Rejected

Pov: Anya Zhukov 

It has been more than a year since I left the orphanage. Life has been impossibly difficult since then which was as expected. How I had been able to survive for that long on my own was beyond me. But then I wasn't on my own. Derrick had been there for me through it all. He was the only friend I had in the entire world. Our bond had survived through the harshness of the orphanage and even now it was still strong.

“Shouldn't you be getting ready for your shift? I don’t pay you to stare into space all day, yunno.” Maxwell spoke from the kitchen doorway.

You don't pay me enough to listen to your annoying voice, I thought bitterly.

“In a sec.” I sighed.

I adjusted my T-shirt and tried to pull down my skirt enough to hide my creamy skin. Maxwell undoubtedly had crooked intentions for picking a skirt so short it was impossible to cover up my ass.

I took a minute to breathe and tell myself it was all going to be okay before walking out to do my job. Some hours later, my mood brightened a little when Derrick stopped by. He had the usual sunny smile that always lightened everything around him.

“You look unusually gloomy today.” He said as I walked towards his table.

"I always look gloomy.” I shrugged.

“True.” He said. "But today it's unusual.”

I sighed. He was right of course. I felt off for no apparent reason.

“I guess it's one of those moods.”

He grinned. 

“Turn it off. There's somewhere we gotta be tonight.”

His smile was more of a sinister smirk. There was something he wasn't telling me yet and for some reason, I knew I wasn't going to like whatever it was.

“What is it?” I asked feeling my stomach tighten with anticipation.

Derrick's grin spread out more. I could tell he was enjoying it. Knowing him, I could understand why.

After a while of torturous silence, he said, "The reunion.”

"The reunion?” My voice trailed off as I tried to figure out what the fuck he was saying.

What the fuck did he mean by 'The Reunion’? What reunion??

The grin on his face made my frustration triple to the point where I was certain I had let an ugly vein spawn across my forehead.

"The orphanage, dummy.”

I slapped my forehead. I’d completely forgotten about the reunion party we had been invited to.

Derrick made sure I got off early enough to go with him to a shop where he bought a cheap good looking suit while I spent part of my life’s savings on a new shoe. The reunion was a big deal for both of us even though I had forgotten all about it.

We had a few hours left by the time we were done shopping. Derrick had some extra cash left and being Derrick, he decided to take me to a fancy restaurant for a meal despite my protests. My love for food made my protests weak but no one would say I didn't try.

I was scared to order when I glanced at the menu and saw the price attached to their food. It was enough to pay for my rent and tip my landlord to shoot the friggin’ poodle he carried around.

“Let’s go,” I said to Derrick suddenly feeling small in the restaurant.

He snickered and then laughed at me for a while before assuring me that he had it under control.

I felt bad for eating at his expense but I enjoyed the food. Every bit of it.

We made it to the auditorium where the reunion was held. We were an hour late but that was how it was with these things. Going late is early. Even the hosts don't go early.

Immediately we walked in, I felt almost every eye in the room focus on me. If I had the powers, I wouldn't hesitate to teleport my ass out of the place.

Derrick must have felt my unease because he held my hand and gave my palm a reassuring squeeze. Somehow I could tell he felt just as nervous as I did through the slight tremble of his hand.

I could recognize some of the faces that stared at me. Garry who we all called "Roach King” smiled at me with a level of familiarity in his eyes. He was the last person I wanted to recognize me. He had gotten the nickname because of his knack for capturing cockroaches, naming them, and keeping the damned things as pets. 

Pets!

I turned away from his gaze and headed for the bowl of punch. Derrick moved towards where the guys gathered having a discussion.

"Anya?”

I looked up to stare into the face of Roach King. He had grown since then and looked somewhat handsome but he was still Roach King to me regardless.

“Roach King.” I sighed.

He moved closer holding an empty glass.

“Garry. Garry Evans but yeah. I guess since you knew me then as Roach King.” He stuttered nervously.

I rolled my eyes barely able to conceal my disappointment.

“You look so…wow.” He said with a smile as if his sentence made any sense.

I was about to chase him off in the most civilized manner when a voice spoke. 

“Why don't you get lost, Garry? You're making our guest uncomfortable.”

Carter Olsen stood there just behind Roach King. He had on a smirk that had melted everything about me back then when we were in the orphanage together and still had the same effect even now.

Roach King mumbled some words before he turned around and retreated.

“It's Anya right?” He asked in a voice that pounded deep into my heart.

I nodded unable to speak because my mouth had gone dry. Carter had been one of the cool kids in the orphanage. He had been adopted by a wealthy family.

He walked closer to me with his curly blonde hair and perfectly handsome face keeping me paralyzed to the spot. That instant, I felt my heart beating fast and my wolf growling inside.

What the fuck was the meaning of that? Why would I be feeling this way? I tried to keep my wolf in check. Partly, it was a taboo to expose our identity in the human world. 

"Can you feel it too?” He drew closer, whispering into my ear.

I swallowed hard because I knew just what he was talking about. 

Even now as he spoke so close with his breath fanning the hair around my neck, I could pick up his scent as if it was somehow engraved into my senses.

We're mates and as mates, it was our nature to be drawn to each other.

"We are mates, aren't we?” His breath was strawberry and had a faint citrusy tinge.

I nodded again. 

His smirk was simply irresistible. I gasped in response, my feet wobbling and I swear I would fall if nothing was done about his fucking breath! 

“Well. I have to reject you.” He laughed mockingly. "I mean look at me and then look at you.” He watched me as if I was nothing but a piece of rag.

I wanted to oppose his decision. I wanted to tell him how he was wrong about me but the sad truth was that he was right.

I watched as Carter rejected me without any emotions and broke the natural bond we shared as mates untethering me from every hope of a happy romantic life with him. When he was done, he filled my glass with the drink then he left.

My whole body trembled with emotions that threatened to rip me apart. I felt like losing control, unleashing my powers, and killing every fucker in the party starting from Carter.

I took deep breaths while I searched for Derrick. He wasn’t in the auditorium so I decided to check outside. As I opened the door, I ran into him talking to a very pretty girl. She looked familiar.

I took a good look and recognized her immediately. Hayley Arres. She had gotten adopted by a rich family just about the same time Carter had been adopted.

“Your plaything is here,” Hayley said, giving me a contemptuous stare.

She walked away without a word even as Derrick tried to stop her, she ignored him completely. 

He cursed and punched furiously at the air.

“What was that about?” I gaped as I watched her leave.

Derrick sighed before stomping his feet repeatedly. If he had the green stuff inside him, he would have transformed to the Hulk.

“She, sh- " His voice shook then trailed off.

"She rejected me!”