Chapter 3- Escape
Zarah~
I was still aching as I served the guests of the gala. Once in a while, it was my heart that ached. The look of disgust on his face after sleeping with me gutted me. Why did it have to be him? Damon Torrence, of all people. It seemed like the Moon Goddess was a cold-hearted bitch. As I offered wine to the high ranks in the pack, I tried to focus on the upside. Damon had thrown three hundred dollars at me. Maybe I had been humiliated, but at least it wasn't for nothing.
I could feel his eyes on me as I worked, his green gaze following me wherever I went. Nala could feel it too, her excitement bubbling just beneath the surface at the sight of her mate. She didn't understand or even want to understand, that he had rejected us without even saying the words.
I looked around as the high-ranking pack members found their mates. It was a beautiful sight, despite what had happened to me. Damon must have been pissed, knowing he couldn't dance with his fated mate like the others were doing.
Then the soft music stopped, and my heart sped up when I heard Damon's voice echo throughout the hall. Everyone stopped what they were doing and faced the dais.
"Tonight has been an incredible night for all of us," Damon began, his deep voice resonating through the hall, commanding attention. My heart pounded in my chest as I instinctively knew something was about to happen—something that would shatter me completely.
"I've found my mate," Damon declared, his eyes sweeping over the crowd before they locked on me for the briefest moment. "Lorelei Winston, my Luna."
Gasps echoed through the room, but I couldn't hear them. I couldn't breathe. My vision blurred as I saw Damon step aside, revealing Lorelei in a sleek red gown. She smiled—smug and victorious—before she wrapped her arms around his neck. Damon kissed her, sealing their bond in front of everyone.
Nala howled inside me, her blood boiling. She wanted blood. She didn't care that Damon had rejected us; she only saw betrayal. Without warning, she surged to the surface, taking control.
Mate, she growled.
Before I could stop her, we shifted, my bones snapping into place as my wolf form took shape. A snarl ripped from my throat as I launched myself at Lorelei.