Chapter 1

Rebecca's POV.

I can't believe it! What did I do in my former life to deserve this? The person I hated the most in this world, is my MATE! How? Why? Grrrrr! I can't believe this! What the hell am I going to do now?

He’s got jet black hair, muscular tone, blue eyes with golden specks. Yes, he looked like the perfect mate. But everybody knows, looks can be deceiving. He was pure Evil!!!

" Just claim him, Becca! He's our mate! How can you still hate him when we were born to love him?" Isobel was saying in my head.

So, Isobel is my wolf side. When I turned fourteen, I started to hear her; although, I couldn't turn yet. Wolves are not supposed to be heard or changed into until our sixteenth year. But there she was, talking away. She was just as surprised as I was, when she realized I could hear her.

The Moon Goddess came to me, and she told me why. She said I must not tell anyone, not even my parents. Lives could be in danger if I were to tell anyone. She also said that she would always be watching over me, to help keep me safe. So, no one knows my secret.

But back to the issue at hand. How could this jerk be my mate?

" Izzy, I'm not going to claim him. I can't stand him. Yeah, we're supposed to be mates. Yes, he smells like lavender and vanilla. And yes, it may hurt to reject my mate, but I'm not going to do it! I don't love him!"

" My mate! If you won't claim him, I will! Stop being so stubborn, Becca!" Izzy half groaned, and half growled at me.

" Not going to happen, Izzy! We can find better than a narcissistic, lying, cruel jerk like him! Look how he treats everybody in our pack, just because he thinks he's better. All because his dad is our Alpha! Even his own dad won't let him claim the alpha seat, don't you find that odd?"

I knew how cruel he was to the younger pups. Little Ben was just the latest assurance. Poor Ben had ended up in our hospital wing because after the beating Kormac gave him, that jerk threw Ben into the wolfsbane that surrounded our territory. All this, because Ben dared to say hello to Kormac Andrews. Yes, Kormac, my soon to be rejected mate.

“After all the things we know he's done, and knowing he's done even more that we don't know about, Izzy, how could you want me to claim such a monster? We need a strong, caring, compassionate man for our mate. And you know as well as I do, Kormac does not fit the bill!" Izzy sighed as I said this.

" Maybe he will change now that he knows you're his mate. You really should give him a chance." I could hear the please in my wolf's voice.

But how could I even begin to forgive him? Let alone love him? I really need to speak to the Moon Goddess about this! Why would my mate be someone like Kormac? It must be some kind of joke. Maybe I was wrong, it could be someone else that was nearby. Who else was near him? I know I’m stretching it, but there has to be another explanation.

Classes would be starting in about an hour and I needed to find the gang before I went completely crazy. Maybe they could figure out what was really going on. Until then, I had to avoid Satan at all costs. I didn’t want anyone thinking I actually had a thing for him. Plus, I didn’t want to hear his ideas of a how a perfect mate should act. I could only imagine what his version would be, and that idea doesn’t set well with me.

I saw Josie pull into the parking lot with Jared. If only he wasn’t a human. He is definitely my idea of the perfect mate. He was the one I felt most comfortable with. He always made me feel like a princess. I know he wants to be with me too, but wolves can’t mate with humans. It would be different if he was a vampire or a warlock. Then we would have a chance. This really sucks.

After Josie got herself parked, I ran up asking for Elizabeth. Josie said she was on her way, and we walked to the library together. That was the only room other than the cafeteria open this early. I definitely didn’t want to go in there to find Kormac waiting for me. Liz texted to find out where we were hiding. When she finally got here, that’s when I told them all about this morning's unfortunate events.

“Oh my Goddess, Becca. I’m so sorry. Maybe you’re mistaken though. Maybe someone else was there and you just didn’t see them."

“I wish that were the case, believe me. Izzy is chomping at the bit to mate. Meanwhile, I’m trying not to vomit. I don’t see how today could get any worse.” I know I shouldn’t let this bring me down.

“Actually, I heard we’re supposed to have a pop quiz in ancient studies today. It’s supposed to be in the next chapter.” I couldn’t tell if Josie was joking or not.

“Not funny, sooo not funny. Next thing you’re gonna tell me me is that training has been cancelled too. Or maybe that the bonfire has been canceled. Well, I just won’t hear any more of it.” I pretended to be pissed as I fake stomped away.

Everyone just laughed as we headed to the cafeteria to grab a quick bite before going to class. Josie went in first to make sure the cost was clear. Thank the Goddess he wasn’t here. Hopefully he stays away. It was bad enough he was in most of my classes. At least I had at least one of my three friends in each class to protect me from going off on the ass. Who knows what I might do if he tried to talk to me, but it wouldn’t be good.

I had wondered why it had taken so long to find my mate. Now I wish I never had. It was just a few days ago I had thought perhaps I could spend my life with Jared if I didn’t find my mate. Now I find myself wishing that was still a possibility. The only problem with that, I would never be the same person I am now once I reject Kormac. My heart would ache for all time of the loss. The only thing that I hated about being a wolf.

“You’re just being silly, Becca. We can still claim him. You haven’t rejected him yet. Why not give him a chance to prove himself? He might prove to be a better man. You don’t know until you try.” I knew this was driving Isobel crazy, but I couldn’t take any chances.

“And what if he’s worse than we think? We’ll be trapped forever with an evil mate that we can’t be rid of. Forced into our own personal prison of hell.” Which was more than I was willing to risk.

“I know you’re right. I just don’t want to have to think of a life after you reject him. We will be so lonely. There will be no one to call our own. I don’t want a future like that.” I could feel her pain.

“ I know Izzy. I don’t want that either. But I would rather be alone than be living a nightmare. At least we’ll have each other, and our friends. It could always be worse.” Having to live with Satan was definitely on the list of worse.

Izzy went silent for now. I knew how depressed she was. I knew there was nothing I could do to help her through this except be here, ready to talk when she needed me. I looked at Jared and couldn’t help but feel a little sad of the things I’d never have with him. Although there still might be a chance. Maybe, just maybe, Mother Moon could help me in all of this.