Chapter Two

Brielle's POV

I avoided my sisters, because I couldn't bear be humiliated this night. The hall was filled with beautiful men and women, all looking every bit regal as they danced around the hall.

I watched in jealousy but I did my work, so I wouldn't be scolded by the head maid.

Who was storming towards me now.

"Gabriella. " She called, and I lifted my head to look at her.

"Yes ma'am?"

She gestured to a tray of food. "Go and serve the Alphas and Betas. Hurry up."

My heart leaped to my chest. The Alpha, my dad, and the beta's son, Cole.

I always had a crush on Cole. Despite the way everyone treated me, he never treated me that way.

Could he be my mate? No way, a low slave like me, and a beta like him?

Only in my dreams.

Smoothing my dress, I dragged the tray up to the table where they were, my body shaking as I avoided the glare from everyone, including my father who wasn't happy to see me here.

I would probably get beaten for that later.

My eyes met Cole's and the strangest thing happened.

A beautiful scent wafted into my nose, and his eyes widened.

My wolf whispered the one word I never knew I could hear.

Mate.

Cole was my mate?

A wide smile came onto my lips as I looked into his eyes.

My world came to a standstill. A whole Beta was my mate? That meant I wouldn't be a slave anymore.

That meant good things. Maybe he would come to love me.

My head piunded with happiness and hope filled my chest.

However, reality crashed down on me as I noticed the disapproving scowl on my father's face. He sneered at me, his voice laced with disdain. "What is this lowly servant doing here? Get back to the kitchen, Gabriella!"

I hesitated, my eyes still locked with Cole's, but all my excitement died as he let out a loud sigh, standing to his feet.

Everyone was watching now, and they made fun of me, but I didn't care. I had eyes for my mate only.

But my mate didn't have eyes only for me.

Hitting me from behind, my eldest sister Anna walked past me with a smirk on her lips. She reached Cole and what happened next felt like a knife was stuck into my chest.

They kissed, leaving me gaping at them and the tray in my hand came crashing to the floor, the sound resonating in the whole ball.

"C-cole?" I stuttered, tears falling from my eyes. Mates are supposed to love eachother, right? Why was mine kissing my sister?

"But you are my mate!" I cried, ignoring the hisses of anger my father was directing at me.

Cole sighed.

"You are not my mate, Anna is."

The world crumbled around me, and I fell to my knees, the realization hitting me like a tidal wave. The one glimmer of hope, the fantasy of escaping my life as a servant, vanished before my eyes.

"But... the scent," I whispered, my voice choked with sorrow. "My wolf said..."

Cole interrupted, his tone indifferent. "Your wolf was mistaken. You're nothing to me."

My heart seared in pain at the rejection, and I looked at them with tears in my eyes as Anna kissed him deeply, both not caring that I was here, dying.

Anna broke the kiss, grinning at me. "Cole, reject her officially. I don't want her getting the wrong idea."

"Yes baby."

Cole pinned me with a stern look. "I, Beta Cole, reject you, lowly servant, as my mate." He pronounced, and the whole guests presents laughed loudly as I screamed in pain, feeling the mate bond cut.

All my life, I have been hated. Even by my own mate.

Was there a reason to be here anymore?

"Guards!" My father thundered, his face red with anger as he glared hard at me.

I was on the floor, surrounded by food and have just been rejected by my mate who was kissing my sister.

I was every bit of the disgrace he saw me to be.

"Take this wretched being out of this castle. Do whatever you want with her. She's no longer needed in my life!"

The guards snickered as they lifted me roughly from the floor and I just let them. He finally disowned me.

I was finally alone, unwanted and unloved.

The guards took me to the border, and with anger, flung me out of the pack and decided to leave me a parting gift.

They all descended on me, punching me in every area until I couldn't cry or block anymore.

"Wretched whore." They snickered as they left me outside the border, where the rogues and every other monster stayed.

I was unwanted, unloved and unneeded.

Curling into a ball to minimise the pain, darkness finally took over, and I let myself fall unconscious