Rejected

It is believed that life have a peculiar way of testing one's strength and resilience. Little did I know that my own strength would be tested far beyond my expectations. My name is Layla and I am a werewolf. But unlike the majestic and fierce creatures depicted in tales of old, I am a weak and vulnerable soul, continuously battered by the cruelty of those around me.

For as long as I can remember, I lived with my aunt and uncle, my only family after losing my parents in a tragic accident. It was a life filled with misery and heartache. My aunt, a stern woman with a cold heart, never missed an opportunity to belittle and mistreat me. My uncle, on the other hand, was indifferent, a mere shadow lurking in the corners of our gloomy home.

The worst part of my existence, however, was not the torment within the walls of my home but the relentless bullying I faced from my fellow werewolves. In a world where strength equated to respect, I was an outcast. My feeble frame and lack of power made me an easy target, a source of amusement for the others. They reveled in my weakness, a pack of wolves hungry for dominance.

But amidst the darkness, there was a glimmer of light that kept me going—a young man named John. John was not like the others. He saw beyond my vulnerabilities, embracing the fragile soul within me. We were more than lovers; we were each other's refuge from the harshness of the world. With him, I felt safe, cherished, and loved. Or so I thought.

One fateful day, my fragile world shattered into a million pieces. A betrayal unfolded before my eyes, tearing through my heart with a force that no amount of pain could prepare me for. John, the one person I thought would protect me from the storm, chose to align himself with the very forces that haunted my nightmares.

In a cruel twist of fate, he marked another person as his mate—a sharp dagger to my already wounded soul. It was a public rejection, a display of his newfound allegiance, a declaration that I was nothing more than a discarded relic of the past. The pain of his betrayal cut deeper than any bully's words ever could, leaving me broken and gasping for breath.

John glanced over his shoulder, his eyes locking with into mine as I stood a few feet away. My expression mirrored the agony I felt inside, and he knew he have to say something to ease my pain, even though it is obvious he is just trying to break my heart more.

"Layla, I... I never meant for any of this to happen. It's tearing me apart too."

I turned away, my voice strained with hurt and anger. "How could you, John? After everything we've been through? Did our time together mean nothing to you?"

He stepped closer, reaching out hesitantly but retracting his hand before it touched my shoulder. "No, Layla, that's not it at all. It's complicated, and I can't explain it in a way that won't sound like a betrayal. But please, believe me when I say that you still mean the world to me."