Chapter 1

"Are you okay?" Ariel's voice interrupted me as I quickly nodded my head.

I had been lost in my thoughts and didn't even realize I had arrived at school yet. Today is my birthday and the day I will get to meet my mate, but I was feeling nervous about it.

"You're thinking about Asher, aren't you?" She asked with a cocked brow as her grey eyes stared deeply into my soul.

It mostly amuses me how quickly she could read my emotions, but then she's my oldest friend after all, and also the sister of Asher, who happens to be my boyfriend.

"Maybe," I answered, almost sottovoce.

If he happens to be your mate, great; if not, you're one lucky girl." She waved her arms dramatically.

I really couldn't put down the fact that she hated Asher, even though he was her biological brother, and she claims he's a jerk. She got upset the moment she found out I loved him and almost killed me when she found out that I confessed my feelings to him and proposed a relationship. I guess love could really fuck me up sometimes.

"You do realize he's your brother, right?" I teased with a smirk.

"Unfortunately, the moon goddess wasn't being fair," she pouted, and I couldn't help but let out a smile as we both left the classroom for the cafeteria.

So I'll leave you to it. I really don't want to be around when he happens to be your mate and you do all of that icky stuff, so we'll meet after school today and I'll take you on a treat since it's your birthday.

She gave me a small punch on my back before walking in the opposite direction as she wiggled her tiny backside in an attempt to make me laugh.

While walking to the cafeteria, different thoughts kept on roaming in my head, and I couldn't stop the small smile from finding its way onto my lips when I thought of how happy he would be with me. The only thing I might be concerned about is being the future Luna if we mated. Hell, I couldn't even face my class, let alone talk to the whole pack.

My heart kept racing the closer I got to the cafeteria, and I started to perceive a really strong smell. My inner wolf started to purr and jump in happiness, and in no time, my senses were intensified and my thoughts were clouded. All I could think of was meeting the person already.

I entered the room to meet Asher sitting on his usual desk. The smell grew stronger the closer I got to him, and this day couldn't get any better for me to find out my mate is actually my boyfriend.

"Asher!" I squeaked in excitement as I wrapped my arms around him, but he didn't respond like he used to, nor did he hug me back.

I slowly pulled away from the hug in an attempt to figure out what was wrong.

Asher, it's my birthday!" I smiled as I looked deep into his dark grey eyes, which were similar to those of Ariel.

"I know, happy birthday!" He coldly replied, and I knew something was wrong.

I took a few steps back because I didn't want to be affected by his attitude. Perhaps he'll be happy when he knows I'm mated to him.

"I have good news," I said with enthusiasm, but there wasn't any emotion on his face as he stared at me with a blank expression.

"Let's save it for later," he abruptly said and pushed the tray of food onto his desk as he stood up from his seat.

"Asher!" At that point, I yelled his name because I was getting anxious. At least I deserved to know what was the cause of his sudden behaviour on my birthday.

Calling out his name worked because he stopped in his tracks as he tucked his hands in his pocket, bringing out his manly figure, which I still couldn't get out of my head.

I walked up to him and circled to meet his face. His chiselled jaws were clenched and there was disgust clearly written all over his face.

"You're acting weird, Asher," I complained, but he immediately scoffed.

"Maybe you're the one thinking weirdly," he responded with a smirk, and I felt my heart breaking.

He has never spoken to me this way before, so why now?

"I'm mated to you, Asher."

"No, you're mated to yourself because I can never be with someone like you. I, Asher, hereby reject you as my mate," he said with a lack of emotion.

I could feel the painful sting in my chest the moment he said those words, and not only was I hurt, but my wolf was wounded and traumatized. Never had I thought I would be easily rejected by someone I had spent two whole years loving. His voice came out loud and other students were attracted to our discussion, although most of them had already begun to laugh at me.

"Why are you saying all of these things to me?" My voice broke as I stared at him in dismay.

"I initially regretted ever accepting to be your boyfriend because I felt I needed to pity you because I clearly couldn't be your mate, Lenora."

"I've never loved you, Lenora. I thought you'd be stronger since you were only fifteen, but now you're seventeen and still the weakest wolf I've ever come across."

"You're literally the worst wolf in Serene High School. You're the weakest, and you think I'll ever want you as a mate? " At this point, I couldn't understand what was going on because it was all happening so fast.

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I blinked my eyes rapidly in an attempt to stop the tears from flowing.

A part of me wished he would call it a joke and hug me tight, but my hopes were shattered the moment he walked past me. I couldn't stop the tears from falling anymore as I ran out of the cafeteria with tons of students mocking and laughing at me.

I had a bad feeling about this day and my instincts were right because it was the worst birthday of my life. Screw the fact that I came from an important part of the pack where we got to meet our mates a year earlier. Perhaps if I had turned eighteen I wouldn't be this hurt.

