New Alpha hates me

Naya’s POV

My heart crashes to the ground, what's she talking about? I wait for her to laugh and slap her knee. I want her to pull my cheek and tell me that I'm so easy to prank, but that doesn't happen. She is telling the truth, Alpha Erus hates me so much that he has placed a bounty on my head.

“Oh my God..” I walk around with my hands pressed over my face.

Why is this happening to me?! It's not like I chose to be mated to that Alpha, I mean I don't even have a wolf in the first place. Is there a glitch or something? Why won't my mother just allow me to accept the rejection? I don't even want to be with the guy and he hates me already. Look, he has placed a bounty on my head. I'm feeling lightheaded, so I press myself against the wall. I don't even know what to do.

“Naya, are you listening to me?” Sherry raises my chin. “I will protect you, I will drive you home.”

“I can't go home,” I say. “I have a math test today.”

Sherry looks at me as if I've gone crazy. “You realize that there is a fucking bounty on your head, right? Math isn't important right now!”

If there is anything I don't joke with, it's my grades. I've achieved perfect grades since kindergarten, and I'm not going to miss my test because a proud Alpha is mad that I'm his mate.

“We both know Mister Cyrus doesn't give make-up tests. If anyone tries anything funny, I will report it to the principal.” I say, trying to convince myself that I will be fine.

Sherry folds her arms. “How are you sure that the principal isn't one of those people that wants the bounty?”

“Sherry, I will be fine.” I smile at her. “Don't worry, I will call my mother after the math test. She will come to pick me up.”

I know that Sherry isn't happy about this, she is worried for my safety, but she shrugs.

“Just keep close to me, okay?” She tells me. “Thank God for the school's no-shifting policy. The worst they can do is to use their words.”

“Yeah. Come on, let's get to class before we are late.”

We both leave the bathroom and the bell goes off. The students start to head back to the classes.

I see one of my favorite teachers, Miss Dallas. I smile at her direction. “Good morning, Miss Dallas!”

She looks straight at me, then looks away. I take back waving back, like I've just touched fire. If my best teacher just ignored me, that meant that everyone is aware of the bounty.

*****

The math test is very quick, I read very well and also, I'm good at math. Mister Cyrus hardly looks at me as I drop my finished paper on his desk.

EVERYONE, even the teachers, have been giving me attitude all day. Although no one has spoken to me. Only Sherry. I look at Sherry, she is biting her pen as she looks at me. She knows what I want to do, but she shakes her head, trying to discourage me.

I draw a sigh as I turn back to Mister Cyrus.“May I use the bathroom, sir?”

He waves me off. I step out of the class, pretending that I don't see Sherry's eyes following me. I hurry to the bathroom, I need a little bit of time by myself.

I walk into the bathroom and lock myself in a stall. I would have called my mother and told her everything, but I don't have my phone with me. After practicing breathing for a while, I walk out of the bathroom to see that three other girls from another class are there.

They were laughing and talking, but that ceased as soon as they sight me. They are glaring, but I don't give them any attention. I just wash my hands in one of the sinks.

“Naya Woods.” One of them says with hate. “My sister saw you cleaning one of the Bloodton bathrooms yesterday, but as usual, you had to have all attention on you.”

I shut my eyes, slightly. It's taking so much to ignore these girls.

“Why don't you accept his rejection already?” Another hiss. “You already know that you will never be our Luna. You don't even have a wolf.”

“You know, Brie, I would be more bothered about something else if my sister is currently sleeping with all the boys in the combat team,” I say with a smile. “Why don't you leave me alone?”

The three girls all gasp at my audacity.

“What did you say?”

“Leave me alone,” I repeat.

“You’re lucky we aren't allowed to shift. I won't even waste my time on a wolfless girl.” Brie chuckles.

“And I won't even waste my time on a dog,” I mutter.

That gets Brie’s attention. She growls as she runs towards me, transforming into a black wolf. She grabs me by my neck and slams me against the ground with a heavy thud.

