Forbidden Mate

Chapter 1

Beverly

1229 Ocean Spring Avenue, Meadows High School

I didn't have the strength to fight back, so I remained still and tried my best to ignore her. "Can you stop it already?" I shouted.

Annette paused, her face turning a deep shade of red. "What did you say?" She inquired, an angry tone in her voice.

My heart raced, and my palms were sweaty "I said, can you please be more considerate and stop it already?" I repeated myself, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

Annette stepped back and crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. I could feel everyone's gaze on me, but I kept my focus on her. "Fine,” she said, before turning and walking away. I sighed in relief as I watched her disappear down the corridor.

I had managed to stand up for myself this time, and I couldn't help but feel proud.

Believe me, I never did anything to deserve such cruel treatment; the only thing that set me apart from the rest of the students at Meadows High School was being a vampire.

My kind betrayed the supernaturals and mortals years ago when they declared war and terrorized the land. They ruled ruthlessly for many years until they were finally defeated by a powerful pack. Since then, vampires have been treated like slaves, cast out, and scorned.

Annette snarled into my face, her words like daggers. "What do you always think about?" Why are you always lost? You don't even have a boyfriend, to begin with; who would want to look at a timid thing like you? You stink!" Her friends laughed hysterically, except for Emma, who gazed at me with a faint glimmer of pity in her eyes.

"I am sorry," I replied quietly, not knowing what else to say. Even my kind bullied me, and I couldn't fight back; I knew that even if I tried, a mere mortal would easily beat me black and blue.

Emily stepped closer and smirked, her eyes shining with malicious glee as she taunted me, "What now?" "Are you about to cry?" I could feel the tears welling up, but I forced them back, wiping my face with the back of my palm.

"Good girl, don't you ever do that, okay?" Emily said in a mocking tone, and the other girls burst out laughing. Annette stepped forward, pulling a bottle of milk from her handbag. "Should I feed you, or can you do it yourself?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I wanted to cry and fight back, but I couldn't. The other students pretended nothing was happening; they knew better than to interfere with the dreaded girls. I was the most bullied vampire in school; I had no powers, no protection, and no one to stand up for me.

But I wasn't going to take it anymore. I was done with the bullying. I met Emily's gaze and spoke in a loud, clear voice. "I'm done with this," I said firmly. "I don't deserve to be treated this way."

I'm not a crybaby, and I'm not scared of you. If you want to laugh at me, then go ahead, but remember that I can fight back. And I will."

The other girls stared at me in shock, and for once, I felt a spark of victory. Emily tried to cover up her surprise with a laugh, but it came out weak and unconvincing. "Well, well, it looks like we have a brave vampire now," she said. "Come on, girls, let's go."

As the girls walked away, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I knew that this wouldn't be the last time I'd be bullied, but at least I'd stood up for myself. That was something they couldn't take away from me.

***

"No mercy!" Annette screamed, her voice echoing in my ears. She tugged my hair harder, and I let out a shrill cry of pain.

"Do you want us to feed you or not?" Patricia asked, her face expressionless. I nodded my head in defeat, my eyes streaming with tears.

"Don't cry, weakling," Annette said, her voice filled with mockery. She handed me the soured milk, her face twisted in a wicked grin. I had no choice but to accept my fate and take the milk.

I held the cup in my trembling hands, my stomach churning from its sour smell. "Drink it all!" Annette commanded. I lifted the cup to my lips and forced myself to take a sip. The sour taste was unbearable; I had to hold back my urge to vomit.

With my last ounce of strength, I forced down the milk, tears streaming down my face. As I finished, I dropped the cup and collapsed to the ground.

Annette and her cohorts laughed, their evil laughter ringing in my ears. I cursed myself for being so weak; I wished I had the strength to fight back. But all I could do was lie there, shivering in fear and shame.

I was dreading the situation I was in. Patricia had dragged me away from Annette, but I knew that I wasn't out of the woods yet. She pulled me close to her and glared at me with those menacing amber eyes.

"You! "You chubby nincompoop!" she barked. I was starting to panic; my heart was racing, and I could feel the sweat beading on my forehead. I was desperate for a way out.

"How dare you lie to my face?" "Who gave you the temerity to?" Patricia fired at me. I felt my knees trembling; I had never seen her so angry before. Annette chipped in, "You keep saying sorry, but you are never sorry!" I was just a mere orphan who had been sent to Meadows High School by chance.

I had no chance of competing with the werewolves, who came from powerful backgrounds. Most mortals didn't allow other creatures to attend their school, so Meadows High was the only option for us supernaturals. I was doomed.

Patricia didn't wait for me to apologize again.

She picked me up by my collar, her grip getting tighter with every second.

I could feel my feet dangling in the air as she lifted me higher. I knew I was in deep trouble.

Patricia's grip tightened around my shirt, her rough movements sending me crashing to the ground. A deafening thud reverberated through the air as I hit the ground, the jolt causing a severe injury to my ankle.

Trying to contain the tears that threatened to fall, I fought hard to keep my emotions in check as Patricia squatted in front of me, holding a bottle of milk to my mouth.

"Open your mouth!" She commanded, her voice low and threatening. I obliged, not daring to argue, and Patricia emptied another bottle of soured milk down my throat.

I was left coughing and wheezing, my chest heaving with the effort to contain my tears. But my eyes were stronger than my will, and the tears started to flow freely. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop them.

Patricia and Annette stood there, expressionless, as I sobbed, before finally getting up and leaving me alone.

"Don't you dare!" "Don't you dare cry!" Emily barked at me. She moved closer to me and slapped me hard in the face.

I was in so much pain.

"Stand up! Stand!" Annette ordered. I tried to get up, but my legs were too heavy for me; they wobbled, and I wasn't in control of them. I wanted to beg them to stop, but I knew it would only incur another beating.

I stood up and fell back to the floor; I was too weak to move. It was a result of the beating and the soured milk that was forced down my throat.

Annette bent over in front of me and dragged me up forcefully, pulling me by the hair. It hurt so much that I wished I had been killed instead.

"Stop it!" I heard a deep, masculine voice from behind, and we all turned around almost immediately to see who it was.

The tension in the room was palpable as Emily and Annette glared at the intruder. He moved closer, his dark eyes cold and menacing, his face set in a determined frown. "I said, stop it!" he repeated in a deep, authoritative voice.

Emily and Annette both stepped back, taken aback by his presence. I could feel the fear radiating off of them, and I knew they wouldn't dare disobey him.