Stuck With The Alpha

[Flashback - 3 years ago**] "You've got to be kidding me!" Justin exclaimed, looking at Natalie in shock and clear dissapproval. He clearly wasn't expecting the sudden pull he was feeling towards her. Natalie, fearing that she might have done something wrong to earn such reaction from him, looked down at her red, flowery dress in confusion. "Run to mate!" Her wolf purred in her head, clawing at her inside in excitement, not even caring about the little scene Justin was causing. She couldn't imagine her luck when she found out that she'd just been mated to none other than Justin Sanders, heir to the Alpha of the Blood Lake pack. She had prayed day and night for the time to come when she could finally find her mate. She'd been dating Justin for a couple months now and she's finally clocked 20. Justin had clocked 20, two years ago so he was 22 and still in search of his mate. Within Natalie, she knew she was going to be mated to him. She loved him and he loved her too... right? Of course he asked her not to tell anyone of their relationship until it was certain that they are indeed soulmates, and she agreed. Finally, her wish came true. "Is anything the matter, Justin?" Natalie said, going towards him to cup his cheeks. He looked troubled, but closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. Her touch sent thousands of sparks down his body, it made his wolf come alive in ways he didn't think possible. Natalie could see the effect of her touch on him and that gave her some form of comfort. Natalie looked up at him, worry still etched onto her face. She was now cupping him with both her hands, leaning closer to him. She liked how he eased into her touch, and she was ready to kiss his troubles away. "You don't like the dress I'm putting on?" She asked, making him open his eyes finally. They were surrounded by a group of young werewolves too, who were out in open field, looking for their mates. The full moon shone down on them brightly. Natalie pressed her forehead up against his in a gentle display of affection, careful not to make him more upset than he already seemed to be. Her wolf was going crazy inside of her. "I can go get changed into something more likeable." She said in a soothing voice, while Justin just stared at her coldly. "Your favorite color is red, so I thought you'd love to see me in it." She smiled, still holding onto a very stiff Justin. "Finally, we're officially mates. Can't wait for you to tell your parents about us and..." She was saying, before he suddenly pushed her off him, making her land roughly with her butt on the ground. "Not f*****g happening!!!" He snarled down at Natalie, making her eyes widen in shock. She was too shocked to even be hurt in that moment. Natalie looked around to see that more werewolves had gathered around them. Some of them were embracing their mates, some were not. But they all had the same condescending glare on their faces. "You didn't actually think I'd be mated to you, right?" Justin let out a dry, humorless laughter. "But we.." Natalie tried to say. "We were nothing, Natalie. Nothing!" Justin interrupted, making Natalie's face go red. She felt sharp, stabbing pains in her chest with every word he uttered. "But... I love you." Natalie whispered amidst teary eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening before her. "Your love doesn't mean s**t. My father would never approve of someone like you as my mate." Justin barked. Natalie felt the first drop of tears fall from her eyes. She stood up from her position on the ground, walking up him and looking him dead in the eyes. "S.. someone l..like me?" She stuttered. "You're cursed by the moon goddess herself, Natalie. You know that. You're a f*****g Darkhound. A black wolf." "Your kind are terrors, nightmares, unpredictable. It's a wonder my father even let you stay here for this long." Justin shouted at her, making more tears run freely down her cheeks. She thought he would actually accept her for who she is. She was so wrong. Nobody wants a cursed creature like her, a Darkhound. No matter how hard she tried to be on their good side, they would always see her as a monster. " I, Justin Sanders of the Blood Lake pack, reject you Natalie Grayson as my mate. I severe all ties with you, here and now!" Justin said, staring coldly into my eyes. Natalie froze. She couldn't even recognize the man standing in front of her anymore. He promised she'd be his Luna. He said he loved her. She gave herself to him... totally. And now she was being rejected in the most humiliating way possible. Her hands instinctively reached to clutch her stomach. For all she knew, she might as well be carrying his child. "You should know better than to hope for something like love." Justin spat, delivering the final blow to her already shattering heart. They say when one is being rejected by their mate, their body is forced into a state of shock, as a hot, searing pain travels through their body. The only way to escape such pain