I Am His Rejected Luna

Jaselyn's POV

Do you ever get that feeling? The one in which it feels like you're floating on air. Blissfulness encompassed my being as my body turned on the bed and my eyes fluttered open.

It was bright- too bright. I blinked a few times in an attempt to adjust my eyes to the harsh sun rays that washed on my face. In a split second, I realized that this wasn't my room.

Turning to my side, my eyes fell on a strange man sleeping peacefully next to me but I didn't panic. Rather, a feeling of warm familiarity washed over me as my wolf keened at lascivious memories of this man- my mate.

I had never thought I'd meet my mate, I believed I was too unlucky for such a blessing. The events leading up to this moment almost feel like a blur now. And to think I didn't want to attend the Peace Ball......

****

I stood a few feet away from the table and played with my fingers nervously, trying my hardest not to shake in fear as he took a spoonful of food and moved it to his mouth agonizingly slow.

'Please let him like it. Please let him like it.' I chanted the words in my mind. Hoping it would become reality. Uncle Dan finally took the food into his mouth, chewing messily and scrunching his face weirdly, as if it would determine whether he liked it or not.

He swallowed and my breath halted when his eyes fell on me. "What are you doing standing there like a petrified mouse, go get me my coffee!" He yelled at me and I scurried away, thankful that he had no problem with the food. Usually, he would find issues with it even when there were none just so he could verbally abuse me and on days when he was feeling grumpier than usual, I'd get beaten.

I'd been forced to endure his abuse and live completely at his mercy after my parents passed away a few months ago and I had to move into this Pack with him, owing to the fact that he's my only living relative.

I carefully carried the cup of coffee over to the table, ensuring it was exactly the way he liked it, not too hot or too cold. He took a sip and spat it out dramatically before throwing me a murderous look and I knew I was done for.

"What the hell is this?!" He barked at me.

"Your..... Your coffee." I stuttered out, afraid to say anything he wouldn't like.

"This tastes like dirt water. You're fucking 18 years old, do you expect me to teach you how to make coffee everyday? What kind of wife will you make? Or have you decided to be a liability all your life?" He lashed out harshly and my eyes watered.

"I.... I'm sorry, I made it exactly the way you like it, two cubes of sugar and no creamer, I don't know what went wrong." I pleaded pathetically and the words barely left my mouth when a hand came flying my way.

It was too unexpected so I couldn't avoid it. A hard slap had my head twisting sideways, the intensity nearly making me fall over.

I could taste a metallic saltiness on my tongue and I instantly knew I had busted my lip. The sting of the slap lingered on as I stood straight and kept my head down.

"Bitch! Next time you argue with me again you're really gonna get it. You're so ungrateful, I fucking feed and provide for you yet you can't do anything right. I'm the reason you have a roof over your head or else you'd be whoring yourself out in that backwater Pack just to survive." He cursed and I bit hard on my bottom lip to stop myself from retorting.

He feeds me? He provides for me? Like hell he does. I work to earn my keep. I do every single chore in this house, up to washing his disgusting underwear. I do menial jobs for our neighbors and babysit so I can have money for the days when he decides I'm not good enough to feed. I also have to deal with the women he occasionally brings home. I have absolutely nothing to be grateful for.

He's just a sadist. From what I heard, his mate left him and since then, he's only gotten worse. He only vents his frustrations out on me. I want to scream out how horrible of a person he is and how much I hate him but I know that that'll just bring unnecessary pain for me. Being able to avoid a beating is a win.

"Take it away, you've fucking made me lose my appetite." He orders and I get to work, taking the food away and cleaning the place while he relaxes back into his seat.

As soon as I'm done, I take permission to leave. "Uncle, I'm done. May I please go to my room?"

"Don't you have chores to take care of?" He asks, barely sparing me a glance.

"No, I've done all my work."

"For your sake they better have been done properly. Have you made preparations for this evening? You really don't plan on going with me to the Peace Ball with that face, do you? Do you want everyone to think I'm maltreating you?" He questions, referring to the angry red bruise that had probably formed on my left cheek.

"Really? Is this man high or does he not know the meaning of maltreatment?" My wolf, Nila, finally speaks up, probably more sick of his bullshit than me.

"I'm not going to the Ball, I'm not feeling too well so I want to rest at home." I state simply.

