Mate!
It was the first time since she discovered her wolf that Roxanna had actually really heard Vera stir inside of her like this. The unfortunate part of this situation was the fact that she was forced to look up at Alpha James as he stared down at her with disgust, rather than adoration or even acute interest. He looked angry. She had to think back at how she found herself in this situation. She had gone out to let her wolf out, and then she heard the call. The smell of everything she ever found appealing wrapped into one strong package. He smelled like a mixture of cinnamon spice, sandlewood and another natural earthy scent, and her heart lept in her chest, but her hopeful expression was soon to be crushed.James had barely noticed her existence in the pack. When he looked upon her at school, he simply avoided his gaze as if he saw nothing at all. She imagined that it was her size. The rumors were that her mother had been sickly during her pregnancy, Roxanna couldn't say for sure. All she really understood was the fact that she barely had any memories of her mother. One day she was there, and the next she threw her at her father and walked out of her life forever. She supposed, that she would be used to this sort of recoil, but it never got any easier.
James stepped closer to her now, making note to inhale her scent. She had always admired him, unlike the others he had never been overly cruel towards her. He simply didn't acknowlege her in front of others. He sucked in a deep breath and made a honest effort to soften his expression. 'I apologize. I just... can't accept you as my mate. The pack, they'd never accept you as luna. You understand. So, I'll rip off the bandaid here.. Roxanna Harlowe, I Alpha James of the Redwood Pack, hereby reject you as my mate. Now and forever. Please accept." James said, his piercing blue eyes peering down into her, his domineering expression was barreling holes into her very form.
She couldn't help but gasp at the sudden pain that clutched her chest. It was almost like her heart was threatening to rip itself apart in her chest. The pain was absolutely incredible. She couldn't help but be fearful for what was to come. She winced, and sucked in a sharp breath. She steadied herself and softly whimpered the words that he longed to hear. "I accept your rejection, James."
That was it. The thin cord winded itself out and then snapped. Severing the connection forever, even as Vera was screaming and howling in her head, begging it not to be so. She nearly collapsed from the tension and release from the overwhelming process. James moved forward to help steady her. His eyes seemed sympathetic, but he also seemed unsure of what words to say next. "I am sorry, there really is no other way. Be safe on your way home. For what it's worth, if things were different... I think you'd make a fine mate. Had I not been Alpha, you would be a good choice." James said softly.
Roxanna was forced to watch him walk away. She could say nothing in response. She could only watch as he disappeared. This would be her fate it seemed, a small wisp of a thing, forever the rejected member of her own community. She tried not to let this get to her, but it seemed that the cards of fate were stacked up against her. She sighed, and headed back home. She walked quietly through the small patch of wooded area that led up to the dark sidewalk of her shabby home.
She quietly crept through the back door. She had to step over discarded empty liquor bottles, she figured she'd make it upstairs without her father noticing her. She was actually relieved to hear the sound of the large man slumped over in his chair, snoring and dead to the world. She sighed and tip-toed her way upstairs. She quietly closed her bedroom door behind her and locked it tight. She finally let out a long breath of air that she didn't realize she was holding and headed into her small bathroom for a shower.
This is complete nonsense! How dare mate reject us, there's nothing wrong with us, Roxie!
He wasn't overly cruel about it, he just doesn't want someone small and weak like us, it's heartbreaking, but there's nothing we can do about it.
Roxanna responded to Vera. She had been deathly silent on the walk back, but her wolf was furious now. She decided it was best to block her out for now to let her vent her anger in the empty walls in the back of her mind. Roxie peeled off her clothes and started her shower. She pulled the hairtie out of her hair and let her long dark tresses fall around her small frame and stepped into the hot stream. She thoroughly scrubbed everything, as if that could erase the day's events from memory, but she was still saddened by the day's events.
James was kind, he would have been an ideal mate, but Alpha's didn't tend to enjoy the company of little runts like herself. She was about half the height of most of the girls from her pack. She was shorter than most of the people in her pack, and even Vera, her wolf was stunted compared to the strong wolves that ran in her pack. Roxie had learned to stay to herself and avoid others, by doing that she avoided most of the conflict within the pack. However, there were those that saw her existence as an omen, and much like the mindset of James, would pick on her relentlessly to have their strength flaunted above and around her to ensure their own superiority.
Roxie finished with her shower and wrapped her body up in her towel and stopped in her bedroom to stand in her mirror. She was short, barely reaching a height of five feet two, with long dark hair that reached below her bottom. She was lighter skinned, and had a petite figure. By human standards, she might even be considered a beauty, but here at her hometown, she was something that they disliked, and feared. None of which for a good reason. Roxie sighed to herself and pulled on a oversized dark tshirt and a pair of fresh panties.
She finished drying her hair and climbed into her bed to turn in for the night. She still had a couple of weeks of school left, she was now an eighteen year old, she had already had her wolf for the better part of a year. She had decided long ago that once she finished school, she would remove herself from her town and all of its problems, in persuit of a new life in a better pack, far away from this place. Roxie could do little at this point but pull the blankets up and pushing all her problems away from her, she finally faded off to sleep.
