Will Their Bond Hold

Chapter 3 - Bitter Disappointment

Hot tears burned in her eyes as Emily stumbled down the hall to a secluded bathroom. Her sympathetic art teacher showed her the little used bathroom when she was teased for making the mistake of wearing her hair in two pig tail braids. Emily splashed cold water on her fade as she gulped air to calm her sobs. Her hopes of finding a kind and generous mate were cruelly dashed; on her birthday no less! How could the Moon Goddess have mated her with Elijah? He never liked her and made it a point to make her life hell. She remembered, with stinging embarrassment, her first day of kindergarten. Her mom had bought her a special floral dress that complimented her ivory skin and copper-colored hair. During lunch his friends dared Elijah to dump his grape juice down her back. Emily cried that her dress was ruined and was called Cry Baby the rest of the year.

Emily shook her head to clear the unpleasant memory. She didn't really know how to proceed. She felt certain Elijah would reject her and soon. What did she have to offer a powerful Alpha? Wiping her nose and swiping some lip gloss across her lips, Emily shouldered back pack and quietly left the bathroom. She decided to find Elijah and get the rejection over with.

Elijah had Ancient Pack history with her during second period. He usually came to class as the late bell was buzzing. She waited outside the classroom for him.

"Elijah," she said quietly as he approached with his Beta Damien. He scowled and told Damien he would see him inside. Emily was losing her nerve to talk to him as waves of his scent penetrated her every pore.

"What do you want Emily?" he asked.

She swallowed audibly, "Cccould we talk?" she stammered.

Elijah scowled again. He rubbed her hand over his face and said, "I told you I'm not interested. I have no idea why the Moon Goddess was thinking making you my mate."

Emily nodded, "I know. I, I just thought you could reject me and get it over with." she replied meekly.

Elijah's scowl deepened. "As much as I might like to do that, I can't until I speak to my father."

"Oh," Emily said, confused.

"He has been trying to forge an alliance with your pack for years," Elijah explained. "If he knew I blew a chance at making that alliance, he'd flip his lid." Elijah stared into her eyes, seeming to be momentarily memerized. He shook his head and muttered, "So we might get stuck together afterall."

Emily flushed a deep crimson as she nodded her understanding. "OK, well thank you." she said quietly as she turned to go into class.