Chapter 3


    -Dorothy-


    It was a long while before my wailing petered out into quiet s obs. I leaned into Johan who had his arms


    around me, stroking my hair and cradling my shaking frame. I inhaled against his neck and clutched the


    fabric of his shirt with trembling hands.


    “Please, don’t reject me yet. Not today.”


    My voice was h oa rse, a little more than a whisper as I clung to him, “Let me at least have today, even


    if it’s fake.”


    I couldn’t fathom a rejection so monumental. Not here, alone on campus where everyone could witness


    the aftermath. And not today it was too much to bear.


    Johan was silent for a moment, rocking me gently as he thought it over.


    “Alright. Not today.”


    He squeezed my shoulders tightly before releasing me and standing up, going. Again, I’m so sorry.”


    “I should get


    He reached out as if to touch my hair, but drew his hand away abruptly, shoving it into his pocket


    instead. Turning with jerky movements, Johan left the garden and disappeared into the bustling corridor


    without another word.


    I stared after him, motionless and empty. My inner-wolf cried in anguish deep inside of my chest. I felt


    numb, my tears used up, and what little hope I had left was shattered entirely.


    A part of me wanted to scream and cry for Johan toe back. To beg him to stay. But I was


    exhausted, and the small voice in the back of my mind was whispering that I shouldn’t have expected


    anything else. That I would never be wanted. That I would never belong.


    Heaving myself off the bench, I left the garden on legs that felt like lead. The thought of more sses


    after what had just happened was unbearable. I slipped out of the college instead and headed towards


    the woods just outside of campus. Going home wasn’t an option either.


    Although Anita would be understanding, her sympathetic smile would only make me feel worse. In that


    moment, I just wanted to be alone. I scuffed my sneaker on the tarmac and inhaled the fresh scent of


    the woods before me. Pine and Engelwood, just like him. I pushed the thought from my mind.


    Before I could make it to the woods, however, I heard multiple sets of footsteps.


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    14:45


    catching up behind me and turned to see five of Mavis’s crew heading my way. Why


    now?


    I contemted running, but among the group, I’d spotted Lana, who, with her long. slender limbs and


    athletic abilities had always managed to run me down before.


    I didn’t see this time going any differently. Instead, I slowed my pace and let them catch up with me,


    forming a half-circle between their prey and the forest. I folded my arms. and prepared to defend


    myself.


    “Hello, gingersnap, what has you running out here with your tail between your legs?” udia, the


    speaker in question, donned a malicious fake smile while she blinked at


    me.


    “Well hello udia, why don’t you mind your own business for once?” I sneered back, “Doesn’t Mavis


    need her guard dogs today?”


    I hoped they couldn’t hear the tremble in my voice. Hoped they wouldn’t notice my puffy eyes and tear-


    streaked face.


    Hatred shed in udia’s eyes and she prodded my chest with one perfectly


    manicured nail, “I heard someb*dy found her mate today,” she said in a sing-song voice and poked me


    again, harder this time.


    I smacked her hand away. “That’s got nothing to do with any of you.”


    dia retracted her wed hand and coked her head to the side. “Oh, but it does. I heard you were


    getting quite


    Ozy with Johan over in the gardens earlier. And Alissa said she even saw the two of you leave the


    bathroom together. Didn’t


    you Alissa?”


    She looked over at the bottle blonde to her left who shrugged and nodded vaguely like the entire


    conversation disinterested her.


    “It’s not what you think, he doesn’t even want -” My words came out jumbled and I cut myself off,


    unable to voice the painful truth.


    udia made no effort to conceal the joy this torment brought her. A cold grin settled across her face.


    “He doesn’t want you.”


    With that, I decided I had had enough. I pushed past the tall girl and made for the canopy of the forest.


    udia clearly wasn’t letting me go that easily though and she gripped my shirt at the shoulder,


    yanking me backward and sending me to the ground before I could steady myself.


    udia was strong. Inhumanly strong. She was using the strength of her inner-wolf and she was all the


    more dangerous for it.


    257%


    Inded on my back and immediately tried to scramble to my feet only for udia to deliver a sharp


    kick to my stomach with her pointed boot. I buckled, winded, and copsed to my knees. I had no time


    to gasp for air before Lana delivered another kick. to my side, and sent me sprawling on the tarmac


    again.


    udia reached down, grabbing my hair, and yanked my head up to face the girls. “We couldn’t care


    less about you or who you decide to pine over. But you got a little too close to Mavis’s man and we


    can’t allow that.”


    With that, she mmed my head against the ground causing stars to explode across my vision and


    blood to pour from both my nose and a nasty new g ash in


    my brow. The girls continued their assault, taunting and jeering while I curled up on my side in an


    attempt to protect myself.


    I could barely think straight, my mind was foggy and I cried out at every jab and kick that hit its mark. It


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    felt like they were aiming to kill. I had endured their torment time and time again but this time they


    weren’t holding back.


