Page 3 of Two Years Gone

When the bell sounded, I made my way to my next class of the day, only to be pushed from behind.

“We aren’t finished here.” Mariah’s voice was low and cold.

“Mariah,” I started as I got up off the ground, “he’s going to reject me, so stop.”

“Yes, he is, because why on earth would an alpha want you?” she snapped.

“You are nothing!”

“Exactly. Nobody wants me,” I turned to walk away, trying my hardest to fight the tears that were threatening to fall. I didn’t want to admit that I was hurt by the fact that my mate didn’t seem to want me.

I made it back home to be surprised with a cake and a small present. Even though we were at the bottom of the pecking order, my mom was always bright and kind.

“I love you, sweetheart,” my mom hugged me as she cleaned up before we headed to the pack house to make dinner for everyone.

We worked together in the kitchen, making my favorite meal for the pack dinner as a small celebration between ourselves. We were laughing and enjoying ourselves until Zane walked in. Our eyes met, and he walked toward me.

“I need a minute with Ella.”

My mom nodded and he led me to one of the back offices.

Chapter 2

ZANE

I was genuinely happy. There were only two weeks of school left before I left for alpha training at Camp Young in Minnesota. I spent most of my time with my friends and with Mariah.

I hoped that we would be mates, but we wouldn’t find out until after I got back. Her eighteenth birthday wasn’t for another two months.

It was a normal day. Everything was fine until the little omega from the kitchen walked into the cafeteria. I caught her scent immediately. She smelled like apple cider, and it was intoxicating.

I tried and mostly succeeded in ignoring her, but when Mariah came up and wrapped her arms around me, I was distracted.

I knew what that meant. That little nobody was my mate. But I wasn’t about to have her as my luna. I needed to take care of it, and fast.

I left Mariah and my friends in the cafeteria and went looking for her. She was sitting outside, and I had to stop myself when I got close.

The mate pull was palpable, and I could feel my wolf pacing, whining for his mate. She smelled so damn good. Her scent washed over all my senses. All I could do was stand there.

“You.” It was all I could muster. When she looked up at me with her deep hazel eyes, my wolf just about lost it.

“Ella, we aren’t mates,” I said, speaking as much to my wolf as to her. My wolf began howling in my head, fighting to take control.

When I tried to reject her at school, we were interrupted by Mariah’s gang. Ella was a loser, but I didn’t have the heart to reject and humiliate her in front of a crowd. I would have to do it later.

Thankfully, I found her at the pack house after school. She was working in the kitchen with Sophie.

“I need a moment with Ella,” I said, not really asking. Sophie nodded, and Ella followed me to one of the empty pack offices down the hall from the kitchen.

I entered the office and took a deep breath. I didn’t know what was going to happen when I rejected her. But it had to be done before the mate pull got out of hand.

I turned around and leaned against the desk, staring at her for a minute before standing up straight.Here goes…

“I, Zane Davis, reject you, Ella Matthews, as my mate.”

I could see the pain tear through her. She groaned, falling to the floor as tears streamed down her cheeks.

I felt so bad, I almost wanted to take it back right there and then. My wolf howled inside my head, begging me to do just that.