《Rejection: The Last Dance》

Chapter 1

For years, I ignored the signs, swallowed my pride, and told myself that Alpha Jonathan was mine. But tonight, as I watched him dance with Emilia, his so-called "friend," something inside me snapped. Their closeness, their whispered words—I’d seen it all too many times, and I was done pretending.

At that moment, I decided I was done being second best.

Standing, I met his surprised gaze, steady and unyielding. "I, Anastasia Stephens, am breaking up with you and severing our bond. I reject your love and affection from now on."

Finally, I was choosing myself.

——

“They certainly love each other, don’t they?” I compelled myself not to glare at Beta Homer as his words hit close to home.

I crossed my arms, a displeased grin split my lips. “Oh, they’ve been doing that many times that I felt like the Alpha’s personal Omega rather than the actual Alpha’s girlfriend.

Alpha Jonathan, my boyfriend of four years, is dancing closely with Emilia, another Beta’s daughter. Though Emilia and I both came from a prestigious Beta family, she happens to be the one closer to Alpha because of their childhood friendship.

I returned my eyes to them, dancing on the floor to the sway of melancholic music. My gaze was nothing short of amused.

A heartbeat later, the music and dancing ended. They strode to my table, where Beta Homer and I are sharing a bottle along with a conversation that only happens when either of us is drunk.

“I’m surprised you didn’t be together?” I asked as Jonathan’s eyes darkened when he found me sitting on a chair.

“We’re just playing a game, babe,” he explained gently, trying to portray himself as the ever-humble gentleman. “Besides, you’re drunk more than usual today.”

I shrugged, “Can’t I just celebrate anytime I’d like? Just as you two cuddle each other anytime even when your girlfriend is here.”

“It’s just a dance, Anastasia,” Emilia chirped behind him, her face the perfect portrait of boredom.

“And do dance partners lean into each other and whisper lovingly?” I raised a glass before sipping it half.

Both of them were silent, so I filled their glasses with liquor. When I lifted my gaze, the Alpha’s face contorted to embarrassment—to disdain.

“I told you. Emilia and I are just friends. There’s nothing between us,” his tone was both soft and echoing with warning.

I ignored that warning.

“If there’s nothing between you then you two won’t be friends,” I made my sickly sweet smile be at the frontline of my expression.

As anticipated, Emilia slammed a hand on the table but not enough to rattle the glasses. “Why do you always create drama every time Jon and I are together? Can’t a female just spend time with her male bestfriend?!”

“Oh, you can...” I drawled, “As long as that male doesn’t have a girlfriend watching both of you.”

“You can’t be serious,” Jonathan sighed. “Look. We didn’t lean too much to one another. Probably your drunkenness made you see what you wanted to see—”

“So now I’m delusional?” I straightened my back, my rising tone made everyone around us turn to our table, gawking like some hawk in our direction.

Beta Homer whispered, “Ana, calm down. How could you make the Alpha awkward in front of everyone?” The Beta laughed before I could answer, “You shouldn’t sit—you should stand so that you can humiliate him further—”

Homer and I burped and ended up laughing. Alpha Jonathan just remained on his hot seat, sweat forming on his forehead, glaring at Homer and me.

Emilia broke our reverie. “Alpha Jon and I are just friends, Anastasia. If I had any intention of being with him, it would have happened a long time ago considering we grew up together.”

“Please don’t cause any more trouble, babe. Emilia isn’t the only one receiving the awkward treatment. You too.”

“So now it’s wrong for me to reprimand the two of you that she—” I pointed at Emilia, “—is no longer respecting boundaries or even acknowledging that you are already taken?”

Well, it seems I’m the one taken for granted.

“Are you even hearing yourself, Anastasia?” Alpha stood and used his alpha tone. He acted as if I had done something so unforgivable that he wanted to shove me out of the pack party by dragging me by the hair if only I wasn’t his girlfriend.

I was hurt by his voice, his expression, and his...siding with Emilia. For the thousandth time, I’m the one to fix my attitude when it should be Emilia.

But my heart was hurt only in the blink of an eye, and then it no longer did. It was back to beating to my own unending rhythm of being the one to adjust to when Jonathan and Emilia were together.

And as I heaved a deep sigh, I stood. I will no longer endure this drama. “You all have fun and enjoy the night. I’ll gladly remove myself to not be your obstacle for tonight.” I turned to the Alpha as I grabbed my bag, “And Alpha Jonathan, no matter how many years we’ve been together, no matter how many times you’ve told me what you and Emilia are, I’d like to end this now.”

He had chosen her many times already. I bet he’ll choose her several times in the years to come too.

He blinked, then— “What do you mean by that, Ana?”

“I, Anastasia Stephens, am now breaking up with you and severing our bond, Alpha Jonathan of the Dusk Rose Pack.” I lifted my chin and didn’t let my voice waver, “I hereby reject your love and affection from now on.”