"Like hell you're not going. I don't recall giving you an option. I'll break it down for your tiny brain to understand, the annual peace ball is the biggest celebration in our Pack. It's hosted in the Palace by the Alpha and everyone in the Pack comes together to give gratitude to the moon goddess for a successful year and all the blessings she's bestowed upon us. It's non negotiable, you're going so do something about that face of yours, cover it up with makeup if you have to. I don't care what you have to do but be ready to go by the time I get back. Is that understood?" He asks and I nod.

"Use your words." He demands.

"Yes, uncle." I affirm and he leaves, giving me a chance to finally breathe properly.

"I really don't want to go, I don't even have a dress." I grumble to Nila who nudges me in a show of comfort.

"You can just wear what we have, this might be a chance to have some fun. Besides, we turned 18 a few days ago, we're sure to find our mate soon." She encouraged me and I rolled my eyes at the statement.

"As if. It's better not to hold on to that dream or you'll only end up disappointed. We should think about saving up enough money to get out of this Pack, as far away from Uncle as possible, and start a new life." I replied to her.

I went about doing chores for some money and even babysit one pup. Aside from the work I do, I have no social life. I'm what people would call a shut in, I only leave the house when I have to. I enjoy my isolation as it's the only time I can get peace of mind.

Besides, I'm afraid of being judged by strangers, my self esteem is already at an all time low thanks to my uncle.

The day went by quickly and the time for the dreaded social gathering finally arrived. I wore one of my two decent dresses, the rest of them had already become tattered due to overwashing. I applied some of the makeup I had managed to borrow and after receiving an earful from Uncle about laying low and not causing any trouble, we finally left the house for the Ball.

It was the first time I've ever been to the palace. Arriving at the Grand Hall which held more people than I could count, I felt sick to my stomach due to the anxiety of being around so many strangers.

While uncle went off to mingle, I stuck back like a wallflower, watching the people enjoy themselves and wondering how they had the energy for all of that.

The quiet rumbling of my stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten since breakfast. I eyed the buffet table at the other corner of the room and made a decision. This could be my only chance to eat to my heart's content without getting a lecture or worse. Taking a deep breath, I made my way through the dance floor packed with people and mumbled small apologies to the ones who bumped into me.

Finally getting to the other side, I released a sigh of relief but that's when it hit me- a scent so delicious that it made my mouth water. The place suddenly reeked of warm cedarwood mixed with a hint of rose and pine; it was the most wonderful thing I had ever perceived. I looked around but realized that no one else seemed to notice.

My body seemed to move on its own as I headed in the direction of the scent. I found myself leaving the Grand Hall and walking further into the palace. I had no idea where I was going but nothing had ever felt so right, it was like I was possessed, lured in by the sweet but treacherous song of a siren.

The closer I got, the more the intoxicating pheromone pervaded my senses, drawing me, making me drunk on ecstacy. I stopped at the door of a room and the heavy concentration of the scent from the other side of the room nearly made me pass out.

"Mate! Mate! Our mate is on the other side!" Nila rattled restlessly within me, her excitement flooded into my being and I pushed the door open, walking into the room.

Dreamy blue eyes meet mine in a gaze so intense that my knees grow weak. Messy blonde hair fell in locks, shaping his face nicely. He had a well defined jaw and the most sensual lips one could imagine. I couldn't help but confess he's the most attractive man I'd ever seen.

"And he's our mate, we're his." Nila raved enthusiastically. My lips quivered as I struggled to make a coherent sentence. "I-I....."

"Shh..... No words need to be said, I would rather our bodies do the talking. This connection between us is so deep that it makes me wonder how I've survived this long without you, my dear mate." His words make my heart jump as he takes my hand into his and electricity sizzles between us. He kisses me sweetly, desperately, like I'm the only thing that matters in the entire world.

The next few seconds are a blur as our clothes fly around the room. The only thing my mind could register at that moment was that I'd never felt so happy in my entire life as our bodies entwined and our souls became one.

Jaselyn's POV

I didn't even get his name. It felt like it didn't matter at the time, all my body craved was to be near his, to be claimed and marked like I was supposed to.

My eyes fall on his body again, his lower back is exposed, soft milky skin discolored purple by the scratches that I had caused the night before while in the throes of passion. My cheeks heat up at the memory and I move my eyes back to his handsome face, long eyelashes flutter as he breathes softly.

My heart startles at the sight and I can't help but wonder how I got so lucky. I had thought I would never find my mate, conditioned to believe I wasn't worthy of anyone's love.

He finally stirs and I grip the bed sheets, wrapping it around myself in an attempt to hide my undress. He's my mate and he'd already seen everything but I can't help that I'm shy.

