Rejected Little Secret by Lisj

The air felt heavy as I approached the clinic, and I took a deep breath to steady myself for the unknown. Stepping inside, I immediately noticed the oppressive atmosphere, thick with tension, and the intense scrutiny of the other pack members as I navigated towards the door. Their intense stares pierced through me, causing a wave of unease to wash over my body, as the realization of being disregarded sank in.

Swallowing hard, I forced the knot of anxiety back down, refusing to let it consume me. Straightening my posture, I wiped away the last of my tears and took a deep breath, trying to collect myself, I couldn’t let them see the tears welling up in my eyes, the pain radiating through every inch of my being as their indifference washed over me.

With a determined stride, I could feel the tension building in my muscles as I made my way to the room where Zeke was being treated. Gathering my courage, I hesitated for a moment outside the door, taking in a deep breath before I softly rapped my knuckles against it. With a creak, the door swung open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with antique furniture and the soft hum of conversation.

As Nadia stood by Zeke’s bedside, the room was filled with a faint scent of lavender from the ointment she carefully applied to his bruised skin. Zeke lay motionless on the hospital bed, his closed eyes conveying the agony he was experiencing. The moment I laid eyes on him, my heart constricted, and a rush of guilt flooded my senses.

Nadia avoids eye contact with me as she speaks in a cool, detached tone, her voice lacking any hint of warmth. “Why are you here when you’re clearly not wanted?”

Struggling, Zeke lets out a series of grunts as he attempts to push himself off the bed.

“Nadia-”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“No,” Nadia gently pushes Zeke back on the bed, her voice filled with tenderness. Despite her irritation at me, she speaks to Zeke with a softness in her voice and a tenderness in her gaze. “Were you absent when the doctor emphasized the importance of staying on the bed? Honey, if you keep reopening your wounds, you won’t heal properly.”

I clear my throat, my voice so soft that it could hardly be heard as I spoke

“How’s he doing?”

Nadia opened the bedside drawer, her eyes focused elsewhere, not acknowledging my presence. With a sense of urgency, she retrieves a handful of wet wipes and begins to meticulously cleanse Zeke’s face, removing every trace of dried blood. Her words came out curtly, laced with an unmistakable air of dismissal

“He’s all banged up with broken ribs and cuts on his face and neck. And then there’s that massive piece of flesh that got tom from his bicep. Apart from that, he’ll be perfectly alright. Compared to the Alphs of a small pack, he is undeniably stronger.”

As I nodded, I could feel a lump forming in my throat, making it hard to swallow. The hostility in Nadia’s voice made it clear that she resented my presence, and I couldn’t really blame her. The weight of guilt settled on me as I realized that I was the cause of Zeke’s current state in the hospital bed. The one who had caused him so much pain and bruises.

With each step I took closer to the bed, the sight of Zeke’s battered form became more distressing to me. His skin was marked with bruises, contrasting sharply against his pale complexion. Waves of guilt crashed over me, threatening to submerge me in their overpowering depths.

“Zeke,” I murmured, my voice trembling slightly, “I’m so sorry”

The moment my voice reached his ears, Zeke instinctively turned his head towards me, curiosity in his eyes. His eyes flickered with surprise for a brief moment before he swiftly concealed it behind a mask of indifference. There’s a sense of disbelief in his reaction, as though he’s genuinely surprised that 1 had the nerve to approach him and strike up a conversation.

“What are you doing here?”

As soon as his words reached my ears, I instinctively recoiled, the sting of hurt washing over me. Maybe, just maybe, I thought he would be happy to se me, but his expression remained indifferent. The moment I saw his cold demeanor, all the illusions I had harbored vanished.

“L…I just wanted to see how you were doing.” I stammered, my voice faltering. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay, that’s all.”

Zeke’s face showed a hint of softness as he heard my words. I could feel the intensity of Nadia’s glare burning into me from the comer of my eye, but I do my best to pretend not to notice. Zeke’s determination was evident as he pushed himself up again, causing Nadia to gasp and rush to his side, urging him to lie back down. Zeke’s initial reaction was to push her hand away, but unexpectedly, he then reached out to hold my hand.

As soon as his hand made contact with mine, a jolt of electricity shot through me, causing my eyes to widen in surprise.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, his voice tinged with gratitude. “I appreciate you coming to check on me.”

Nadia’s frustration blared in her eyes as she stepped between me and Zeke’s bed, causing me to freeze in place. I could feel the knot tightening in my stomach, a blend of fear and guilt intertwining within me. As Nadia stood before me, her presence felt suffocating, her energy radiating an intense tension that filled the air. Her accusing gaze bore into me, making me feel small and vulnerable. With a firm grip on my hand, she forcefully pushes me away from Zoke, causing me to lose my balance and stumble backwards.

