As I took my first step down the stairs, I smelt an intoxicating scent. A scent that drove my emotions all over the place. The kind that would give me goosebumps all over my body.

The good kind.

I can't believe it. I'm actually going to meet my mate today. My heart kept beating faster and faster as I went down the stairs until I stopped halfway. The scent of pine and forest was strong, but not as strong as it would be if I were near my mate.

I looked at the crowd. They were cheering and clapping as I searched for him. I was searching at the very back now but the scent started to get fainter and fainter.

My heart sank. I don't know why but I felt like I just got rejected. I quickly plastered a smile on my face when my parents walked towards me with a smile on their faces.

"Happy birthday Jesse!" greeted everyone. I then soon said, "Thank you." Then we went to the dining room to cut the cake. The cake was massive! It was decorated with just a simple greet saying 'Happy 16th Birthday Jesse!" I cut the cake and it was chocolate cake.

My mom and I gave slices of cakes to our families and friends until everyone got one. I was the last to receive it and it was the slice with the letter 'R' on it.

I ate it while talking to my guests. "Jesse!" cried Kya as she hugged me tightly while I barely managed to save my cake. "Whoa! Hold your horses K." I laughed. "Happy birthday Jesse!" She squealed while jumping up and down then asked if I liked her present and told her I did.

I then whispered to her, "How are things with Ryder?" Her facial expression changed but I didn't know it that was a good thing or a bad thing as she pulled me away and brought me outside to where the pool was.

We sat down near the gazebo and I stared at her, waiting for her to tell me what happened. She took a deep breath then started. "Right after we left, Ryder brought me to his car and we drove to a place. I was so nervous and terrified sitting next to him! I was fiddling with my fingers when suddenly he grabbed hold of my right hand and held it tightly. "Relax ok? I don't bite you know." I pulled my hand away as he said that and looked at the mark on my arm with pain where he bit me when I was a child.

He sighed then tried to hold my hand again but I wouldn't have it! I unbuckled my seat belt, unlocked the door and flung my body outside and landed safely on the grass. Besides from a few cuts and bruises, I was fine. I saw his car stop which made me run as fast as I could. However, it was inevitable since he is one of the strongest and fastest wolf in the pack. He caught up to me quickly where he grabbed my waist and slammed me against the tree. I struggled to escape while he just stood there holding on to me tightly. "You do realize there's no point in struggling right?" he said in a bored tone.

"If at first you don't succeed," I said while looking for an escape route. Then a smirk appeared on my face.

"Try," I relaxed in his arms.

"Try," his gripped loosened.

"Agai-" Soft lips met mine which cut off my sentance. His lips were so soft and there was nothing but sparks as he kissed me softly, lightly, while holding me firmly in his arms.

He pulled away and placed his forehead on my forehead with a rare smile on his face. I didn't know whether to be pleased, because he is my mate, or upset, because of the way he's been treating me the past few years. My voice answered how I felt as I asked in a quiet voice, "Why?" He replied simply, "Because your my mate." That made my heart plummet as I was just that.

His mate.

Tears prickled my eyes as he said that. The feeling of hurt, of betrayal, was so strong that the tears in my eyes spilled down my cheeks and I cried quietly. "Hey, hey. Shh, it's ok Kya." He said in a soothing tone while rubbing my back. The feeling of anger rose in my chest as I remembered what he did to me. The names, the pranks, all of it.

I've had enough.

I did what I wanted to do earlier before he kissed me. I kicked him where the sun don't shine resulting with Ryder falling to the ground while clutching his family jewels. He said in a pained voice while trying to control his painful groans on the ground, "Why did you do that?"

I glared at him. "Why? Why! Because you bullied me that's why! You ruined my childhood! My life! And I thought my mate would help take the pain away!" I growled at him with hatred in my eyes, "But instead, you're my mate! I'd rather marry my bed then be your fucking mate! Just because I'm your mate, it doesn't change what you did in the past." By this time, he was leaning against a tree nearby with a hurtful expression on his face. I stood there clutching my fist with the feeling of what happened in the past few years in my chest for what he did to me.

"Why should you look hurt? You're not the one who had to walk outside the locker room in a towel to the nurses' office because both of your sport and normal clothes were gone! You have no idea how humiliating it was! And I bet if you were in my shoes, you would just walk normally down the hall without a sense of humiliation as people stare at you, make fun of you! Surprise, surprise! I saw my clothes hanging on the flag pole with my white shirt spray painted in red with the word 'slut' on it as I stood there with the nurse who had an annoyed expression on her face as she had to see me again after my clothes were flushed down the toilet the day before while you were laughing your ass off outside!" I screamed.

He just stared at me leaving an awkward silence in the atmosphere. He then broke the silence by saying the words I've been wanting to hear my whole life, "I'm sorry Kya." I snarled, "Sorry don't cut it cunt. I have had enough of your bullshit. I, Kya Graham, reject you, Ryder Hemmingway, as my mate." venom dropping when I said the last sentance.

I then felt my heart in pain after I said it but I didn't care. I glared at him as I saw his eyes widened with shock, sadness in them later as he said, "No. Kya please. Give me a chance." His eyes seemed genuine as he pleaded but I bet he was just pretending. Everytime I thought it was genuine, it was always a lie.

I will not fall for it again.

"Like hell I will." I snarled. Then as I walked away from him, "I will win you back Kya." he called out but I replied bluntly while walking away , "You had to have me first before you plan on winning me back bastard!"

My eyes widened with shock at what Kya just told me. "So, you and Ryder aren't together?" She shook her head. "But, don't you miss him?" Kya sighed and replied begrudgingly, "Yes I do. Of course I do! Which doesn't make sense at all after all he did to me!" She thumped her head on the table while groaning.

I rubbed her head while telling her, "It's ok Kya. I'll help you in anyway I can alright?" She turned her head sideways and replied with a small smile on her face, "Thank you Jess." She then got up from her seat and cried, "But first! Food!" Then she ran back to where the party was.

I chuckled as I stared after her then got up to walk to the pool side and stared my reflection on the water. I thought about my mate who I didn't manage to meet as he went away after seeing me enter the room. For some reason, that hurt my heart. Knowing that by just looking at me, he would just leave me like that without revealing himself.

Suddenly, I smelt his scent again. And this time it was stronger as though he were...

I turned my head and looked behind me.

He looked gorgeous. His blonde hair slicked back, his royal blue tie and black suit matched his blue-green eyes which captured mine causing me to feel as though we were the only ones around. I was about to smile at him but then he said while staring at me blankly,

"I, Carter Forest, reject you, Jesse Anderson, as my mate." Then he walked away while my heart broke into a million pieces. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I whispered to myself before running to the forest,

"I knew it."