He yawns and stretches a bit before sitting up. He rubs at his eye slowly and his bed hair makes me smile, he's actually really cute.

"Um.... Good morning, I hope you slept well." I greet him for lack of what to say. He finally turns to my direction and his expression hardens, it makes my stomach drop but I try to dismiss my anxiety.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" He suddenly asks and I shake my head in the negative. I honestly have no idea, due to my reclusive lifestyle, I barely know anyone in this Pack. I know it was silly of me to sleep with him without even knowing his name but it was a spur of the moment thing and he's my mate, I don't why but I trust him completely, like I've known him my whole life.

"Our mate, he didn't mark us last night. The bond isn't complete until he marks us, he needs to do it now." Nila suddenly urges me but I try to calm her down.

"Relax. We need to get to know each other first, right? Especially as we skipped so many steps and went in for the kill." I chided her, my cheeks tinting from embarrassment.

My mate clears his throat, stealing my attention once more. He maintains a stoic expression as he speaks. "I'm Zane Black, the Alpha of this Pack." He revealed and my mouth involuntarily fell open.

What?! The Alpha? Did I really sleep with the Alpha? Does that also mean that the Alpha is my mate? Will I become the Luna of this Pack? The questions danced around in my mind, making me elated.

"He's our Alpha, we shouldn't make him wait. Introduce yourself." Nila pushed on and I opened my mouth to speak.

"I'm Jaselyn, Jaselyn Everhart......" I begin the introduction but he cuts me off with a raise of the hand.

"I really don't care who you are, it doesn't matter to me. Listen to me carefully because I'm only going to say this once. What happened between us last night was a mistake." He dropped the bombshell and my heart fell. Tears clouded my vision as his words replayed in my mind and I slowly started to understand what they meant.

"What-What do you mean by that?" I manage to get out in a small voice.

"Are you intellectually challenged or do you just want me to spell it out for you?" He asked cruelly. I tried to blink away the tears, I couldn't believe what I was seeing or hearing.

Who is this man in front of me? He's nothing like the man I spent the night with yesterday, he couldn't be the same person who kissed every sensitive area of my body while whispering sweet promises.

"I- But- Did I do something wrong? If I did something to offend you, just let me know and we can talk about it. I can even apologize if you'd like." I pleaded desperately, my heart slowly ripping to shreds.

"Look, whatever lofty dreams you had, ensure to bury them now. I already have a Luna, a woman I love with my very being. There can be no place for you in my heart or my life." As he uttered the words, I could see my entire world burn before my very eyes. It felt like I had placed all my hopes and dreams in a glass jar and it had been shattered into pieces. I felt numb, either that or my heart was hurting too much for my brain to comprehend. The more I tried to process the words, the harder it hit me. I wanted so bad for this to be a nightmare, no, I prayed it was.

"And now it goes without saying, I'm pretty sure you know what comes next." He speaks again and a single tear drop rolls down my cheek, my hands clutching the bed sheets so tightly that my knuckles turn white. I know what's about to happen but I refuse to acknowledge it, not after what happened between us last night.

"No! Please don't!" I screamed internally but the words refused to come out.

"I, Alpha Zane Black reject you, Jaselyn Everhart as my mate and Luna and I hereby break any bond we might share. From today onwards, we are no longer mates bound by the goddess herself." He spoke the words that could break any wolf's spirit while I just sat there, petrified. Nila howled sorrowfully within me.

Everything seemed to shatter around me like a mirage but then an excruciating pain followed. I screamed out, clutching my chest and letting the sheets drop as tears poured down my cheeks. It felt like my heart was being skewered and then seared, it was agonizing. Is this what it feels like to be rejected? Why? Why do I have to go through this pain?

"Please....." I called out helplessly, reaching a hand out to him but he only looked at me with disdain and slapped my hand away.

"Don't fucking touch me. Get dressed and leave this instant. Make sure never to show your face in front of me again, I want nothing to do with you." He spat out, his voice laced with contempt.

He got out of bed and got dressed before leaving the room without even sparing me a glance while I sat there used and abandoned, the broken girl no one wanted.

Maybe uncle was right, I'm probably cursed.

Jaselyn's POV

"Jaselyn, Jas? Jas!" Nila called, breaking me out of my shell shocked state. "You have to get up, we have to go." She said and I scoffed.

"Why? What's the use? It doesn't matter what he does anymore, does it? He betrayed us, he rejected us." I remind her.

