CHAPTER 1. Rejection

Sophia's POV

"I, Jacob Carter of the Blood Moon Pack, reject you, Sophia Addison of the Crescent Moon Pack, as my Luna-to-be," he announced with his full voice. I can hear loud gasps and whispers throughout the place. They cannot believe that their goody two shoes of a senior year president is making this claim in front of everybody.

What goody two shoes? More like a two-faced jerk!

I cannot believe they failed to see his facade all these years. For a second, I feel sorry for them, as they were deceived by this tall, dark, handsome, and well-built...Argh nevermind.

He had always been so stoic and secretly arrogant that only I could notice. My poor schoolmates were too blinded by his beauty to see past his pretentious attitude. But there is no way he could have fooled me with those! Even if he was doing a damn great job to maintain his act,.

"He is rejecting us! Mate doesn't want us, Sophia! What will we do!?" Lia, my wolf, hysterically panicked and sadly whimpered within me. She was deeply hurt, and I was too. Who wouldn't be? My destined mate rejected us. He made it clear he doesn't want anywhere near us.

Why is he suddenly being like this to us, though? Rejecting and embarrassing a she-wolf in public! Not to mention, his very mate! How could he be less than his prestigious title!?! We are not close or anything, but at the same time, I could not recall a moment where I could have offended him. He is just being simply absurd for no reason!

I blew out a sharp breath so that I would not burst out in anger. It could only make me look pathetic and weak. And that is the last thing I would want out of this grand and majestic plot of his.

"Calm down, Lia; we would not let that happen." I calmly soothe my wolf, unsure of myself if I can do anything to stop this mess. But I should still try.

"Luke is against this! He is fighting Jacob for control!" she whined. Luke is Jacob's wolf and a much more reasonable being than he is.

I can understand Lia's worries. He is even rejecting me in front of the school gym, at a podium, no less, where there are lots of students as witnesses. This psychopath! It's like he is turning the rejection into some sort of school play. That made Lia think that this rejection is quite serious, unlike any other rejections that we have only heard stories about, in which the she-wolf is rejected in private. Not like this! In public and in front of everyone!

Oh, and mind you, our parents are also here to see, and a couple of other wolves' parents as well, because it is literally the opening ceremony of the starting school year, which ended just a few minutes ago. He wanted to start our last year of school like this. A hot issue for the other students to gossip about.

If any of you might be wondering, we did the election of officers in our junior year so that they could prepare for their duties in advance, since some of them, like this stoneface Jacob, are future Alphas and have lots of responsibilities for the pack aside from school duties.

Even nowadays, it is indeed, no doubt, a much safer place to live, but there are still rogue wolves everywhere, and the issue with other cities needs time, effort, and attention to avoid an all-out war.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance, we should have just elected the officers this year. In that way, they would see this scene unfold in front of their very eyes! But I doubt they would change their minds, especially the she-wolves, who almost glorify him. They couldn't be more than happier to see their crush as available and single. Hmmm. That sounds unfair. We couldn't just let them be happy now, couldn't we?

I saw my older twin brothers growl, and my father was ready to attack Jacob, but mom sneered to stop them. Well, only a Luna can stop her Alpha and the twins. But I swear, even if I do not see it, mom was grinning. Waiting for me to make my move.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I angrily whispered at him, full of concern for both of our wolves' feelings. He just stared at me with a blank face, showing no empathy for our wolves.

"Mom, can I smack him just once?" I asked mom with our mindlink. And I heard her laugh through it. Mom was also once rejected by my dad. But that was when they were in primary school! This one's different, mom! I annoyingly thought to myself because I knew mom would lay that plate on me.

"As much as I want to see that baby, the answer is no. He is the future Alpha of one of the big three, after all," Mom defeatedly said in a teasing voice. She knows how to piss me off. Do not take it the wrong way, though; mom and I are close like that. We love to tease and piss each other off, but at life-or-death moments, we are willing to sacrifice ourselves for our family.

"Does it hurt the Queen Bee's pride to let all her lemmings witness the rejection of her mate?" Jacob whispered and smirked. I can see him tightening up his jaw as if holding himself back from growling at me, since that could damage his reputation and popularity as well. I smiled sacastically at him to aggravate him even further, as I was trying so hard to stop myself from slapping him.

"Don't slap, mate," Lia begged.

"That is why I am trying to stop myself." I sighed. Lia is right; I will be hurt more if I slap that annoyingly handsome face of his.

Future Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, Sophia, please remember. I chanted as I held myself back again and again.

"Why would I be? You are also dirtying your precious popularity as well, Mr. Goody two shoes." I hissed back at him. He snarled, and the next split second, the color of his eyes flickered as they changed from his usual daunting black to glistening gold.

"Lia." Luke was in control for a moment, and Lia scurried back and forth excitedly.

"Luke!" Lia's words escaped from my mouth, and for a moment he smiled, and the next split second his eyes reverted back to black. He sighed in annoyance, and I just knew he was fighting with Luke right now.

"Sophia Addison, your answer?" he spat. I can feel the people's anticipation, and I even saw his dad's hands on his face and massaging his head while his Luna comforted him and glared at Jacob's back.

"This boy will surely regret his decision sooner or later." I heard her mom whisper with my enhanced wolf hearing, unlike any other normal wolves. I smiled and smirked. Of course he will regret it, Aunt Mia.

"I, Sophia Addison of the Crescent Moon Pack, deny your rejection, Jacob Carter." I smiled triumphantly at him, and he just glared at me.

I looked away and turned my back at him, ready to go to where my family is, but as I was about to take a step, he grabbed my arm.

He wants to say something; I can feel it through our stupid special bond, but before he can breathe a word, my family jumps in front of me with my mother by my side and the twins in front of us, shielding us with their arms forward and dad at the forefront. At the same time, his parents immediately ran to him and grabbed his arm.

"Frank," Dad said in a warning tone.

"You may have been my best friend since we were little runts, but I cannot accept this humiliation," he sneered.

Uncle Frank just sighed and nodded in agreement.

"I know Daniel; for this, I am very sorry." He apologized and held Jacob's shoulders too tightly. I stared at his hand.

"I will be sure to punish and discipline him later," he sternly stated, and his grip on him became much tighter, causing the young Carter to wince in pain.

"NO!" I unconsciously yelled and whimpered.

"He is hurting mate!" Lia growled in my head, absolutely furious and ready to fight, even if it was one of the Alphas of the Big Three.

"Frank, be sensitive; the bond." Aunt Mia reminded Uncle Frank, and he loosens his grip on his son. I can finally breathe well again; this stupid bond is causing me pain whenever that jerk Carter is hurt. He looked at me, causing me to look away.

"Mom, let's go," I said to my mom, and she worringly nodded.

"Mia! We will be going first! Let's hang out next time!" Mom shouted so that Aunt Mia could hear.

"It is indeed a pity, Anna, because this happened. I really am sorry. Let us see each other next week!" Aunt Mia shouted back and waved.

The two alphas just nodded to each other; I think they have some sort of agreement through the mindlink, and with a swift movement, all of us went our separate ways.

With no one else around that could see me and our windows tinted, I sobbed and cried like an annoying baby.