I wanted to run home, but I couldn't because that would be against the rules and I might be severely punished by the school's wolf mistress, so I ran to the library instead. No one in this school ever uses the library.

I couldn't blame him for all he said because I was truly a weakling after all. My family treated me like an outcast and favoured my sister more because she was tougher and stronger, while I was just this stupid girl who goes around confessing her love to people. I never wanted this life for myself, but unfortunately, that was how the moon goddess created me, and now I wish I didn't exist.

"What the hell happened?" The library door banged open as an angry tall girl rushed into the library with a fierce look on her face.

I immediately wiped the tears from my eyes because the last thing I wanted right now was another drama between her and her brother.

"He rejected and insulted you?" She yelled, and I could see her eyes changing colour.

She was really upset about it and I was glad she cared about me, but her shifting into her wolf form for war wouldn't solve any issues.

"It's fine Ariel, just chill." I tried to feign a smile to assure her that I was okay, but she wasn't buying it. I wouldn't buy it if I was the one too.

"Don't fucking tell me to calm down because that bastard needs to be taught a lesson! " She roared as she flipped the table beside her, causing me to flinch.

She could be really aggressive whenever she's angry.

"I'm okay with it, Ariel. Snap out of it." It's my business, not yours, so just drop it already, "I yelled at her and almost regretted yelling.

I wasn't in my right state of mind after I was rejected. I was starting to transfer the aggression to her. Who knew a rejection could hurt this much?

Of course, it's your shit to deal with anyway! She angrily stormed out of the library, and I buried my head in the desk.

Just great. I got rejected today and somehow managed to make my best friend upset, even though all she was doing was looking out for me.

I patiently waited for the school day to be over as I cried my heart out in the library. The bell finally rang, and I carried my backpack to leave for my house, not caring if my eyes were swollen like I had received a blow on them. I wouldn't feel any better at home because my mother would definitely blame me for being rejected, but I just had to leave this school immediately.

Everyone in the hallway was talking about how Asher rejected me, and it would have been better if they weren't pointing at me or laughing at me right in front of me. I managed to get out of the building, but my eyes couldn't help but notice the horrifying image in front of me.

My sister, Tala, and Asher were making out right in front of me. The image of her tongue sticking into his mouth broke me, but the fact that my sister noticed I was staring and proceeded to deepen the kiss with a smirk shattered my heart. I knew she hated me, but I had never imagined she would be the reason why Asher would reject me.

I literally had nowhere to go because the last place I would want to be was in the same house with her and my unsupportive parents. I would have wanted to apologise to Ariel and sleep over at her place, but then Asher lived in the same place as her. I guess my only option is to sleep at the rogue's hostel.

The rogue's hostel wasn't the best place for a female student to be found, but I went there regardless of the harm that could happen to me. Fortunately, nothing happened, and I soon found myself lying flat on the bed with the sun shining brightly on me.

The thoughts of me going back to school weakened me because I wasn't sure if I wanted to return there or be around either Asher or Tala. The rogues were surely going to go to school according to the new rules, and no one was to be left behind at the hostel.

I carried my backpack as I walked out of the hostel room, not caring about taking a shower or fixing my messy hair. I could feel some eyes staring at me and probably laughing, but I couldn't care more about them. My life was technically ruined already.

"Assemble!" A man's gruff voice commanded, and I assumed he must have been the master around here.

In no time, everyone was lined up in an orderly fashion, except for me, who didn't feel the need to line up with the rogues.

His eyes fell on me and a scornful look appeared on his face. "Who the hell do you think you are for ignoring my command?" he roared as he walked up to me with a whip in his hands.

My heart started to race really fast the more he appeared to be closer because not only was his voice filled with threats, but his face was dreadful with the long scar that passed through the two ends of his face.

I tried to say something but my mouth wouldn't cooperate. I wasn't a rogue and my parents were really popular in the pack because we were natural hunters, but then I couldn't blame him for not knowing who I was because they'd always hidden me like I wasn't a child.

He twirled the really thick whip in his hands and I tightly closed my eyes as the whip was about to land on my skin, but then, after a few seconds, nothing happened and I didn't feel any pain on my skin.

I opened my eyes to see a hand holding the whip. I raised my head up to look at the tall figure holding the whip, but I wasn't able to see his face because it was covered with a hoodie and a bandana around his nose.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The master was getting annoyed as his eyes immediately changed colour. One could tell he was down for a fight.

Without saying any words, the boy who saved me released his hands from the whip and walked back to where he was lined up. I looked at the master's face and was astonished because after the boy released his hands from his whip, he became heavenly scared and it was really easy to sniff out his fear. Who could he be?