His Flamed Luna

Rejection

   ~Ember's P.O.V.~
   I groaned as my eyes opened to a dimly lit cellar, my body aching uncontrollably. I looked around and realized I was laying on the cold cement floor. The dungeons! My memories came flooding back and I heard Zara's soft whine of hurt. I hugged my knees to my chest and bit back the tears as my heart ached at Thomas' anger. The look in his eyes was burned into my brained and Zara wasn't taking it well. 
         "She's in here," A male spoke calmly, the rattling of keys catching my attention as I lifted my gaze. 
    Before me stood my mate and another pack member, the barred door being opened to allow Thomas' entry. I straightened slightly, feeling my heart race as I saw him. 
          "Stay put." He growled at me when I shifted to get up to meet him. My heart sank.
      Zara whined again, this time I could feel her heart breaking as mine was. Thomas didn't look at me, his hands were balled into fists at his sides. I swallowed hard and let my gaze drop.
           "Thomas, I-"
           "That's Alpha Thomas to you," He cut me off with a snarl, his green eyes flashing with fury as he locked them on me. 
       Flinching, I met his gaze steadily. "I'm sorry, am I not your mate?" I questioned boldly. 
       Thomas' nostrils flared at the clear resistance and challenge of his authority. "Ember, shut up. You've been out cold for a week."
        My eyes widened. "A week..?"
              "I've been named the new Alpha," He walked closer to me, his voice quiet.
              "But... I've been down here..."
          He nodded. A new Alpha could not be named without a Luna being named at his side. If I was down here, the rightful Luna, who had stood in my place?
               "What about me?"
           His eyes locked on me with disgust and my heart cracked. 
                "What about you?" He laughed. "Nothing! You're not the Luna nor will you ever be!"
            I felt the lump in my throat forming, Zara's pained whimpers starting to bounce off the walls of my brain. "What do you mean... I'm your mate, I'm the rightful Luna!"
            Thomas shook his head, a sudden growl splitting the air that caused me to shrink back. 
                   "No, Ember. No." 
                   "You claimed me!" I yelled at him, my chest burning.
                    "I should have waited!" He yelled back, clearly enraged. 
              Zara growled with pain and I let the growl form low in my throat. Thomas' eyes darted towards me with a heat I hadn't seen before. Panic shot through me and I backed away from him. 
                    "Had I known your wolf was as defective as that-"
                     "You promised no matter what!" I snapped.
                     "I know what I said!" 
                     "You're betraying me!"
                 His hand was suddenly wrapped around my throat in a tight hold that blocked off my oxygen. My feet had left the ground and my own hands shot up to grip his wrist frantically. I had never seen Thomas so full of rage and hatred, it sent Zara and I both into depression when I realized what was happening. No!  
                       "You betrayed me and the pack with that curse of a wolf you have," Thomas spat at me. "Had I known that was your wolf I'd have banished you to protect the pack."
                  My chest ached, my lungs burned, I was gasping for air that wasn't coming and he didn't seem to care. He was hurting me, his own mate, and didn't care. Tears sprung to my eyes at his betrayal and Zara coward in my mind. 
                        "Thomas I didn't know...," I rasped. 
                    He let me sink to the floor, black and white stars flooded my vision as I took in oxygen. The world spun slightly and I looked up at my mate. 
                         "I, Thomas Nightingale, reject you, Ember Andrews, as my mate and Luna," He glared at me, his voice full of pure hatred. 
                    I felt the bond on his end tear away and my body shook with agony. Zara howled in pain, both physical and emotional. I didn't dare cry as I kept my eyes locked on his, my chest burning fiercely with a pain I hadn't imagined. He had broken his promise to me, his own fated mate, he found a new Luna within days, all because of my wolf. I didn't want to feel when he mated with the other she-wolf. 
                       "I, Ember Andrews, accept your rejection," I bit out and watched in satisfaction as the Alpha dropped to the floor with a yell of pure and undeniable pain. My own body was on fire with pure and undeniable pain, but I held in the cries.
                   Thomas curled up on the floor, groaning in agony as the bond severed entirely, his eyes locking on me for a moment, a sorrow in their depths. I turned my head away and waited for him to finally leave my cell. The minute the footsteps retreated and I knew I was left alone, I let my tears roll over my cheeks, hot and burning as I sank into the wall in pain. Zara too was whining in pain and curled in a ball in my mind. 
                     

                     "Mate betrayed...," Zara whimpered weakly, hours upon hours later. 
                  I nodded, the world spinning from the pain and lack of proper nourishment in the last week. I laid there, feeling sick to my stomach and trying to ignore the stabbing pain in my heart from the rejection, the heartbreak. Had he rejected me without marking me, the pain would have dulled by now, but because he had not wasted time in claiming me, I was forced to sit through agony. For another year, though, because of his stupidity, Thomas would feel the pain of the rejection and even the pain of when I mated with any other wolf. The Moon Goddess punished the men harsher for their rejections, as most females rarely found a second chance mate and were pleased with the one they were given. Thomas would likely never be blessed with another mate due to his actions, and I felt hopeless I'd ever have the chance to meet my second chance if I was blessed. They probably wouldn't let me leave this cell alive. 
                    "Ember," Keys jingling and a male voice caught my attention. I looked up at him.
                    "Who are you," I grumbled. 
                 The door swung open and he walked over, helping me to my feet. I growled softly and tugged away from him. "Ember, stop it, you'll make things worse for yourself."
                 I sighed in defeat and allowed the man to take me upstairs, where the eyes of my parents, Thomas' parents and Thomas himself were locked on me. I looked at my parents but they looked away, their eyes full of disgust. My heart broke even more and Zara whimpered out, clearly losing the last of her hope. I hope this ends at least somewhat merciful.