Birthday Rejection

Laurel Monterello's POV

"Happy birthday Laurel!" Alessia squealed as she pushed my front door open and headed straight for my curtains, her mini skirt swayed with her hips as she sauntered to my window.

"Don't even dare!" I said with the exact tone but it was too late. Rays of lights streamed through, attacking my eyes in seconds. I could only moan in pain and annoyance as Gemma sat at the foot of my bed with concern etched on her face.

"How does it feel to be eighteen? If you are lucky, you will find your mate today!" Gemma squealed, pulling my foot while I tried pushing her away without moving too much.

"It feels like hell." I let out a groan, returning under my duvet.

"Just where were you last night? We searched all the borders for you. I was even tempted to call for a search party."

I peered slightly from under the black duvet to find Alessia with her hands hanging from her hips, spotting a frown as she shook her head in disapproval, her brunette strands falling in waves over her shoulders. Only Alessia could pull such a look with green highlights. Gemma tried it once, she was the laughingstock of the pack for days till she gave in and went back to her natural redhead.

When I responded with an eye roll, Gemma poked my foot from beneath the duvet, earning a yell of pain from me. As the realization of what she did set in, I growled at her, Giana surfacing for a second. She submitted instantly, baring her neck to me as she let out a little whimper.

Returning my attention to Alessia, I spoke, "good thing you didn't. You should know better by now to not disturb me." I sat up, pushing the duvet away from me as my black nighties came into view. My boobs were almost falling out of their restrain and the bottom rolled up, exposing my red panties. The soft mattress begged me to take another second of rest but I knew better.

"I had to practically beg her to not report to the alpha. She should know better than to bug you days to your birthday." Gemma's brown orbs glared at Alessia, her soft voice reached my ears, a contrast to Alessia's screeching ones.

Standing from my bed, I pulled Gemma by the arm who remained hesitant to get off the mattress, it truly was tempting. "I refuse to speak more on this topic. Get out so I can get ready. I don't need them reporting to Dad that I missed school again. They'll ruin my birthday." My arms were stressed out, pushing both of them out of my door.

"But you hate your birthday." Alessia stopped in her track, turning to me, her disturbing voice spoke yet again. And maybe it was my horrible mood but I was tempted to hit her head against my headboard. My line of vision trailed to it as a creepy smile made its way to my lips. The gruesome image of her screaming and begging for help calmed my terrible mood.

I didn't always have thoughts of hurting my friends but it was my birthday. I was never myself on such days. I turned dark and nastier than usual. Everyone knew to avoid me on such days but Alessia and Gemma never heed the warning signs and that's why they were my friends.

"Doesn't make it right for someone else to ruin it for me. That's my job and yours." I continued pushing them out of my large oak doors.

Alessia turned to me, her grey eyes met mine as her lips parted to drop a protest but I gave a forced smile and slammed the door in her face.

A loud sigh escaped my parted lips as my gaze fell on the cute cake in the corner. Alessia must have dropped it before proceeding to scold me. It was chocolate, I could tell without cutting it. Alessia made it every year because she liked it when in fact, she knew I preferred vanilla. Just one of many ways we try to ruin my birthday.

"Fuck!" The words left my lips before I could stop them. I had hit my pinky toe on the foot of my bed. I hated it when that happened but it was my birthday so I did the opposite. I relished the pain, welcoming it as it seemed the moon goddess was with me today. She was ruining my birthday with me.

Stepping into the shower, I turned on the hot water to find it had run out. On any other day, I would rush out the doors, screaming at the Omegas for not reserving any for me but today was different. It was my birthday.

Turning the tap, the cold drops hit my skin and a shiver ran down my spine. It gave painful pleasures which I welcomed. It was that awful day again.

Not wanting to spend a second longer in the showers, I pushed back the door, and walked over to my closet, leaving trails of water behind me. Not bothering with a towel, I threw on the black leather jacket and dark pants. It was one of those days.

My dirty blond strand stayed a mop on my round head. My scalp itched from some comb to run through it. I was having a horrible day but the pack didn't need to know it. Picking up my dark brush and running it down my locks, it fell nicely on my shoulders.

Long and slender fingers picked up my concealer. It was time to hide those dark circles. My eyes looked dull in the mirror, reflecting how I truly felt which wasn't going to do. I picked one out of my many lenses. Opening it up, it was green.

Fixing my eyes, I applied every little bit of makeup as possible.

Giving myself a once over in the mirror, my outfit wasn't going to do. They didn't need to see me like that, the real me. I rushed quickly back into my closet, dumping my dark outfits for a brighter tan top and a pretty blue skirt that barely covered my ass.

Getting in front of my door, I pushed it open. It was show time.

"Have you guys been waiting here all along?" I asked as Gemma and Alessia got their backs off the wall.

My question was directed at Gemma but Alessia responded. "Of course we have. We need to watch your back when you begin throwing your tantrum. We don't need them getting any ideas."

My head tilted to the side in confusion "What ideas?"

"Like fighting back," Gemma chipped in. "It almost happened last time."

When I raised a protest, Gemma said while I sighed in defeat. "All we are saying is, it wouldn't hurt to have some backup."