    The attack went on for what felt like forever when suddenly, through the fog I heard a new voice speak


    up.


    “What the f uck is going on here?”


    A voice so low and dangerous. A voice like ice.


    The girls halted their attack and a new scent washed over me overpowering and intoxicating, it was a


    musky rose with the echo of a sea breeze. I couldn’t see this new stranger from my fetal position on the


    ground but I could sense him with every fiber of my being.


    The hair on my neck rose and my heart slowed into deep rhythmic beats that reverberated through my


    entire b*dy.


    “Who are you supposed to b-“I heard Lana start before she was abruptly cut off by udia.


    “Let’s go. Now.”


    There was genuine fear in her voice.


    my


    I could hear them hurry away, and unfolded myself to catch a glimpse of the stranger who’d saved me.


    The blood from the wound to my head had dripped down into eyes and made it difficult to see. I


    squinted in the direction of the dominating scent and feebly rubbed at my eyes.


    Standing over me was a boy whose appearance matched the tone of his voice. Cold, and unsettling.


    His hair was snow white and ruffled like it was caught in a perpetual gust of


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    145 TTH, Ba Lan


    wind. Dark brows furrowed over piercing blue eyes that were gazing down intently at


    me.


    “Who argh!” I tried to get to my feet but a sharp fiery pain in my side kept me down.


    “Try not to move too much.” The stranger knelt down and slid a hand between my head. and the rough


    ground, “Looks like they did a number on your ribs.”


    I winced as he tilted my head slightly to examine the bleeding cut, “Didn’t go easy on your face either,”


    he remarked dryly.


    I groaned as another sharp pain shot through my side. The bleeding from my nose had slowed but


    there was no doubt that I looked like a go d-awful mess.


    “Someone should see to that. Do you think you can stand?”


    The stranger frowned as I tried to get to my knees and failed miserably, clutching my side and moaning


    in frustration.


    “Guess not. Why did those girls have it out for you anyway?” he asked while slinging my arm over his


    shoulder and lifting me to my feet. He went a step further and swung an arm under my knees, lifting me


    off the ground and cradling me in his arms.


    He took care to be gentle around my aching ribs and headed back towards the college. campus. Too


    tired and injured to be embarrassed, I rested my head against his chest – a chest like warm marble.


    “They’ve never really needed a reason to do what they do.”


    I didn’t feel like exining the truth. I had had enough humiliation for one day without. exining my


    mate’s rejection to an odd stranger. The answer seemed satisfying enough to him though as he shook


    his head in disgust.


    “Typical. Anyway, we need to get you to a doctor. Make sure nothing is broken.”


    “Hmm.”


    I was only half-listening, fatigue catching up with me after the events of the day. On top of that, I found I


    was quite enjoying this boy’s strange scent.


    Another wave of pain snapped me out of my trance and I swiveled my head to gaze up at the guy’s


    face. From this angle, his jawline looked like the edge of a cliff. Everything about him seemed sharp


    enough to cut.


    “Who exactly are you?” I asked tentatively. I’d never seen him around before. I was sure I would have


    remembered a face like that.


    “Ignatius. I’m from the Allied Pack further North but my father is down here for an


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    Elders meeting. Thought I’d tag along and visit some old friends.”


    He nced down, raising one dark eyebrow at me, “And who are you, little Miss five-


    on-one?”


    His gaze


    had my stomach twisting in knots and my inner-wolf was stirring in response. to this new anomaly. I


    forced my suddenly gaping mouth closed and looked away.


    “I’m nob*dy special.”


    “That’s a strange name.”


    His tone was somehow t and slightly amused simultaneously. I glowered at his small smirk, wiping


    my nose where fresh blood was drizzling out.


    “My name is Dorothy. I’m a part of this area’s pack but not really. And this morning I had waffles and


    syrup for breakfast.”


    I turned my nose up and faced away from him again, determined to not share any more of my


    incredibly mundane current life.


    After a few more minutes of silent walking and being carried around like a sack of delicate potatoes, I


    asked, “Do you, like, have a car, or do you n to walk us to the hospital?”


    Without answering, Ignatious rounded the corner with me and fished a set of car keys. out of his


    pocket. Striding up to a shy, old-school Imp, he unlocked the passenger door and stooped to put


    me down.


    Before he could manage that, however, we were interrupted. Aforting scent, the slightest hint of


    pine in the air.


    “Dorothy?”


    Ignatius turned with me in his arms to face Johan, standing a few feet away.


    “Dorothy, what happened to you?”


    Genuine concern in his voice, he seemed as gentle as ever but there was tension in his shoulders and


    his lips twitched slightly as he eyed Ignatius and his pale arms firmly handling me.


    “Johan,” Ignatius said nonchntly, while my head snapped up to look at him so fast I da mn near gave


    myself whish, “Long time no see, old friend.”