Chapter 1

Hannah

I'm walking out of the store, minding my own business when a firm shoulder runs into me and pushes me hard enough that I fall to the ground. The contents of my purse flow over the sidewalk and I throw my long brown hair over my shoulder so I can look up at the culprit with furrowed brows and an annoyed sneer. I narrow my hazel eyes at the familiar shit eating grin and can't stop the growl of hatred that rumbles through me.

"Woah there, Banana. You should watch where you're going."

Fucking Micah.

The Alpha's son has been an asshole since we started high school. Now a year after graduation he still finds every chance he can to torment me. It used to be throwing my homework into the pool or "accidentally" shoving my books out of my hands or pushing me into lockers. I don't know how many bruises I came home with after he "ran into me" with his shoulder.

On top of all of that were the names he'd call me. Ugly, bitch, slut, whore. Banana was pretty tame compared to the rest of them, but he only used it because he knows I hate it. It wouldn't have been so bad if he treated every one like shit, but he and his merry group of men that followed him around like disciples only tortured a select few of us. Those of us more focused on the strength of our minds, rather than our bodies.

Sure I could fight. Both of my parents are warriors, they made sure I could hold my own, but I never made a show of it like the other teenagers. Strutting around the training grounds like a preening peacock never appealed to me, so I was labeled different and punished accordingly.

Now, looking up at my tormentor and the three other wolves following him around like dogs on leashes I'm reminded of just how much I hate this guy.

"Fuck off, Micah." I sneer through clenched teeth as I collect my shit from the sidewalk and stand to my full height, which is still considerably shorter than him. He chuckles and looks around at his buddies.

"Excuse me, Banana? I don't think I heard you correctly." He says with a hint of amusement in his voice. I square my shoulders and make eye contact. Refusing to lower my gaze is an outright sign of disrespect.

"I told you to fuck off." I respond haughtily. I see his eyes darken in anger as he takes a few menacing steps towards me.

"You'd like that wouldn't you? If I let you fuck me? What a whore." He says as his friends bark out laughter. I feel my face blush but I don't drop my stare.

"I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole. Even the pole had a condom on it. I feel bad for your mate. She is sure to be disappointed." I spit at him and he growls before his expression changes to one of amusement.

"Nah, Banana. My mate will love me. I bet she'll throw herself at me. I'll have her marked and mated within an hour of meeting her." He says with unwavering confidence. I can't help but roll my eyes at him.

"I hope she rejects you. I don't know her, but I can already tell you the poor girl deserves better." I say shrugging while holding his gaze.

He's pissed now, the vein in his forehead sticking out as dark brown fur begins to sprout on his arms. His usually emerald green eyes darken to the shade of his wolf as he growls lowly on every exhale.

"Submit. Like the pathetic bitch you are." He growls, his voice lower as it mixes with his wolf. I maintain my stare, praying my body doesn't betray me. I know he can hear my pounding heart, but I refuse to let him see my fear.

"Let it go, Micah." One of his jerk friends says.

"Yeah. She's not worth it." Another one adds.

Micah shakes his head and comes out of his half shift. His body stops quivering with anger and his eyes clear.

"Perfect little Hannah Quaid. Always thinking you're better than everyone else. One of these days, someone's going to knock you off your pedestal." Micah taunts. I just roll my eyes again, knowing nothing gets under an Alpha's skin like a show of disrespect.

"Funny, Micah. I could say the same for you." I mutter before turning on my heel and walking away.

Sure, I walked the wrong direction, but I wasn't going to turn back around and let him know that. Instead I slipped into a small book store, thankful that my friend Katie was working today.

"That looked like some intense shit out there with Alpha wannabe." She says. Katie has always been observant, but a slow bookstore with a large window facing the main street of the pack didn't hurt.

"I'm so tired of him, Katie. I can't wait until my birthday. As soon as I find out that my mate isn't here I'm leaving this pack and never looking back. I can't watch it burn to the ground with that douche bag in charge." I rant angrily as I stick price tags on new books.

"Slow down there tiger. You're putting the tags on the wrong books. And you can't just up and leave the pack. The alpha needs to give you permission."

"You think he won't?" I ask incredulously and Katie sighs.

"You know he's been eyeing you to take over the pack intelligence department. You're wicked smart and can sense patterns so easy that it's creepy. You'd be great at planning attacks, helping with defense, warrior training and patrol schedules. Wolves like you don't come along often. I don't think he'd just let you go." She says pointedly and I sigh.

Damn me for being so smart.

"Yeah, well, maybe he would feel differently after he hears what I think about his son." I shrug and Katie gasps.

"You wouldn't." She challenges but all I do is give her a smirk.

"If it meant the difference between me getting out of this pack or not, I would tell the alpha just what an egotistical, selfish asshole his son is and what a disgrace he would be to the man's legacy." I rant and Katie's jaw drops.

"You trying to get out of the pack or are you trying to die?" She asks and I can't help but chuckle.

"Just out. To find my mate and get away from everyone who ever called me Hannah Banana." I say irritably, shelving a book a little more aggressively than needed. Katie gives me a sad look and pats my shoulder.

"I understand what you mean, honey. But that book doesn't so stop being mean to it." She says and we both giggle.

"Three more days." I say wistfully.

"Three more days until your nineteenth birthday. Then you'll know."