"The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times." - Paul Coelho

Ethan kept staring at me, his face blank.

Whereas I took the God given opportunity to check the heck out of him.

He looked.....handsome. That motherfuvker.

A part of me used to believe that maybe he will turn out to be uglier. Maybe his personality would start showing up on his face or something. But sadly, no.

Seeing him after four years, I gathered how different he looked; much wiser and more mature. His black hair wet and pushed back, his grey eyes shining under the moonlight, a stubble gracing his face, and his naked chest and abs on display. My wolf wanted to pounce on him and at the same time cover him from the lustful eyes of other females. He was ours.

I shook my head vigourously. Ours? What am I thinking?

"He's not ours. I hate him." I shouted at my wolf.

"You can't hate him. He's our mate for a reason. Moon Goddess brought us together to be one."

I ignored my wolf's cheesy lines and looked at Ethan. He was still staring at me with a blank expression. Then in an instant, his face changed. He looked at me with a different expression now. An expression filled with disgust.

My wolf whimpered inside, not liking the look her mate was giving her.

"You happy now?" I snapped at my wolf.

Ethan was a jerk and clearly still is one.

---

Throughout the crowning ceremony, Ethan didn't look at us once. He didn't acknowledge our presence. My wolf retreated at the back of my mind, not liking the lack of attention given by our mate.

"Viv, you are still here. I'm glad," Elliot smirked.

"Do you annoy people for fun or is it your personality?" I smirked back.

His face instantly lit up, a huge grin forming on his face. Aaaaand, there comes his dimples making a sexy appearance and knocking the breath out of my body.

He looked soOoOoOo (the "O's" represent the state of my body) sexy.

But not more than Ethan obvious-

What? Where did that come from?

"So what do you say?" I heard Elliot ask.

"Pardon?"

"Will you accompany this unmated, sexy son of a bitch for a dance, MiLady Vivian Alejandro?" Elliot winked and then gave a little bow, one hand behind his back and one offered to me.

I chuckled. Why does he want to dance with me? No one else was dancing. I looked around to survey my surrouding and realised I was wrong. People were actually dancing to the soft music which started playing...when? When did all of this happen?

"It would be my absolute pleasure, kind officer." I curtisied, earning a full mouth-watering grin from him. I extended my hand and put it in his.

We both danced silently for two songs. Just passing each other teasing smiles and smirks.

"You know what, Vivian," Elliot came closer to my ear, his grip on my waist tightening. "I wished you were my mate."

I let out a gasp.

Chills went down my spine. My heartbeat quickened.

Did he just say what I think he said? Did Elliot Jackson just said that he wished he was MY mate? Is he talking for real? My high school crush, let me repeat, my high school crush wished he was my MATE?

My heart swooned, an automatic smile formed on my face, whereas my wolf growled with anger.

"Ethan is ours. No one else."

I ignored her. To hell with Ethan.

Eliiot continued, "It would've been such a privilege to have you as mine."

Before I could swoon a little more, a low growl interrupted us.

"Well too bad she isn't yours." I heard a familiar voice.

I got goosebumps, my heartbeat fastened even more.

Ethan.

"Alpha," Elliot let go of me and bowed teasingly, a smirk present on his face, "Do you recognise this beauty?" His hands found their way around my waist again.

Ethan's eyes darkened a little as he clenched his fists.

My wolf was pissed. She wanted to tear off Elliot's arms and run to Ethan.

"Of course, I do. How can I forget, dear Vivian?"

I literally collapsed when I heard my name roll of his tongue like silk. If it wasn't for Elliot's grasp on my waist, I would've been jelly on the ground.

Oh Goddess, help me.

A brief pause ensued which was eventually broken by Ethan.

"Elliot, you mind if I steal her for a dance?" Ethan questioned.

Wait, whaaaaaaaat? Something does not add up. I just did not get asked by Ethan for a bloody dance.

My wolf jumped with excitement, "You don't have to ask that idiot, you're our mate! You can do anything to us!"

"Shut up!" I snapped at my wolf.

Please Elliot say no. Please. PLEASE.

You know what, I don't need Elliot to tell Ethan no, I'll tell him myself.

But I couldn't since Elliot just nodded and gave my hand in his.

It was a mistake.

As soon as we made contact, shivers went down my spine as I felt something electric take a whole round of my body. My body felt charged.

Something that was missing from Elliot and I's touch.

His arm moved around my waist, grabbing it firmly. My wolf howled with pleasure. I couldn't deny the pleasure my wolf and I felt in contact with him. I didn't want him to let go of me, ever.

Bloody hypocrite, Vivian.

