Isla
The machines' noise thrums in my ears, and the cold scent of disinfectant fills the air; it's a smell I recognize well and, to be honest, it comforts me. I feel a damp trickle between my legs, and a tear rolls down my cheek. The nurse kindly wipes the salt from my cheeks and the blood from between my legs.
It's done. I've turned my womb into my child's grave. My heart shatters, and I know it will never be whole again; a piece will always be missing. I am broken, beyond repair.
I don't know how much time passed—minutes or hours? It's all the same, as life moves in slow motion. I can feel, smell, and hear everything around me, yet nothing makes sense. I receive the medicine from the nurse, her eyes reflecting deep sorrow for me and for what I've just done. Her hands close around mine, but the coldness has completely claimed me, and I can't feel anything beyond the absence.
I walk one step after another as I leave the place. The glass doors ahead seem too distant. Outside, sitting in his car, I can see the other half of this tragedy. It takes me a moment to inhale the oxygen I need to move forward, to whatever the future holds for me.
The closing of the doors behind me brings back some clarity. I see the man who has shared my bed for the last month: his body reclined against his car, his blond hair messy, his green eyes fixed on his phone, paying no attention to me. The passenger door opens, and a woman I've never seen descends: long, wavy blond hair, red lips, blue eyes, long legs ending in red heels. She walks towards him, takes his hand (he doesn't pull away), tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, and, with a smile, gives him a tender kiss on his cheek. He's never looked at me that way; I've never seen tenderness in his demeanor. Something else inside me breaks.
Finally, they notice me. Without letting go of her hand, they walk towards me. At this point, I feel like my lungs aren't getting enough oxygen; my eyes see black flashes. His eyes show displeasure, as always, hatred as they fall upon mine. I try with all the strength I have left not to succumb to the pain in this moment, but I'm betrayed once more by my body, and tears stream uncontrollably.
I hear his words without truly understanding them:
—I, Ethan Garland, of the Blue Crescent pack, reject you, Isla Swan, as my destined mate.
In that moment, my heart breaks again; a physical pain prevents me from breathing, and my knees give out as I fall to the parking lot floor. The unknown blonde approaches, grabs my wrist, shaking my arm, still sore from the IV, pulling and demanding I repeat the words. I don't understand what she's saying; none of this makes sense. He grabs my hair forcefully, pulling it back, and, as always, unable to deny his commands, I find myself repeating the words that had previously come from the stranger's lips:
—I, Isla Swan, accept your rejection.
At that moment, I hear a scream from Ethan, as darkness envelops me. In my mind, only one question: What the hell just happened?
His muffled words echo in my head as if I were dreaming:
—It's not supposed to be like this, she's just a human, her rejection shouldn't affect me, I'm an ALPHA!
—Honey, just look at her, she's insignificant, she's unconscious. That's what happens to the weak, rejection hurts, but only the strong endure it like you, my Alpha. —These are the words of the unknown woman.
—What's happening? —I manage to say, still unable to open my eyes.
—She's not unconscious? —Ethan says with disbelief in his voice.
—No, I'm not —I manage to articulate, my eyes still closed.
—Ethan will be the next Alpha, you didn't expect someone like you to carry the offspring and future of a pack in her womb; only I can give him a strong pup, our son will be born in a few months. —The stranger spits her venomous words in front of me. I hear everything, but my eyes refuse to open.
—Pack, Alpha, I don't understand what you're talking about —I blurt out with difficulty, as exhaustion inevitably pulls me towards sleep.
—I'm a wolf, an Alpha, and the moon played the worst trick on me: she paired me with a weak human like you. How could I love a weak being or the fruit of that union? I was only with you so my wolf could feel his mate and let me mate with a strong female who would give me an heir worthy of my lineage. Now everything is over, you can go on with your pathetic life.
—And… I… I reject you a thousand times —I said in a broken voice— and I regret ever meeting you, but I swear this isn't over. —I thought to myself.
That was it. I hear nothing more; it seems Morpheus finally claimed me for his realm.