With my arms hanging on their shoulders, I whispered, "it's showtime."

With me leading my crew, Alessia's and Gemma's steps fell behind mine as all heads turned to us. They knew what day it was. They watched for my usual outbursts.

On getting to the kitchen, I sat down, waiting for the puny omegas to come rushing to my side which they did. With a timid voice and her gaze dropping to the white tiles, she muttered, "w-w-what would y-you like for breakfast?"

With her sentences breaking in between, I knew she was scared. She was only making it easy which had me mad. There wasn't a challenge anymore. The last omega who served me last time was at the corner, peeping at me from behind her jet-black hair that she used to hide her face from me.

"Oatmeal and a cup of coffee will do. Thanks."

She was shocked at me showing her gratitude and didn't bother to hide it. It was my eighteenth birthday. I needed to spice things up. It was getting boring.

My fingers drummed on the breakfast table as I waited. The entire pack house had gone silent as they all watched. I could hear their breathing from behind me, waiting for me to snap at the slight mistake and they weren't wrong.

"Here's your breakfast."

A nice and well-made meal sat in front of me. My eyes snapped to Gemma, there was nothing for me to tell about. That wasn't going to do so I resorted to being petty.

Taking a sip of the coffee, it burned slightly and that was all I needed to snap. "You fool!" I pulled her by her weak strawberry blond locks causing her to drop to the plain tiles. "Are you trying to kill me?! Why is it so hot?"

"I-It's not. I made sure to blow it out. Everyone knows you don't like hot coffee." She cried as she begged for mercy. "Please don't hurt me."

"We'll see about that."

My fangs came out to play when a loud, booming voice stopped me. "What is going on here?!"

The Packhouse shook from the power in the voice. It wasn't a question but a command to stop what I was doing. Being the beta's daughter, I was higher than most ranks but this particular voice stopped me in my track and only a few could do that. Something about this one stood out, it wasn't familiar and also had some other effects on me.

Refusing to turn, the stranger's steps drew closer and that was when it hit me. A whiff of chocolate hit my nostrils. The smell was unlike any other and had Giana, my wolf clawing to be let out but I pushed her down. Something told me this wasn't going to be a nice exchange. If I could smell him that means he did too and he wasn't any closer to jumping on my bones as the elders said.

"Mate!" My wolf screamed from inside my head. Trying to calm her down, I let go of the omega and focused on the beast trying to take control from inside.

"What were you doing?" With my gaze still on the floor, I continued my internal struggle. I didn't respond and focused on keeping my wolf at bay.

"Look. At. Me." He drew each word out dangerously slow. I knew I had to submit to him. His alpha command left me with no choice. My gaze rose slowly, going from his feet which were covered in nice Gucci shoes. Running my gaze over his physique, his long, endless legs followed and they stopped at his crotch. The dark pants did nothing to hide the bulge in them.

My eyes continued their survey to meet what I reckoned to be a hard chest hidden behind his blazer. Even with the thick material, I made out his hard nipples. Trailing my eyes up, his large neck pulled me in. I could see the veins hanging from them, leading to a nice, hard jawline.

Against my better judgment, I walked closer, taking in more of his chocolate scent which was a little crazy as I hated even the idea of it but he made it seem like I had been missing out.

My orbs soon met his grey ones and with a quiet voice and barely moving lips, he said the words my wolf begged to hear.

"Mate."

It was so low that I only picked it with my heightened senses. A large part of me squealed internally at the thought of my mate. Just maybe my luck was changing for the better. I had found him. My bubble burst when he checked me out. I began cursing myself internally for my choice of outfits. A disapproving look washed over his face and I knew I was screwed.

"Everyone, leave."

With everyone dispersing, including the omegas we were left alone as their footsteps waned. He didn't speak and pulled me to the side, dragging me to his office.

It didn't take me too long to realize there was a problem. He made sure to close the door behind us, his eyes closed and he looked like he was struggling with his inner self.

Instead of gawking like a hawk, I glanced around his office, trying to ignore the chocolate scent hitting me in waves. It was much concentrated in here and I only assumed he had been here for a while.

Paperwork laid out on the oak table, so well laid out that I was tempted to ruffle it up just to see his reaction. Would he get mad at me or join me in making a mess by taking me here and then?

Sadly, as much as I wanted to believe the latter. A larger part knew. I had always known.

We stared at each other for a second, his dark hair begged for me to run my fingers through them. Soon, he spoke the words that broke my already fragile heart.

"I, soon-to-be alpha Tommaso Castello of the Blue Moon Pack reject you Laurel Monterello as my mate and Luna."

His cold eyes hit me in waves that how he knew who I was remained the last thing on my mind. My mate had rejected me. The one person I had hoped and depended on to take me away from this hellhole didn't want me.

He didn't even try to get to know me. His judging eyes told me everything I needed to know. There was never going to be an us. I wanted so badly to ask why. Why he wasn't going to give us a chance? Why he didn't want to get to know me? The real me and not the one he currently sees on the surface.

We were mates for moon goddess' sake!

Through the heartache I felt, I said the only words I could mutter.

"I hate chocolate anyway."