Chapter 6 The Rejection and the Reckoning

Aurora's POV

My breath caught sharply as my mate's rejection echoed in my mind. He delivered it with such emotional detachment, like a lifeless fish. His provoking demeanor infuriated me, and if it weren't for the stupid mating bond dulling my senses, I wouldn't want anything to do with such a rude human. Distaste filled my mouth, and even my wolf bristled at being dismissed so unceremoniously.

"Why?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

"Excuse me?"

"You know what I mean, sir," I said, my voice trembling with anger. "Why bother with all those questions if you had no intention of hiring me? Are you saying everyone on your staff has a degree?"

He rolled up the sleeve of his pristine white shirt. "It's not my fault you didn't do your research before applying here. You're simply not qualified for the position."

His flippant tone made me want to scream. I glared at him, noting the amusement dancing in his eyes. Typical man. All my life, I'd dealt with men who acted superior, expecting women to grovel as if they were gods. But with Lucian, it was different.

The mating bond stirred a fiery intensity within my wolf, who yearned to give in to the pull, nearly overwhelming my senses with heat. I ignored Kia, my wolf, feeling insulted as a human. Regardless of who I was, he had no right to speak to me that way.

"Your ego is wounded because you've never been rejected, especially by your mate," my inner thoughts taunted.

I fought the urge to snap back and instead focused on keeping my voice steady. "You're right; I lack the qualifications. But that doesn't justify treating people like trash."

Smirking, he leaned back in his seat. "You've got nerve. Do you really expect me to hire a high-school dropout as my secretary? Consider yourself lucky I even granted you an interview."

I crossed my arms defiantly. "Save your pity, sir. You look like the type who barks orders at your staff and makes their lives miserable for peanuts. Thanks for not hiring me."

Lucian's face darkened, but he remained silent. Mate or not, I wouldn't let this weak human belittle me. My heart raced, and I knew I had to leave before my anger took over and revealed my lycan traits. A part of me wanted to bare my sharp canines and tell him off.

Instead, I moved towards the door but paused when I noticed the werewolf simulation robot. An amused smile crossed my lips as I spotted a flaw.

"You don't even know how many toes a wolf has. They have four on their back feet. For such a big company, I expected better."

His face twisted with irritation. "Get out before I call security."

Outside, a satisfied smile spread across my lips. Just because we're fated mates doesn't mean he gets to insult me. Kia, my wolf, applauded. "He must learn to respect us, though it would have been satisfying to let him claim us."

Shame and desire churned within me. Did I do the right thing by walking away? I wished we'd met under different circumstances or that I could break the mating bond. Unfortunately, the only way to do that was to sleep with him and reject him on the full moon.

"Remember, today is our running day," Kia reminded me. "We need to blow off some steam."

Returning to the apartment, I found chaos. The living room looked like a war zone, with everything scattered. My body froze in horror as I saw red lipstick scrawled on the wall: 'slut' and 'sex addict.' Alec, the unwelcome bastard, had done this.

Hate flared within me. Alec seemed determined to ruin my life. Furious, I screamed. This was beyond messed up. Grabbing my phone, I called the police to report the break-in and request a restraining order. Kia fumed, wishing I had destroyed Alec when I had the chance.

The door was wrecked, and I had to replace the locks and the broken table, stretching my already thin finances. Grief weighed heavy on my heart. This was becoming unbearable. My thoughts returned to Lucian's rejection, Alec's destruction, and my father's threats back in the lycan pack if I didn't marry Maverick Novak.

I couldn't hold back the sobs that wracked my body. My spirit was shattered.

****

After spending most of the afternoon at the police station, I returned home to find Kaden and Raven surveying the damage.

"What happened here?" Raven asked.

"It's my fault," I said, my voice breaking. "Ever since I came here, it's been one problem after another. I shouldn't have come."

Kaden and Raven exchanged glances. Kaden, though uneasy, put a hand on my shoulder. "Nonsense. As long as the police are involved, you have nothing to fear."

We sat in silence, the weight of the situation hanging over us. I was emotionally drained and worried about how to fix everything.

"How was the interview?" Raven asked softly.

"I didn't qualify," I scoffed. "But I'll find another job. I always do." Kaden moved closer and let me rest my head on his shoulder. "I'll make sure you get a better job, even if I have to ask my friends at the queer bar. I'm sure they'll help."

"There's a branch of our old workplace a bus stop away. Maybe Tyler, our former manager, can help," Raven suggested.

Kaden and I exchanged glances and burst out laughing, despite everything.

"Did I say something funny?" Raven looked confused.

"No," I said between laughs. "Have you forgotten I quit because Tyler lied about being single just to sleep with me? When I found out about his pregnant wife, he begged me to stay, promising to divorce her after the baby was born."

Raven's mouth dropped in shock. "How many guys have you slept with, Aurora?" I laughed even harder, joined by Kaden. "I needed that," I said, still chuckling.