Scorned
"Hell has no fury like a woman scorned."
That’d been my mantra since the mating ritual during the last full moon. The night Higan Sinclair unleashed the full extent of his hatred for me. He held nothing back, and even the blind could sense it.
I’ve cried, cursed, and cried again, but that was just the extent of my fury, the only release I could afford myself. Higan Sinclair was untouchable, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, while I was nothing more than an Omega—a lowly rank that didn’t even warrant his acknowledgment, let alone his respect.
Before Higan's scorn, I used to believe in love that could conquer anything. My mother used to tell me stories back then, about destined mates and bonds between Alphas and Omegas. They could withstand any storm, she claimed, because it was so powerful. Those were only tales, were they not? Being mates with someone was a two-edged sword in the real world. I was its latest casualty.
Pain shot through my chest like a knife. I grabbed at it. "Shit!" The curse escaped through my teeth. The rejected mate's pain had become my shadow after that night. A constant reminder that nobody wanted me. The attacks came in waves.
I cursed the night fate chose me as his mate. Without that night, I wouldn't feel this torture every time he touched another woman. The pain hung around forever before finally backing off.
I let out a long breath. Pulled myself together with whatever strength I had left. Headed to the staff room. Each step felt like I was dragging weights
Bad luck wasn't done with me yet. A few steps from the classroom, someone shoved me from behind. I stumbled forward. Barely processed what happened before my face met the cold floor. My binder exploded, papers scattered everywhere.
I ignored the laughter and mean comments around me. Crawled around trying to collect my stuff. But each time I reached for something, someone passing by kicked it farther away from me and walked over it, leaving their shoe prints. Just as I reached for the last piece of paper which was my AP English essay that I worked so hard on and had yet to turn in since morning, a polished black shoe planted itself firmly on it.
“Well, well. Hello there, Hardly.,” came a sneering voice from above me.
My fists clenched around the crumbling essay paper. “Hello, Adolph. Must I remind you for the umpteenth time that my name is Harlyn?” I hissed through gritted teeth.
Adolph’s hand shot out, grabbing me by the collar and yanking me to my feet. He slammed me against the lockers with such force that my binder fell from my grasp again.
“What’s wrong, Adolph? Still hate the name your mommy gave you?” .I kept my voice as steady as possible. His cold blue eyes got narrow. He lifted me up in the air. I glared down at him, refusing to back down. “If you could use a fraction of that energy in the Alpha contest, you would have been an Alpha by now.”
“Shut up! Why don't you first find a mate that wants you before running your mouth like a loose *ss?” He snarled in my face. His breath was hot and gross.
His grip got tighter. For a second, I thought he might actually punch me. Then he let go suddenly. I landed hard on my butt. Tried to get up but he knocked me down again with his foot.
"That's enough." The voice behind him made my blood freeze.
“H-Higan…” Adolph stammered, his bravado faltering as he turned to face our Alpha.
Higan Sinclair, strolled towards us, his arm draped casually around Tess’s waist. I controlled the urge to roll my eyes at the sight of them. His minions followed behind. Some of which weren’t even part of the Crescent Moon Pack. He would rather treat them better than me. The crushing thought crossed my mind again—it was a recurring one.
Higan’s eyes gleamed with a twisted amusement, and I knew he’d seen everything.
“What have I said about treating our own like this?” He asked, as he finally got to where Adolph and I were, his tone laced with false concern. His hand came to rest on Adolph’s shoulder, making him shudder. “It doesn’t reflect well on us. Or on me, your Alpha,” he added, the words dripping with mock authority.
Higan looked at me. My inner wolf stirred, reacting to the presence of her alleged mate nearby. I looked up at him rebelliously as I remained still on the floor. The anger I had been repressing rose to the surface each second my eyes were on him.
My mind drifted back to the Mating Ritual night. “I’d rather die than be mated with Harlyn Sage.” These were the exact words he said with no hesitation. The horrors of the night after he made the declaration burned into my soul like a branding iron. He was indeed a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Before that night, his cruelty had been mild, hardly more than a few cutting remarks or a cold shoulder. But after he publicly rejected me, it turned into a full-blown campaign of torment. He’d let his minions do as they pleased with me, all the while pretending to be the concerned Alpha, but I knew better that the sight of me made him sick.
I blinked away the tears that stung the corners of my eyes again. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.
"Are you okay, Harlyn?" Higan's voice was poison wrapped in fake worry. Made my skin crawl with how barely hidden his disgust was. I wanted to scream. Rip him apart with my bare hands. However, I stayed calmly on the floor.
“I am fine,” I choked. He nodded with this cruel smile pulling at his lips. He turned, signaling his crew to follow. As they walked past, Tess shot me a look I’ve known too well, before pulling Higan down for a possessive, claiming kiss. He returned it with equal fervor, and then they turned and left, their laughter echoing down the hallway.
My chest started to ache much more than it had previously. It was as if I were being poked repeatedly, with a blunt knife. It was a constant reminder of my shameful connection with Higan. I saw them vanish around the bend. I watched them disappear around the corner. I could still hear their laughter.
Why do I have to feel this torture every time something happens between them? I never asked to be his mate. I never wanted this cursed bond. I was still coming to terms with being an Omega in a strange pack, and now I was being tormented by the deranged Alpha who thought he was too good for me. Technically, he was. But it still hurt.
