THE ALPHA I HATE

DAISY'S POV

I walked through the crowded hallway of Eastwind High, gripping my books tightly. I could feel their eyes on me, watching, judging, whispering. It was always the same.

I kept my head down, focusing on getting to my locker. The moment I opened it, my books were knocked from my hands.

I froze, already knowing who it was before I even turned around.

Mila.

She stood over me, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oops," she said, voice dripping with fake innocence.

I sighed and bent down to pick up my books, but before I could, Mila stepped on one, pressing her heel against it.

"Seriously?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

She gasped dramatically. "Oh? Defect Daisy can talk?" A cruel laugh left her lips as she flipped her hair. "Talk to me again when you can actually shift. I only speak to real wolves."

Her words stung, but I refused to let her see it. I had heard it all before.

Then, a deep voice cut through the tension.

"Be nice, Mila."

My breath hitched. I looked up to see Alpha Scott crouching down, picking up my books.

Mila's expression changed in an instant. She plastered on a sweet smile. "I'm sorry, Alpha Scott. I promise I'll be a good girl and behave," she said, dragging her fingers across his chest.

I gritted my teeth, feeling invisible all over again.

Scott sighed, clearly unimpressed. "I'm not the Alpha yet. That won't be official until the Winter Solstice celebration tonight."

Mila kept her hand on Scott's chest a little longer than necessary before finally stepping back. She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and smirked at me.

"I'll see you tonight then," she said sweetly, but the mockery in her voice was clear. She gave me one last smug glance before sauntering off with her friends, their laughter ringing through the hallway.

I clenched my jaw, my nails digging into my palms. I hated the way she always looked at me-like I was beneath her, like I was nothing. But I refused to let her see that she got to me.

Scott turned to me, his usual confident expression unreadable. "Happy birthday, Daisy," he said, his voice softer now. Then, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I felt my heart flutter despite everything. I had loved Scott for as long as I could remember. Even if Mila tried to worm her way between us, it didn't matter. He was my mate.

"Thank you," I murmured, forcing a small smile.

"Year eighteen's off to a great start, as you can see," I added, my voice laced with sarcasm.

Scott chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, tonight will be special. That's a promise from the future Alpha."

I smiled up at him, hugging him tightly, breathing in his familiar scent.

As I held onto him, I whispered a silent prayer.

Moon Goddess, if you're listening, please give me my wolf. And please... let Scott and I finally make things official tonight.

I wanted nothing more than to belong, to him, to the pack, to the life I had always dreamed of.

I stepped into the party, my heart racing with excitement. The hall was packed, filled with the familiar faces of my packmates. As soon as I entered, the chatter died down, and all eyes turned to me. I felt their gazes sweeping over me from head to toe, whispers spreading through the crowd.

For a second, I hesitated. Was there something wrong with my dress? I glanced down at myself, smoothing the fabric nervously. Before I could say anything, a girl stepped forward, a wide grin plastered on her face.

"Hi, birthday girl! We've been looking for you everywhere," she said, her tone too cheerful, too forced.

I frowned slightly. Something felt off.

"Have you guys seen Scott?" I asked, hoping to find him as soon as possible.

Another girl giggled, exchanging a glance with her friends. "Oh, don't worry, honey. Alpha Scott has a surprise for you. A real special one. But first..."

Before I could react, they grabbed my hand, leading me toward one of the rooms. My instincts screamed at me to pull away, but I didn't want to cause a scene. I let them guide me inside, the room dark and silent.

Then, the lights flickered on.

"Happy birthday, defect Daisy."

Laughter exploded around me. Before I could say a word, something cold splashed over my head. The sour, rotten stench filled my nose as spoiled milk drenched my hair, my dress, my skin.

Gasps and snickers filled the room. The flashes of cameras blinded me as they snapped pictures of me, soaking wet and humiliated.

Tears burned my eyes. I could hear them whispering, laughing, and mocking. My hands trembled as I tried to wipe the disgusting liquid off my face.

I couldn't stay here.

Ignoring their laughter, I turned and ran, shoving past the onlookers. My heart pounded as I stumbled down the hallway, searching for Scott. He had to stop this. He had to make them stop.

I pushed open door after door, my vision blurred by tears. My breath came in ragged gasps as I reached the last door at the end of the hall.

I flung it open.

And my world shattered.

Scott was on the bed. With her.

Mila's arms were wrapped around his neck, their lips locked in a heated kiss. His hands roamed over her body as she moaned into his mouth.

They didn't stop.

They didn't even notice me.

Until Mila pulled away, turning her head with a smirk.

Scott looked up then, his expression unreadable before a slow grin spread across his face.

Then they both laughed.

At me.

Scott sat up, running a hand through his hair, his expression shifting between guilt and annoyance. "Daisy, listen... I, I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

My breath caught in my throat, my chest tightening. "Find out what, Scott?" My voice trembled, but I forced myself to stand tall.

DAISY'S POV

A cruel laugh echoed from the side. One of Mila's friends, Jenna, leaned against the dresser, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Goddess, how did you go six months without knowing your boyfriend was screwing someone else?"

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me. My knees wobbled. My hands clenched into fists at my sides.

