Hated by My Mate

Chapter 5

Aurora

The morning dawned, with a bright sun to shine on my gloomy mood. I kept my dad's words in my mind and tried my best to not think about the negative night I'd had.

I took a shower, and was busy looking for something to wear so I could go back to the leader 's house to return my maid's outfit.

And also to confront Alpha Wolfgang about last night.

What's the worst that could happen? I thought to myself.

If he isn't fond of me, he can reject me. Then we'll both move on.

But the thought of his rejection made me shiver.

If he rejected me, I'd be mateless for the rest of my life-unlike him, who would have the power to choose someone else, even if there was no connection.

Being an alpha, he had the power to reject whomever the Moon Goddess assigned him as his mate.

What if he rejects me? I asked myself as I felt a drop of cold sweat run down my temple.

"He won't reject you. Relax. Just talk to him, "

Rhea tried to reassure me.

"Rory! Could you come down here for a moment?" my stepmother shouted from the first floor.

"I'm coming," I replied. I brushed my hair and put in a clip to hold back my bangs. It was starting to get really long.

I had inherited my mom's long silky hair and pale skin, had gotten the chestnut color and gray eyes from my dad. I was a complete mixture of the two.

"Aurora! Come down this moment!" my stepmother shouted once more.

"Ugh! What's her problem so early in the morning?" I grumbled. I took the bag with the uniform neatly folded inside, and my phone, and headed out of my bedroom.

"What do you want Monta-" My words caught in my throat as my eyes connected with icy blue eyes that stared directly at me.

"Al-Alpha Wolfgang," I breathed in surprise. He was standing in the middle of our little living room, with his gamma and Mrs. Kala.

"Aurota, show some respect." Montana hissed from beside me at the bottom of the stairs, breaking my trance.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Good morning, Alpha Wolfgang, Gamma Remus, Mrs. Kala," I said bowing my head in respect.

"Mrs. Craton, we are here to retrieve something you took from the gala last night when you left. We will not charge you with thievery but we will make this a warning," Gamma Remus said.

"Um ...something I took? I haven't taken anything." I was shocked and confused. What were they talking about?

"Um, you took the maid uniform with you last night, dear," Mrs. Kala clarified.

"Oh l You mean this? I was about to carry it back ..." I began, but suddenly I was cut off by Alpha Wolfgang.

"Thievery is not tolerated in this pack, Miss Craton. You're lucky we are only giving you a warning this time. Next time it will be whipping as punishment and we'll lock you in the dungeon for a month!"

His voice was so harsh that I began to tremble on the spot.

"I'm sure there must be a misunderstanding, Alpa Wolfgang. I know Rory wouldn't do such a thing," Mrs. Kala said.

"That's right," Montana agreed. "I assure you, alpha, that my Rory isn't a thief. Something or someone caused her discomfort. She ran home crying last night."

Montana stood in front of me, trying to defend me. "Surely in her rush to get home safely from whoever had harmed her, she forgot to return the uniform."

I couldn't speak. I was trembling, rooted to the spot, fighting back the tears that desperately wanted to fall.

Why was he being so mean to me?

"Who caused you discomfort, Rory?" Mrs. Kala suddenly asked.

I looked up at the alpha, who gave me a silent warning. I closed my mouth tight and looked down at my feet.

"May I have a word with Miss Craton? Alone?" Alpha Wolfgang asked.

I looked up at Montana, who gave me a glance, then looked back at the three people who stood before us.

"Um. Sure," she said. My heart jolted with panic. "This way. I'll get you two a cup of tea."

She escorted the gamma and Mrs. Kala to the kitchen, leaving me alone with the alpha.

We stood there in silence for a couple of minutes before he finally spoke.

"I will say this only once, so listen carefully, Miss Craton. I am the alpha of this pack, known for my strength and my prowess in managing this village, just like my father and his ancestors did."

He looked at me. "Much is expected from me. Especially in the type of mate I present as my luna..."

He paused for a moment as he assessed me from head to toe.

"And I'm sure as hell that you do not qualify. I hope, for your own good, that you haven't told anyone yet. Because if so, I'll deny it."

There it was. I looked at him as he stood there, his expression as stoic as ever.

This was what I'd feared the most. He was going to reject me.

I was going to be mateless for the rest of my life.

"Why am I not good enough, alpha?" I dared to ask him, my trembling voice barely above a whisper.

"What?"

"I said...why am I not good enough for you? Why will you condemn me to become a mateless wolf?"

I asked, now looking straight into his eyes. Tears rolled down my face freely.

'"Because you're nothing more than a commoner. You would be a liability to me if I chose you as my mate," he said.

He shook his head. "I checked your background. You have no skills or abilities that may help me as a leader, to rule and protect the pack."

I bowed my head in shame. That was all he thought of me.

A liability. A worthless person. Someone who would offer him nothing if he took me as his mate.

''I...I understand...'' I said, not daring to look up at him.

Could my life get any worse?