I scream as she bites into my neck, but I fight back. I've already had a sharp pocket knife with me, for self-defense. I've never had to use it, but today, I take it and drive it into Brie's shoulder. She whimpers in pain as she lets go of my neck, but the damage has already been done. I lay on the ground, slowly drifting into unconsciousness. My blood is everywhere.

I see a hazy picture of Sherry appear in front of me. “Oh my God, what did you do to my friend?!”

****

I don't know how long I've been out, but I wake up in my bed with a bandage around my neck. My mother has dark circles around her eyes, only God knows how long she has been holding my hand. She sighs with relief as soon as she sees me opening my eyes.

“Oh my God, Naya don't scare me like that again.” She sniffles as she pushes my hair away from my face.

“Mum?... What happened?” I can barely move.

“You got into a fight with this rich girl in school, Brie. She bit you, you stabbed her, but now you've been suspended.” She tells me.

What?! Brie broke the school rules, but I'm the one who gets suspended for defending myself?! I close my eyes as tears flow out of them. I hate my life right now.

“Mum, I want to accept his rejection.” I sob. “He doesn't want me, he is trying to kill me.”

“I know, Naya, but I can't let you do that.” She shakes her head. Her hand is pressed against my forehead.

“Why?” I wonder with tears. “Why won't you let me do it? I don't want to be his mate!”

“Naya being his mate is the only way that you can ever be safe.” My mother tells me.

I pull my eyebrows together, an unsure look on my face. What's she saying?

“Can't you see? Even if you take all the money in the world, you will never be protected as a wolfless girl. You will always be a minority, you will never be loved.” She says. “But if you are his mate, no one would dare touch you.”

It seems like a blind has been taken off my eyes, I can now see my mother's point of view. I was so pressed by her stubbornness that I didn't see the clearer picture. My mother is looking out for me.

“Mum…”

“Hush, my baby.” She heaves. “See, I don't know how much longer I can protect you. I can't trust you with anyone, but if the Alpha himself is your mate, I won't have to worry about you another day in my life.”

Tears swell in my eyes. Even with my pain, I sit up and give my mother a tight hug. She's all I have. She can barely take care of herself, but she is still looking out for me.

We are still hugging when we hear the front door open and many feet stomping around the house. My mum and I are confused, before we know what's happening, my room is filled with guards wearing black suits. Mrs Bloodton walks in and my blood immediately goes cold.

“Well, well, well, I was told that you were not a troublemaker.” She folds her hands. “What happened, Naya?”

“Your son happened.” My mum angrily stands up. “How dare he try to hurt my daughter?!”

“Miss Woods, remember that you are talking about the Alpha.” Mrs Bloodton says with pride. “If you want to keep your head, I would advise you to be more respectful.”

My mother huffs, she is pissed off, but she can't do anything to the Luna.

Mrs Bloodton looks at me, I can swear that I see a slight smirk on the corner of her lips.

“I'm not rejecting your son if that's what you've come to ask,” I say. “Let him increase the bounty on my head.”

“Oh, child, I'm not here for that.” She waves off with a smile. “I'm here for something else. Another kind of deal.”

What? What's she saying?

“This is my new deal.” She looks at my mother and I. “Since Naya is so obsessed with my son, fine. She won't be forced to accept a rejection under the condition that she is to give him a child immediately.”

“If you think my daughter is a slut that you and your son can use as a baby-making machine, you are greatly mistaken.” My mum scoffs.

“Fine.” Mrs Bloodton shrugs. “A normal marriage, the way humans do. It's going to be a signing of documents alone, that's all. She won't be his official mate, he won't mark her till she has proven herself to be a trustworthy person.”

The rules of this game have changed drastically. I look at my mother, it seems she likes this new rule very much.

“My daughter still gets her scholarship and everything else you promised?” My mother questions.

“In full.”

I look at my mother and I can tell immediately. “Fine. It's a deal.” I turn away as I feel my heart thumping heavily. I'm getting married?! To that Alpha who put a bounty on my head?! To that Bully?!

“Get her dressed in something nice, immediately.” Mrs Bloodton instructs. “Before anything is signed, she will have to meet with the Alpha.”

Wait, what?! Now?!