SCARLETT

For the past twenty one years of my life, I'd always wanted a mate and now that I've found him, I couldn't be happier.

"What's that stupid smile doing on your face?" My stepdad came out from the kitchen, holding an ice pack to his nose. That guy had really done a good one on his nose. It was bleeding when we left but stopped shortly after and now was swollen, the bridge of the nose was red and bruised.

I quickly pokered my face and straightened up. "How's your nose?"

"That stupid boy! I'll deal with him but that will be later. I'm not here for him anyways." He paced the small space of the living room he'd brought me to stay with him.

I know I'm old enough to get my own place but there were things in life that was bigger than me. A lot of reasons and secrets that had me tied to him. Also, he provided well enough for us both especially after the disappearance of my mother ten years ago.

I kept mute and watched him pace angrily still.

"They all look like one big happy family." He vented. "How could she forget me so fast?! Just because he's an Alpha and has the fucking money!" He swore.

"All those boys. Elizabeth thinks they will protect her from me." He scoffed.

I didn't say anything, just kept observing him as he went on and about, wearing the carpet out with his hard pacing. Suddenly he stopped and turned to me, my heart skipped a beat. "And you, do not get any ideas."

"On what?" I asked, wondering how and what I had done wrong to be strung along with that family he was obviously angry at.

"On that mate bond you have with that boy." He warned.

"But he's my mate. I'm going to have to find him someday." Why was he about to do this to me?

He ate the carpet in long strides, reaching where I was sitting and lowered his head to be on level with mine.

He gaze into my eyes, making my chest pounding within and nerves knotted. "You will not see that boy anymore, you hear me?!"

"He's my mate." I argued, trying to make my voice came out strong and not as weak as it was sounding.

"I don't care. If I see you with him, I'll deal with you." His wicked green eyes pierced into my own hazel-colored orbs.

I gulped. "This is unfair. Please, I beg you. Don't do this to me. I can't afford to miss my mate."

"Why? Because he's an Alpha prince with daddy's big, fat checkbook?"

"N-no." He was scaring me but if I couldn't talk now, I would miss my mate. "I don't care about his wealth. The bond is really important to me."

The words were barely out of my mouth when his hand swiped hard across my face.

He raised himself and began to unbuckle his belt. "What did you say?"

I held my stinging cheek, tears already filled my eyes and running down my face. "No, please. I beg you."

"Will you reject him?" He slid the belt off his pants, his eyes red and mean.

I scrambled away from the small sofa and made to escape from his presence but he easily caught and pushed me back to the sofa.

The sound of the belt hitting my skin had me screaming my lungs out. "No, please!"

"Will you reject him?!" He hit me again.

I didn't want to reply him. I knew it would break me to reject the mate bond I had with that guy. I didn't even know his name.

"Answer me!" He hit me again.

I curled up on the floor, bawling my eyes out. As an Omega wolf, I had no strength and no power. Omegas were usually the last in the werewolf community. We were usually overlooked, disrespected, bullied and insulted by many. Mine was the worst because of my history.

I never thought I would be blessed by the Moon Goddess with a mate and now that I was, he wanted me to reject the bond. "No, please, I can't. Please don't make me." I pleaded amidst the belt slapping viciously against my flesh.

I coughed and my chest heaved. I couldn't breathe due to the much cry. "I..." I was wheezing. "I..."

I held my chest, trying to talk but could only make gestures.

He got the sign immediately. "Fuck!" He stopped hitting me and ran into my room to get me my inhaler. He joined me on the floor and cradled me in his arms. "Here, take. So sorry baby. Here, suck it in."

He pressed the pump into my mouth twice. I felt relieved but extremely weak. I lay in his laps, hiccuping and shuddering.

"Stop making me hit you." His tone had gone gentle. "You know your health condition." He tucked strands of hair that had strayed to my face behind my ear.

"P-please, d-don't m-make m-me." I hiccuped, more tears falling.

"No, I don't want you mingling with them. Hm. Am I not enough for you?" He turned my tear-streaked face so I was looking into his eyes.

"B-but..."

He placed an index over my mouth. "Shh. Don't stress yourself. Be calm and relax." His hand travelled over to my butt and squeezed, I said nothing, turning my face away from his.

"Does your chest still hurt?" He inquired.

I shook my head. "No."

"Good girl, come on up. Raise yourself to a sitting position." He helped me sit up.

Then he caressed my cheek. "You do know you're beautiful, right?"

I nodded because I was expected to agree. "Yes." But my lashes were lowered.

He propped my chin with two of his fingers so I could look into his eyes. "I like to admire you, is that so wrong?"

"No." I shook my head, agreeing because I was expected to.

"Look at me." He urged gently.

Fearfully, I met his gaze. He smiled. "I want you to reject that mate bond and I promise to get you anything you want."

So saying, he lowered his face and kissed me on the mouth.

"See you at home, baby." He pecked my cheek and left me standing in the hallway of the college he'd just registered me.

I watched him leave and I began to feel alone. It was still early and classes were yet to start.

