Once Rejected, Now Wanted.

Chapter 2

I heard about it before. The events surrounding finding a mate as a werewolf, but I never experienced it until then. Not even with Josh whom I loved.

I remembered it being one summer when my father visited, and though he always found it difficult talking about love ever since my mother's demise, I could tell he was trying his best to be interested in every aspect of my life.

"Any chance you've found someone?" He had asked, the question itself sounding weird to me. It was the first time he ever went to that aspect. Still, I appreciated his efforts.

"Someone?" I asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. I know I sent you here to school, but that doesn't change the fact that you're a werewolf and will most definitely find a mate at some point."

That was true. It was primary for my kind to find the one they were bonded to and be together forever. Some called the experience electrifying, exhilarating and with little to no control of emotions. A strong pull that was difficult to resist or ignore.

It wasn't exactly what I felt for Josh and though I knew I loved him, I also knew he wasn't the one I was bonded to. Neither did I care too. I was ready to live my life with him and not care about the mate bond. Until, that moment in the bar.

I was feeling a deep pull to a stranger while going through a painful heartbreak. It made me angry.

To be played with by someone you thought loved you and then feeling a pull of attraction to someone you didn't know afterwards, was something I didn't want.

"Ahh. I see your eyes are stuck on him. Quite a beauty to behold, isn't he?" I heard Iris say from beside me and I shifted uncomfortably on the stool I was sitting on. She had caught me staring.

"His name is Ivan Keith." She said again. Keith, He appeared to share the same surname with Theodore Keith.

"Is he.."

"Yes, he's the alpha's son and heir." She cut me off, and proved correct my thoughts.

I was feeling a mate bond for the alpha's son? It just kept getting complicated.

"It appears he's staring at you too." Iris pointed out which turned out to be true. He was still staring at me and somehow, his gaze made me feel nervous.

Well, damn him and damn the mate bond because I didn't ever plan on addressing it. I didn't plan on loving him or anyone else ever again.

I gulped down all the drink in the glass at once and requested for another from the bartender.

Again.

And again.

Till I began to feel lightheaded.

"Take it slowly girl. I'll be in trouble if you return home drunk." Iris cautioned.

"I'm fine. I need it." I told her.

"I haven't seen you around." The bartender, Mario directed at me and sensing that I wasn't in the mood to talk, Iris replied him instead.

"She just returned back. She's Jackson Mendoza's daughter."

"You mean the rogue?" I heard a different person say and when I looked beside me, it was a guy with a smug expression on his face.

Though I was offended by his rude way of addressing my father, I could tell that he did it on purpose to get a reaction from me.

"Why so quiet huh, I am telling the truth, if not for us, your father wouldn't have a safe space to hide." He said again, this time nudging me and I felt myself wanting to explode with anger.

"Leave her alone, Steve. Mind your business." Iris interfered, patting me on the shoulder to calm me down.

She pulled me to another part of the room a bit far from where Steve was. However, she's whisked away by two girls who demanded for her presence and that left me all by myself

I came to a conclusion to leave the place once Iris returned, but I needed to make use of the bathroom first. Dinking was of no help to my situation. it only agitated me further.

"Where's the bathroom, please?" I asked a girl and she points at a direction. My eye's flicker to my supposedly acclaimed mate and he happened to be in a conversation with one of the men beside him.

Perhaps I was the only one having those feelings since I've been so engrossed in his presence.

Even if he did felt something, it didn't seem as though he wanted to address it. Good. That was what I wanted too.

The bathroom was empty when I entered and I took my time with getting myself arranged as much as I could. When I opened the door to step out, Three figures stood in front of me and I could only recognise one. Steve, the one who made rude remarks about my father.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to hide my sudden discomfort.

"Let me through." I said again, but Steve only stepped closer to me, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

"Why in a rush now?" Fear began to creep in at the sound of his voice and I took a step back.

"I'll scream if you try anything stupid." I threatened, but they all laughed.

"Scream all you want. No one will hear you."

He brought his hand to mine and tried to trail his fingers down on my skin, but I slapped them off.

"So much attitude. Exactly the way I like my women." Another laughter erupted, shaking me to my bones.

I knew I couldn't take the three of them in a fight. Hell, I couldn't even take one. They were my superiors in terms of ranking. Three beta's against an omega was sure death.

"What do you want?"

"You. I want to see what's beneath that shirt." He replied, his eyes ogling around my chest area. I wrapped my arms around my chest immediately in a defensive manner.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You decide."

I wasn't going to let them harass me easily, regardless of their strength.

"I'll die before I let any of you touch me. You all should be ashamed of yourselves." I spat back.

"The hard way it is." He concluded, stalking closer to me. There seemed to be no means of escape.

My life had been nothing but upsetting, I thought. First a heartbreak, then a mate bond for a stranger, and to seconds away from being sexually harassed.

"Let her be." A voice broke through from behind, holding so much authority that it made the three of them in front of me halt. I could see disappointment on their faces instantly and it surprised me that they hadn't tried to repel against whoever it was.

"And Leave. Now." The voice spoke again, a threat in the way he stressed the last word if they decided to do otherwise.

The three men turned around, finally giving me a view of the owner of the voice.

I felt a bang in my chest upon realising that it was none other than the alpha's son, Ivan.

"Lucky." Steve whispered to me just before walking away with the other two men and leaving me behind with Ivan.

I felt more nervous than I was before and the way he stared curiously at me did nothing to help with that nervousness.

He must have known about our connection. He must have been feeling it too. It was the only explanation as to why he was there at that moment.

Though I still didn't want to address it, I felt thankful that he saved me from those three rascals.

"Thanks." My voice didn't sound the same and I had to clear my throat after.

I took careful steps forward, hoping to walk out and away from him as fast as possible, but he blocks my path.

We were close, the tip of our shoes touching and I registered my height difference compared to his.

He was tall, that I had to raise my face a little to properly look at his.

"You should be more careful especially in a gathering like this." He told me and all I could do was nod.

I wanted to get out of there and far away from him.

"Are you really just going to ignore it?" He asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm in a rush to leave, so if you'll excuse me." I replied and brushed past him.

I was getting annoyed. I never asked to feel a connection with him, especially not with my circumstances and I didn't want to be put in a position of addressing or yielding to it.

"You know what I'm talking about. Stop denying it." His voice was loud enough for me to hear despite the music and I turned back towards him.

"I do not. Leave me alone." I requested. Still, he followed behind me.

"Can we at least talk? I'm trying to do this the right way." He said, further getting me annoyed. I didn't want to talk with him. I didn't want to have anything to do with him.

"You know what, f**k this stupid bond. I want nothing to do with you." I yelled and grabbed a glass of wine from a table, tossing it at him without a second thought.

There was a loud gasp and silence ensued immediately at my actions. Everyone's attention was on me.

I didn't bother looking for Iris and I took the nearest exit out of the building.