CHAPTER TWO — BROKEN BOND

Tessa's POV.

“I, alpha Edward of the Crescent Moon pack, reject you Esme as my mate.” he said, with a note of firmness in his voice.

He didn't even care to go easy on her considering the fact that they've been together for quite a long time. Nonetheless, as the words left his mouth, the air rippled with a loud gasp from the pack and what followed next was their muffled murmurs; each one of them turning to face the other to say a thing or two about what had just happened with a hand covering their mouth. I glanced at Esme who stood beside herself in front of Edward with drooped shoulders as if everything that she stood for had suddenly crumbled which in fact was true.

“I accept your rejection.” she said, her voice husky with tears.

After saying the words, she turned to leave. However, as she got to where I stood, she paused and lifted her pain darkened eyes to me.

“There he is.” she said, blinking back tears. “Just like you wanted, he's all yours.”

“I never wanted—”

“I know exactly what you have to say.” she said, swiping at the tears that narrowed down the side of her nose and at the same time, trying to steady her voice. “But there he is, right behind me. Once I leave here right now, he's all yours to take. So go ahead and laugh at me all you want. Laugh at the girl who has always been a loser.”

“Esme…” I called, attempting to get a hold of her.

“Don't,” she said, shooting a long pained at me. “Don't you dare lay those filthy hands on me. You have now gotten what you have always wanted, so there's no need to play the pity game with me anymore.”

She took a step forward, almost walking past me, but then she paused as if having a rethink of her words and perhaps apologize, but then, seems I was wrong.

“I forgot to say,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “From tonight I am no longer your sister so you are now on your own.”

“No, it hasn't gotten to that.” I said, with an apologetic look in my eyes. “There was to be something that we can do about this. But don't denounce me as your sister. I beg of you please.”

“You should have known better when you decided to take him away from me.” she said, hunching over as if choking down a sob. “So, I'll appreciate it if you respect my decision about this. Don't ever call me your sister again because if you truly saw me as your sister then you wouldn't have done this to me. So, you should live your life without me from now on.”

“Esme, you are taking things too far.” I said, getting a grip of her arm. “We don't have to turn into enemies because of this.”

“Of course, we have to.” she said, taking my hand off her arm. “Like I said, I don't know who are you anymore.”

Her voice suddenly became as hard as steel. Without looking back, she strode forward, away from me until her steps could no longer be heard. I'd thought of going after her, but I saw no reason to do so when it was rather obvious that she'd made peace with her decision even though it was a painful one. In the meantime, I scrubbed my palms against my face as if to wash the pain away but then, I head some footsteps approaching me and so, lifted my eyes only to find Edward coming my way. As he did, I wanted to take reverse steps, but where exactly would I go? Besides, it was clear that I was his mate because of the half-moon mark that was on my wrist. So, choosing to run away would only complicate things the more which was the more reason I had to wait. As he got close enough, he looked me straight in the eyes.

“You should know that I would never have anything to do with you if the mark didn't appear on your wrist.” he said, his voice low, but hard as steel.

Well he didn't have to say that because the feeling was mutual. I would never have anything to do with him but then, fate seems to have other plans for us. And trust me, if it was possible to have rejected a fate such as this, then I would have done so long before now. Or better still, if it was possible to meet with the moon goddess then I would have done so and pleaded for her to change my fate.

“You didn't have to say that because I also feel the same way about you. So I guess we're even.” I said, forcing a smile through my lips.

He'd said those word to me using a low voice and I, on the other hand had said mine with a forced smile on my lips because we didn't want the pack to know that there was something going on between us even though, a few of them might have had an idea of what exactly was going on. However, it was better for a few of them to have an idea than for the whole pack to know what was going on.

“Very well then.” he said, smiling back at me. “We will leave it as that.”

He turned to face the pack.

“As the tradition would have it that whosoever bears the half-moon mark becomes my mate. I hereby accept Tessa as my one true mate.” he said, returning his gaze to me.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the pack erupted with the usual Zayzay chant which was used to celebrate the emergence of the alpha's mate and then what followed next was a rain of applause.

While the pack seemed to have been drenched in the celebration, he took a step forward, coming shoulder to shoulder with me.

“You are welcome to my home.” he said, his breath stirring against my skin.

As I felt his breath brush against my skin, I flinched and at the same time, I stiffened at the curt note in his voice. After saying the words, he walked past me, proceeding to his chamber. Before long, the pack began to leave in their numbers too as the celebration approached its end. However, I stood there, with my head hung low as I bit the bottom of my lips trying to wrap my head around what had happened a few minutes ago. Why did the moon goddess choose to put the mark on my wrist and not on Esme's wrist? Why subject me to such pain of having to lose both my sister and lover in the same night? And worst of all, why did she choose to make me Edward's mate?

As the questions kept me company while I was all alone out there, ignoring the wind that seemed to slice at my exposed skin, a tear trickled down the side of my nose.

“Hey, are you alright?” — the voice came from behind as I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Yes, I am.” I said, swiping at the tears on my face as I turned to face Vivian. “I am doing just fine.”

“It is not your fault.” she said, framing my face with her palms as she stared into my eyes. “I get that it feels wrong, but there was nothing you could have done to change it.”

“I know, but I just have one question. Why me?”