Keenan's POV

"So if we drive them to this closed-off area here, Felix your packmates will act as a united front there." My dad said, pointing at the map, "together we can close in on them, surrounding them from all sides."

"Sounds good to me brother," my uncle Felix agreed.

I stared down at the map and looked hard for any flaws in our new plan. The area we were isolating the rogues to had limited to no resources and would be hard to survive there for long. With my uncle's pack closing in from the east and ours from the west, a swift wipeout was promised.

We all got up from the table, silently agreeing that our meeting was over.

"Maybe instead of attacking, we could arrange a conference. They haven't attacked or trespassed into our territories for years. Maybe they're not trying to cause trouble, maybe they're just trying to survive."

It was my cousin who spoke, my cousin Daniel, who almost never spoke or contributed much into these meetings. My uncle Felix, Daniel's dad, made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat, but my dad looked thoughtful.

"They're rogues Daniel, they can't be reasoned with, that's the whole point of going rogue." My uncle said, quickly dismissing him.

Daniel looked away and fixed the cuffs of his sleeves to hide his wrist, where I know the name of his dead mate is engraved. The only other person I know with a similar carving is an omega in my pack named Jean.

Once upon a time, Daniel and I were the best of friends growing up. We did everything together, we played together, trained together, and got in trouble together. But then one day I walked in on him convulsing on the floor, it looked like he was having a seizure, but he puking up blood.

As we all waited anxiously in the pack's medical room, the pack doctor informed us that this happened to him because he'd just felt the death of his mate. And when your mate dies, their name appears on your wrist, like it was carved into your skin from the inside out. He'll never know her or even know what she looked like, all he'll ever have of her is her name, Mia.

Ever since then, our relationship was never the same, my cousin was only eight when he lost his mate, but he may as well been 80 after. Any sense of adventure and childhood was gone. The person sitting across from me now was a complete stranger.

I guess he's fortunate she didn't die while they were fully mated. Fully mated wolves tend to die right after their deceased mate.

My uncle would never admit it to his mate or his son, but he admitted it to me once, he resented his son for losing his mate. No mate meant no furthering the family bloodline, you could try conceiving with a human but even then it was risky business. About 90% of the time the pregnancy will kill them both in the 2nd trimester. My uncle also admitted to me in confidence that he was trying vehemently for another heir.

Strange as it is, that's exactly how my uncle acquired the alpha position. My uncle Felix would've been the beta of my father's pack but growing up, Felix disagreed a lot with my father's views and leadership. Then one day Uncle Felix almost challenged my dad for the alpha position, but instead, my uncle left, along with some of my dad's pack members that believed in his ideologies. Having alpha blood, my uncle became their alpha and he established his pack in a neighboring town. It took my uncle and dad 15 years to reconcile but now they're each other strongest and most reliable ally, they still have their differences though.

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We say our goodbyes and watch as my uncle and cousin drive off. My mother then approaches me with my backpack and coat in hand, "okay mister, off to school."

"What? Mom, I basically missed the whole day, I'll only be able to make it in time for my last class, there's no point."

"I don't want to hear it, your education is important. I don't care if it's the last 15 minutes of school, you're going."

When I say there was no point for me going to school, there was literally no point for me going to school. I can't remember the last time I turned in an assignment or did any actual work, probably freshman year. But I maintain a 4.0 GPA because no teacher or principal is going to fail the next-alpha-to-be.

And it annoyed me beyond belief that we had to share a school with... humans. I wish my pack could be like my uncle's pack that kept werewolf and human schools segregated. But my dad was all about coexisting with humans and shit, sometimes I wonder if I was meant to be my uncle's kid. We're more alike than I am with my father.

My uncle and I recognize the simple fact that werewolves are the true superior master race. We believed that our existence shouldn't be kept a dirty secret. We are by far superior in every way except in numbers. We are stronger, faster, and we heal quicker, it makes no sense for us to tiptoe around a significantly weaker race and let them dictate how we live our lives. In comparison, we are practically gods amongst sheep. We believe wholeheartedly that werewolves will dominate the world, it's only a matter of time and patience.

