-Her 001-

I can feel my heart pounding as I walk down the halls to his bedroom emitting horrid sounds no mated wolf would want to hear, especially when I clearly recognize the owner of the voices, the people behind the sounds breaking my heart.

Patrice, my wolf, kept howling in my head. In pure agony she weeped, devastated by the betrayal of our mate, our supposedly other half.

Hands trembling, tears dripping from my cheeks, I stopped in front of the door. The smell of cherries, honey, and jasmine reached my nose. The scent of my mate, the scent that used to calm me, the scent that's supposed to keep my head, was now mixed with the scent of the woman who never failed to ruin every good thing to happen to me.

I can hear the bed inside creaking. Groans and moans of my mate, and groans and moans of the girl he knew I've always loathed.

With the pain and anger I felt along with Patrice's, I kicked the door open in anger and there they were, doing the insufferable. Their bodies were entangled, arms around each other, lips on each other.

These fucking bastards.

They must have sensed my presence because they finally let go of each other's body, Harris' eyes lingering on mine. His eyes wandered on mine, going down to my chest, to my balled fists, to my legs. Michelle, this bitch, looked at me with a victorious smile. As if there was something to be proud of about being a mated wolf's whore. Of course that wouldn't matter for her. She is in fact a whore.

"Y-you…" I could not find myself the voice to speak of the turmoil I felt in me, "H-how.."

Harris just remained his lips shut as he got up and began picking his clothes.

"Aw.. baby, don't go. Don't mind this pup and let's continue to where we left off," Michelle was grinning ear to ear, her chest in view and yet did nothing to cover it. I can feel my wolf trying to come forward, trying to take charge, to murder her.

I let out a low growl, my nails digging in my palms I could smell the blood. Harris took a towel and covered his hips and below.

I squirmed under his gaze. It's taken me all my might to still look at the man who's supposed to be my ride or die.

"H-Harris…"

"I reject you."

I blinked a couple of times, my heart seemed to stop from beating. My chest rose and fell fast, oxygen seemed to be hard to take in. I can feel my wolf whimper, devastated at the thought of our mate rejecting us.

"What.."

"I said I reject you, Suerinity," he repeated with a straight face.

"W-why… how…" I stuttered to get the right words out my mouth.

"I don't want you to be my mate," he said firmly.

"No.. please don't do this.."

"I, Harris Smith, reject you Suerinity Altamera as my mate. I free myself from this unwanted bond, and free myself from you."

>>>

A knock on the door woke me up, I quickly sat up while catching my breath, desperate to get some air in my lungs. My eyes frantically looked across my room, my ears were ringing and I was sweating.

'Breathe, Sue. Breathe, please,' my wolf tried calming me down.

Hells, I was near to having a panic attack while sleeping.

I took in deep, slow breaths through my nose and breathed out slowly from my mouth. I repeated it a couple of times until I knew I was calm and collected.

The pain of yesterday remained vivid in my mind and soul, engraved to the deepest part of me like a brand.

I was brought to my senses when a couple of knocks were heard from the door. I quickly got off my bed and walked towards the door. I turned around to take a look at my room, and checked for anything out of the ordinary. When I was sure everything was the way as I slept, I diverted my attention to the wooden door. From the inside, I could smell the familiar scent of someone dear to me emitting from the outside.

“David…”

“Suerinity,” he began with a gruff, “It’s already noon.”

“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath. I overslept again.

Sleeping in meant further dreaming for the majority. But it was never a dream for me. They all remain nightmares, my ghosts creeping in in a form of a dream in the beginning, then slowly the smiling faces would seem creepy, extending to their eyes. The smiles would creep me out and the bright faces that should have served as my motivation would then morph into my darkest nightmare. They would chase me to the bottom of any abyss, not giving up until they get ahold of me, and when they do, I find myself getting slaughtered over and over.

I was trying though. My therapy was my family and they never failed to support me and assure me each passing day. Some days I would be okay, a few of my hours in those days would consist of me reliving my horrors and me ending up breaking down. Sometimes I would tell myself how I am innocent, how I have done nothing wrong and how I still deserve happiness.

“Suerinity,” David’s voice was stern.

“Ah, yes, yes,” I began. “I’ll get up now.”

I heard him sigh. “You know, we’re gonna attend a ball tonight,” his voice sounded cautious.

I know what he meant.

“I know, it’s been hard for you after Harris….” he stopped for a few moments then continued, “But you have to move forward sooner or later. Besides, Davis is not getting any younger. I think we both agree he can start a family of his own. Have some pups, a mate, you know..”

I laughed at that thought. David and Davis are fraternal twins. David has blue eyes and chocolate brown hair, while Davis’ eyes are amber and he was a blonde. David was mated to Cynthia, a wonderful redheaded girl, while Davis appears to be, we are convinced, interested in nothing. He rarely leaves the house that our parents are convinced his fated mate would go nun. They would bicker sometimes about age, and David would bring up 'the ugly twin' thing which would anchor to Davis pulling the 'glasses' card. David wears specs.

"Cut yourself some slack, Sue. You should meddle with other wolves. Who knows, you might meet someone interesting," he stated.

