A BABY FOR THE ALPHA I AM HIS AT NIGHT

"Hell has no fury like a woman scorned."

That'd been my mantra since the mating ritual during the last full moon. The night Higan Sinclair unleashed the full extent of his hatred for me. He held nothing back, and even the blind could sense it.

I've cried, cursed-and cried again, but that was just the extent of my fury, the only release I could afford myself. Higan Sinclair was untouchable, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, while I was nothing more than an Omega-a lowly rank that didn't even warrant his acknowledgment, let alone his respect.

Before Higan's scorn, I used to believe in love that could conquer anything. My mother would tell me stories of destined mates, of bonds between Alphas and Omegas, so strong they could survive any storm. But those were just stories, weren't they? In the real world, being mated with someone was a two-edged sword, and I was its latest casualty.

A sharp, piercing pain flared in my chest, and I clutched at it reflexively. "Shit!" I hissed through clenched teeth. The pain of a rejected mate had become a constant companion after that night, a relentless reminder that I was unwanted and unloved. The affliction came in sequentially.

I clutched tightly at my chest when the pain struck harder than the last. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them drop. In a desperate attempt to numb myself from the pounding discomfort, I clenched my eyes shut.

I cursed the night I was chosen as his mate. If that night hadn't happened, I wouldn't have to suffer the agony of knowing when he was doing the unspeakable to another woman. The pain lingered for what seemed like forever before finally subsiding.

I heaved out a deep sigh, as I gathered myself up with all the strength I had left, and headed to the staff room. My movements were slow and heavy with exhaustion.

To my disappointment, ill fate had not finished with me. I was just a few steps from the classroom when I was suddenly shoved from behind. My body staggered forward, and I barely had time to register what was happening before my face connected with the hard, cold floor, my binder spattering across the ground, papers flying everywhere.

I ignored the laughter and snide comments echoing around me as I crawled around the floor trying to gather my belongings. But each time I reached for something, someone passing by kicked it farther away from me and walked over it, leaving their shoe prints. Just as I reached for the last piece of paper which was my AP English essay that  I worked so hard on and had yet to turn in since morning, a polished black shoe planted itself firmly on it.

"Why, hello there, Hardly," came a sneering voice above me.

I gritted my teeth, my fists clenching around the crumbling essay paper. "Hello, Adolph. Must I remind you for the umpteenth time that my name is Harlyn?"

Adolph's hand shot out, grabbing me by the collar and yanking me to my feet. He slammed me against the lockers with such force that my binder fell from my grasp again.

"What's wrong, Adolph? Still hate the name your mommy gave you?" I cooed, keeping my voice as steady as I could manage. His cold blue eyes narrowed, and he lifted me higher, my feet dangling off the ground. I held his gaze, refusing to back down. "If you could use a fraction of that energy in the Alpha contest, you would have been an Alpha by now."

"Shut up! Why don't you first  find a mate that wants you before running your mouth like a loose ass?" He snarled, his breath hot against my face.

His grip became more firm and for a moment I thought he might actually hit me. He abruptly released his grip making me land painfully on my butt. I tried to stand on my feet, but he knocked me on the ground again with his foot.

"That's enough," came a familiar voice from behind him-a voice that made my blood run cold.

"H-Higan..." Adolph stammered, his bravado faltering as he turned to face our Alpha.

Higan Sinclair,  strolled towards us, his arm draped casually around Tess's waist. I controlled the urge to roll my eyes at the sight of them. His minions followed behind. Some of which weren't even part of the Crescent Moon Pack. He would rather treat them better than me. The crushing thought crossed my mind again-it was a reoccurring one.

Higan's eyes gleamed with a twisted amusement, and I knew he'd seen everything.

"What have I said about treating our own like this?" He asked, as he finally got to where Adolph and I were, his tone laced with false concern. His hand came to rest on Adolph's shoulder, making him shudder. "It doesn't reflect well on us. Or on me, your Alpha," he added, the words dripping with mock authority.

Higan's gaze shifted to me, and my inner wolf stirred, reacting to the proximity of her so-called mate. But I refused to let him see how deeply he affected me. I remained on the ground, staring defiantly up at him, the rage I'd been trying to suppress bubbling to the surface.

My mind drifted back to the Mating Ritual night. "I'd rather die than be mated with Harlyn Sage." These were the exact words he said with no hesitation. The horrors of the night after he made the declaration, burned into my soul like a branding iron. He was indeed a wolf in sheep's clothing. Before that night, his cruelty had been mild, hardly more than a few cutting remarks or a cold shoulder. But after he publicly rejected me, it turned into a full-blown campaign of torment. He'd let his minions do as they pleased with me, all the while pretending to be the concerned Alpha, but I knew better. The mere sight of me disgusted him.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes again, but I blinked them away. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"Are you okay, Harlyn?" Higan's voice was a poisonous hiss, dripping with false concern. It made my skin crawl, how barely concealed the scorn was. I wanted to scream, to tear him apart with my bare hands, but I stayed still, stuck in my own silence.

"I'm fine," I finally managed to choke out. He nodded, a cruel smile tugging at the corners of his lips, and turned away, signaling his minions to follow. As they walked past, Tess shot me a look I've known too well, before pulling Higan down for a possessive, claiming kiss. He returned it with equal fervor, and then they turned and left, their laughter echoing down the hallway.

My chest began hurting considerably more like it did before. It was like being stabbed repeatedly with a blunt knife, a constant reminder of my disgraceful bond with him. I watched them disappear around the corner, their laughter still jeering in my ears.

Why do I have to endure this torment every time something happens between them? I never asked to be his mate. I never wanted this cursed bond. I was still coming to terms with being an Omega in a strange pack, and now I was being tormented by the deranged Alpha who thought he was too good for me. Technically, he was. But it still hurt.