He said we would be in Stone Shadow pack for a long while and I suspected it had something to do with that woman and girl we had gone to see.

She looked like we would be age mates. I wasn't sure.

Lost and confused on where to start my journey in this gigantic building that radiated wealth and all who went here, I walked slowly, trying to find someone who looked nice enough to talk to.

"Hi." Someone approached me.

It was a very pretty girl who looked confident and sure of herself.

"Hi." I greeted back, quietly envying her classy mini dress and boot heels.

Those pair looked expensive.

"You're new." It didn't come out as a question but an observation. She eyed me from the crown of my head of long auburn hair to my sandaled feet. It made me aware of myself and what I was wearing.

I looked like a plain Jane compared to her.

"Yes, I am." I replied.

"And not rich." She continued her observation.

I swatted embarrassment and decided to use this opportunity to ask her for directions. "Please where's the lecture class for second year students?"

"Were you not given a guide by the school management? Mrs. Ficklehorn provides that for new or transferred students. And if you're in year two then you're both new and transferred."

Well, at least she was smart.

"I wasn't given any guide and I wasn't attended to by a woman. It was a young guy."

"Oh, that doofus. Hm, such a shame." She made to walk away.

"Directions, please." I reminded her.

"You..."

"Enisa."

Another student just walked in through the entrance, waving at her. She grinned then waved back. She turned to me. "Sorry, I've got to go."

I watched helplessly as she abandoned me there to go meet her friend.

I heaved a sigh. "I'd better go find my way."

I started to walk the opposite direction of this Enisa girl. Then I heard the shouts and screams as soon as I turned a corner.

Startled and curious, I ran back to know what the commotion was all about.

It was them.

I was almost pushed out of the way by the unbelievable crowd of student that rushed past me. It was like I was watching some cheesy high school movie where the bad boys of the school were admired and revered like some divine beings.

The empty hallway now had many college 'immature' students crowding them.

"Hey Trenton." A girl with the hair the color of Raven waved, all big smiles.

She dressed like a goth.

But the Trenton guy didn't even acknowledge her.

"Lucas." A girl with blond curls was grinning from ear to ear.

Lucas, the one who had thrown that punch, winked. The girl giggled, some other girls let out a wistful sigh.

I noticed girls touch the sleeve of one of them and someone said. "Black looks good on you, Zach."

"Anything looks good on me, sweet pea." His response was cocky and confident.

"Hi, Aaron." Another girl on a white crop top and high waist denim waved.

"Hi." He merely replied, not giving the girl a second look. That was when I saw her. The way he held her, there was something possessive yet protective about it.

He looked so much like him but I knew it wasn't him because my wolf - Aliya - was quiet and calm.

Without meaning to, my eyes searched the crowd for him but he was not with them.

I kept my gaze steady on the girl. Ben's daughter. My supposed step-sister.

She looked very beautiful and was expensively dressed, as were the boys.

She raised her eyes and caught me looking at her. Feeling uncomfortable, I averted my gaze but it unconsciously roamed back to her face.

I studied her. She was tall, though not as tall as the guy who I needed no one to tell me was a twin to my mate.

My mate.

All four pairs of eyes rounded on me as well. But that was not what made my heart race.

It was the person who was now standing beside my supposed stepsister.

Aliya growled in my head. "Mate! Scarlett, mate!" She was doing a happy, prancing in my head.

"No, Aliya." I communicated right back through the telepathic connection every werewolf was born with.

Aliya whimpered when I turned on my heels and continued on my lone journey.

"Wait." He called.

I heard him walk faster, trying to reach me. He caught up with me.

I made the mistake of looking into his sterling grey eyes. God! They were so beautiful.

I averted my gaze, nervously toying with the bracelet that was no longer adorning my wrist.

Even after so many years, I still missed my bracelet.

"What is your name?" He asked.

I didn't respond, only kept staring at the polished floor of the hallway as though it was some beautiful work of art.

He lifted my chin to meet his eyes, that casual touch sparked something within. Scared and uncertain, I moved away.

"Stay away from me." I couldn't even bring my tone to be firm and serious.

"Why?" Perplexity expressed itself on his very attractive face. "You felt the bond. You even came close to me."

"I felt n-nothing." Damn my stepfather and his manipulations.

I heard footsteps.

The rest of his siblings and the girl were watching, even the crowd had followed us here.

"You can't say that. You definitely felt something." He was getting more confused.

It only hurt me more. "Just let me be, please."

I made to leave but he held my wrist. "Can I know your name at least?"

"Why do you want to know the name of someone so... insignificant?" That voice belonged to Enisa, the richly dressed girl who had brutally observed me this morning.

"Shut up and mind your own business!" One of boys shunned her. It was the one called Zach.

She didn't look happy but she went silent.

"Your name, please?" He asked again.

I searched his face and only found sincerity and openness that made a significant dent within my chest.

But a certain threat sounded in my head.

Frustrated and angry, I wrenched my hand from his. "I reject you as my mate!"

