Winter's True Mate

Utter Rejection

Winter

“He doesn’t want us....” my wolf whimpers.

I feel as if my heart is being ripped out of my chest. I can’t believe this is happening. My true mate has rejected me. What do I do now? Though I was born into this pack, I now feel like I do not belong here, even more than I did before. I need to run away. No one will understand me being rejected. I can’t tell anyone about this, not even my best friends. He threatened to make me disappear! I need time to process all of this.

“What now?” my wolf asks.

“We need to go back to school and act like nothing has happened until I can figure out a plan.”

I wipe away the tears and head back towards the school. I’ve already missed my first class. Hopefully, my teacher doesn't say anything. As I came out of the woods, I see Kendra and Val running towards me, worried looks on their faces.

“Winter! Are you ok?? We were worried about you!” Val exclaimed.

Her arms were immediately wrapped around me in a tight hug. By now I am used to this from her. But what I did not expect was Kendra wrapping her arms around me too.

“Girl, we were worried about you. Cherry was especially hard on you today.” Kendra spoke gently.

“I will be ok. Let’s just get to our next class.” I said, trying my hardest to keep it all together.

We headed into school. The halls were filled with students. Cherry and Daniel were standing there with all their friends. Their eyes then spotted me, they got this evil smirk on their faces. I knew then that I didn’t need to run. I just needed to prove to them that I am strong. I am not going to let them break me. I coldly glare back at them, letting them know that I am no longer afraid of them. Soon to be Alpha or not, Daniel would not intimidate me into his bidding. I continued to walk towards class.

Astrid

My brother hates that our father, The King, sends him on these errands. But what Aeric doesn't know, is that Father trusts him and only him, to handle whatever it is that i going on here. The packs have been fighting amongst themselves. There are seven packs in this area, none of which are particularly close to one another. Father thinks there is some more to this. He sent Aeric because he holds nothing back. My brother follows our ancestral Nordic Viking ways, whereas Father does not. Actually, no one really does anymore. But, I guess that is what makes my brother special, and the perfect one for this job.

"Astrid, you ready to go?" Aeric asks, startling me from my own thoughts.

Surprised, I look at him with questioning eyes. "And just where are we going?"

"I want to take a look around town and get a feel for this place."

"Seriously?? Since when do you ever want to get a feel for something, other than under a woman's clothes??" I say snarkily.

His eyes darken, showing me that I had crossed a line. Lamentably, I don't care. He isn't my boss and he doesn't control me like he thinks he can. I offered to come with him, to help him, because I truly care.

"You will not speak to me like that again, sister." he growled menacingly.

Knowing he would not hesitate to do something to me, I comply, for the time being.

"Ok brother. Lead the way."

Winter

After school, the girls and I head to the park to study for a test we have coming up. Just as we get there, Val gets a call from her mom saying she needs to hurry up and get home. So now it is just Kendra and I. We get out our books and we start studying. Out of nowhere I blurt out to her;

“I know who my mate is!”

“ What?!?!? Who?!?” she asks with a shocked expression on her face.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“Because I couldn’t. He rejected me and threatened to make me disappear for good if I told anybody.” I said with sadness. I can hear my wolf whimpering as I speak. A wild look came into her eyes.

“Who is he?” she asks with a fierceness I have never heard come from her voice. At that moment, I knew that it was her wolf speaking. She was pissed.

“You have to promise me you won’t say anything to ANYONE....”

“I won’t.” the words came out with a reluctance to them.

“Kendra, I am serious. You cannot utter this to a soul, including to Valyrie.”

“You have my word....” she growls.

“Alpha Daniel.” I whispered so only she could hear me.

“Are you f***ing kidding?!?!? You are to be our next Luna? Winter, this is huge! You need to tell someone!” amazement and shock saturated her tone of voice.

“No. I am not kidding. And NO, I am not telling anyone. I have a plan, but I need your help.”

“God, you are so stubborn. What is your plan and what can I do?”

“I am planning on becoming stronger and better than what I am. I want to learn how to fight so I can defend myself. I am going to prove EVERYONE wrong. I am going to show everybody that I'm not some pathetic little orphan.”

“You got that right. So, what can I do to help?”

“I need to find the best fighter that is willing to train me. And I need your help with that.”

“I got you girl. Let me do some checking around.”

“Thanks.” I sighed with relief, as I know that Kendra has my back.

Daniel

I am mated to the pack orphan. How can this be?? Mother Moon has a twisted sense of humor. Why would she do this to me? The look that Winter gave Cherry and I earlier, means something. Of what? I’m not sure. I just know that the look she gave has caused me and my wolf to be unsettled. I need to go for a run. I need to think. I start to get up but I feel a hand on my arm.

“Babe, where are you going?” Cherry says in her sing-song tone. I know that tone, it means she is agitated.

“For a run. By myself.” I growled, making it known that I am not in the mood to be messed with.

“What’s wrong with my Alpha?” she asks, knowing I weaken when I hear her call me that. I cannot let that get to me now. I need to get away immediately.

“Nothing, I just need to be alone for a while. Now leave me alone.” I snapped at her.

I take off to the forest. As I get to the inside edge of the forest, I strip down to my boxers and I take off running, shifting as I start to take longer strides. I am free! I ran for hours, pondering what that puny orphan is up to. If she knows what is good for her, she will not breathe this to a single soul.

“We need to figure out what she is planning.” my wolf snarls. He is right, but how? Without anyone finding anything out, it's going to be almost impossible to find anything out.