would be to accept the rejection. Natalie felt pain, but she also felt something more. Something darker. She felt a surge of unholy, murderous fury inside her and the pain only acted as a fuel for it. "Just accept the rejection already." Justin scoffed at her angry, teary face. "Kill him. Tear him apart." Her wolf snarled viciously within her and that was all it took for her to lunge at him. She was never going to accept the rejection...ever. Her body collided with his, sending both of them right to the ground with her straddling him. "You can't do this to me, you're mine!!!" She screamed, making Justin's eyes widen in fear. If he thought she was a monster, now he was seeing a monster for real. "You are mine, Justin!" She screamed, frantically rushing him with blows and scratches from her claws. Justin tried to evade as many hits as he could, before she was suddenly yanked off him. Two burly males held onto her on both arms, as she thrashed violently in their hold, cursing and yelling out profanities. Justin slowly got up to his feet, wincing in pain. That made Natalie calm down instantly, her eyes flashing in regret. She felt bad for attacking him and causing him pain... even though all she managed to do was scratch him. "Justin....I didn't mean to hurt you." She whispered, her breath shaky as she looked at him with a bit of hope in her eyes. The men were still holding her firmly. If not, she would have rushed to embrace him. "Please... I love.." Natalie was about to say, before a hard slap was landed on her face, turning her head to the side. "Bloody psychopath!" Justin sneered. "I should totally have your head for laying your cursed hands on me." He suddenly grabbed a handful of her hair, forcing her face up to look at him. Natalie just sobbed quietly. "But you don't even deserve death by my hands either." He said to her, making her whimper. Justin let go of her hair, letting her head hang low in defeat. "Throw her out of the pack. If the pain doesn't kill her, the rogues will." He ordered the male werewolves who had been holding her in position. They immediately started dragging her out of the pack, while she just lay limp in their hold, not even bothering to protest anymore. This was her fate now. A fate fit for a monster. ************************************ [Present day] Natalie's POV* I dashed through the densely grown forest, panting and looking around warily to see if anyone was following me close enough. No one. It looked like they've all just f*****g retreated... just like that? Not what I had expected from such a pack, but eh! Makes my work easier. I looked down at my hand to see the object I was sent to this pack to steal. It was in form of a kind of map or structural plan of the Iron Fang pack. It showed all their defense techniques and weak spots, in case an enemy tries to attack the pack. This wouldn't be my first time stealing such sensitive piece of information, but this was the Iron Fang pack. These werewolves happen to be one of the strongest among the others here in the south. Nobody messes with the Iron Fangs! I finally approached the point where Boss Winston asked me to wait for him and the others. We couldn't all go into the pack at once, so it was decided that I go in and get the stuff, while they waited for me here, just a little far away from Iron Fang's border. However, I was already approaching and I still saw no sign of them. I slowly started to panic. I heard loud, aggressive howls in the distance, making me pause to gague the direction they were coming from. Werewolves would usually howl out like that whenever they were trying to locate one of their own, or even an intruder like me. My natural instincts would have been to howl back, and that would have happened if I didn't drug myself with enough wolfsbane to knock my wolf out. I decided to keep running. The large, full moon in the sky and the chirping of nocturnal insects were the only things keeping me company as I jogged past trees. Where the hell could Boss Winston be? We agreed to all meet up here. Or did the Iron Fang wolves get to them first? My feet suddenly brought me to a halt as I came face to face with a large, masculine silhouette. He just stood with his hands folded behind him, eyeing me curiously. From where he stood, I couldn't see his face quite well. Only a pair of blazing, red eyes stared deep into my soul. I was masked but for some reason, I felt he could still see my face. My breath got caught in my throat and I instinctively backed away. It was him. The infamous hybrid Alpha, Laird Reyes. The rumors about his fearsome appearance are indeed true. I tried to run, but my legs felt like jelly in that moment. He suddenly closed his eyes, lifting his nose up into the air to inhale deeply. He sighed contentedly and I frowned, struggling to understand what was going on here. Why was he sniffing the air? Pretty sure my rogue scent is obvious enough. I wasn't prepared for the word that came out of his mouth next. "Mate!" He growled gutturally.