Once His Rejected Luna

Chapter 1

The house was quiet, like a grave. At least in a graveyard you hear the slow swat of a breeze or the chirping of birds; in this case the house was just eerily silent.

Alex's car was in the driveway, which meant he was home - probably in his study. I headed to my room and dropped my handbag. One glance around the house set my thoughts racing. I used to remember how my laughter and Alex's would bounce off the walls.

We couldn't keep our hands off each other, grinning like fools while we stared at one another in love... or rather, while I stared at him in love. I didn't believe someone who did the things he was doing to me could be someone they loved. Our marriage had looked like a match made in heaven.

But then he changed. It all happened the moment Carmen came back. Carmen was his ex-lover; he had opened up to me and told me he had loved her very much, and insisted he was over her. I couldn't help but think this was all because of her.

I wasn't one to apportion blame, but it was getting frustrating. Alex didn't look at me the same way he had when we got married. Before, his gaze held genuine care and adoration; now his eyes were filled with cold familiarity and even... disgust, like he couldn't stand me.

I kept asking what I had done wrong to make someone I thought loved me hate me this much. He waved it off and said I had done nothing and nothing was wrong - he was just busy.

Another issue: why hadn't he named me his Luna yet? He had almost done it, but exactly two days before Carmen came back, he didn't. He kept postponing it until I grew tired of asking. He wouldn't even stay in the same room with me. I sighed, kicked off my shoes, and lay back on the bed.

Life wasn't fair. I wondered what could make a man who used to adore me turn into a cold, uncaring person... to me. He was even friendly with his business partners, even his rival beta. But his reaction to my presence was enough to make me cry.

Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe I was doing too much. Maybe he was right - maybe he was busy. I thought of all the possible maybes until I started to hear sounds coming from Alex's bedroom.

Was that a woman's moan?

I was on my feet in an instant; my heart pounded. Let this be a freaking dream, please. I rushed to his door and paused to listen. It was indeed a woman's moan, and the tone of the voice sounded familiar. For a minute I was stunned at how far Alex had gone with his "hating Tori" thing. Tears stung my eyes and my heart felt like it was going to stop. I would have run away, but I scowled and pushed the door open. I expected what I was thinking - but nothing prepared me for this.

There, on what used to be our matrimonial bed, was Alex; on him - almost undressed - was... Carmen.

"Carmen?" I called. She turned and had the nerve to flash a smile. Alex looked pissed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, getting to his feet and righting his clothes. I stared at him in disbelief. What did he mean by that?

"I live here, remember? You and I are MARRIED!" I yelled. His dark eyes suddenly looked a shade darker.

"Well - news flash - I don't want you anymore, slut. Can't you see it? Aren't you perceptive enough? You have a wolf; can't she even smell that I no longer want you?" he roared. I stared at him in shock. Alex hadn't even said this to me before; he seemed aloof, but here he was about to cheat on me and still talking like it was my fault. Why hurt me more was the fact that it was my best friend.

"Alex, why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong?" I asked. Carmen grinned; she didn't even bother covering herself. She was openly showing me that she'd been in my bed and didn't care.

"Isn't it obvious by now, dear friend? He doesn't love you anymore. We love each other. No one is going to love a cheap whore like you," she hissed. I just stared, too stunned to speak. Had she forgotten the moments we used to share, all we'd been through together?

"How could you, Carmen?" I said, tears pouring down my face. She mocked my crying face before smiling.

"How could I what? Why don't you accept reality? He was mine all along. I am his, not some trash like you. Have it in mind - you ain't getting nobody," she said, and my heart shattered.

"Yes," Alex agreed. He folded his arms and gave me the most hateful stare I had ever received.

"I no longer want you in my life, Tori. You're... what should I call it..."

"Her services are no longer needed," Carmen interrupted, purring. Alex grinned at her before turning back to me.

"Right, you heard her - your services are no longer needed, Tori," he said. I stared at him in disbelief.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He flashed a charming smile - the very smile that used to make me go head over heels now made my chest tighten.

"I want a divorce," he said, and the tiny pieces that remained of my heart exploded.

"Divorce?" I whimpered. He nodded.

"Yeah." He shoved a paper into my hands. "Time to say goodbye, Tori."