The sound of the bell pulled me out of my painful thoughts. I groaned as I collected the remainder of my belongings. I stuffed them in my backpack with a bit of force.
I rushed down the hallway as I headed to the next class. I kept my eyes fixed on the ground while trying to blend into the crowd. The faces of my classmates merged into one as I settled into my seat. Their murmurs and giggles became mere background sounds. I was too exhausted to be concerned.
In an instant, the room became quiet
All of a sudden, the room fell silent. I glanced up to see our AP English teacher, Mr. Donald marching into the room with a thick stack of papers in his hand.
“Settle down, everyone,” Mr. Donald called out, his deep voice cutting through the remaining whispers. “I have your essays from last week. Some of you clearly didn’t put in the effort, and it shows. While some of you didn’t bother submitting at all.” His eyes landed on me, on the last statement which made my stomach twist into knots.
I sat up, my mind flashing back to when my essay had been crumpled under Adolph’s shoe. I wouldn’t be in this mess if that son of a gun hadn’t gotten in my way. I threw Mr. Donald my well practiced sympathetic look, but wasn’t sure he caught it. I pulled out my squeezed essay paper from my backpack and straightened it out as best as I could. I would have to come up with a lie to tell him.
“We have a new student joining us today,” Mr. Donald continued, gesturing for someone to come in. “I expect you all to make him feel welcome.” A loud chatter erupted in the class, and it was justified. Transfer students were pretty rare in Springville. Everyone in school knew each other from middle school, some even from elementary school. And to add to it, it was unusual to have a transfer student in the middle of the school session. The idea of having a new student piqued my curiosity as it did with the other students.
Eager to know who it was, I cocked my head to see the new student walk in. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but he certainly wasn't. He was tall and had wide shoulders, as if he had constructed them throughout his entire life. His dark hair was shining and full of life. He scanned the room with so much intensity as if sizing us all up.
“Everyone, this is Ethan Starrk,” Mr. Donald announced.
He walked slowly with confidence..
“Ethan, feel free to take any open seat.”
I felt a jolt when Ethan's eyes met mine. It was like he was peeling back layers of me until there was nothing left to hide. I moved restlessly in my chair.
Something about him made the hair at the back of my neck stand, yet there hadn’t been a single word from him. His eyes traveled down my frame as he walked past. And in a flash, he took the seat directly behind me.
The air around me tensed. I could feel him just a breath away from where he was. The sensation in my belly felt like a trapdoor suddenly opening. Although a tiny voice in my head was telling me to make a run for it, I couldn’t. The weight of his presence kept me in place.
“Today, we’ll be covering…,” Mr. Donald's voice pulled me back to the present. However, his words barely registered. I was way too aware of Ethan behind me. His gaze was searing into the back of my skull. It was disconcerting.
Class dragged on forever. It was hard to focus on the lesson when my thoughts kept drifting back to Ethan.
I didn’t wait until the bell rang to finish when I hastily picked up my stuff to leave the class. I got on my feet, and I felt the slightest touch on my neck. It happened so fast I thought I was daydreaming.
I turned around only to find Ethan almost at the doorway, seeming unfazed by anything. He didn’t look back, and there was no acknowledgment of any sort. Palpable was the closest word to describe the tension he left behind.
I took a deep breath as relief washed over me when I got out of the class. I had made sure he was far gone before making my decision to step out. I would have stayed longer but I had to hand in my essay to Mr. Donald before my next class and I couldn’t afford to be late.
I took a sharp corner, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of the lies I had cooked up, and crashed straight into someone, knocking me to the ground for the second time that day. Or so I thought it was until I realized I was hanging mid-air and a muscular arm holding me in place.
“What the—?” The words caught in my mouth as my eyes met with who I thought was going to be another sneering bully. Boy, was I wrong. It just happened to be the wonderfully crafted, mysterious new student.
His gaze locked into mine with the same intensity that made it seem like the world stopped for a moment. And for some weird reason, the uneasiness and nerves melted away.
What’s with his eyes? An unsettling shade of green with a tint of gold that seemed almost out of this world. Heck! It was out of this world.
My brows furrowed in its own accord. There was definitely something strange about him.
“Are you alright?” He asked. His voice held a trace of a British accent that made his concern feel out of place.
I tried pulling away from him. “I’m fine,”
His grip on me tightened. He narrowed his eyes and studied me for a long beat. A small frown formed on his forehead as if he were trying to put two and two together.
He leaned closer and paused then his nose brushed against my hair slightly. He inhaled deeply. For a moment, I thought he was going to say something. Instead, he let go of me and took a step back as if he had been stung. It happened suddenly, but I was able to myself so I wouldn’t fall to the ground. His expression had shifted to something almost… wary.
“You’re… different,” he murmured to himself as if trying to figure out something. “What are you?”
I stared at him in catatonic stupor. His eyes had darkened, and a strange gleam twinkled between them. There was something present though. Curiosity? Perhaps recognition. I wasn't sure.
Why is he asking me that? Does he know I’m a werewolf? Is he human? He doesn’t look human. Was this a prank?
The words that had no response caught in my mouth. I gawked at him for several beats, and my mind could only form one logical answer.