First thing's first though, we need to get rid of the Elder Council. The Elder Council is basically the werewolf government made up of old alphas that couldn't accept that they have met their expiration date. So they created the Elder Council to make them feel less useless and relevant once again. The Elder Council's purpose is to keep packs in check and help maintain our existence a secret. However, my uncle and I believe that they are just a corrupted organization and our main oppressors. My uncle talked of rebellion but my dad just thinks it's absurd and would never do it.

Which is exactly what my first action as the official alpha will be, join my uncle's secret rebellion, take down the Elder Council, then conquer the human world.

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As I park my car in the school lot, something feels... different. My wolf who has become moody, easily bored, and aggressively dominate over the years is now more active than he's been in a long time, almost... excited?

Weird.

An amazing smell touches my nostrils, I don't know what it is but it smells phenomenal. It's a scent that can't be described because I've never smelled anything like it. But as I follow it I realize that it leads me to my very last class itself.

As I walked through the door, I was bombarded with the smell in its full impact. It nearly made me choke with how overpowering it was.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, everything was as it should've been, but then I spotted her.

My mate.

And she was... human.

Anger, amazement, disbelief, I was at war with myself. One part of me, I'll blame the wolf part, wanted me to carry her out of here and insert my teeth into her neck. Another part of me, the human part, wanted to turn right back around and pretend this wasn't happening, Then the last part of me wanted to violently shake her and demand why the hell did she have to be human!?

I stuck with the emotion I was most accustomed to. Anger.

"You're in my seat. Move." I gritted out.

She stared at me for several solid seconds then blinked in confusion. Huh, seems she is affected by the bond even though she's human. I wonder to what extent.

"Huh?"

"I said you're in my seat. Move." I said it dramatically slow this time.

I tried to ignore her for the rest of the period, and she tried unsuccessfully to ignore me too.

I just couldn't accept that she was the one I was destined to be with. This was not acceptable, this was a shitty cruel joke. To be mated to the very thing that was lower than an omega, the lowest of the low. A fucking human.

I would be a laughing stock.

I carried on with my usual antics as I would have any other day, and pretended like it wasn't killing me to sneak a glance at her. I let Vivienne be the utter bitch, we all knew she was, to her.

When Vivienne demanded her name. I heard her really talk for the first time and my wolf shuddered at the sound of her voice.

Angeline. Her voice was sweet and small like her frame, but also high pitched. The high pitchiness didn't annoy me like it usually would though, and that is what annoyed me, knowing that these thoughts weren't real. That this is what the bond is forcing me to feel, to think, to act.

Because in reality, there was nothing remarkable or special about this girl. She was as plain and basic as humans get. I am being coerced to feel things for a girl I wouldn't even spare a second glance at any other day. In the few minutes right now that I've known my "mate", I see that she is literally nothing like what I thought she would be. I wanted someone strong, I wanted someone fierce, someone, I could proudly display on my arm.

And she was none of that.

She was possibly the shortest person attending this school of mostly werewolves. Standing at a whopping 5'0 to 5'1, her hair was a wild mess that stuck around her head, poorly controlled, and she wore glasses that took up the majority of her face, but otherwise, she was quiet and meek. Easily overlooked.

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The minute I got home, I took off into the woods, but not in my wolf form. Right now I just couldn't risk it, I didn't know what my wolf would try to do. Once I was far enough to where no one could hear me, I called the only person I felt would know exactly what to do.

"Hello?"

"Uncle?"

"Oh hey Keenan, what's up?"

"I found my mate." Was that anxiousness I detected in my own voice? I don't get anxious.

"Oh, well congratulations son!"

"She's human."

There was a long pause at the other end of the receiver.

"Did you mark her? Did you accept her?"

"God no."

"Good good. Look, son, it's very rare, but these things do happen. It's just testing us and our will power, you can't give in Keenan, you have to fight it. It's gonna be hard, I won't lie, but you'd be doing the right thing. She's human, she's not built for our world nor does she belong in it. You'd be doing her a favor as well as the pack. You need to reject her."

"So how do I go about it?"

"Well you gotta say the words for starters, but even then a verbal rejection does close to nothing. The only thing to stop the bond from getting stronger is doing significant damage to it."

