THOSE WHO ARE HURT. I FULFILLED MY PROMISE YET YOU NEVER. YOU ARE NO ALPHA!” I lose my temper as I slap him hard across the face as my claws slip out raking across his face. Showing my defiance.

He grabs me around my throat and slams me into the wall as he snarls in my face. I gasp as more tears leave my eyes. Not taking my eyes from his, I growl back.

“You’re right, you were my mate. But not anymore. I, Damien Carius, Alpha of The New Dawn Pack, reject you Marissa Gilbert as my mate and Luna.” I screamed as the bond breaks as I slump to the ground, holding my chest as I look up at him with a sneer on my lips and tears streaming down my cheeks.

“I accept your rejection.” The last cord of the bond snaps like an elastic band. The room spins as I feel something warm trickle down my legs. Looking down, I see blood. “I’m sorry, my baby…” I whisper, holding my lower abdomen. My mouth feels like I have cotton wool lodged in it. Turning my gaze to Damien he anxiously bites his lower lip. Guilt and remorse flash in his eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His hands lift me up as he screams for a doctor. Carrying me away as the world around me turns black.