Chapter 2

I didn’t let myself fall as I strode away.

My tears fell on their own accord, and I didn’t stop even when I called for a taxi.

I can still hear Jonathan’s words earlier even when the taxi was already moving. “Don't mind her, she's just being dramatic.”

Was it dramatic for calling out your boyfriend and his bestfriend-feeling-girlfriend that they’re acting more of a couple than the Alpha and I ever was?

Even with the breakup, the pack party continued lively. The dancing and music have become even more vivacious since my departure.

But I don’t care. Everyone knew I was upset and they knew I wouldn’t care about Jonathan on the floor too.

If they gossip about me being heartless, then I’ll show them heartlessness.

The ride to my apartment took longer because of traffic. When I opened the front door, I already knew the male scent that occupied inside even before I turned the doorknob.

“Do you really want to embarrass me like that?”

I chuckled mirthlessly. “Is that what you care about? About you being embarrassed in front of the whole pack?”

Jonathan massaged his forehead as he leaned one hand on the kitchen counter, “Anastasia—”

“I think it’s you who embarrassed me, Alpha. You dancing intimately with your other woman whom you call childhood friend is pretty much embarrassing for the girlfriend veiled by the shadows in the corner watching the two of you.”

Although I don’t have the energy to argue further, my wolf propelled me to at least stand up to him. Even just once.

I waved an idle hand to him when he was about to counter-scold me.

“Make sure you’re gone when I’m finished showering or else I’ll dump your clothes and things outside like some bags of trash,” I hissed, not bothering to sound angry—‘cause I am.

Apparently, he was still in my apartment even when I finished my bath.

“Why?” was all he muttered.

“Go be with Emilia. That’s what you want and have been doing all this time, isn’t it?”

Earlier when I left, I saw Emilia posted a picture of her in a car with the caption: “Thank you for always being with me when I’m drunk even in your current state of recovering from being rejected.”

I didn’t even know Jonathan had a car until the past month when she posted the same picture of her in the backseat, wearing a very good dress. “You had a car for...Emilia alone?” I once asked him but all he explained was that 'it was a surprise for me'.

Yeah right. As if it was me who he wanted to surprise.

“You have a car, Jon, but you never offered to bring me home. But to Emilia...” I swallowed, tears lining my eyes again, “if you can prioritize her like that, what’s the point of my existence in your life then?”

When he didn’t answer, I made my voice clearer this time. “She posted that you drive her home. While I was left—”

“YOU BROKE UP WITH ME!” He gathered himself after yelling those words. “You severed our bond,” he whispered, “and you still expect me to be a gentleman to you?”

“You could have run after me or fought for our relationship of four years!” It was my turn to bellow at him but he only stared at me. “Besides, you were never a gentleman to me. I always found myself going home alone.”

As the Alpha of the Dusk Rose Pack, I know he’s often busy. But, why does he always have time for Emilia and not for me?

“Sometimes, I was ashamed of myself for loving someone like you. It seems in other people’s eyes, I don’t deserve you.” I sobbed, and I poured out all my emotions relentlessly with my crying. “When you bought that car, you told me to never eat or do makeup there, but Emilia posted just a few weeks ago doing both...”

Well, being Emilia does have a privilege after all.

“We’re done, Jonathan. Go. Leave. Be with Emilia!” I stomped my foot and I didn’t know if the entirety of me ached for him. All I feel is anger and disappointment and betrayal. All I see is a male, an Alpha, who could have been my husband but tossed it all aside for one Emilia.

He read the annoyance on my face, but he only pursed his lips and ignored my words as if everything I said was just on a whim. “There's really nothing between Emilia and me. If we wanted to be together, it would have happened long ago even before you came into our lives. Why can’t you understand that?"

Oh, so it was me who broke their plans of being together instead?

And the way he said ‘into OUR lives’...

I shook my head. “Deny it all you want, Jon. But everyone can vividly see what the two of you are to one another.”

He blinked, shocked at my statement. But I held up a hand and looked at him straight in the eyes, "As I've already said, I really don't care. You two are obsessed with one another. I’m tired for the day and I don’t want to argue further. Can you just be quiet even for tonight?"

None of us said further after a second as soon as I turned around and went to the bedroom.

As soon as I locked the door, I heard him punch the wall, the sound reverberating even with the closed bedroom door.

Seeing that I was ignoring his actions, he eventually quieted. Soon, his phone rang with a ringtone he only reserved for one person.

I had always been understanding, gentle, and often, if not most of the time—possessive.

Our arguments always revolved around Emilia. And not once he took my side.

He didn't get the expected reaction from me. He thought I would be charging him with plenty of rebuttals and excuses and other words of possessiveness that I still want in him my life.

But I no longer did.

And when I heard the creaking of the front door opening, judging by the call's ringtone, I already knew to whom he was headed.