Chapter 3

ALANA Meeting your mate is one of the most amazing, most spectacular feelings in this world. The moment you meet their eyes, you will feel an electrifying warmth that suddenly pierces your heart, before a mixed feeling of ecstasy, excitement, and hunger overwhelms you. Suddenly, your heart would be drowning with indescribable affection and devotion for a stranger that you met for the first time in your life.

That was exactly how I felt before when I met Harold for the first time. With just a look, I already decided to give my heart and my soul to him, only to painfully regret it in the end. But at that moment, when I saw him, a different feeling appeared in my heart. Yes, there were still the tingles coming from our mating bond. But inside my heart, there was only hate, fear, hesitation, and surprisingly, indifference.

My lips moved before I could think about it. After seeing the myriad of complex, negative emotions in his eyes, I heard myself calling him, "Hello, mate." Contrary to the love and devotion that I once felt for him, there was coldness and aloofness in my voice.

Harold visibly froze and his eyes widened, as if he just received another shock. Ironically, there was even a hint of pain in his eyes.

I heard a collective gasp around me.

"W-what did she say?"

"That wolf-less omega girl... Did she just say that Harold is her mate?"

"I also... heard it. It must be a mistake... right?"

The voices of disbelief surrounded me. For one, I could not really blame them. After all, Harold was a rising talent in the pack. He was a nephew of the Alpha and possessed considerable authority. He likewise showed enough power that made the other young werewolves follow him. How funny it was that he was paired with the weakest omega in the pack, who failed to establish her connection with her wolf.

The whispers continued. Harold''s shoulder shook. The shock and hurt that flashed in his eyes were obvious, and embarrassment.

"H-how could this be..." Harold''s eyes flashed as he started looking at me unkindly.

"You...! An omega who couldn''t even shift...!"

"How is it that you are my mate!" He started lashing out. "How dare you!" he angrily shouted at me.

Indeed, this was how he usually behaved. When something did not go right, he would immediately blame me, as if I was the one who pulled him down.

I took another glance at him before casting my eyes down. Before, I accepted fully everything that he gave me... everything including his anger.

"But now..." I thought as a cold glint flashed in my eyes.

"I would only accept one thing from you...

"And that is... your rejection!" I returned my gaze to him. Surprisingly, Harold immediately closed his mouth.

"Wow... that''s funny. How come something this interesting happens so early in the morning?" Behind Harold, another figure appeared. It was Duke, the son of the Beta and Harold''s fiercest competition.

Duke, the future Beta of the pack, was also an indifferent and cold man. He was probably there only to laugh at Harold.

"Aww, look at her, she''s hurt and her bone is even broken. Harold, you heartless bastard. How could you treat your lovely mate like that? Hurry and help her." Duke said in a teasing manner.

He did not have the slightest intention of helping me. He only said that to poke fun at Harold.

Sure enough, Harold''s face immediately turned red.

"Shut up! She is not my mate!" he lost his composure and yelled.

"Oh? But I''m pretty sure you guys have recognized each other right now... So do you mean you are rejecting her?" Duke''s eyes flashed.

Werewolves have the choice to reject their mates. However, it was not a simple process. Firstly, both parties should agree to the rejection with one of them rejecting and the other one accepting it.

Secondly, they need to get the approval of the highest authority in their generation in the pack. If an adult werewolf rejected his mate, he needed to get the approval of the Alpha. In case they were young and still haven''t started to take roles in the pack, they need to get permission from the future Alpha, the son and heir of the Alpha of the pack.

But most importantly, aside from the tedious process, rejecting your mate or having your mate bond rejected brings shame and overwhelming pain to the parties. Aside from me not accepting his rejections, this was one of the primary reasons why Harold also hesitated in rejecting me before.

As expected, Harold''s eyes turned wide as he heard Duke''s statement. An excited look appeared on Duke''s face.

"I heard that the young Alpha has returned and is currently resting in the Pack House. If you want to reject her, just tell me. We are old friends, I can help you get a request for an audience through my father," Duke taunted him.

My eyes flashed. "Indeed... he is here now..." I thought. Despite the pain in my shoulder and arm, my heart beat wildly in anticipation.

An expression appeared on Harold''s face. I knew that expression. It was the expression he made when he was unsure of what to do.

No... You must reject me... I thought with desperation before, under everyone''s eyes, I started kneeling.

"No... Please don''t reject me..." I softly pleaded the words that were the opposite of my thoughts. Instantly, the crowd went wild.

"Holy shit. It''s really like a drama..."

"Look at her begging like that. How shameless."

"Hey, you can''t really blame her. Look at Harold and look at her. It''s only right that she beg him like that..." The students started to loudly discuss among themselves.

Hearing that compared to me, he was being praised by everyone, Harold''s expression immediately turned better. His fragile ego immediately got fed. He looked at me proudly before a sneer appeared on his lips.

"How dare you even think of really being my mate! You... a dirty omega!" he said as a cold aura surrounded his body.

"Listen to me. You... filthy woman!" Harold huffed his chest. "No matter how you beg me, I will never accept someone like you!"

"I, Harold Roberts, formally reject you as my mate!" he proudly declared.

My shoulders trembled. Though I hated him to the depth of my soul, I still felt pain upon hearing his words.

Despite this, I was oddly excited and feeling relieved. I did not waste time upon hearing him. I looked at Harold straight in the eyes and straightforwardly said, "I accept." Harold''s eyes widened, and he looked like he swallowed a fly.

"I, Alana Rose Haynes, accept your rejection," I declared with a clear voice before a small smirk formed on my lips.

"Is now a good time for you to head together to ask permission from the young Alpha?" I asked him, with a tone as if I was asking for the weather.