"What kind of damage?"

"I think you know exactly what kind of damage Keenan, the worst and most unimaginable things you can think of? Do it. If the damage is bad enough, it could even kill the bond. The more you starve and neglect this bond, the more it will wither and hopefully... die. But you can't half-ass it, Keenan, you have to be committed."

And I would be.

"But I can't further my own bloodline if I don't mate her."

"It's bullshit nephew," he spat out, "bullshit designed to force wolves into accepting their mediocre mates. A true alpha can mate any female of his choosing. No womb can deny a true alpha's seed, whether you're mates or not. So you have to become an alpha in the truest form Keenan. I've always known that out of you and my own son, you have the potential of becoming that alpha. So don't worry about that, you will have fully werepups."

"Okay, thanks uncle. This is exactly what I needed to hear."

"Good luck Keenan, remember, no matter what your wolf feels or how hard it gets. Never forget why you're doing this. This is for the greater good of the pack son."

"I won't forget."

"Alright kid, keep me updated."

"I will," I said hanging up.

The message was clear, the nastier, the more despicable I was to my mate, the better chance I had in ending this mistake. An offense to my mate was a direct offense to the bond. But as I promised my uncle, I have to give it my all. With my newfound determination, I made my first offense.

Mindlinking everyone that goes to Chambers high School, I command them all to stay away from the new human.

There will be severe repercussions to those who are caught associating with her.

A bunch of 'yes alpha" rang back in response.

Now onto my second offense, Vivienne. We were never exclusive, it's no secret to her or to anyone that I still bring many girls into my bed. However that doesn't stop her from trying to intimidate or harass these said girls, and I honestly don't care enough to save them from her.

Vivienne, I called out to her through the mindlink, a mindlink is a mental channel used by weres to connect to their pack mates.

She meets me at our usual spot, a small cottage at the edge of the border, meant for guests. Technically our "relationship" had to be kept a secret because my parents didn't want me dating, they wanted me to wait for my moon-chosen soulmate. Dating before your mate was frowned upon and even punishable in many packs.

"Hey baby," she bounded over to me and gave me a big kiss on the lips. It felt wrong... and disgusting. Inside my wolf was revolted and would be baring his canines if he could. But you know what I did? I wound my hands tighter around her waist and stuck my tongue in her mouth.

She moaned.

I yanked my head back, repulsed.

I quickly cleared my throat, "you know the new human girl?"

"Yea, I heard you ban us from associating with her through the mindlink. Why?"

"Because she's human," I spat. "But worse, today in Anatomy she asked for my number."

Vivienne frowned.

"I told her I had a girlfriend, she said she didn't care. That she still wanted to suck me off."

Vienne's eyes lit up in fury. Bingo.

"That little bitch!" She was livid.

I bit my inner cheek to keep from smiling smugly to myself. I was going to drop this here and see where it may lay. But this was crazy possessive Vivienne, I would not be disappointed.

"Don't worry babe," she reassured me. "I'll teach that little vermin bitch a lesson."

Then I committed my third offense, I didn't stop her from pushing me onto the bed and climbing on top of me. Even though the wolf inside me was resisting. When it came to the human body, I was 95% in control. As long as I don't let myself shift till the bond is broken, I'll be in control.

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Right away just coming into the parking lot, late as usual, I can smell her scent everywhere. It was absolutely intoxicating and seemed to engulf everything right up. There really was no way to describe it, I've never smelled anything half as amazing as her scent.

Now I'm pissed again, I should have known, I should have known. How many times have I heard the stories? Seen it with my own eyes?

The first indication of finding your mate was their irresistible and overpowering scent, then the compelling pull, even my wolf was more spirited than usual. All the signs were there and obvious, and still, I stupidly walked headfirst into the trap.

Right now all my wolf wants to do is not only find her and mark her but to just meet her. Contrary to popular belief, we communicate with our wolves not through words but through emotions and sensations. All I could feel from him right now is longing, he just doesn't know any better. He doesn't know that we deserve better, that he only feels this way because he's conditioned to feel this way.

This is why it's up to me to be able to see through the bond clearly. This is why it's up to me to be strong for the both of us.

