Chapter 1 INTRO

I forced my way through the crowd, finally getting to the end and making my way down the hall for my next class. I was in a hurry to avoid being late again.

Then, there was this strange scent hitting me... it was strong and getting stronger. This strange scent might be that of my mate.

Another wave of the scent hit me and I found myself smiling. I was desperate to meet him. I turned around quickly, looking for the one behind the inviting scent. A shiver ran down my spine. He must be close by.

And when I turned around once more, the scent was gone. I was instead met by the last person I would ever wish to be my mate, Jake, the biggest boy in class and a well-known bully.

He stood in front of me, looking all domineering like a giant. His appearance screamed violence and could send shivers down one's spine. He was backing me against a locker, one of his hands stretched out beside my face as he grabbed my hair and yanked it, causing me pain. He pushed my face closer to his as he opened his mouth, which almost suffocated me with the bad mouth odour.

"Listen up, Katerina." He begins. "You're not good enough to be a shifter. You are weak, and I don't understand how you can call yourself a werewolf. You have to know by now that you're nothing but a small piece in this pack." He slammed his fist on the locker, right by my ear. And then, in a deeply chilling voice he screamed for passers-by to hear, "you fucking killed your parents and I can't understand why the Alpha is still letting you stay here, in this pack! A murderer. You are a disgrace, Katerina. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and see how chubby, ugly, and useless you are. The next time you block my way while I'm passing, I will make sure to let you know how a girl who killed her parents is supposed to be treated."

There was laughter and mumbling from the public. No one to defend me. "Call me a murderer once more, and you will know just how weak I am." The words came out before I could stop them. It was the first time in my life that I've talked back at him or anyone who bullied me.

He couldn't believe his ears. "What can you possibly do to me? You wouldn't be a match for my left arm alone if we were to fight. Or are you going to kill me just as you killed your parents?" There were heavy bursts of laughter from the crowd that had now gathered around us.

No fighting, Katerina. I told myself as I breathed deeply to calm myself. My wolf was angry as well. 'Shift and fight,' it screamed in my head, but I couldn't. I couldn't fight but I just had to pretend I'm strong and can beat his ass.

I used all my strength to push him backwards so I could walk away, but as soon as I did, he spat on me to further embarrass and anger me. At this point, the crowd behind us increased their laughter, and some randomly spat on me as well.

"Yes, that's what a girl who killed her parents deserves. I told you, you are nothing in this pack. Everyone hates you, even your own brother. Your mate is probably too ashamed to acknowledge you as his mate. He probably hates you, too. If I were you, I would have died long ago."

Those words broke me. Tears threatened to well up in my eyes, but I fought them back. Seeing that nobody was there to stand up for me, to defend me, to let these idiots know the truth that I didn't actually kill my parents, was disheartening.

My only friend, Renee, came over a little too late to comfort me when the crowd had already left, along with Jake, as I stood there crying silently. No one even cared to find out the truth; they all took fun in bullying me and treating me like trash in this pack. I had nowhere to go, and I had no money. I could barely feed myself as my elder brother deliberately denies me food sometimes. I was suffering, but I had to bear it. This was my only home, and I can't shift without finding my mate, who I think avoids me at every chance of us meeting each other.

The pack's school separates students into different classes, and I can feel that my mate is among those in the higher classes, but I've never gotten a chance to know or meet him. It was almost impossible for students at my level to approach those higher-level wolves because of the distance between our classes and the boundary rules set by the Alpha. Despite these obstacles, I've tried my best to find my mate among them all these while, risking expulsion and severe punishment, because of what my parents told me about having a mate. According to my late parents, a mate bond is the best and sweetest relationship in the world, and mates will protect each other and stand by each other no matter the situation. My best friend already has a mate, and she's no longer with me all the time. My only brother hates me. I hope my mate's love can heal my loneliness and pain.

He's been so distant. I can only feel his presence sometimes, but I can't get closer to him to know him. I turned 18 recently, and since then, I've had this feeling that my mate is among us in this pack, and I will meet him someday.

********

The next day at school, I was seated quietly in my desk, Renee was sitting close to me because everyone avoids me in class. While waiting for the teacher, Jake was on my neck again, calling me out in attempts to make fun of me yet again. I had thought about reporting him, but no one cared about what I had to say anyway, as even the teachers believed I had killed my parent, and I was the least favored in class. Sometimes, I was deliberately given bad grades, no matter my efforts in passing each exam.

I felt a light object hit the side of my face, and I turned around quickly in anger, only to realize it was Jake who had thrown it at my face.

"Hey, I heard you are 18 now. Are you never going to find your mate so you can start shifting like us? Oh, poor girl, her mate keeps avoiding her. Your mate can't even get close to you, doesn't even want to meet you." He laughed out loud as almost the entire class joined him in mocking me. Renee touched my lap, "It will be okay, Kat. Don't listen to him." I smiled, but I was really fed up with this Jake guy. "I am pretty sure my mate is among us in this pack, and he will surely love and protect me once we meet. My parents told me that a mate bond is the best and sweetest relationship in the world, and mates will love and protect each other, just like they did. I bet I will find my mate before the week runs out."

"Oh really, I bet you can't. No one would ever acknowledge you as his mate. Are you so dumb not to have realized that your mate has been avoiding you? You are the one searching for him; he's not looking out for you. He practically avoids you." The entire class listened to both of us with interest.

"And if I do, what's going to happen?" I asked.

"If you can find your mate by yourself, we will respect you henceforth and reduce the way we treat you if he actually acknowledges and accepts you." Some of them said almost in unison. "Everyone has a mate in this pack except you. So, who could be with the wrong mate among us? Your unfortunate mate must have disappeared into thin air after realizing he's paired with you as mates." There was heavy laughter from the class at Jake's statement.

"I believe my mate will accept and protect me, that's what my parents said. That a mate bond is the sweetest relationship ever, and mates will love and protect each other no matter what."

"Then don't you think your late parents, whom you killed by yourself, will have more reasons to be disappointed in you if you never get to have a mate?" Jake said sarcastically.

The entire class, apart from Renee, roared with laughter. I was boiling with rage, and my wolf.

"Then we have a bet?" I said with a straight face, showing no sign of weakness or fear of failure.

"Yes!" The class exclaimed. "And I will personally give you a reward in addition to our pledge of respecting you henceforth," Jake added.

"You honestly think you can find your mate in this pack? Dream on!" A girl added.

Renee looked at me, a clear question in her eyes.