Despicable by Rory Miles

BELLATRIX

“If you’re done with your dramatics, follow me.” Garry turns, and though he hasn’t claimed me as one of his wolves, the alpha’s words strike a chord within me.

No matter what I’m feeling or how much I hurt, I can’t resist his pull. Cursed power dynamics. If only I were an alpha, then I could resist him.

My feet move of their own accord, and I glance back at Bella, seeing the tracks of ruined mascara covering her cheeks. Mom is clutching Dad’s shirt like it’s the only thing between her and falling to the ground. I meet worried, loving eyes and gently shake my head. There’s nothing my father can do now. My fate is sealed, and it’s not with a mate.

I’m a reject.

Moon be damned, I’m rejected.

Because I’m not a virgin.

This is absolute bullshit. I’m sure Chad isn’t a virgin either, but like with almost every society I’ve ever heard of, it’s not the man’s chastity that matters. Only the women get the shit end of the stick. Only we have to be demure virgins, pure and untouched to make their egos flare.

Like I said, complete bullshit.

Trudging up the steps, fighting off the pain of the bond breaking, I pant. Garry scowls at me over his shoulder like I’ve personally offended him by breathing too loud, so I let out another heavy breath.

He snaps the door open, and I barely catch it before it slams shut, shoving through like a moody teenage girl on her first period. Garry paces in the big sitting room, casting furtive glances my way. I step farther into the space, noticing he subtly moves back, putting more distance between us like he believes what I have will catch and soon enough he’ll be ruined too.

Clenching my fingers into fists, I stare at him until he stops pacing. He turns his gaze on me, not the weighted stare of an alpha unleashing his power, but the deadly watchfulness of a predator.

“As you know, I have no choice in the matter.”

I dig my nails into my palm, ignoring the painful cramp in my stomach. “You don’t have to do it. I’m not pack. You never claimed me. Let me go.”

“I can’t allow that to happen.” He shakes his head. “It’s too dangerous. The elders issued an official order. You know what that means.”

Biting my tongue, I keep my mouth sealed shut even though I could recite the order verbatim.

High Pack Notice: All rejects must report to Wolfe Island for immediate processing and island assignment.

Rejected Mates weren’t always sequestered to the middle of nowhere. A few feral rejects ruined any chance of a normal life for the others. Now, out of misplaced fear and panic, the elders—also known as the High Pack—like to send the ones who were rejected away. Send us away. Chad gets to stay since his rejection trumped mine. He’s now the rejector, and the rules don’t apply to the rejectors, only the rejected.

Everything I planned for myself, from vacations, simple holidays with the family, and maybe even adoption fly out the window. A loose paper snatched by a harsh gust of wind and plunged into the brutal reality of the outside world.

Trampled on.

Driven over.

Rain drenched.

I’m not sure what future me will look like now and that terrifies me. I pride myself on being brave and spontaneous, on not being easily intimidated. Uncertainty shouldn’t make me so nervous, but it does, and I hate it.

Garry starts talking, but I don’t catch what he says because my chest tightens. Pressure builds, crushing my lungs until I can’t breathe. The room closes in on me, the soft flow of air from the vents stings my skin, and my legs begin to shake. Thousands of invisible needles prick me.

My life is essentially over.

Because of Chad.

I’ll kill him.

The violent thought tears me out of my panic, and I make my way toward the door on quick feet, swinging my fist at Garry’s face when he catches me around the waist.

“STOP.”

My body slackens at his command, and I try again to raise a fist, but my limbs don’t respond. The power of an alpha bearing down on a beta is too much. He has me paralyzed; my mind is screaming at me to do something, anything to get away from this place. I have to escape.

“We don’t have to do this the hard way.” He searches my face, and I feel the left side of my lip curl in response. “But you’re not going to stop fighting, are you?”

Pursing my lips, I refuse to answer him.

“I’m going to have to restrain you then.”

“Don’t hurt my family.”

He rears his head back like I smacked him. “What kind of alpha do you think I am?”

A beast. A terrible wolf. An asshole. A tiny little prick in desperate need of a good lay.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but your eyes give you away. You can hate me all you want, but it won’t change my decision. You’re going to Wolfe Island for processing. What happens to you after that is their decision.”

“Fuck you.” I thrash in his arms, attempting to break free of his iron hold, but it’s no use. Not only does he have supernatural strength, he’s much stronger than I am because he’s an alpha.

I still try though, aiming a kick between his legs. Catching my foot with his knee, he knocks my strike off course and growls. Something hits the back of my head hard enough I yelp, blinking back the black spots suddenly spilling across my vision.

“Did you have to hit her?” Chad asks as the room dims. When did he get here?

It’s only morning, so I’m not sure why it’s gotten so dark.

“She’ll be easier to handle this way.” Garry's words are the last thing I hear.

* * *

Sometime later,I wake up strapped to a chair. Thin silver chains crisscross over my forearms and around my ankles. I scream when the hurt registers, knowing the longer the chains are on, the more painful it’ll be. The silver won’t kill me unless it gets into my bloodstream, but touching it hurts like a bitch. My throat is raw, making me wonder if I’ve woken up yelling once before.

I rock back and forth, trying to tip the chair over. It won’t budge. Almost like they’ve bolted it to the ground. That or I’m too weak to move at all. For all my attempts to free myself, I’m rewarded with nothing but agony. I whimper, despising how weak I sound.

Thunderous steps pound down the hallway, heading toward the room I’m in. The simple bedroom is warm and welcoming if you don’t count me being held prisoner as part of the woodsy aesthetic.

Swinging wide, the door opens, and Chad steps through. I scream again, cursing him for this and begging to be set free all in the same rant. His gaze flits over me, and a tiny trickle of regret fills his annoyingly beautiful irises. The look gives me pause, and I stop all of my thrashing and yelling. He wants to see me rabid, to see me break because of his rejection.

This fucker came in here for some sort of validation, to know he did the right thing.

Staring him down, I grind my jaw.

“You know this had to be done.”

“Screw you.” I spit at his feet.

The muscle in his neck jumps when he clenches his teeth. “I came in here to see if maybe we could talk through our differences, but I guess I was wrong.”

“Our differences? You rejected me because I’m not a virgin! This isn’t the fucking middle ages, Chad.”

“Don’t talk to me like that.” His voice cracks through the air, and I recoil in my seat, hating the fact that he affects me at all. “Good, much better. If you could keep that mouth shut, I would have considered taking you back.”

My body flushes with rage. Thank the moon I’m rejected because being mated to him would have been the worst experience of my life. I guess fate can find you a partner, but it can’t fix shitty attitudes.

Narrowing my eyes, I clamp my mouth shut and wait him out. Seeing as he told me he wanted me to shut up, I don’t understand why annoyance flashes across his face. Then it clicks. He wants me to be strong. Even though he doesn’t want this, his wolf wants a mate that’s dominant and won’t be pushed around, just like my wolf doesn’t want him to be mad at me.

I make the decision to look at the floor and refuse to meet his gaze. The more I pretend to be weak and unworthy, the more his wolf will be disgusted by me. A few minutes later he scoffs, spinning on his heel and storming out of the door with heavy footsteps.

Pinching my eyes shut, I take a shaky breath, realizing how tired I am. My mind has been racing, trying to figure out if there’s a way to escape my fate, but I’m starting to understand there isn’t a way out of this.

Whether I like it or not, I’m getting sent to an island.