Will Their Bond Hold

Chapter 2 - A Surprise at School

Emily eased into her spot at school and her brothers jumped out almost before she put it in park.

"See ya!" they called as they joined a group of freshman boys hovering around the corner of the school.

Emily and her cousin Allura walked inside to find their lockers.

"I have a little something for you," Allura said, handing Emily a small decorative bag stuffed with fluffy tissue paper.

"Ooo!" Emily squealed in delight, tugging the tissue paper out of the bag, uncovering a small box.

Just then some of the jock boys walked past, including her long-time nemesis, Alpha Elijah.

"Squeal little piggy!" he yelled as his buddies chuckled and egged him on. "Oink! Oink!"

"Shut-up Elijah!" Allura yelled, balling her hands into fists.

"Let it go," Emily said quietly. Her face had paled and her eyes brimmed with tears. As he was tearing her down, Emily's wolf was howling, "Mate!" as his enticing scent filled her nostrils and her stomach twisted in both excitement and despair. As he started walking away, Emily saw recognition in his eyes. He sensed their mate bond as she had. He sneered and punched one of his buddies in the arm before walking away.

"I hate his stupid face!" Allura growled before noticing Emily's face. "Em? What'd wrong?" she asked.

Emily shook her head, clearing the last of Elijah's scent from her senses. She shoved her unopened gift into her locker. Usually eager to share everything with her best friend, Emily felt too raw to explain she had felt the mate bond with the guy who had been torturing her since kindergarten. The bell rang and Allura promised to find Emily after third period when they both had a study hall. In a daze, Emily started walking towards her first class.

She rounded a corner and ran into someone's chest. Emily didn't need to look up to know she had just bumped into Elijah. His scent enveloped her in its intoxicating embrace. The warm smells of baking bread, vanilla and the slight spice of cinnamon wrapped around her as she raised her eyes to meet Elijah's piercing blue eyes.

"Watch where you're going," he sneered.

Emily ducked her head and whispered, "I'm sorry Elijah."

"Don't get any ideas about the mate bond," he hissed. "There is no way I would ever be mated to a porky slob like you." He announced as he pushed past her and stomped down the hallway.