I stood in the midst of everybody else, watching the Alpha speak. I smiled as I looked at him. He was muscular, not too much, but was just brawny enough. His red hair shone and even though I couldn't see his eyes from where I stood, I knew those blue orbs of wonder to perfection.

I smiled again. I wondered what he had to say that necessitated a pack meeting. Until I saw the beautiful, tall and leggy brunette woman standing next to him. My smile faltered. Then I increased its intensity. Maybe, just maybe, she was nothing but an associate that he had to present to the pack and I was over thinking stuff as usual.

But his next words had me doubting myself. "Everybody! I know you are wondering why I invited you all here. Well we're here to celebrate a happy occasion!", he paused, then let a huge smile break through.

Why would he look so happy just for a pack association?, I asked myself. He looked like a kid when someone told them they had bought their favorite toy.

He would tell me if he found her, I thought desperately, he's not that heartless. Tears were already filling my eyes, waiting for him to quite literally put in the last nail on my coffin.

"I found my mate!!", he announced happily. "Everybody, this is Gail, my mate and your Luna". Cheers broke out in the crowd while I just stood there. Silent. Shocked. Weak. The tears that had filled my eyes started going down my cheeks and I barely noticed anything around me until the whispers and stares started.

Everybody had known I was in a 'relationship' with Alpha Cory and no one had ever really approved. So it was a relief to them that he had found his mate.

"I hope now we won't find you next to our Alpha", someone shot out to me.

"Exactly! He has a mate now, you slut", another affirmed.

I winced. Slut. That was a word I had been hearing for a long time. There were many more but that was their favorite. It seemed like they couldn't get enough of it.

I simply smiled and walked off to my house, trying hard to keep the tears out of my eyes. I didn't want to show any iota of weakness in front of this people. They were going to use it to tear me up, and I had been torn up enough for the day.

As soon as I reached home, a term I used very loosely, I cried and cried until I fell asleep, sleep filled with taunts, mockery and laughter.

I was at the Alpha's quarters. More precisely, in front of his office. Karlson, his Beta was looking at me with his arms crossed.

"You can't see the Alpha, Denise. He's occupied", he bellowed.

I shrunk a little bit but then I got myself together. I was here to see Cory and I was going to see him! I couldn't not see him.

"Please Karlson–", I started but he interrupted me.

"It's Beta to you!", he almost shouted, looking at me with disgusted eyes. Karlson had never liked me, and after everything with Cory, I was sure he hated me now.

"S-sorry Beta", I stuttered. "I, I just really need to see the Alpha. I won't be back I promise. I just want to see him this last time.", I pleaded.

"I'll let you see him just so he can get closure. I'm doing this for Gail. Because I don't want a slut like you causing problems for her"

There was that word again. Slut. I put on a fake smile and thanked him. Knocking and getting into the office.

Cory was on the phone when I got in and his eyes visibly widened when he saw me.

"I'd appreciate if we did this some other time. My one o'clock just came in", he said then hung up.

"Denise? What are you doing here?", Cory asked, making me smile wistfully at his voice.

"Hello to you too Cory", I replied, a sad smile replacing the wistful one.

"I don't have time for your games. What are you doing here? What do you want?", he asked forcefully. My smile dropped. He had started behaving just like every other person with me and it hurt, more than I had thought it would.

I turned towards the window then turned back to him. We just looked at each other. After a while I broke the silence.

"I had thought you'd inform me first before telling the whole pack about it"

I had known pain and hurt for a long while and I knew I'd continue to get it but I never expected it from him.

"It was a sudden decision", was all he said.

And you didn't even take me into consideration?, I wanted to ask, but I knew it was not going to be answered or the answer was going to be something I didn't like. So I kept quiet and waited for him to talk.

"I just met her Dee, and I couldn't stop myself from telling my pack. I mean I wanted to tell the whole world. I would tell them if I could. She's my mate. I'm sorry if it hurts you but she's my mate. And I'll never regret finding her", he explained gently, making my heart start beating extremely quickly. I knew the signs. I was going to have a panic attack and I wanted to try and get out of here before it happened.

"Okay", I managed to choke out, the tears already practically on my cheeks. As I made a move to go out, the door opened and Gail, the perfect mate stepped in.

"Oh hello. Karlson didn't tell me you had company, Cory", she said, smiling.

To him, I'm nothing, I thought, chuckling morbidly in my head.

"I'm Gail"

"Denise"

After we hugged each other as it was customary in the wolf tradition for two wolves meeting each other for the first time, I spoke up. "Nice to meet you Luna but I was just leaving. I'll leave you and the Alpha at it"

"Some other time", she replied, sitting on Cory's lap, smiling callously at me. I guess she knew already. My heart dropped even further.

I fake smiled back at her and went out of the office, the tears flowing twice as fast, my heart beating twice as hard.

She's not pure, something whispered to me but I was too busy trying to calm myself down to notice. Even if I had, what will it have changed?

I made it into my house and I'm worthless was the thought floating through my mind until everything went dark.

***

Let me know what you think!!!

Essie