Chapter 2: Rejection

"That's why my mother gave us this gift."

I felt my fur change. When I looked down at my paws, they were completely black.

"This way, no one will suspect the truth."

I walked to the lake and looked at myself. My fur was entirely black now — very similar to Aron's wolf. We were both completely black with golden eyes, like our father's wolf, though my wolf was a little bigger than Aron's.

A howl rose from both of us, thanking the Moon Goddess for blessing us with our wolves. We looked at each other and took off running into the forest — our first race as wolves. We ran and ran, leaving our parents behind. I was in the lead, with Aron falling behind me.

Then, suddenly, that scent hit my nostrils. Pine and gardenias — a scent that consumed me completely. My paws skidded to a halt, and then I heard that damn word.

Mate.

Luz seized control of my body and ran, chasing that intoxicating scent. When we reached Red River — the same river where we always used to go together — there he was. Jace Stronghold. His wolf looked at us, excited, tail wagging.

Mate.

I heard his voice in my head just as Jace pushed his wolf back. He grabbed his clothes and put them on, then looked at me, his face expressionless. I knew what was about to happen.

"He's going to reject us."

The anguish in Luz's voice inside my head hurt me more than knowing my fated mate was about to reject me.

He grabbed his jacket and draped it over my body. "Shift back. Please."

When I shifted and wrapped myself in his jacket, his eyes met mine with surprise and pain.

"Azula." My name fell from his lips in shock.

Neither of us had expected to be mates. The weight of the mate bond settled into me, making me ache for him to hold me, to kiss me, to accept me. But I knew that wasn't going to happen.

"Do it now, Jace. Or do you want me to do it?"

He looked at me with pity. "I'm so sorry, Azula, but I..."

"I know, Jace. It's fine. I understand. Just do it now so I can go. My family is waiting for me."

His eyes dropped to the ground, then came back up to mine. And from his lips came the words that shattered me into a thousand pieces.

"I, Jace Stronghold, future Alpha of the Luna Nueva pack, reject you, Azula Rosseltod, as my mate and future Luna of my pack."

The pain crashed into me like a million knives plunging into my chest. I heard Luz's anguished howls echoing in my head.

I had to end this. Now.

"I, Azula Rosseltod, future Beta of the Luna Nueva pack, accept your rejection."

I saw him clutch his chest and double over. I turned away and was about to shift when I heard him scream after me.

"Azula!"

I just ran. Away from him. Away from my fated mate, from my best friend. Nothing would ever be the same again. Everything was broken.

I heard Aron's voice in my head.

"Azula, where are you? We're waiting for you at the lake."

"I'm on my way. I was just... running around with no direction."

"Okay. We'll wait for you, sister."

That night, I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard his voice rejecting me.

The next morning I woke up late. I went downstairs to eat and everyone was already there. Elaine rushed over to hug me. Her arms wrapped around me and I couldn't help thinking that those arms would hold my mate every night — that she would get to keep what fate had meant for me.

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you, Azula. Aron told us everything went well."

I looked at her smiling face and all I could think was that this was the smile my mate loved, the lips he would kiss every day — not mine, but hers.

I forced myself to smile back. Elaine wasn't to blame. She didn't know anything, and she never would. Nobody needed to know.

"Thanks, Elaine."

"Come hang out with us."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the others. Elliot caught me in his arms.

"Congratulations, little one. Not so little anymore."

"I've always been the same size as you, idiot."

"Sure. Whatever you say."

I freed myself from his hug and he stepped aside. There was Jace, arms wide open, waiting for me to hug him. I definitely did not want that.

"Congratulations, Azula."

"Thanks."

When he came toward me, I froze. I didn't want him to hug me. I didn't even want to see him. I still wasn't ready to pretend he hadn't rejected me as his mate.

I felt Aron pull me toward him and sit me down at his side.

"Alright, enough hugging. Leave my little sister alone."

Saved by the bell.

Jace forced a smile and sat back down. Elaine settled into his lap and he looked at her with love — a look he would never give me, his fated mate.

Everyone talked while I sat in silence. I felt like a stranger in my own body. What used to feel so good now felt like hell. Everything that had been fine before now felt so wrong. I didn't want to be here.

"I don't want to be here either, Azula. Let's go. I can't take it."

I was about to make up some excuse to leave when I heard them talking about going to Red River. Everyone was set on going and I was absolutely never going back to that river — not unless it was strictly necessary.

"I'm not going, guys. I have some things to take care of."

"What's more important than hanging out with your best friends? Come on, Azula. I want to see what your wolf looks like!"

"I'm sorry, Elaine. Another day, okay?"

That other day never came. Every time they invited me, I refused. Every time I knew they were coming over, I escaped into the forest and practiced my new powers. When they called, I never answered. A year flew by, and they got tired of looking for me. We stopped being friends. Everyone went their separate ways.

I became a lone wolf. My parents wondered what had happened to me, and I always told them I just wanted to focus on being the best Beta I could be. They believed it and nobody said anything more. My brother always seemed worried, but I convinced him I was fine. Everything was fine.

It had to be.

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