I go through Economics and Calculus being teased with remnants of her scent. By 3rd hour I realize I actually have her in my class, my gym class. Seeing her then was like seeing for the first time all over again, the beast in me riots.

I was pleased to see that everything was going accordingly. No one talked to her, or interacted with her in any way. Not even the humans, but then again, humans are sheep. Easily influenced by those around them.

To her credit, she did try. I saw her try to strike up a conversation or include herself but she was quickly shot down and ignored. Finally, she gave up and just looked... lost.

As I observed her trying to participate in PE, I began to feel angry and ashamed... of her.

She is nothing like what I thought my mate would be. I expected a strong warrior of a she-wolf, preferably with alpha lineage. With her who would take me seriously?

I was willing to to overlook certain things about my mate, but this? I can't overlook this. I can't overlook that my mate is a small wheezing embarrassment. She couldn't even run half a mile without stopping to inhale from the tiny object in her hand. She wouldn't do, she wouldn't do at all.

In my lunch hour, another period I share with The Vermin, I decided to follow her scent and it leads me outside. I spot her sitting on the bench alone, reading a book.

When she looked up at me, surprise etched across her face, I had to close my eyes for a second and regain my resolve. I will not be dissuaded by big mossy green eyes.

I'd be damned if I let this useless bond get any stronger.

"I refuse you."

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For the rest of the day, I couldn't concentrate, my wolf was angry with me. He couldn't understand why I was doing this. I could only hope, that with time, he'd see that it was for the best. Remember, for the greater good of the pack.

I decided to skip my last class, it was one I shared with Angeline, and right now, I just couldn't trust my wolf not to act out. So instead I drove an hour and a half to visit my uncle's pack. I needed clarity, some reassurance. I hated this self-doubt, I was Keenan Hallins, not some indecisive teenage girl. It was either yes or no, there was no grey area.

My uncle's pack is significantly smaller than my dad's, but what they lack, they make up for in fortitude and discipline. When I get to his pack house, I see my uncle and cousin in the sparing room, training. When he sees me, he immediately ends his session and bounds his way over to me.

"Hey nephew." he greeted, then gestured for me to follow him. He brings me into his office, all alpha's I know have a soundproof office. "Did you do as I advised?"

"Yea, but my wolf is angry with me now. He won't let me focus on anything else."

"It's a price you have to prepare to pay, but you shouldn't worry, you're doing the right thing. Your wolf will come around to see reason."

"How do I know this will work? Will the bond really break?"

"Yes, there's only so much it'll be able to take before it snaps, listen, I know for a fact it will work. To be the best alpha you have to have the best pack and the best mate.

"You know I didn't mark Marissa for a whole year?" This came as a surprise to me, when mates meet it's impossible to keep their hands off each other, let alone stay away from each other. Most wolves become fully mated within the first week. My parents? Marked and mated the first day, gross but true.

"When I met Marissa, she was just a regular pack member. She wasn't of alpha, beta, or even gamma descent. I resented her for her unimpressive pack status and so I refused to mark her till she improved her rank. And you know what happened? She did it. She did it because she knew I deserved the best. She became one of the top warriors of her pack, and only then did I choose to mark her."

That was... inspiring, you could say. My uncle showed immense will power, self-control, and restraint for resisting the temptation to mark his mate for an entire year. That's a whole other level of self-control for a werewolf. If he can do it for a year, I can do it for longer, for forever. I could feel my blood soaring at the challenge.

I aspire to be the wolf my uncle is, if not, better.

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And so that evening, I pay a visit to my other side piece, Laurell, who was 25, way older than me and like an assistant to my uncle Felix. She reminded me a lot of Vivienne actually. So much so, that I knew if they were to meet, they'd either rip each other's hair out or become instant frenemies.

We went at it like rabbits, she was as great as she could manage to be but I had to reign in my wolf from swiping at her throat with my claws.

Then I went home, took a shower, paid another visit to Vivienne's bed and repeated. But we went on for much longer, until I could no longer see her face in my minds eye.

Lucky bastard, I thought.

Before I always thought Daniel was the burden, a nuisance, for having lost his mate, but right now I'd give anything to be the one with the dead mate.