Lucy's POV-

"Mate." The word came out of his mouth with such claim and power that his voice sounded unhuman-like. It sent a shiver down my spine.

I would have loved to hear that word spoken to me over and over again. I loved that word coming out of his mouth... Except for the fact that it wasn't directed at me.

Suddenly I felt pain run through my chest as I looked at the two of them. He had her in a strong embrace, protecting her from the entire world. He ran his fingers up her spine sensually. I felt my heart crack as I saw the way he looked at her. I couldn't look away as I watched her run her hands up his chest and into his hair... My mate's hair.

I heard a whimper come out of my mouth and felt arms stop me from falling. I couldn't breathe and the world was spinning. What was happening? He was my mate! The Moon Goddess told me so!

Pain and sorrow- It's all I felt. It's all I could register. It went through my chest, and I couldn't stop the tears that fell down my cheeks. Pain. Sorrow.

I looked at her and I felt so ugly. The female that was in his arms was gorgeous. She looked like exactly what you'd think an Alpha's mate would look like. She had long luscious brown hair with honey blond highlights. She had brown eyes that resembled melted chocolate chips; they bored into Kale's hazel eyes strikingly. Her skin was a light caramel color with no visible flaws making it known that she wasn't locked in a basement for most of her life like I had been. She was beautiful in every way that mattered, flawless. There was no way that I could compete with that.

I could feel my wolf try to claw its way out of my body. If I were able to shift, I would have in that moment. I hated that she was so close to him, my mate.

It didn't register to me that the growl that filled the room was mine. The only thing I could think of was my pain and anger at the woman for taking what was supposed to be my mate. He was supposed to be mine! There was no way that he would pick me over her. I felt my anger flare at that thought and let another growl out while pushing the arms that were around me off.

I had finally caught the attention of the two people who claimed to be mates. The girl instantly let out a ferocious growl. I didn't let that deter me though; she was touching my mate. She was trying to claim my mate. I had never felt so mad in my life. I was ready to kill.

"Lucy..." I heard but didn't really register that someone spoke. I didn't care; he was my mate!

I saw claws come out of the girl's hand and my foresight told me that she was about to swipe at me. I quickly sidestepped it and grabbed her arm painfully. She let out a loud whine as I let my claws scratch her.

"Stop, and don't you dare try to hit me ever again!" I ground out as a warning.

I could feel my wolf-side wanting to break her arm, but I threw it down with a huff instead. She was lucky that I had such a tight rein on my wolf-side. The girl growled loudly at me and tried lunge at me. I had already known what she was going to do though and quickly threw her away from me to the other side of the room. She hit the wall with force.

"I said to STOP!" I yelled with power in my tone. The windows shook at my loudness and everyone in the room except the two Alphas bowed at my command.

She whined and after a few minutes of catching her breath from the hard hit, she made her way back to Kale. She put an arm around him with a look of victory making my wolf want to tear her apart. I balled up my fists in rage and my claws cut my hands deeply. I could smell the blood that was dripping from the cuts, but I couldn't feel them. I just felt anger coursing through me. I growled again when she snarled at me.

Kale was trying to make her let go. He tried to pull away from her with gentle movements, but she had a firm grip on his waist. I felt myself beginning to shake, I wasn't sure how much longer I could suppress my wolf urges to kill. I stared at the two of them as he finally pried her hands off him. He touched her cheek in a gentle and reassuring gesture as he shook his head at her in warning to not interfere.

"Lucy..." He said in a soft voice, a voice that I would have melted at in any normal situation. Not this time though, I knew it was just to placate me. That voice just made me even angrier.

He walked forward to me and reached out his hand to touch me. I recoiled instantly leaving him with a hurt look on his face.

"Don't you dare touch me with the hands that just touched her," I spat out bitterly. I knew my angry wolf-side was partially in control of my words, but I didn't care. He didn't get to do that, especially when he pushed me away when we first met. I felt hurt and anger wash through me.

I knew that this was too good to be true. I knew that the Moon Goddess had been wrong about me. She chose the wrong girl for the job... It shouldn't have been me.

"Lucy, I- I, I don't know what is going on. I-" he tried to reason with me, but I didn't care. I didn't want to hear it. I already knew that she was better and more suited for him than me.

