"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."

I had no idea how long I sat crying in that dark janitor's closet, the cramped space smelled like a laundry room. Antiseptic and detergents.

My heart was broken. Too broken to even realize I was not supposed to be inhaling such air for a long time. I had no idea where I had been going, I just wanted to flee from there.

All of them looked so neat and rich while I stood there in my cheap thrift store-bought clothes and old sandals with an Omega wolf sticking out like a sore thumb. My pump was in the back of my jean pocket, ready to use if the occasion called for it. I just hoped I never have to use it in public. It was embarrassing.

I heard footsteps but then it stopped.

"I know you're in there. My wolf sniffed you out. Come out let's talk."

I jolted a bit in fear and shame. I couldn't face him, not after what I'd just done.

Only Omega wolves received rejection. Never an Alpha wolf. It was unheard of.

"Go away please. D-don't make this harder than it should be." I sniffled.

"I'm not going anywhere until you come out."

I kept mute, knowing it was impossible. There was no way an Alpha royalty line himself would lose sleep over me.

He could always get girls born with stronger wolves from prestigious families like Betas, Deltas, Gammas, even Alphas like himself.

A sob escaped me. The very thought of him with another girl hurt me more than I could think of and I barely knew him. Hell, I didn't even know his name.

Mate bonds were crazy.

I had always anticipated finding my mate and I was glad I did but I could not accept it, not when there was an important life at stake here.

I couldn't be that selfish.

I listened for any evidence of him being there but nothing. I peeped from the small space between the doors but saw no one. He was gone. I knew there was no way he would wait for me.

I stood and opened the closet, ready to leave for home. I could just lie to my stepdad that I had a bad episode today and was told to go home and rest.

I stepped out and breathed my relief when I saw the hallway was clear.

"Now that you're finally out, can we talk?"

I jolted in shock as my heart pounded furiously within my chest. I whirled to see him resting against the wall, he was unsmiling and his eyes were focused on me.

"You scared me." I said, not wanting to believe he actually waited.

"We should talk. Hell, I don't even know your name." He changed his pose, putting his hands in the pockets of his trousers.

I tried not to notice how handsome and tall he was. He seemed like the bad boy, mischief maker type and it was only more alluring.

"Maybe it's better you don't know my name, as I don't know yours." I replied, not looking at his face.

"Maybe it's better if you can look me directly in the eye and tell me what you want." He said, his tone thoroughly displeased and held a suppressed anger.

"I don't have to do that. I rejected the mate bond and that's it." I was still looking at the floor like I was searching for something.

"Yes, you have to. The mate bond deserves that respect in the least. If you want to reject me, do it looking me in my eyes." I had no idea how he moved so fast - probably courtesy of his Alpha abilities - but he stood before me. His fingers lifted my chin so my eyes could meet his gaze.

"Reject me by looking me in the eye." His eyes searched my face. There was this tenderness and affection that could only had been evoked by the mate bond dancing brightly in his eyes, making his grey orbs more appealing.

He was really a beautiful specimen and his stare right now was making me hot and flushed.

"You want this bond. You want it as much as I do. So why?" His tone had gone soft and sounded like lullaby to my ears. It had my skin prickling with heat that had nothing to do with the sun or atmosphere. The hallway was well ventilated.

This was that spark I was talking about. The one I'd felt yesterday.

I gulped. "Just let me go, please."

"No, I won't." He stepped closer, releasing my chin to wrap his arms round my waist, bringing me closer to him. "Don't deny us the joy of being together. The Moon Goddess has willed it to happen, you can't fight it."

I shook my head as I struggled to hold back tears.

"Please, don't fight it." His voice was pleading and desperate.

Our eyes locked together, a tear escaped. I wanted him so bad but my stepdad would kill me. He would do many bad things to me.

Not just to me but to my mate as well.

I didn't want that so I said the only thing that would make him go away. "I'm a weak, defenseless Omega."

"I know you're an Omega but I don't care." One of his arms left my waist to caress my face.

Aliya, my wolf, purred in my head. I wanted more of his touch too but I couldn't.

"W-what?" That was not the response I'd been expecting. "No, you can't cope with a weak Omega."

"You're an Omega but I can tell there's nothing weak or defenseless about you."

"How did you know what wolf I possess?" I had to ask.

"Because Alpha wolves always know. My wolf sniffed out your wolf the moment you stepped into my home." He told murmured.

"Oh... o-okay." I was enjoying his touch too much.

"Can I know your name now?" His voice had gone softer, his lips was in my hair.

"I...I..." Knowing my name might lead to something that has been forbidden from happening.

I moved away, missing his touch as soon as I did. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

I made to run away again but he pulled me back roughly, my back hit the wall.

He pinned me on both sides, my eyes widened in slight fear when I saw the frustration and anger.

"Reject this!" He growled before slamming his lips into mine.