"Yes, all of that is true but it's not the end of the world. I understand how you feel, I can't explain how hurt I feel right now, it's like a part of me was stripped away. The precious connection nurtured by Selene was suddenly broken away but it doesn't mean we should wallow in self pity. Have you forgotten the plans we had? Let's save a lot and leave the Pack, I'm sure we'll find happiness somewhere else, mate or not." Nila tried to encourage me but I could tell how pained she actually was.

It's times like this that I'm absolutely grateful to have a wolf like her.

It hurts, it hurts like I could have never imagined but she's right, I need to pick myself up. As long as I'm alive, there's hope for a better future. Besides, he already had someone else but still chose to take my virginity and then have the audacity to tell me it was a mistake. If he was able to reject me so easily, why should I cry for him? A douchebag like him doesn't deserve my tears or even my love. He deserves whatever karma's going to cook up for him.

I won't fall apart, I won't give him a chance to see me miserable. I'll go on living like nothing happened.

"That's the spirit! It's gonna take a lot more to break us." Nila cheered and I slowly crawled out of the bed.

My legs were unstable for the first few minutes, I was so sore it felt like I'd been hit by a truck. After regaining my balance, I picked up my clothes and put them on. I wove my hair into a braid and washed my face. I took a deep breath before finally leaving the room.

The hallway was mostly empty except for employees here and there tidying up from yesterday's extravaganza. They barely spared me any attention as I passed by, something I'm grateful for.

I try to find my way to the exit but only end up getting lost in the huge palace. I rest beside a door for a moment to try to retrace my steps but the door suddenly opens and I fall backwards. I close my eyes and brace myself for impact but the pain never comes. Instead, I feel strong arms wrap around my back securely and pull me flush against a hard body, successfully breaking my fall.

I don't even need to look at the face to know who it is. His encroaching scent wafts into my nostrils and I have to stop myself from mock gagging, already having gotten more than enough of a healthy dosage.

I pulled back but his arms never left my body, he just stared at me blankly, like he was waiting for me to do something. Perhaps he thinks I've come to beg to be taken back. Like hell.

"Despite being the Alpha, the rules of the rejection also apply to you. You should follow your own advice and refrain from touching me." I taunt and push him off of me, finally freeing myself from his grip.

His brief look of confusion satisfies me more than it should.

"You say that but you're the one falling into my arms. If you've come to plead with me, I suggest you save your breath. I already told you everything I needed to." He states and I pull on a mocking smile.

"You know Alpha, being indecisive doesn't suit you. If you're looking for a girl who will fall at your feet, crawl, cry and beg just so you can take her as a side piece and dump her whenever you please, do carry on with your search, I'm not the one you're looking for. I happened to lose my way and ended up here and on that note, thank you for saving me from falling.

Even though we're not mates, you're still the Alpha of this Pack and as a Pack member, I'm entitled to your assistance. So if you would be kind enough to have someone show me the way out of here, we won't have to endure each other anymore." I said in a sickeningly sweet voice and he frowned.

"Ask directions from any of the staff you find around, I have better things to do." He said and stormed off while I counted down from ten just to be able to stop the flood of emotions swirling within me from bursting out.

Facing him again, speaking to him, being in his arms, it all still affects me. I can pretend all I want but I fear this pain might never go away.

I finally get directions and make it out of the palace. I head straight home and I'm barely able to close the door before I break down crying.

All the pain I'd bottled up just came bursting through and I let the tears flow, unable to stop myself.

I hear the sound of a door opening and footsteps approaching me but I don't bother to look up, already knowing who it is.

The feet stop right in front of me but I make no move to get up.

"You finally decided to come home, eh? I assumed you'd finally run away with some delinquent." My uncle's biting voice rang through the room but I remained silent, too taken by my own grief to pay him any mind.

"Bitch!" He spat out angrily and I felt an iron grip on my hair, pulling me up with it and nearly ripping it from my skull. I screamed out from the pain and forced my tired body up, following the movement of his hand and trying to alleviate the excruciating pain.

"I'm fucking talking to you, how dare you ignore me?" He yelled, pulling on my hair some more while I whimpered in pain, more tears pouring down my cheeks as I tried to free his hand from my hair.

"You're still not saying anything, uh? I haven't taught you a lesson and that's why you still have the nerve to disrespect me." He curses and delivers a heavy kick to my side and I could swear for a moment that I heard a sickening crack.