BARON

A heavy pang was heavily felt within my chest as she uttered those words and fled. I watched her running away from me. My mate. Gasps of shock and surprise filled the air as college students who had witnessed the rejection watched on in disbelief, surprise and some even envy.

I wasn't a student, I left a long time ago, dropping out of school. I wasn't back at Stone Shadow academy to continue my education. I had come because Lucas had texted me of her presence in the school.

I had to drive like a maniac down here, hoping for a wonderful time with my mate and what I got was a rejection.

A rejection! Anger and pain mixed to cause a whirlpool around my chest.

My wolf was angry and pranced around my head in rage. She was an Omega, I knew that the moment my wolf sniffed her and tagged her our mate.

A weak one.

But I didn't care about her wolf's status or her status, I just wanted her.

I could not stop staring in the direction she had run off to, controlling the urge to pursue her and make her accept me. The school bell rang signalling the beginning of the day's lectures. I didn't move.

"Go to class, everyone. We need privacy." Aaron ordered.

No one dared defy the words of the next in line Alpha. I only heard the scrambling of feet, I didn't look.

"Come, Baron, let's go to the cafeteria." Katherina's soft, sympathetic voice had me turning to meet her gaze. She took one look at me, her eyes watered. "Oh Baron, I'm so sorry." She enveloped me in a warm, comforting hug.

"She rejected me." I was yet to wrap my head around it.

"I'm so sorry. Let's go to the cafeteria. We'll talk better there." She pulled back from the hug, stood on tiptoe to give me a kiss on my cheek and held my wrist, pulling me along.

I went with her, so did my brothers. We all went in the direction of the private, luxurious cafeteria meant strictly for the Salvatores with private chefs and menus.

Girls were dying to be in here. Boys wanted to be friends to hang out with us but we all had one thing in common - we didn't like outsiders much.

Katherina was a step sibling who turned out to be my twin brother's mate. I liked her a lot but I couldn't fight against the will of the Moon Goddess and had just surrendered and hoped for my own.

Actually, she was my second chance mate. I had thought I might never find anyone to be mated with especially after Katelyn, Aaron's long time friend, killed my first mate just to cause a rift between Aaron and me.

Her plan had worked actually and for a long time, Aaron and me were enemies until the truth was exposed. Katelyn had been banished from the pack after severe punishment and humiliation.

She would not be returning to Stone Shadow pack in forever.

"Sit." Katherina had me occupying a space on one of the long sofas.

"But why would she reject the mate bond? Only yesterday, there was this acceptance and excitement on her face as soon as she figured out you are mates." Zach wondered aloud.

One of the waitress saw us and made her way towards us.

It was only in this cafeteria that alcoholic drinks were allowed. The other four general cafeterias for every level had just soft drinks and yoghurts.

"Good day, Royal Highnesses." She bowed, greeting us all. "What would you like?"

"A bottle of coffee-flavored rum." Trenton ordered, he knew my favorite alcoholic drink.

Trenton wasn't much of a talker and was a wall when it came to knowing him but we as family knew he was not a bad person.

He was adopted but very few knew. Many didn't. To us, there was no difference. He was family.

Complicated, yes. Bad, absolutely not.

He was an immediate younger to me and Aaron.

"Get her fruity wine." Aaron ordered for his pregnant mate, Katherina.

He was the serious one. He and I were the oldest of the Salvatore boys - though I was the oldest twin. I was considered the troublemaker and black sheep.

"I need food, give us the special for today." Lucas, who was the foodie and jocular one amongst us put in. He was also the last child.

"Yes and make sure it's delicious." His second-in-command for food matters and the wild, crazy one, Zach, added.

Zach was an immediate older to Lucas.

The waitress nodded and left as quietly as she had come.

"Why do you think she had a change of mind?" Zach wanted to know.

"What if it had to do with that man she had come with yesterday?" Aaron opined.

We all looked at him. "Are you certain?" I was the one asking.

"I'm not certain of anything, Baron. I'm just guessing. I don't know. He acted really crazy yesterday." Aaron continued.

I noticed Katherina had gone quiet. Despite my own troubles, I nudged Aaron under the table. He met my gaze, I gestured for him to look at Katherina.

The boys understood and no one talked about the man anymore. Silence ensued.

"You guys didn't have to stop the conversation simply because one mad man barged into our home, claiming to be my father." She scoffed and eye rolled. "I don't care who he is. The only father I have is David Salvatore, the Alpha of Stone Shadow pack." Katherina spoke up.

She didn't appear bothered by the mention of the man. Maybe she was good at hiding it because no one would hear such news and not think about it.

"But what if her decision was not influenced by this Ben guy?" Katherina contributed. "What if she has her own reasons for rejecting the bond?"

"What reasons?" I wanted to know.

She shrugged. "I don't know. She was happy at first but today, it's a different story. And the way she ran after declaring the rejection doesn't even make me believe she wants to let you go." Katherina wisely opined.

"So what are you saying?" I leaned forward to hear more. Both my interest and curiosity were piqued.

"Try again. Find her and talk to her."