Love After Rejection

Zoe

Like most of our kind, I was ecstatic about my 17th birthday tomorrow. There are few things we as a pack look forward to. Our first shift, our fist hunt, and finding our mate. A mate was what we believed to be our other half because we also believed that we were born with only half of our soul. When a werewolf finds its mate, a bond is formed and once the two mark each other, their souls are intertwined into one soul letting us feel whole and complete. Tomorrow would be the day I just might find my mate.

“It doesn’t really happen that easily.” Carter, one of my best friends, told me. He had been 17 for five months and still hadn’t found his mate. “He might not be in this pack.”

“Just because your mate isn’t in this pack, doesn’t mean mine won’t be.” I told him sticking my tongue out at him. It wasn’t easy finding your mate. Most of my kind lived in secluded packs around the world. Humans knew about us but didn’t mingle with us for the most part. Some humans could be our mates, but it was pretty rare.

Carter laughed as he pushed my tongue back into my mouth with his hand. “Ewww!” I spat. “Your hand’s taste like…like—”

“Probably like his junk.” Wyatt, my other best friend, said laughing. “He has his and down his pants more than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh gross!” I yelled spitting out even more.

“Dude!” Carter yelled in mock shock. “Not true!”

“That is so true!” I shouted, agreeing with Wyatt and now licking Wyatt’s shirt trying to get the taste of Carter off my tongue. “Now I need to boil my tongue.”

“Har, har.” Carter said pushing me lightly with his arm. I exaggeratedly threw myself into Wyatt.

“You are so violent.” I gasped. “I am a frail waif.”

Wyatt laughed, pushing me back upright. “Well, pray your mate isn’t like mine who rejected me because she’s dating the Alpha’s son.” He said and there was a tinge of anger in his words. I gave him a sad smile. I never understood why Wyatt’s mate, Amanda, rejected him. Wyatt was…beautiful. His bright blue eyes were like the ocean and looking into them made you feel like you were your own island and he surrounded you. His strong jaw and flawless face made the word “perfect” come true only to be topped with the softest tawny blond hair you could ever touch.

I hated Amanda for doing that to him. It was a year ago and I could still see the pain in Wyatt’s eyes whenever he saw her. I also hated Tai, the Alpha’s son, who was dating her. I don’t know what I would do if my mate rejected me. Hopefully, that wouldn’t happen.

“What do you want to do tomorrow?” Carter said after the moment had been filled with too much sad silence. Carter was the total opposite of Wyatt. He was handsome, don’t get me wrong, but Carter was handsome in a roguish kind of way. He would throw his brown hair out his face and give you a devilish wink with his striking gray eyes. So gray that when the moon shone on them, they could be classified as silver. It didn’t help matters that he had dimples to die for.

“Honestly, I just want to spend it with you two and a few hours with Kyle. I did promise him.” I told them looking up at the night sky. Kyle was my little brother. Well, he was actually my cousin, but he might as well be my brother. My Uncle Scott and his mate, Aunt Lane, took me in when my parents died. My dad was the Alpha of my old pack and I was too young to be considered an Alpha for the pack, so they sent me to live with my uncle. Well more like my uncle came and got me. He and his mate unquestioningly took me in when I was three. They raised me as their own and loved me just as much. Even when they had Kyle, when I was nine, they still showed me the same loved they showed him. Not to mention that I love Kyle more than anything.

“How about, since it’s Friday tomorrow, we come home right after school, spend some time with your family then head out around eight for the strip?” Wyatt asked. The strip was a set of streets with different clubs by the beach. I had been a few times with them and loved it. We could jump from club to club eating and dancing and just having a grand old time.” As werewolves we couldn’t get drunk by human alcohol unless we drank our weight in it, so our parents would let us go without worry. Not that I liked the taste of it anyway.

“Sounds like heaven.” I said.

***

I woke up when a body jumped on top of mine. My eyes shot open and I let out an “omph!”

“Zo-e! Zo-e! Zo-e!” Kyle chanted as he bounced up and down on my stomach. “Happy birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!” he shouted. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ok, ok. I’m up, I’m up. Halt the assault.” I told him. He did only to throw his arms around my neck as I sat up in bed. My arm went around his back and I held him too me. “Thanks Kyle.” I told him kissing his cheek. He smiled and pulled away.

“Mommy said today you might find your mate!” Kyle shouted jumping off the bed and running to my closet. “I think you should wear the blue shirt I got you. Blue makes your amber eyes look really pretty and I bet your mate would LOVE that.” I laughed again and slid out of bed.

