When it came to Luke’s real intention, I had no way of knowing the truth. Yes, he loved to tease me or flirt with me, but the fact that he wasn’t aware that he was my mate, meant a lot.
“There must be a mistake in having him as a mate, but then, I planned to make my own destiny, Selene. I know I can do it, and nothing can stop me from forging my own path to happiness. I don’t need a mate to complete me.”
“I know you can do it, my dear. I trust in you,” Selene said. “Just be always prepared because you don’t know who your enemy is, and I am sure there are several out there who want to kill you. As you well know, we hate changes, don’t we?”

“You are right, but as of now I am bothered about something,” I mumbled.
“Such as? You can tell me everything!”
“What do you know about witches, Selene? I heard there were several witches in the past,” I told her and she immediately frowned.
“That’s right, but there was a hunt against them, and as far as I know, all Alphas in the past worked together to eliminate the witches. You should ask your Dad, Isabella.”
“Why?”
“Because he was part of the group who hunted the witches,” she said and I looked at her in disbelief because I couldn’t imagine Dad to be aggressive.

“Thanks, Selene. Anyway, I just dropped by to say hello. I need to go home before Luke would become wild in searching for me.”
“Go ahead then. Take care, Isabella.”
From the library, I hailed a cab that would take me back home, and as expected, Luke was waiting for me, and he looked displeased.
“Isabella! Where have you been?" Luke asked me and I didn’t understand the basis of his anger when he dragged me toward the garden. “Did you just shout at me? What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me? You got into a fight and acted like it was nothing!”
“Because I dealt with it just fine!”
“You should have called for backup! I was just a phone call away!” he argued.
“I didn’t need it, Luke. So why are you still angry? You trained me so you should be aware of my strength now,” I told him and he shrugged his shoulders in response.
“You know what, there’s really nothing I can say that could convince you to be careful next time, Isabella. You are so stubborn and opinionated!” he complained.
“And so are you,” I mumbled, but he probably heard me because he frowned slightly.
“Damn it, Isabella! How long are you going to be like this?”
“Until you will recognize me as your mate,” I blurted out and it was a big mistake! I shouldn’t have said that but I already did.
“I know we are mates. I am also confused about this because you weren’t my mate a few days ago, Isabella.”
“You knew and never said anything to me about it?” I asked in disbelief because I really thought that he had no idea that we were mates.
“Well, for starters, you acted like you don’t know either!”
And this is my fault for being silent?”
“I am not saying that this is all your fault, Isabella, but since you pretended like it wasn’t a big deal, then, so did I!”
“Reject me,” I ordered him
“What did you say?”
“I said, reject me as your mate,” I repeated.
“But why?”
“Why not? I am engaged to someone else, that’s why. Now, you should reject me, and let’s move on from this mate thing,” I said.
“And you think it’s easy to be rejected by a mate? It’s so painful, Isabella that you can’t eat or function well for a few days,” he cautioned me.
“I know but I don’t care. I don’t want this, Luke, and you don’t want this either, so it’s a win-win situation for both of us,” I explained.
“Are you sure about it? It will be difficult to deal with, and I saw how Aric suffered when you rejected him…and humiliated him in front of everyone!”
When he mentioned the engagement party, I felt sad for Aric but I had no choice back then. I couldn’t marry him, and I should stick to that. No matter what, I shouldn’t become the Luna of Lancaster, or I would be dead.
“I don’t want to die, that’s why I rejected him,” I informed him.
“Aric isn’t a killer for goddamn sake, Isabella!”
“He would become one,” I said.
“How? In your dreams? He is the kindest person I have ever known and I felt bad for him because I had to hurt him yesterday. This is all your fault, Isabella,” he continued.
“Enough! Blame me all you want but I don’t care anymore. Just reject me as your mate and move on,” I suggested and for a moment he was silent.
I waited for him to speak again but he just kept staring at me and I didn’t know why. He was really a problematic guy who just loved to flirt with anyone wearing a skirt.
“I, Luke Skywalker, reject you as my mate, Isabella Drake,” he announced, and every word he said sent jolts of pain straight to my heart, and I felt like dying a horrible death!
“Luke,” I mumbled his name but I couldn’t say another word.
I wanted it to happen but when Luke rejected me as his mate, it felt like my world had crumbled around me. The pain seared through my heart and it made me breathless and hollow. Then, I felt as if I had been stripped bare and exposed to a cold and unforgiving world.
The moment the words left his lips, there was a sharp, and stabbing pain that pierced my chest. It was as if an invisible hand had reached inside me and squeezed my heart tightly.
It was so intense, and so raw, that I could barely breathe! Even though I asked him to reject me, his rejection was still a bitter pill to swallow and the pain cut too deep.
“I, Isabella Drake, accept your rejection, Luke Skywalker.”