"Don't get your hopes up. I am just dancing with you to tell you something," he started, his grey eyes looked fiercly in my hazel.

I raised one of my eyebrows, asking him to continue.

I wish I never asked him to continue because the next few sentences knocked the breath outof my body.

"I don't want to be your mate. I never liked you so dont expect me to automatically shift feelings for you since you are my mate, which you're not and never will be.....I don't accept you, Vivian." Ethan continued, not hesitating a bit.

It felt as if he had prepared this speech from a very long time. I felt tears pooling in my eyes. In all my years in high school, I never once cried in front of Ethan so I quickly closed my eyes in an attempt to stop the tears from coming out. I will not give him the pleasure of seeing me cry.

"But how could he say such things? How could our mate be so rude." My wolf cried out, absolutely devestated at being rejected.

I closed my eyes and took a breath.

You can do this, Vivian. You have to be strong. For your wolf and for yourself. Come on baby, you can do it!

"You know what Ethan," I interrupted him as I spat, "I fuvking despise you too. I don't want to accept a jerk as a mate either. You're the worst human and wolf I've come across. I hope you have a terrible life in the future since you absolutely deserve it. To hell with you, go fuvk yourself!" I pushed at his chest so he could let me go.

"Vivi-"

"Don't you dare say my name from that disgusgting tongue of yours....I, Vivian Nikolas Alejandro, reject you, Ethan Chris Salvador as my better half, my mate. Good fuvking bye!"

I ran out, not wanting to breath a second longer in his presence. Thankfully, no one heard us. I quickly mind-linked my brother that I was going home since I wasn't feeling well.

Which was true. I didn't feel okay. All I feel is pain. Heart shattering pain.

I couldn't sense my wolf anymore. She must be torn apart.

"Don't worry about me, I'm okay. You were right, our mate is a dickhead."

I smiled a little when I heard my wolf speak,

"How does a run sound?" I asked, trying to cheer her up.

"Like everything we will ever need."

As soon as I heard this, I took of my clothes, tied them around my ankles, shifted and ran like never before.

---

Plop!

Plop!

I kept throwing stones in the lake, trying to make sense of the last hour that happened.

I met my enemy. I met my mate. I met my enemy mate who rejected me. I met my enemy mate who I rejected too.

My mind was going in circles, my head was hurting. I wanted to tear my body apart, everything hurt.

Suddenly, an immense amount of pain punched me in the stomach. My eyes were burning, my whole body was on fire.

I puked.

"Vivian, oh my god." I heard a voice from behind. "Are you okay?"

It was Zack. He quickly dragged my hair away from my face and gently pat my back.

"Let it all out sis, everything will be okay."

I puked more.

No, nothing can or would be okay anymore.

After I was done, we both sat on a nearby log as he wiped my face using his shirt which he dampened from the lake.

"How did you know I was here?" I lowly spoke, disgusted at the bad aftertaste of vomit present in my throat.

"I left as soon as I got your message. You weren't home so I panicked. I searched everywhere. I couldn't bear the thought of anything bad happening to you. I struggled finding you but thank god I did." he spoke, bringing his arm around my shoulder and bringing me closer to him, "What's wrong? Tell me."

I looked up in his eyes which were full of concern and pain. Should I tell him or not?

"I found my mate."

His eyes widened in shcok. "What? Before me? You're so lucky! Why the hell are you puking your guts here! Go to him, the poor soul must be worried to death. Come i-"

"He rejected me."

Silence. Deafeaning silence.

Well, I expected that.

I gulped, I knew what was coming next.

Zack stood up, face boiling with anger. He grabbed the nearest tree and pulled it out of its place. Then he threw it at the side as if it weighed nothing.

I sat there, staring.

Typical, Zack. He never knew how to control his anger.

"Why did you do that to the poor tree?" I grimaced.

He looked at me, shocked.

"What's his name?" he ignored my question, eyes darkening with every second.

I stayed silent. Even if I told him his name, he still won't be able to do anything. He was an alpha now.

"Tell. Me. Vivian," he pronounced each words clearly. The continual steams of anger radiating from him.

"You can't do anything to him so i-"

"WHAT IS HIS NAME?"

"ETHAN CHRIS SALVADOR!" I bursted.

Another defeaning silence followed.

"Ethan...the new alpha....is your mate?"

"Was," I corrected, "I rejected his ugly ass too."

He took a deep breath, trying to control his wolf and probably himself too.

Maybe he finally realised what I meant. He couldn't do anything to him.

"Come with me." Or not.

It wasn't a question since he grabbed my arm and headed towards the West direction.

Someone kill me already.

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