Six months?

I turned back to Scott, searching his face for any sign that this was a lie, a cruel joke. But he wouldn't meet my eyes.

Mila, still wrapped around him, tilted her head, a mocking pout on her lips. "Oops, looks like the secret's out." She trailed her fingers down Scott's chest. "I guess I don't have to pretend anymore."

My stomach twisted, nausea rising in my throat. "Scott... Tell me what's going on." My voice was barely a whisper.

Scott finally looked at me, but there was no regret in his eyes, only cold detachment. "Daisy," he sighed. "Mila is my mate."

Mila pouted dramatically, tracing her fingers over Scott's chest. "Oh, baby, I think we should tell her everything." She turned her sharp gaze toward me, her lips curling into a smirk. "But first... poor thing needs a shower. She reeks of rotten milk."

Laughter filled the room again. My hands clenched at my sides as heat rushed to my face. My humiliation was their entertainment.

Scott sighed, running a hand through his hair, as if this conversation was exhausting for him. Then, without hesitation, he said, "I want Mila to be my mate."

His words felt like a blade slicing through my chest.

"No," I breathed, shaking my head. My entire body trembled. "But I... I'm your mate. I'm the one you're bound to." My voice cracked, the weight of his betrayal pressing down on me.

Mila stood up, stretching lazily before sauntering toward me. Her heels clicked against the floor, slow and deliberate, like she was savoring the moment.

She stopped just inches away from me, her eyes gleaming with cruelty. "How can someone like you ever be mated to an Alpha?" She scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You don't even have a wolf. You're nothing but a weak, pathetic little girl playing dress-up."

The room spun around me. My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear anything else.

Scott didn't say a word.

He didn't defend me.

He just sat there, watching.

I couldn't stop myself. The rage bubbling inside me exploded as I shoved Mila backward. She stumbled, her smirk vanishing for a split second before twisting into something more venomous.

Scott shot up from the bed, his eyes darkening with fury. "Hey!" His voice boomed, making my heart pound. "I'm the Alpha now, don't forget that. And I won't tolerate any disrespect toward me or my future mate."

Future mate.

His words hit harder than any slap ever could.

Scott stepped closer, his gaze cold and unrecognizable. "Be real, Daisy. Did you really think I would spend the rest of my life bound to a mate who can't even shift?"

I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath my feet. The pain in my chest was unbearable, as if my heart had been ripped apart, shredded by the very person I had trusted the most.

Mila let out a fake gasp, pressing a hand to her chest. "Oh, poor Daisy," she cooed. "You actually thought you had a chance."

Laughter erupted from her friends.

I clenched my fists, my vision blurring. My mate, the one who was supposed to love and protect me, was standing beside the woman who had tormented me my entire life.

Scott turned away like he was already done with me. Like I didn't matter.

Scott continued, his voice laced with disgust. "You don't even have a wolf. I'd rather die than be mated to a shame like you."

Then, his next words destroyed me.

"Daisy Storm, by the Moon Goddess's light, I reject you as my mate."

A searing pain exploded in my chest, like claws tearing through my soul. I choked on a sob as my knees buckled, my hands clutching at my heart, trying to hold myself together. But nothing could stop the agony that spread through me, burning through every inch of my body.

I gasped, my vision blurring from the pain.

Scott towered over me, his expression cold. "Accept it, and the pain ends."

I shook my head desperately, my fingers digging into the floor as I tried to push myself up. "But... I won't be mated again," I whispered, my voice barely holding together. "Scott, please... you told me you loved me."

He scoffed, crossing his arms. "Come on, Daisy. Can you really not tell the difference between love and pity?"

My heart shattered into a million pieces.

Mila giggled from behind him. "Aww, this is getting sad. Just accept it already. You know you'll never be a real mate to anyone."

The whispers around me grew louder. The pack was watching. Laughing. Enjoying my humiliation.

I bit my lip, forcing back the sobs that threatened to consume me. My whole body trembled as the pain only intensified, but I knew there was only one way to make it stop.

So with one final, broken breath, I forced out the words that would seal my fate.

"I accept your rejection."

The second the words left my lips, a final wave of pain ripped through me, tearing what was left of my bond with Scott into nothing but emptiness.

I felt hollow.

Dead inside.

Scott barely spared me another glance as he turned away, wrapping his arm around Mila's waist. She leaned into him, grinning like she had just won.

The pack cheered.

I could hear their whispers.

"She really thought she'd end up as Luna?"

"A wolf-less mate? The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake."

"Pathetic."

I couldn't stay here.

I pushed myself up, my legs weak and unsteady, and ran.

Tears blurred my vision as I stumbled through the halls, gasping for air, my chest aching from the rejection bond breaking. I had lost everything.

I wasn't just alone.

I was nothing.

But as I reached the doors leading outside....

I slammed into something solid.

Strong hands caught me before I could fall, gripping my arms, steadying me.

I looked up....

And froze.

NOAH'S POV

The night was supposed to be simple.

I had come here for one thing, an investigation. Nothing more. The same building where this pack was celebrating a birthday was also hiding secrets I needed to uncover. And I had just finished my work, ready to leave when... I had.