I screamed from the unbearable pain and he finally let go of my hair. I curled up into a ball, nursing my bruised rib, my vision blurry with tears, as I tried to catch my breath. The pain was so severe that breathing became difficult.

He didn't stop there, he kept delivering kick after kick all over my body, each one more powerful than the last while I tried to protect my vitals, already in too much pain to care about anything else.

"You're such a whore, where the hell were you last night? You pretended like you didn't want to go to the Ball but the moment I let you out of my sight, you went on an escapade. How many men was it, slut?! Your parents must be so proud, they raised a cunt for the Pack to fuck. You should have died with them, you're nothing but a curse. Your bad luck is the reason why your parents are dead.

I was kind enough to take you in but you've been nothing but trouble. I'm not your fucking dad, I won't take your crap. I would happily send you to those parents of yours, you useless piece of trash." He spewed out, never stopping the assault on my body.

He lands one final strike on my back before stepping away from me. I can hear his heavy breathing but I don't raise my head in case he's planning a surprise attack.

"Stupid bitch, you still won't apologize. I wonder why I waste my energy on you. The chores better be done and food better be ready for me by the time I arrive or you'll wish you died with your parents." He ordered and I heard footsteps once more before the sound of the living room door closing followed. Suddenly, the house was plunged into complete silence, except for my erratic breathing and the gnashing of my teeth from how much everything hurts.

"Jas, are you OK?" Nila, my wolf asks with concern. "I'll be fine, it's not like we haven't been through worse." I try to say lightheartedly but a heavy cough racks through my body and I taste blood on my tongue. Shit, he must have punctured something. It'll take a few days to heal but I'll live.

"Why do you take all of his bullshit? Why don't you let me take over and teach him a lesson?" She asks and I chuckle bitterly.

"Have you forgotten what happened when we tried that?" I ask and she suddenly goes quiet.

I used to be so much better than this. The first time Uncle Dan had hit me, I stood up to him. He insulted my dead parents and I shifted, ready for a fight but that was my biggest mistake.

I've never been trained in combat so he easily took me down in less than a minute. I was lashed daily with a whip soaked in wolfsbane and starved for three days. The damage that caused to my body, especially my wolf, was almost unrepairable. I would never put myself through that again. I can endure any injury, any damage done to my body can heal but I cannot bear the thought of losing Nila. I'll bear anything, as long as I can live.

"How long will this go on for? There's only so much you can take." Nila argued, I could tell she was simmering with wrath. The pain of the rejection still lingered on but this was more from her genuine love and care for me from the bond we shared.

I'd probably only stayed this long because deep in my heart, I wanted to believe that my uncle cared for me. I deluded myself into believing that Uncle Dan had even just a little bit of love for me because the reality was far more devastating. I didn't want to believe that I had no one in this world, that I was truly all alone and that no one loved me or ever would.

It's funny and sad every time I remember it. Uncle Dan only started calling me a whore after he tried to make a move on me and I turned him down.

It had been about three months when I moved in with him. He came home really late one night and he was drunk out of his mind. He couldn't even stand straight without falling over and I had to wonder how he managed to make it home.

I helped him to his room and proceeded to help him lie down but he pulled me down with him. He wrapped an arm around me and felt me up through my clothes with his other hand. I pushed him hand off but he went ahead to tell me how much he wanted me. I was so grossed out that I nearly threw up right there and then. I pushed his hand away and left, deciding it would be better to talk about it when he was sober. I brought it up the next morning and instead of apologizing and blaming it on the alcohol like I expected him to, he shut me down and claimed I had tried to seduce him.

That was automatically the birth of the demeaning names. That should have opened my eyes to his true nature but I turned a blind eye to all his red flags and chose to endure because I needed to feel wanted.

I'm such an idiot. In these months, I've only let him tear me down completely and rip me of any self esteem I had.

"But it's not the end of the world, we can start over. There are good people out there, I promise, we just need to find them." Nila encouraged me. I sat up and wiped my tears.

She's right, I can't keep living like this. At my parents' funeral, I promised them I'd live long and well. This isn't the kind of life I want.

It's now or never; I have to make a decision.

"What do you want to do? You always have my support." Nila asked.

"We're leaving Nila, we're going far away from this fucked up place. Anywhere but here will be better." I told her and she nodded, satisfied with my choice.

I have absolutely no reason to stay in this Pack anymore. I have no family and no friends so there will be no love lost. I especially need to go far away from that man because then I won't have to bear seeing him with someone else, I won't question my worth and I'll finally be able to move on.

I deserve better.