I couldn't speak.

No words could form in my head and no sounds could come out of my mouth.

I felt my heart breaking but the overwhelming fear and bile blocked my throat. My senses were going haywire: my ears felt like they were going in and out of working, my fingers felt like they were burning and tingling, and my feet felt they were growing roots to the ground. My legs were visibly shaking, even someone a mile away could see how terrified I was.

"Well?" He growled. I felt like his icy-blue eyes were actually freezing my insides. It was getting harder to breath, my heart was pounding against my ribs it felt like it was actually about to jump from my chest.

"My name," I wheezed, oh god, I can't breathe.

"Yes, what is it?" His eyes were starting to have a silver sheen, like his wolf is trying to break through his human mind. His dark brown hair fell partially in his face, giving him a more feral look.

"Mable Vennett."I squeaked, I gripped my chest, trying to pull out the wrenching and twisting feeling.

"Then," he cleared his throat, he acted like I wasn't in any pain, like I was just fine, "I, Alpha Axel Brinks of the River Side Pack reject Omega Mable Vennett of the Crescent Peak Pack." He stared down at me with a pitiful look, just for a while, as if he was trying to drink in my sad and worn appearance. Soon enough he walked around me and left me in the janitor's closet.

I took deep breaths, but each were shaky and almost sounded like I was gargling.

I slumped to the floor, sorrowful tears fill my eyes. My heart felt like it had been stabbed over and over again.

I didn't even notice as my snickering pack mates came in, not hearing them until I heard the door lock.

Oh god.

No more.

It's last period, I missed every single period except my last one. I managed to open the janitor door with the materials I've collected over the past two years that I've figured out how to open doors from the inside and outside. My body slightly ached with the fresh new bruises but my pack mates are always careful not to get my face, they don't want the council to come to the pack again to see if everyone is being taken care of properly.

They are so generous.

I peeked out in the empty hallway, sighing a small breath of relief.

I was hoping to just go home and not attend the rest of the school day but as soon as I got to one of the side entrances that lead to the open courtyard. Usually during these courtyards are for furious alphas or other high ranked wolves who can't help but shift during the day, the courtyards also conveniently lead to a forest. And USUALLY they are empty towards the end of the school day.

But with my luck, and because the Moon Goddess hates me.

The beta of the River Side pack was sitting in the middle of the courtyard.

Without his shirt on.

But to my luck he was facing away from me so I started trying to sneak around, ignoring the screaming pain my joints were in as I slowed their movement to make as little noise as possible. He wasn't reacting so I was p-

"You know I can smell you, right?" He turned slightly, but I was too frozen in my spot to even meet his eyes. I just slightly begged that he would leave me alone but the sound of him getting up and walking over to me crushed my dreams. "Hey, I'm talking to you."

I started shaking again.

I heard that the beta was the nice one out of the two leaders but who knows how much nicer.

I shut my eyes again, hoping this will be over soon.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." He felt awfully close.

I pried one of my eyes open, only looking at his now shirt-covered body and see he's about a yard away. Too close. Besides, too many people have said that to me. Too many.

I felt like walls were closing around me despite being outside. But then, air.

I opened my eyes slowly, and turned my head even slower, still holding my head low to see the beta back up just a little.

"I was getting to close, wasn't I?" he chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, "Sorry about that." He seemed to understand my personal space issue, keeping a respectful distance, "Wanna sit down?" He gestured to a bench that was sitting in the shade with a homey sense.

I nodded, terrified this might be an act and as soon as I move he is going to do a complete 180 and attack me.

"I'm Brennon Welsh," he sat down, seeing how I was just trudging towards the bench he just gave me a kind smile. I still wasn't looking at him in his candy-green eyes but I could tell there was no malicious intent in those orbs. "We have chemistry."

I snorted slightly with his pun, seeing how we sit in alphabetical order in chemistry we ended up next to each other.

"Mable right?" He leaned down and rested his arms on his legs, looking up so we ended up meeting eyes.

I nod slightly, feeling my chest burn with anxiety with this eye contact. He seemed harmless, or he was just a really good actor.

"Cool," he gave me a genuine smile, "You're probably wondering why I'm skipping class," I wasn't, but okay, "I just can't handle my pack sometimes. I love them to pieces, but sometimes I need my own breathing space. You know?"

I do know. I have too much breathing space all the time, then sometimes don't have enough.

I nod again, finally sitting down, intertwining my fingers and staring at their smallness since I could see Brennon's just out of the corner of my eye.

"Why are you skipping?" He asked, sounding like he was just trying to make conversation.

Should I answer?

"Not one of much words, huh?" He smiled again, "Don't worry, I can speak enough for the both of us." He leaned back and slumped back on the chair, touseling his hazel-blonde hair around so it was messy. "Can I tell you something random?" He leaned his head just enough to see me out of the corner of his eye.

I nod.

"I don't think I'm cut out to be a beta." He sighed, "I'm just going to be beta because my dad was, but I just don't think I'm cut out to be a leader. I just can't really handle all the pressures." He sighed again, more dramatically, "But hey, I don't have much of a choice."

I really wanted to ask him why he's telling me all this, but I was afraid to speak still no matter how warm he seemed to act to me.

"I haven't told Axel though, the alpha. He was born to be an alpha, literally, and it is his dream to rule alongside his luna. But he's told me that he can't be a leader without me, and he's my best friend. I don't want to disappoint him." He closed his eyes, basking in the cool shade despite it being November and I already feel like it was freezing. Of course I have a significant less amount if muscle then this mountain. The cold was enough of a distraction from the luna statement.

There was a comfortable silence between us, just the sound of the leaves rustling with the wind.

"Are you cold? Wanna go back inside?" I didn't even realize I was shivering, until he asked. But I couldn't go back inside, not with them, not with him. I was shaking more with the thought of all of that. "Then let's go on an adventure!" He jumped up and held out his hand gentleman-like to help me up.

For some reason I felt like I could trust him.

So I took his hand.