Rejected Mate's Vengeful Rise

After landing, Alpha Enoch handed his luggage to his Beta, Axel, who had hurried over to pick us up. Enoch told me he wanted to take me to a pack gathering.

I rubbed my temples, exhausted from the hunt. "You go to the gathering yourself. Let Axel take me home."

"Come on, don’t be difficult. Haven’t you always said I never take you to meet the pack? There’s a welcoming ceremony today, and I want you to join me."

Once, this would have thrilled me. But after seeing their true colors, all I felt was a chill of disgust.

"Alpha Enoch, I said I want to go home. I’m very tired."

Enoch’s face darkened, and without giving me a choice, he shoved me into the car. Axel started to speak up for me, but Enoch fixed him with a steely glare, his alpha tone cutting through the air. Axel quickly handed over the car keys to him and hailed a cab for himself.

The car stopped in front of a grand mansion halfway up the hill, the Silver Crescent Pack’s gathering hall. Enoch dragged me out and led me into the garden, where he immediately let go of my hand upon seeing Charlotte Perry, the Beta from the Crimson Fang Pack.

"Alpha Enoch! You’re here! And this must be Sage. You’re so pretty!" Charlotte greeted me with a sugary smile that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Beta Charlotte, having just returned, you might not know. Sage is quite the pack sensation now. She’s not just pretty. She’s the kind of woman who looks good in clothes and... well, you get the picture," said Hector Reynolds, Enoch’s close friend and a Gamma in our pack. When I first started seeing Enoch, Hector had privately warned me to break up with him, claiming Enoch was Charlotte’s and only dated me because Charlotte was abroad. At the time, I hadn’t taken it seriously.

As soon as he spoke, all eyes began scrutinizing me without shame, their gazes like claws digging into my skin.

Desperate, I looked to Enoch for help. He merely glanced at me indifferently before Charlotte pulled him over to sit with her, handing him a gift box.

"Beta Charlotte, welcome back."

"Oh, Alpha Enoch, I love you so much! I thought Sage wouldn’t let you buy anything for me, but you picked the perfect color. I love it!"

Charlotte opened the gift box to reveal a swimsuit set, then hugged Enoch and kissed him deeply. Enoch embraced her tightly in return, his aura flaring with possessiveness.

They kissed passionately, oblivious to their surroundings, while I stood there like a fool, watching it all unfold.

Pale-faced, I turned to leave, but Hector stepped in my way, his eyes hovering over me, a predatory gleam in his gaze.

"Come on, don’t leave so soon! Alpha Enoch might be ignoring you, but we won’t. Why don’t we have a little kiss too?"

"Get lost."

I shouted, furrowing my brows as Enoch looked up with cold eyes, his alpha tone slicing through the tension.

"Gamma Hector, don’t joke with Sage like that. If she gets upset and leaves, you’ll have me to deal with."

Charlotte stood up and walked over to me, leaning in to whisper in my ear, her voice dripping with venom. "Sage, you’re just a pawn for Alpha Enoch to spite me. He dated you out of anger because of my public relationship. And now, you’re basking in my light but daring to insult me? Do you know why you guys were back from the hunt in just one day?"

"Because I told Alpha Enoch I was coming home today and asked him to bring you back early—and make sure you tagged along. Enjoy the gathering."

With that, Charlotte smiled brightly, took my hand, and gave me a shove. Amid screams, Charlotte fell into the pool with a splash.

Enoch shot to his feet, his aura flaring as he rushed into the pool.

Wet and shivering, Charlotte clung tightly to Enoch’s shirt, staring at me with fear in her eyes.

"Sage, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were still mad over Alpha Enoch buying me that swimsuit. I’ll never dare do it again."

Upon hearing this, Enoch slapped me hard, the sound echoing across the garden, his alpha tone sharp and commanding.

"Sage Woods, do you know Beta Charlotte can’t swim? It’s one thing to insult her, but you dared lay a hand on her."

"Alpha Enoch, don’t waste your breath on someone like her. Let her see what it’s like to drown."

"Yeah, this type of woman needs to be taught a lesson. She knows Beta Charlotte is your true mate and keeps bullying her; she doesn’t care about you at all."

Voices echoed from all directions, their words like claws tearing at my soul.

With each utterance, Enoch’s gaze toward me grew colder, like a specter from the shadows.

Hearing them talk about drowning, a scene from my deepest memories exploded in my mind.

Terrified, I begged and sobbed.

"No, Alpha Enoch! Beta Charlotte fell into the pool on her own! I didn’t push her, I swear!"

Hector and the others advanced, grabbing me and dragging me toward the pool, their grips unyielding.