“Fine but only because it’s such a pretty shirt.” I told him. He grabbed said shirt and placed it on my bed.

“Yup! It sure is. Now, brush your stinky teeth and come downstairs for your breakfast! Mommy said you can drop me off at school.” I swatted at him as he ran past me.

“Fine! But only because I love you!” I shouted after him. I heard laughing and stomping down stairs.

I shook my head and walked into my bathroom which was attached to my room. I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth and hair putting it into a high ponytail. Then I applied some light makeup and some soft pink lip gloss. I wasn’t much for make up anyway. Then I got dressed in a short skirt that matched the shirt Kyle got me. I looked myself over in the full-length mirror as I grabbed my book bag. I gave myself a wink and went downstairs. I looked good.

“Happy birthday Zoe Macaroni.” Said Uncle Scott. I sent him a mock glare.

“You know, as an adult, I don’t approve of you calling me that name.”

“You are not an adult until next year.” He scoffed.

“And you’ll always be our baby girl.” added Aunt Lane. I smiled at her. “Dear, don’t call her that. She’s too old.” I smiled at my aunt again and took the plate of eggs and bacon she had waiting for me. I kissed her cheek and went to sit down next to Kyle.

“Thanks Aunty Lane. You always were my favorite parent.” I told her and started eating.

“Mine too!” Kyle shouted, bouncing in his seat which made his blond curls bounce around every which way.

“Hey!” Uncle Scott shouted offended. Kyle and I both just laughed as he came and sat down with us.

Later there was a knock at the door only to be opened right after by Carter and Wyatt.

“Good morning Grayson family!” Carter shouted. “We are here to escort our best friend off to school where she might just find the love of her life.”

“Yaaay!” Kyle and I both shouted throwing our hands in the air.

“Grab your bag.” I told Kyle. “Bye you two, see you after school.” I said to my parents. They told me to have a nice day and then we walked to Wyatt’s car and got in.

We dropped Kyle off at his school first then drove to our school. Wyatt parked in his normal parking space and the three of us got out of the car. I grabbed both of their arms and walked between them into the school. We got a few glares, no news there. Because Wyatt hated the Alpha’s son, Tai over the Amanda ordeal, we all hated him by default so pretty much everyone in the school that was a werewolf hated us just to be on his good side. We didn’t much care, we had each other, and I just hopped that my mate, if he was here today, wouldn’t stoop so low as to wag his tail for Tai over me.

That thought stopped me in my tracks halting Wyatt and Carter with me. I sniffed the air and smelled the most wonderful scent. It was rowan and something sweet, maybe honey.

“He’s here.” I whispered to them. Wyatt smiled first.

“Where?” he asked looking around. I pulled them along and made my way deeper into the school. I turned down a hallway where the smell became stronger and stopped. My eyes shifted towards my mate and our eyes locked.

Mate! My wolf said.

My jaw hit the floor. My mate had his arms around another girl’s waist and when our eyes met he looked shocked. Then he looked at the girl his arm was around then back at me and glared. His relaxed eyes took on a determined look. The hallway got quiet as he let go of the girl’s waist and walked towards me. When he reached me, I balled my hands into fist. I knew what might happened but maybe…maybe this would be good. He would accept me and then—

“I, reject the bond that pulls us, the bond that will bind us and the bond that will mate us.” My mate said softly even though most of the ones around us were wolves so they could hear it.

My wolf howled inside me and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I expected pain but not this much. Was he feeling the same thing? But the looks of it, he wasn’t. Tai gave me a once over before walking away back to Amanda. She sent me a smirk, but I didn’t miss the fear she hid behind her eyes. She thought for a second Tai would accept me. So, did I, boy was I a fool. I opened my mouth to say something insulting and my jaw shook with pain. Wyatt quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the crowd of people.

“Don’t cry, just yet Zoe. Just wait.” Wyatt whispered. I felt Carter’s hand on my shoulder as he walked quickly next to us. We rounded another corner and walked into a janitor’s closet. “Ok Zoe no one—” I cut him off as I threw my arms around him and cried into his chest. I felt both of Carter’s hand on my back as he also comforted me.

“It hurts.” I cried clutching on to Wyatt. He clutched me back just as hard. “It hurts so much!”

“I know…” he whispered. “I know exactly how you feel. I really hate Tai.”

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