Chapter 2 Forced Rejection

• Caitlyn's POV:
• My hand shook as I pressed the button.
• "Cait! You finally answered!"
• Zephyr's voice rushed through the phone, thick with relief and excitement. "I knew it wasn't you who got me kicked out of Windwood Pack. It had to be your father, right? You're coming to run away with me, aren't you? Just tell me where you are, and I'll come for you. Right now."
• "What difference would it make if I told you?" Tears rolled down my cheeks. I clenched my jaw to keep the sobs down.
• I wanted nothing more than to run to him, to leave everything behind and be by his side. Anywhere, as long as we were together.
• But I couldn't. Lillian's threat still rang in my ears. If I followed my heart, she'd make sure my family suffered. She'd destroy them.
• My chest ached as if it was being ripped apart. I couldn't let them die for my love.
• I forced my voice to harden, to sound distant, even though every word shattered something inside me. "Zephyr, did you really think I was serious about running away with you? It was just a little joke, one last bit of fun before I ended it. I'm the daughter of Windwood Pack's Alpha. I'm their princess. You honestly thought I'd mate with a Rogue? Don't be ridiculous."
• His breathing faltered, sharp and uneven. "What did you just say? Caitlyn, repeat that."
• I fought back the urge to take it all back. I wanted to tell him the truth. But I couldn't. "I said," I whispered through clenched teeth, "I was just playing with you. I refuse to be your mate."
• Then his voice broke through, hoarse and full of heartbreak. "Well, Caitlyn, you've really outdone yourself this time!" I heard a loud thud, followed by frantic voices. "He's coughing up blood! Someone help him!"
• "Zephyr ... " My heart clenched in panic. I almost screamed his name.
• But before I could, pain tore through my chest. I grabbed at my heart, my fingers curling in agony as cold sweat dripped down my skin. The Moon Goddess had cursed me. This was her punishment for rejecting the one soul who loved me more than anyone else.
• "Don't you dare say my name!" Zephyr's voice came back, raw with hatred. "Caitlyn, you were the only woman I ever loved. And the only one who ever toyed with me like this. You rejected the Moon Goddess' gift, and you'll pay for that. I've been banished from Windwood Pack, but one day, I'll come back. I'll tear that place to the ground, and I'll make you feel every ounce of the pain you've given me!"
• The call ended with a sharp click.
• The phone slipped from my fingers, crashing onto the floor. A low groan escaped me as the weight of what I had done settled in.
• Zephyr ... I'm so sorry ... I'm so, so sorry ...
• From across the room, Lillian's voice slithered through the air, smug and victorious. "See? Now, that is what a smart girl would do."
• She swung her hand, and her henchmen swarmed me.
• "Get her ready to give blood. Keep her quiet, or she'll ruin the deal! Once the Alpha agrees, we'll get our money tonight." She laughed with glee.
• Lillian's voice drifted away, her laughter filling the air as she walked off.
• I lay still on the cold, hard floor. My eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. I felt like a corpse, empty, with nothing left inside me.
• Rough hands gripped my hair, dragging me across the floor. They pulled me up the stairs. One of them forced my mouth open, pushing a pill down my throat.
• Within moments, heat spread through my body, making me feel like I was burning from the inside out.
• I wanted to scream, to fight, but my voice was gone.
• I couldn't move. There was no hope.
• Zephyr's POV:
• A storm rolled in fast.
• A crack of thunder splits the sky. Lightning struck the old tree in the courtyard, sending branches crashing to the ground. Rain poured down, drumming on the roof like a war drum.
• Her words still echoed in my mind. "I refuse to be your mate."
• The pain hit me like a blade straight to the heart. My chest felt like it was tearing apart, and I couldn't stop the blood from rushing up. I coughed, spitting red onto the floor.
• The Gamma my father had sent panicked. "He's coughing up blood! Someone help him!"
• They threw me into the car, rain slamming against the windows like the world was falling apart.
• I curled up in the back seat, shaking with pain. The bloodlust was rising, twisting inside me like a beast. Her rejection only made it worse. It clawed at my soul, leaving me shattered.
• I was nothing but a broken man, waiting for them to bring the cure—the chance to mate with a female werewolf whose blood could soothe the torment inside me.