Memory/Flashback: 2 weeks earlier

[Being left for dead]

"So, where are we going?"

I think Lane knows what I want to talk to him about, but I think he's also trying to find a way to salvage our relationship. We're heading out to what seems like the middle of nowhere, probably has some romantic surprise set up.

"It's a surprise." He winks at me.

So not happening.

"Okay then."

I stare out the window as we drive. It's nothing but woods and snow as far as the eye can see, and I don't like it. I'm getting a really uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I ignore it.

It's about another thirty minutes before he finally pulls off on a snow covered dirt road that only leads into the woods. When he finally stops I don't see anything around, and my gut is screaming RUN! But I'm a dumb-ass and I don't.

He gets out and motions for me to do the same. We walk for about fifteen minutes and I still haven't seen anything slightly romantic, or anything at all for that matter.

"So what's the surprise?"

"Oh, you'll see. But didn't you want to talk to me about something?"

His voice is in a tone I've never heard him use before, and I don't like it. He doesn't even look at me as he speaks. He just keeps walking deeper into the woods, and my gut is screaming RUN again.

"Yeah actually, Alexa told me what you said and did to her. All I want to know is how could you?"

He stops and turns around so he's now facing me, with a smile on his face I've never seen before. That sends shivers down my spine, and not the good kind.

"How could I? More like how couldn't I! I've wanted Alexa since the moment I first met her, she was breathtaking and just amazing. Your mother even tried to set us up before, how ironic is that? But I knew I had a mate out there somewhere, and I knew I'd need to find her and reject her before I could be with Alexa. Imagine my surprise when my mate turns out to be none other than you, her big sister! I knew then I couldn't just reject you right away, it would make Alexa hate me."

"And you think whatever this is won't!?"

I know I'm crying and yelling at the same time, but I can't help the hurt I feel from this. My mate wants my sister instead of me.

Fuck you Selene.

"Bitch I wasn't done talking!"

He screams at me and slaps me across the face. I make my tears dry up at that point, this prick doesn't deserve my tears.

"Anyways, like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. I knew I couldn't just reject you so I did the next thing that came to mind. I decided to keep you until the time was right and I would confront you and well here we are."

"And how do you think this won't make her hate you?"

"Because she'll never know what happened." He gives me the craziest, evilest smile I've ever seen; and I've seen a lot.

"You're fucking crazy if you think I'll lie to her about any of this! Just reject me and stay the fuck away from me and my sister!"

I was seething at this point. I also felt broken and hallow, but I wouldn't let him know that. After a few minutes of him just watching me I couldn't take it anymore. I turned my back on him and said

"Just stay the fuck away from us."

That was the wrong thing to do, because the next thing I know he's in his dark brown wolf form and attaching me. He bites through my leg and claws down my back, bringing me to my knees. He takes the opportunity to take a chunk out of my arm as he keeps clawing at whatever he can get to.

I know I could fight back, I know I could beat him, but the pain from my mate attaching me is too much to bare. I let him shred my body the same way he had just shredded my heart.

Why not... what purpose do I have if my own mate doesn't want me?

Once he's finally done with me and sure I'm almost dead, he shifts back to his human form.

"You're a weak pathetic bitch ya know that." He takes the time to spit on me and it burns in so many ways.

"You really thought I wanted or loved you?" He kicks my bleeding ribs.

"Your sister will make a much better mate than you ever could have. I Lane Walker Carter, reject you Nova Rain Storms as my mate."

He spits on me one last time, and with that he starts to walk away. I don't know if it's because I'm already in so much pain, but his rejection didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Painful yes, but not like the stories I've heard of people feeling like they're dying. Maybe it's because I'm already dying? I manage to get my final words out

"I Nova Rain Storms, accept your rejection."

I shift into my wolf form. Knowing it's the only way I might survive this, we just heal faster when in our wolf form. I think about all the signs I missed.