Chapter 7 HE REJECTED ME, I KISSED HIM ANYWAY

"You have just a few days to decide."

The door clicked shut behind him, but his words lingered. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, still raw and aching from the night before. Ronan's rejection hadn't just scarred me, it had torn something loose, something I didn't know how to cage again.

How could he throw me away so easily? Was being a hybrid truly that unforgivable?

I paced the length of the room, fists clenched at my sides. No matter how I spun it in my head, the truth was inescapable, he rejected me without remorse. Not once had he looked back.

A rogue who can't keep her legs closed.

I pressed a palm over my chest, trying to steady the fire building under my ribs.

I had never wanted to surrender to anyone. And yet... some part of me..some pathetic, hidden piece-had longed for it. For him. To be chosen. To be loved.

The next morning, I dragged myself to the bar, though every muscle in my body protested. I looked like death warmed over, and I didn't need a mirror to confirm it. My skin was pale, my eyes shadowed, and my limbs felt like they were carved from stone.

Ellie gasped the moment she saw me.

"Seliene, you look like a ghost! Are you sure you don't need to see the healer?"

I gave a hollow laugh and waved her off. "A healer won't fix what's broken in me, Ellie."

She stared at me like she wanted to argue but wisely didn't. She would never understand. Not truly. My pain wasn't physical. It was deeper, embedded in the marrow of my bones. My wolf whimpered inside me, curled in on herself. Every time I tried to reach her, she pushed me away.

Because I'd let him reject us.

I slipped behind the bar but barely lasted ten minutes before retreating to the back. The crowd was growing, as it always did after dusk. Rogues, shifters, wanderers-our regulars filled the space with smoke and noise. I couldn't bear to face them. I didn't have the strength to wear the mask today.

I stood near the rear door, cradling a cold bottle I hadn't touched. My thoughts circled like vultures, always back to Ronan.

What would it have felt like to be loved by him?

I'd spent so long building walls, convincing myself I didn't need anyone. That I was stronger alone. But deep down, I craved it. The warmth. The bond. The feeling of being seen and wanted. I wanted it more than I cared to admit.

And yet, I'd never have it..not from him.

A flicker of movement outside the glass caught my eye. My gaze snapped to the front window, heart thudding.

Ronan.

He was walking past the bar like he hadn't shattered me just days ago. Like I didn't still feel the phantom sting of his rejection clawing at my soul. He wore that same cold expression-stoic, unfeeling. But his eyes, they locked on mine through the glass.

A silent pause passed between us.

Then I saw her.

A woman in tight black leather stood beside him. She was beautiful tall and willowy, her posture dripping confidence. She looked like she belonged next to an Alpha. And maybe she did.

I should've turned away.

Instead, I stormed outside like a woman possessed, heat crawling up my neck as if the flames inside me would finally spill out and torch everything in my path. I stopped in front of him, close enough to feel the electricity between us. Then I leaned forward, rose on my toes, and pressed my lips to his.

The heat was instant. My wolf stirred in my chest. I could feel his wolf just beneath the surface.

For a heartbeat, he didn't move. Then his hand caught my waist, fingers clenching as if trying to fight his hunger. His body leaned in slightly, his tongue claiming my mouth. His kiss was already taking over.

Then I pulled back reluctantly. It took everything in me to stop. I knew my wolf was angry at me now.

Ronan stumbled back, stunned. His fists clenched. His eyes closed, and when they opened again, dark amber flickered in their depths. Eyes blazing coldly. But I had already seen what I needed, the hunger in his eyes. The flicker of desire he couldn't smother in time.

I smirked bitterly. "You wanted that, didn't you? You feel it, even now. Your wolf knows. Your body knows."

His jaw tightened. "Don't flatter yourself."

"You loved me, Ronan," I said quietly. "And I know that. I saw it just now. So why? Why the rejection? Why the hate?"

The woman beside him was frozen, her hands clenched, her eyes sharp as daggers. She looked like she might lunge at me any second.

Ronan reached for me, gripping my arm hard and pulling me several steps away. "Are you insane?"

I yanked my arm out of his grasp, fire blooming under my skin. "What, you're afraid they'll know? That you can't hide me forever? Or is it because she's already your chosen mate?"

His eyes darkened. "You have no shame. You just declared our bond to the world. Do you think that changes anything? I rejected you, Seliene. That doesn't disappear because you got brave for five seconds."

"So that's it? Just more venom from you?" I shot back, voice trembling with the effort not to scream. "Is that all you have for me? More cruel words? I don't remember giving you the right to ruin me, then come back with more insults."

He stared at me coldly. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

"Ronan!" I called, my voice cracking as I took a shaky step forward.

Something in my voice made him stop.

A pulse burst through my chest, a surge so wild and raw it stole the breath from my lungs. My hand lifted before I knew what I was doing and then light exploded from my fingertips.

A crackling whip of pure energy arced toward Ronan. His instincts kicked in fast. He dodged, just barely, as the lightning-like strike hit the ground beside him with a crackle of heat and static.

His expression mirrored mine.

I stumbled backward, shocked, clutching my chest. My heart thundered. My fingers trembled.

What... was that?

I could still feel it. Buzzing beneath my skin like an untamed storm.

The woman next to him stepped forward quickly, eyes blazing. I didn't even have time to move before her hand shot out, claws extending as she lunged toward me.