As I left Trigonometry, I was so distracted I didn't even realize that I had run into something, or should I say, someone. That is until his smell invaded my senses. He smelled like sunshine in the morning, he smelled like oranges and mint. There were so many other ways that I could describe it, and I knew that I was absolutely in deep shit. Jack was my mate and there was nothing I could do. I looked up into his eyes, and suddenly it was like I was seeing color for the first time. Various emotions passed through his eyes. Shock, regret, and disgust all appeared instantaneously.

I walked away very fast praying that he didn't smell me too. I knew what was going to happen. I knew that I should be happy for once, but the sinking feeling in my stomach wouldn't go away. I kept my head down the rest of the day, I tried to draw as little attention to myself as possible. Not for the first time in my life, I wished for my secluded attic. I hoped that the rest of the day would go by quickly so I could at least finish my birthday in peace.

Unfortunately, I am not that lucky.

After school was over, I tried to get out of there as fast I could. I didn't even wait for Tom, which went against everything in me. Tom and I vowed to stick together no matter what. I'm hoping that Tom would understand when I explained it to him later.

I managed to get all the way out to the forest before he got up with me. When he did finally catch up with me, he wasn't exactly gentle. I was about halfway home when I was suddenly slammed against a tree. I felt the breath leave my body in a big whoosh.

"If you tell anyone that we are mates, I'll kill you. Got it?" Said Jack. The rage was radiating off of him in ways. He was so powerful and he looked so murderous. He let me go and said the one phrase that made me feel like I was going to die.

"I, Jack Blake Greyson reject you, Alexandra Schuyler Black, as my mate." He said with a little bit of disgust in his voice.

I couldn't look him in the eyes and I tried so hard not to break down. "I Alexandra Schuyler Black accept your rejection." I managed to choke it out without crying. The instant I said it, it felt like a rubber band snapped around my heart, slowly starting to squeeze. He looked at me in disgust as he turned on his heels and left.

I ran as fast as I could home. I ran into the house without even really seeing where I was going. I bumped into someone but I couldn't focus on anything other than the pain in my chest.

"Watch where your walking slut!" It was Otto, my sperm donor.

I finally made it to the safety of my dusty attic. I sat on my bed and cried my eyes out. I hadn't cried this much since my mom died. I stayed in there trying to think of a way that will satisfy my pain. I was in so much pain. I could feel it in my chest what he was doing. That filthy little piece of shit. I could tell when he was fucking her. There were two different kinds of pain. After the initial rejection, the rubber band feeling felt like constant sharp pain. When he was fucking her, it felt like my heart was on fire and I truly thought I was going to die.

I don't know how long I stayed there. I stared off into the abyss, hoping beyond hope that it would swallow me whole. I finally looked at the clock and it was 6:30. If I didn't start making dinner now, there was going to be hell to pay, and I didn't think I had the energy to pay hell today. I got up and went to find Tom. When it was finally time to start cooking, Tom and I were left alone to do all the work. Most of the pack didn't want to be near us.

"Hey! Where were you after school? I thought we were going to walk back to the main house together?" Tom started the conversation. He sounded casual, but I could tell he was upset.

"I found my mate," I said quietly. I peeked over at him and saw virtually no reaction. He was expecting this news.

"That's great," He replied, "Who is he?"

First, I looked around the room to make sure that no one would hear us. Then, as quietly as I could manage, I whispered to Tom, "Jack."

I expected Tom's reaction. He looked absolutely baffled. Before he could respond, I explained the whole story to him. By the end, I was trying so hard not to cry again. I could see the pity in Tom's eyes and I had never felt more pathetic in my life.

"Tom, I can't stay here. I can't be around him. I'm not going to survive this if I don't leave."

"Then go, Alex. I'll stay behind to cover your tracks."

I looked into his eyes. I couldn't leave him. He was already severely abused because he was so different from everyone in our pack. I couldn't ask him to do this for me. I opened my mouth to protest, but Tom beat me to the point.

"Alex, you're never going to get anywhere if you don't leave this place. The Moon Goddess knows when my time here will end. I don't know when that will be, but I know it's not time yet."

Tom helped me make as much food as possible. The adults each got three steaks, one baked potato, corn, and milk. While the kids get one steak, mashed potatoes, and corn, and milk.

Tom and I had always been a team. We worked fast and efficiently to get the food cooked and cleaned up as fast as possible. I called out for dinner to be served and then I ran as quickly as I could because this plan needed to work. I couldn't do this anymore.

I scribbled a quick note to the pack and was out the window so fast, I scared the birds on the window sill.

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(Jack's POV)

I don't remember anything leading up to the rejection. As soon as it was done, I left as quickly as possible. My wolf was snarling and thrashing in my head. At that moment he was nothing but a wild animal ready for the kill.

"Baby, let me take away your suffering," Asley said seductively in my ear. Twenty minutes later I heard her beautiful voice calling that dinner was ready.

"Come on baby lets go get dinner and then we can go for round two." She said flirtatiously. The food was amazing, but I didn't have an appetite. My heart was aching, and I was trying to push down the feeling of regret.

"Shouldn't Alex be cleaning this up?" Said Otto.

"Yes I will call her," said my dad, "Alex, come and clean this up." said my father in his alpha tone. We waited and waited and still, she did not come. Dread started to fall over me.

"Josh go look for your sister"

Joshua stood up in annoyance and stomped up the stairs towards Alex's attic. He was gone for nearly 15 minutes before we received an update.

"She's gone."