"Are you going to accuse her of being a witch? Are you going to push her away? Are you going to give her your bullshit 'I am mateless' speech, huh?" I paused and let the hurt seep into me harshly. His silence pissed me off even more. "No, no you're not... Are you?" I didn't give him a chance to answer. "Because she's not me... She's not me." I felt my wolf-side release control in a wave of sorrow, and I returned to my normal self. "She's not me."

"Luce, no that's n-" he tried to interrupt.

"Just reject me, Kale. Just tell me to leave. I'm not who you want." I could feel tears falling down my face quickly as he winced at my truthful words. "That's who you want... I'm not her. I will never be her. I-" I broke down in sobs and shook my head, the pain was becoming too much. I couldn't handle this pain. It was far worse than anything that I had endured in The North.

Kale whimpered as he watched me.

"I'm sick of hurting. You don't want me, that's plain to see. Kale, just let me go." I suddenly felt anger again, and it wasn't my wolf-side radiating it, it was me. "Just set me free. I will never be good enough for you, will I?" I pushed him away from me, catching him off guard and making him stumble a few steps away.

Everyone in the room gasped. I paid no attention to it though; I was so hurt and so bitter about the situation.

"Oracle or not, it doesn't matter..." I pushed him again in another surge of anger. "I'm not strong enough for you. I am broken. Just reject me and be with her."

I let my anger flare even more and pushed him even harder. This time, instead of letting me do it his arms wrapped around me and held me to his chest in a big bear hug, pinning my arms between us.

"I'm not rejecting you," he said firmly, making me look at him. His eyes were Alpha black and hard, but they held a softness that I clung to.

"Why not? You two could have a beautiful life together. You wouldn't have to deal with all my disasters. Kale, I'm giving you an out... Just take it. We both know that I will never be able to give you what she could."

I tried to push him away again, but his growl made me stop instantly.

"Quit doing that!" he commanded in his Alpha voice pissing me off.

I did not like being told what to do. Alpha, mate, or not... he didn't get to control me. No one gets to control me. Not anymore.

"You might be an alpha, but as of right now I am still your mate. You DO NOT use that voice on me!" I seethed angrily and pushed him away again making him grab my arm harshly. "If you want to command me to do something then just fucking reject me so I can leave. I won't let you do that to me. We are supposed to be partners. You do not get to order me around." I pushed him again. "I am not your slave!" I huffed and stared at him with angry eyes.

My bitterness at the situation made my mind reel. When the girl put a hand on his heaving shoulder to calm him, I let my anger blind me. I was too hurt to think about what I was saying, and I was too angry to care. "With the way you are acting you might as well go join Fleming!" I mistakenly said with a growl.

Fire, I was playing with fire. I didn't know what I had expected to come from that comment, but I got exactly what I wanted... a reaction. An angry reaction. I wanted him just as angry as I was. I wanted to hurt him just as much as this situation hurt me.

It wasn't fair but I was done playing nice and fair. I was done being pushed away and not believed by him. He wasn't going to get both of us. If he wouldn't reject me in mercy, then he was going to reject me in anger. I wanted to be free from the hurt that he was causing me at that moment. I wanted to be free from the pain that watching my mate touch and be touched by another caused me. I wanted to leave. Rejection couldn't possibly hurt as much as much as watching him with another could...

He roared. It was a loud roar that sent chills up my spine. I knew that I was wrong, but it was too late to take it back.

"Don't you dare compare me to that evil man!" He yelled and grabbed my forearm tightly making me whimper. "You want me to act like him, huh? Do you want me to?" He said and grabbed my throat.

His touch wasn't harsh, and it had no malice or action behind it. It wasn't even hard enough to hinder my breathing at all, he just wanted to prove a point. But as soon as he grabbed my neck and I looked into his angry black eyes, I felt fear run through me... Pure and raw fear. I instantly screamed and threw myself onto the floor while covering my head. I was suddenly terrified.

I played with fire and burned myself.

I couldn't stop the angry memories that started to assault me. I couldn't help but to let myself get dragged into the darkness with no way out. I couldn't stop myself from remembering every terrible thing that had happened to me. My world went dark with the scary memories that resurfaced. I tried so hard to push them away, but they were too strong.

I was too weak. I was not strong. I was not worthy.