Ignored

**Estelle's POV**

“Ignore them, Estelle. Just ignore them,” I comforted myself inwardly as I made way through the crowds of hostile gazes pointing at me. I was used to it anyway; after all, they weren't going to kill me or anything.

As I continued to walk toward the plaza, I shut my eyes, and ignored the glares everyone was giving me. 

I was delighted in the fact that the mating convention was taking place, meaning that I would finally get my mate and heal. The mating convention was a ceremony that happened every year, where the wolves that had turned 18 would all gather to get blessed and encounter their mates. I turned 18 today, and it was just in time for the season of the mating convention. I couldn't wait to get my mate and leave this hellhole called a pack.

No one around here liked me because I was mute. Yeah, I was the only disabled wolf in the pack and that made people distance themselves from me. They bully, insult and call me all kinds of names, but I endured it all. It was not the fault being born mute, just that fate decided to play a fast one on me. 

I was told my mother died immediately after giving birth to me and I developed a high fever, then they discovered I was no longer able to speak. I grew to live with it but when the pack doctor told me I could be cured, my joy was boundless, but my hope was shattered when my father refused to pay the bills and decided to use it instead for my pregnant stepmother and her unborn child.

And since then, I've been in this situation, feeling bad whenever I had the urge to share my views on interesting matters and couldn't because of my condition. No matter how much I wanted to, I could never voice those thoughts. So, I had to endure these horrible stares as well as the hateful remarks.

But I still had another hope, and that was the mating convention. If I could find my mate here, I'm sure I'll be cured as time goes on because only I know that I am not completely mute. Even though I can't speak, I can form voices.

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed and I started sweating. I took a handkerchief and wiped my face with it, but the sweat wasn't stopping. 

Despite the hostile glares people threw my way, I kept walking, trying to ignore the feeling of someone staring at me. It was becoming more difficult to pretend I didn't feel it anymore, especially when the smell of fear permeated the air. My steps slowed down. I stopped walking altogether. And I stood there like a statue, my hands trembling.

When I turned, I could see that the eyes of the male wolves present had turned red and bloody. Fear gripped me when their fangs shot out, and they gathered themselves together, approaching me. I instinctively started taking steps back.

“Mate!” They growled as they advanced towards me, and my eyes widened. What the heck were they talking about? Me? Mate?

The way they looked at me like they wanted to attack or possess me sent cold shivers down my spine. Instantly, I turned to run and they grabbed, pulling me into their midst.

I shook my head in protest when one wanted to touch me, but he ignored me and started touching my face. Oh, how I wanted to yell and tell them to get the fucking hell away from me! But I knew my voice wouldn't work. All that came out of my mouth was small whimpers when they touched my body. 

Their eyes flashed with anger while they pushed me closer to each other. My knees buckled, the ground spinning. When I tried to stand again, I heard several gasps. I looked up and saw them surrounding me, while some were even looking down at me and licking my hair.

My heart was pounding furiously against my chest and I felt faint as the tears streamed down my face.

Before I could process what was happening, they started tearing off my clothes. I fought with them and made another attempt to escape, but it was futile. They dragged and pulled me while muttering, “Mate.” Everything was thrown into chaos, and I was hurt when no one came to my aid, not even the wolves passing by. Who was I kidding? They hated me and I could swear they were happy seeing me like this.

I caught sight of a car stopping in the plaza, and my face lit up with hope when I saw my father step down, followed by Alpha Cedric as they approached us. My father saw how I was being treated and being the beta, I was hoping for him to calm everyone down, to yell at the male werewolves harassing me and making them stop, but my heart shattered when my father did not come to my aid. Instead, he turned his face away from me and walked away. 

I felt hurt and betrayed as the one person I relied on, let me down. I struggled with them the more, and their grips on me loosened. When I tried to make a run for it again, they caught me and put me on the floor.

I used my hands to beg them to stop, doing all sorts of demonstrations I could think of, but they were hell-bent on undressing me. Why weren't people helping me? Was that how much they despised me?

I continued struggling, but then a unique scent caught my attention. Inhaling it alone made me feel at peace, and I sniffed, wanting to get more of it. No one was coming to save me, that I know, so before they had their way, I decided to follow that scent.

I fought off the male werewolves and rushed out of their mates, running straight into the Alpha's arms.

Everyone gasped, and I realized I might have just landed myself in a big shit.