Zeke gasps, his eyes narrowing as he glares at her. “Hey-”

“Don’t you have another place you need to be?”

As Nadia spoke, her voice carried a sharpness that seemed to slice through the air, leaving a lingering tension. As I tried to speak, my words got trapped in my throat, making it difficult to breathe. Nadia’s anger hit me like a tidal wave, leaving me frozen and speechless, like a deer in headlights.

Exasperated, Zeke sighed heavily and rubbed his face with his hand, a look of weariness on his features

“Nadia, calm down,” he muttered, his voice weary. “Now’s not the time for this!”

However, Nadia’s attention was no

now completely directed towards me, seemingly disregarding him. Her gaze locked onto mine, and as she inched closer I could feel the weight of her stare, making me instinctively want to back away.

“You,” she said, her voice dripping with contempt. “What gives you the audacity to enter Zeke’s room without permission? You are fully aware that he wouldn’t be in this hospital if it weren’t for you!”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I felt a surge of shame wash over me. It was true-was the reason Zeke was lying here, battered and bruised, his body broken from our fight. The guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders, threatening to crush me under its weight.

“…just wanted to make sure he was okay,” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

Nadia scoffed, her lip curling in disdain.

“Save it,” she spat, her words laced with venom. “You don’t get to play the innocent victim here. When you were flirting with that other Alpha, you were

well aware of the consequences, you

b**h!

Zeke shouted, “Nadia-1”

Nadia’s accusation hit me like a punch, causing me to flinch. I felt trapped, like a cornered animal, as she towered over me with her palpable anger. I wanted to defend myself, to express that I never anticipated the situation would spiral out of control like it did. But the words I wanted to say were silenced, choked by the overwhelming guilt and shame that consumed me.

Zeke’s hand extended towards me, his touch delicate as it made contact with my arm.

“Nadia, please,” he said softly, his voice pleading, “Let’s not do this right now.”

But Nadia shook her head, her eyes blazing with fury

“No, honey,” she snapped, her voice sharp and biting, “We cannot ignore the need to deal with this. Your morally loose True Mate here needs to comprehend the effects her choices can have

Nadia’s hands gripped my shoulders, her touch was like a vice, squeezing tight and unyielding. A wave of panic washed over me as she began to forcefully push me out of the room. Zeke’s groans and protests filled the air, their echoes bouncing off the walls, but Nadia remained oblivious to his

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words as she forcefully guided me towards the door.

“Stop it, Nadia!” Zeke’s voice came out strained, laced with frustration. “Leave her alone!”

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Paying him no mind, Nadia’s sole focus was on me, as if the rest of the world had faded away. I couldn’t look away as her eyes drilled into mine, filled with anger and a sense of betrayal. As she pushed me with unwavering strength, my heart pounded in my chest and I stumbled backward, my feet struggling to find solid ground.

“Get out, Maya!”

Ifried to speak, but my voice failed me when I opened my mouth. How could I find the right words to explain myself when even I couldn’t grasp my own motivations? All I knew was that I couldn’t bear to see Zeke in pain, and despite everything that had transpired between us, I still cared for him deeply.

“I’m sorry, Zeke ”

“You’re the reason he’s here in the first place!” Nadia spat, her words dripping with venom. “You have no right to be here.”

Her words hit me hard-I had hurt Zeke, and now I was compounding the damage by invading his healing process. Despite everything, I couldn’t find it in me to leave, knowing that I was the one responsible for his mise

Without warning, Nadia’s hand collided with my cheek, the sound echoing through the air. The force of the blow was so powerful that it reverberated through my body, causing me to s**r backwards, my vision blurred by tears. I tasted blood on my tongue, the metallic ** lingering in the air as l struggled to regain my composure.

“If you’re really sorry,” Nadia’s voice dripped with frostiness, and her eyes blazed with a seething fury. “Then you’ll

ve and never come back!”

My response was lost in a haze of numbness as Nadia relentlessly pushed me towards the door, leaving me unable to utter a word. Her last shove was so powerful that it sent me stumbling out into the hallway, my body collapsing in a disheveled heap on the ground.

Pain radiated through my body as I landed hard on my a**, the impact jarring my bones. Tears welled up in my eyes, making it challenging to see as ! fought to get back on my feet. The hospital hallway felt empty and desolate, a stark contrast to the chaos that had unfolded inside Zeke’s room.

Desperately, I hugged myself, hoping to find some solace from the flood of overwhelming emotions. Gnawing at my insides, guilt, shame, and heartache left me feeling hollow and broken.

Standing there in the bustling hallway, with people brushing past me, I couldn’t help but ponder how everything had spiraled out of control. How hadi become the cause of so much pain and suffering? And, the crucial question remained, could I ever mend the situation and find redemption?

Maybe… Nadia and Uncle Gavyn was right.

Maybe… things would be better if I just left.