Page 36 of Tainted Romance

I gave Taylor a wave as he stood in the doorway, looking unhappy to see me leaving.

“Yeah, it’s over.” I opened the car door and did the smartest thing I had done since I met Zane. I left him.

Chapter Sixteen

One lie and one huge mess thanks to Taylor and I’s actions. I never thought I would regret lying as much as I did right now. Mom was ranting about how much of a disappointment I was. I can’t imagine how Taylor’s mom was reacting.

Alpha Harris had already been around and spoke about how such a serious lie could impact our future in the pack. I tuned out halfway through the lecture; no, I wasn’t being a brat, I just didn’t care anymore.

Zane’s words haunted me, and I felt absent and lost, and being around his father reminded me of that.

So, when he finally left, I was more than grateful. I had to wonder just for a moment what Zane’s reaction was when Taylor and I ended the lie.

I wondered if he cared.

I wondered if it made him happy.

Then I wondered why I cared so much to begin with.

I slammed my locker door, clenching my books tight to my chest, and began to walk down the hall to class. Taylor had walked past me this morning without even saying hello which really annoyed me seeing what we had all gone through.

I didn’t realize he would treat me as invisible after it all ended.

Blake and Chase were away for the week, which just made this Monday even worse than I had expected it to be.

I didn’t have my Falcon boys to keep my mind off the dirty looks I was getting and the snide remarks which seemed to be continually fired at me.

I felt sick and looked like a pale white ghost.

And it was all Zane Harris’s stupid fault. Reject him, Allie, what a great fucking idea. Now I had to deal with this emptiness inside me and a disconnection from my inner beast.

I wandered into class. One glance around the classroom and I instantly knew that my morning was about to get a hell of a lot worse when I noticed Zane’s lips locked with Ebony’s.

When the hell did that happen?

I gripped my books tighter and sunk into the first seat that was empty.

I get this hollow feeling, and he gets a new girlfriend. How the hell is that fair? Did the rejection even affect him at all?

“Morning class.” The teacher walked in, closing the door behind him. “Good to see you all back after the long weekend.” Mr. Sparks turned to the board. “Now, let’s pick up where we left off on Friday. Open chapter eight of your textbooks.”

I felt like I wanted to squeeze the life out of Ebony.

I felt this uncontrollable rage towards her.

“Allie, did you want to start the first reading?”

Mr. Sparks’ voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I looked up at him.

“No, I don’t. I’m not really feeling well. Sorry, Mr. Sparks.” I went for the nice angle, and it seemed to work by his small frown and nod of the head.

“Ok then. Jake, you start us off,” he asked another student.

“I didn’t know embarrassment was an actual sickness now,” someone piped up behind me.

Just don’t bite back, Allie. You are better than them.

“I’m surprised you could even show your face, Allie.”

---