Avery's POV He had been silent on his ride to the old pack of his birth. They had originally lived just outside of the Redwood Territory in adjacent shifter towns. He didn't really understand why he was coming back here, his parents had split when he was younger. His father had rejected his mother to follow some little she-wolf whore that had stolen his attention for the time being. He didn't understand those who would reject their fated mate, just to be with someone that would never truly make them whole. It was despicable, but it just showed to reason. Fated mates or not, there was no real loyalty in finding a mate. You could give someone the very best of your years, and they would still turn around and stab you in the back.His father was the Alpha of the Red Moon pack, had a fated mate, and beloved wife. Two children that adored him, and turned his back on them for some fling. It made Avery hate his dad with every breath he had in him. He didn't understand why it was important fo
Roxie could barely register what just happened. There was another mate. That same smell, the smell that reminded her of earthy tones and spices wrapped up into one yummy package. Unfortunately for her, the smell came when her highschool bullies had decided to gang up on her. Maddie and Taylor specifically had heard the rumors that James had rejected her, and the sideways glances he shot her somehow set them off. They had decided to take turns kicking and beating her into submission. Her white knight came for her then. The smell of him was beyond intoxicating, and he commanded a powerful and dominating pressence. The way he threw those girls was beyond startling, but beyond that. She knew that she had to look out for herself, and what he did wasn't actually helping her case. You rejected our mate! How could you do that to us?Vera didn't seem pleased. The last thirty minutes replayed in her head like a picture show and the true realization hit her. Shit. It didn't matter, she probably
Avery's POV This was absolutely insane. He had full intention of rejecting that girl on the spot, but he couldn't understand this feeling in his chest. Something about that look on her face when she looked at him, and those large doe eyes of hers had drew him in for a moment and made him hesitate. She had been attacked, and he suddenly felt the urge, an anger inside him that he didn't recognize. He wanted to protect her.We have to make her take it back! She is ours! His beast was stirring inside of him, going mad with what had happened yesterday. Avery didn't know what to think, he was trying to make himself understand. He didn't want a mate, or at least he didn't... until he saw her. She's so tiny. He had no idea who she was, or even acutely aware of her age. She could have been a freshman, a young teen. Did she have her wolf? She has a wolf! Don't be stupid. I could sense her.. and she sensed me.. I want her we want her! Make her take it back! Aries was actively screaming at him
It took some time, but eventually Roxanna's eyes fluttered open. With her renewed consciousness, came back all the pain from her ribs. Her head hurt the worst, but there was also this searing pain to her left side. That bitch Maddie had stabbed her with something. It was taking her wolf, Vera some time to get her healed up. Her broken ribs would heal in a matter of hours but when something like silver touched her skin, it seared and left a scar and took time to heal from the internal damage. When her eyes focused, she could smell him again. The smell of spice and earth... Her mate. As her eyes focused on him, she was finally able to take all of him in. From his eyes to his broad chest, to his facial features that looked like they were chisled by the Goddess herself. He was handsome. Painfully so, and the fact that she still felt the pull this strongly, it meant that when she rejected him, it didn't take. "Hi." The male said. She didn't even know his name. Had he once again come to he
Roxie's body grew stiff as her mother walked across the room and hugged her. Something was definitely off. If everything her father said was correct, the only reason that her mother would be back was because the man she chose over them was long gone. She was about to say something, when she heard someone clear their throat from behind her. She had almost forgotten about Avery. The pull her wolf had towards him, hadn't faded since her rejection. Perhaps it didn't take. Part of her wanted to reject him and get it over with, but the rest of her wanted to latch onto him. That was still something she needed to deal with. There was a confused look on her father's face, as Roxie stepped out of her mother's grasp. "If there are to be introductions. You must be Roxie's parents. My name is Avery Jackson. I'm the new Alpha of Red Moon. Roxie is my mate." There was a look on my mother's face. Recognition, disgust, but it was there only briefly. Replaced by a smile. "Oh, isn't that great, Collin?
Avery made his way into school the following morning with his sister at his side. He had already made his way into the principal's office and made sure that most of his classes with the same subjects were switched to classes with Roxie. Mr. Shaw wasn't excited about the change at first, until Avery and his sister told him of the situation. It was decided that the classes they had the same subjects in were changed for him to attend class with her, and her extra classes that he wasn't enrolled in, Avaline was placed in instead. Such as art, and physical education. He went to his first class that morning expecting to see Roxie in their English class. He even went so far as to ask which seat was hers and took his in the middle row in the back,, so he could sit next to her. However, as the bell rang and class began.. There was no sign of her anywhere. When the homeroom teacher began taking attendance, he made his way up front to ask if Roxie had called in sick, but as the absense was just
Roxie's head felt like it was swimming. She felt woozy. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that it was hard for her to focus as the room was spinning. What was clear, however was the fact that she was no longer in her bed at home. She moved to sit up, it was a difficult task, but she managed. She moved to stand up. She was a little lightheaded, but was able to do it. She checked out her surroundings. The room was made up of a single twin sized bed. There were no windows, which made her think that it was a basement room of some kind. One large door sat in the room as the entry and exit point. There was a dresser, a nightstand. There was another doorway but it had no door, just hanging black beads that set it apart from the rest of the room. For the most part, the room was clean and organized, but for the life of her she couldn't really remember how she got there. Come on, Roxie think. How did we get here? What was the last thing we remember? She chided herself. She decided to try t
Avery sat in his office as Sienna made some calls. Then realization struck him. "Look into Celia Harlowe." He commanded, then Sienna stopped cold. "Why?" She asked. "That's her mother." Sienna paused and looked back at Avery like he had grown a second head. "Celia Harlowe was thrown out of the pack after your father died. She was the mate he chose over your mother and you guys. I'm guessing Roxanna Harlowe is your fated mate? Poor girl. She grew up with that thing as her mother. Well, a very absent mother but she was born the biological child of that vile woman. Avery, I support rescuing her a hundred percent. Who knows what Celia is planning, but the chances of your mother accepting her as your mate... are very slim." Avery growled at that. "I don't care what my mother's hang up is. She is my mate and I will bring her with me. There's not enough school left for her to be kept captive. Nevermind that. Who else was absent from school yesterday!" He roared. Avaline held up her hand. Sh