I took some time thinking. It’s only been a year since my tragedy and I know I should slowly move on when I know for a fact he did not deserve me. I deserved a mate who would be my ride or die, someone who would love me to the moon and back. I deserve someone who would go to lengths the same way I would do for them.

Besides, maybe attending this ball in Carlota will let my older brother meet his mate. I giggled.

Carlota was a venue the Yellowstone pack chose. It’s not a territory of any pack, the place just converses well with nature, by the mountains and the sea at the same time. The Yellowstone pack offered to host the ball as another celebration of the coronation of their new alpha.

“Okay.”

“Wonderful!” he exclaimed. “Be ready in a few. Cynthia’s on her way to pick you up for shopping.” I heard him tsked, “she said I’m not allowed to come with.”

“Oh quit sobbing. It’s only for a few hours.”

“I know,” I heard him let out a low rumble, perhaps protectiveness for his mate. “Get dressed and tell Davis to come to the ball, will you? That fuck is no getting any younger, it’s bothering mum.”

I laughed and heard him walk away from my door. I looked down on my feet and let out a shaky breath.

'Do you think it’s a good idea?' I asked my wolf through the link.

'I think we need to go out,' she replied.

I walked in my bathroom and turned on the lights before walking to the bathtub and giving Davis a tap on the shoulder, waking him up. His hazel eyes fluttered open before yawning. He looked me up and down.

“You’re attending?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “Will you come?”

He stared at me intently before standing up and leaving my room. “I heard you and David. Like you two are any younger,” he murmured before I heard the door close.

I just shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair. Davis always sleeps in my bathroom. I like to think it’s his way of protecting me at night, just there in case something happens. Before the incident, he would only come into my room before I sleep to check and make sure that all my windows are closed and he would see to it that my door would be locked before he leaves.

I sighed and looked at my reflection. I had hair like my mum, David and Daven. Brown. My eyes, however, were amber and blue. Over the years, I’ve been bullied because of my eyes. The distinction between the two had lost me friends and confidence. It even lost me a mate.

I've been trying to move on after my heartbreak and I hope I'm doing better. I'm not rushing things, I'm not looking for a second mate although I am a hundred percent aware the goddess gives chances.

I can remember as if it was yesterday when I first caught a whiff of Harris' scent. I can still remember how he smelled. If you put a bunch of wolves and even humans wearing perfume the same scent as his own, I can pick him out with my eyes closed. I remember how our eyes lingered on each other, how fond I looked at him and how happy my wolf was knowing we would be accepted for who we are. As if it took him a few moments to register and digest everything in front of him, the fondness that lingered a few seconds in his eyes was replaced with hatred and disgust.

'Oh shut it. We’re so hot and we know it,' Patrice huffed in my mind. 'We no longer need him. We are not at fault. We never were.'

I wiped my tears away before washing my face and looking at my eyes again. Hazel on the left, blue on the right. My parents' eye colors.

I got in the shower and washed myself before going out to my closet and choosing an outfit before leaving the room. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I saw David opening the door to his wonderful mate who greeted him with a smile. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss. I smiled bitterly as I watched them stare at each other oh so lovingly. I felt Daven nudge me.

Daven was our youngest. He had our father's looks, a blonde dude with blue eyes. He's two years younger than me and yet stands at least five inches taller. His eyes and hair color were from our dad, however, the rest of his features were our mum's.

I looked down at him and ruffled his hair at the sight of him eating a tub of ice cream again. He was holding a teddy bear on one arm. I laughed when he made a face upon seeing David going in for another kiss on Cynthia's lips.

“Get a room, will you,” he told the two who immediately looked back at us. Cynthia blushed while David glared at us, annoyed at our intervention.

Cynthia came to us and gave each of us a hug. She even ruffled Daven's hair and pinched his cheek. She then turned to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek, before taking my hand and smiling brightly.

“Read for shopping? I am so excited to look for the dress," she began. David walked behind her and placed his hand on her back, l before lacing it around her waist and planting a kiss on her head.

"You better be back before I know it," he told us both and Cynthia rolled her eyes.

“Oh sure.”

We laughed on the way to her car, leaving her mate behind who was obviously stopping himself from following hadn’t his mate threatened him.

I caught the reflection of myself in the door window, I was smiling at the thought of them. I was happy for them. My eyes looked ahead to the car and lingered on the trees surrounding our home.

I hadn't mustered up the courage to leave the house after the incident. The wound would still bleed despite the stitches that were made. But I have to start somewhere, right?

My wolf has long accepted the rejection. She knew we deserved better and I should start accepting it too.

Cynthia gave David one last flying kiss before waving goodbye and exchanging I Love Yous. David insisted we message him upon arriving, and stopping at any stall or shop in the mall. When we got into the car, before I could fasten my seatbelt, Cynthia pulled me into a tight embrace and rubbed my back.

“Everything will be okay,” she assured me and even ran her fingers through my hair. I only nodded with her before smiling and fastening my seatbelt.

She started the car and smoothly drove off our driveway and while looking at the trees running as the wheels of our car did, my thoughts lingered on her assurances.