Help me.

I froze.

The voice wasn't spoken. It echoed in my head, raw and desperate, full of pain. But no one around me had spoken.

Then, I saw her.

A girl came running down the hall, her body trembling, her dress soaked in something that smells rancid. Tears streamed down her face, but what hit me the hardest was the emptiness in her eyes, like she had just lost everything.

She didn't see me.

She was running too fast, blinded by her grief, until she crashed straight into me.

I caught her before she could hit the floor, my hands gripping her arms, steadying her. The moment my skin touched hers....

Electricity.

It burned through me like wildfire, my whole body reacting to her as if she was meant to be in my arms.

I looked down at her, my heart pounding.

She was beautiful, despite the pain on her face, despite the tear-streaked cheeks and ruined dress. Her long dark hair clung to her face, her lips trembling, her body weak.

I had never seen her before.

But somehow, I knew.

She was mine.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

She was my mate.

I tightened my grip on her as she wobbled, barely able to stand. "Are you okay?" I asked, my voice low.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, her thoughts poured into me again....

They took my phone... They poured rotten milk on me... They laughed while I cried...

I clenched my jaw, furious, my eyes snapping toward the crowd gathered at the end of the hallway.

They were watching. Mocking.

A growl rumbled in my chest as I turned my attention to them. "Leave her alone," I warned, my voice dark. "Or you will regret it."

A few of them shifted uncomfortably. But one of them, a blonde girl standing too close to an arrogant-looking guy, laughed.

"Oh? And who are you?" she sneered.

I tilted my head, stepping forward slightly, my power leaking into the air. "You don't want to know."

The blonde's confidence wavered. I watched as the group shrank back, their faces losing color. They feel it. My power. My presence.

"I'll make this simple," I said, my voice deadly calm. "If any of you so much as touch her again, I will make sure you regret ever being born. Do you understand?"

Silence.

Then...they ran.

All of them.

Pathetic.

I turned back to my mate, only to find her gone.

My chest tightened as I scanned the hall. She had run.

I rushed outside, searching for her, my heart racing in a way it never had before.

But she was nowhere to be seen.

Gone.

I ran a hand through my hair, cursing under my breath. Then, I exhaled sharply, trying to calm myself.

That's when the realization hit me.

Who are you? I thought, staring at the empty night.

Why did I hear your voice in my head?

I clenched my fists, my pulse pounding.

She...

She's my mate.

And now...

I had to find her.

Daisy's POV

I ran.

I didn't stop, didn't look back. The cold rain poured down on me, soaking me to the bone, but I didn't care. My chest ached, my legs burned, but I kept running.

Scott rejected me.

He never loved me.

The words played over and over in my head like a cruel joke, making my stomach twist in pain. My body felt weak, my heart shattered into pieces, but I had nowhere else to go.

So, I ran to the only person who had ever truly cared for me.

My grandpa.

By the time I reached his cabin deep in the woods, I was shivering, my clothes sticking to my skin. I banged on the door, my hands trembling.

"Grandpa!" I called out, my voice raw from crying. "It's me! Open the door!"

For a moment, there was silence. Then, I heard a sharp click.

The sound of a gun being cocked.

I froze.

"Who's there?" my grandpa's rough voice called from inside.

"It's me! Daisy!" I choked out, my voice breaking.

There was a pause. Then, the door swung open, revealing my grandpa, his sharp eyes scanning me from head to toe. His grip on the shotgun in his hands loosened slightly, but his expression remained tense.

"Daisy?" His voice softened. "What the hell happened to you?"

I stepped inside, my body shaking. The warmth of the cabin hit me instantly, the scent of wood and old books filling my senses. I couldn't hold it in anymore, I collapsed onto my knees, sobbing.

My grandpa quickly shut the door and rushed to my side. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he asked, his gruff voice laced with concern.

I tried to speak, but my throat tightened, and only more tears came out.

"Scott..." I finally managed to say between sobs. "He...he rejected me."

Silence.

Then, my grandpa let out a heavy sigh. "That bastard," he muttered under his breath.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, my voice shaking. "He....he chose Mila over me. He said he'd rather die than be mated to me."

My grandpa's face darkened, his jaw clenching. He stood up and grabbed the gun again.

"Where does that little shit live?"

"Grandpa, no!" I quickly grabbed his arm, shaking my head. "It's... It's over. I just... I just needed to come here."

His eyes softened as he looked at me, then sighed, putting the gun aside. "Come here, kid." He pulled me into a warm, tight hug, his large hand gently patting my back.

But deep down, something felt off.

Like something was watching me.

I pulled away, wiping my eyes. "Grandpa... do you ever feel like someone's watching you out here?"

My grandpa's face twitched slightly before he turned and walked toward the fireplace. "Why do you ask?"

I swallowed hard. "I....I don't know. I just feel like... something's wrong."

Grandpa tossed another log into the fire, staring at the flames. "You might be right."

A shiver ran down my spine.

"What do you mean?"

He turned to me, his eyes unreadable. "Sit down, Daisy."

I obeyed, suddenly feeling uneasy.

Grandpa let out a long breath. "There's something I should've told you a long time ago."