CHAPTER 2

"That's enough!" Alpha Blake's voice thundered loudly and a hush fell over the crowd.

His face was stern and I shivered when his gaze passed over me.

My Father on the other hand looked worried but he still smiled comfortingly at me, "It'll be fine." He mouthed softly and I felt myself relax.

Right, I may have turned out different and disrupted the Pack's special traits but it didn't matter.

Dad was here and so was Shawn, they would keep me safe.

"We may have just witnessed a never before seen occurrence but I believe there is no reason to fret. The rituals will proceed as planned..." Alpha Blake stopped speaking when someone interjected him and glanced disapprovingly at Shawn who had interrupted him.

"Will Maya still partake in the mating ritual?" Shawn asked, making me glance hopefully at him.

Sure enough, he was still thinking of me in this situation.

Alpha Blake went silent, seemingly deep in thought before nodding in affirmation after a little while.

I breathed a huge smile of relief, smiling gratefully at Shawn but he only maintained eye contact with me briefly before looking away.

'He is probably trying not to anger his Father any further afterall interrupting the Alpha just to speak up for me wasn't a very wise decision.' I thought silently to myself.

"Maya Sloan will continue to partake in the ritual with the rest of you." Alpha Blake said with a note of finality then turned to my Father, "Come with me." He then walked away while my Father hurried after him.

Even after the Alpha left, I could feel everyone's judging gazes on me as I slowly walked over to the large table on the side where each of us had placed spare clothes we could change into after our turning since the ones we had on were already torn to shreds.

I stretched my limbs, my body gradually changing form just like I willed until I became human again.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked worriedly, she had been standing next to some other wolves that worked for my Father earlier.

"Maya don't worry, it's not a big deal. It's just a little difference. Plus, your fur looked so beautiful earlier. I'm sure once everyone has gotten over their surprise, they will see just how beautiful you are." Rhea said breathlessly before I could reply to Sam.

"Rhea is right. I'm fine." I nodded at Sam, swallowing past the lump in my throat and plastering a smile on my face.

"Let's go, it's time for the selection." Rhea grabbed my hands then pulled me away, leaving Sam's unconvinced face in my wake.

Every one of the wolves that had undergone the turning seemed to have forgotten about the pain they had just experienced moments ago and were back to chattering excitedly.

"Mate!" A male wolf growled ferociously next to me and brushed past me heading for a She-wolf.

She also seemed to have felt their bond because she didn't say a word when he grabbed her by the wrist and just calmly followed him.

Soon, wolves began pairing with the opposite sex one after the other.

"So do you feel anything?" I nudged Rhea.

"No, How about you? Any sign of your mate?" She asked.

"None, thank goodness. I don't have to reject anyone tonight. It's seems I have no fated mate just like Shawn. I'm so relieved, now Shawn and I can go ahead and get married." I replied.

"Was that what you both planned all along?" Rhea's curiosity was evident and I couldn't help reaching out to grab her cheeks, she was so adorable.

"Yes, I would have rejected my mate had he shown up tonight. I love Shawn and I'm not letting anyone claim me if it isn't him. Shawn also agreed to do the same but thankfully, he didn't get a mate during the last mating ritual he attended so there was no one to reject. This year is his last year of attendance."

"You love him a lot, don't you?" She asked with a quiet chuckle that sounded humorless to my ears, making me slightly uneasy but I knew Rhea too well, she was probably just looking out for me.

"Do you even have to ask? I'm a fool lost in love." I chuckled heartily, the gloominess from the earlier event finally easing.

Once wolves who had mates were done pairing up, the rest of us who hadn't found ours were lined up once again, waiting for whoever fancy we captured to claim us.

We could reject them also if we had someone else we were gunning for but even if that didn't work out and we were left single after the mating ritual, we became a part of the 'Pack's Reject'.

Werewolves who had undergone the mating ritual and still left single.

The Rejects were permitted to try again every year until they turned 21.

It was why I tried my hardest to persuade Sam not to give up just yet.

The male wolves began to claim the She-wolves one after the other and I waited nervously with bated breath until I saw Shawn walk forward.

Every Female eyes were trained on him and I knew each one of them envied me.

The proud, handsome son of the Alpha loved me and would claim me, this was no secret within the Pack.

"Why does she get to have it all even after the pandemonium she caused earlier, she's so annoying." I overheard a female hiss but I ignored her statement.

She could say whatever she wanted, I didn't care.

All I cared about was the man standing right in front of me.

"Maya Sloan, anyone willing to claim her?" The announcer who had taken over the proceedings of the ritual after my Father left asked loudly.

Shawn took a step forward and the widest grin I had ever had crossed my lips in anticipation.

He would grab me by my waist, showing his possessiveness and claim that I, Maya Sloan would be his new mate.

My daydream popped like a huge bubble from foamy water when Shawn walked directly past me and headed for my left.

He didn't even look at me as he walked past me and my questioning gaze.

"Shawn, I am right here, where are you going?" I couldn't resist shouting after him.

A cold, tight knot formed in my gut when I saw him pause before someone else and my palm suddenly quivered in panic.

I made my way after him, my steps skidding to a stop when I saw who he stood before.

It felt like I had been immersed in a snowy lake, the cold seeping rapidly into my bones.

"Rhea Landon, I claim you as my mate!" Shawn proclaimed.

His voice sounded deafening and I looked around wondering if I was trapped in a dream.

The astonished gazes of the wolves around me confirmed I wasn't.

The corners of my mouth drooped like a wilting flower and I wished desperately for it all to be false, an untrue prank directed at me.

"It isn't a prank?" My uncertain question was met with a reply, "No, it isn't." Rhea said and took Shawn's outstretched arm.

He pulled her close and hugged her firmly, his gaze on me cold.

Gone was the loving gaze and warm smile he usually showed to me.

"What's this?" I pointed at their entwined fingers, a crazy peal of laughter erupting within me.

My body shook with it then stopped abruptly.

"You're joking right? Tell me you are!" I yelled loudly, grabbing Shawn's sleeve.

He jerked my hands away and the force made me fall to the ground.

I couldn't have withstood it, he was much stronger than I was.

"Rhea is my mate now, Get over it." He sounded spiteful, too cold.

"No, you promised me. We had an agreement, we were going to get married. How could you do this to me?" I screamed, rivulets of anguish streaming down my cheeks.

"I never promised you anything, It was all your own wishful thinking."

My vision blurred and I could faintly make out his figure as he gently led Rhea away.

"Shawn!" I screamed but he was long gone, leaving me on the cold, hard floor.

"Serves her right, she was so proud. Did she really think she could have it all?" The Female voice from earlier spoke up again.

"Did you see how Shawn looked at her, he obviously hates her but she stupidly held her head high and kept lording her relationship with him over us. I can't even summon an ounce of pity for her." Another replied disdainfully.

"He and Rhea looked so good together. Did you see how he held her?" They squealed loudly, their voices fading as they walked away.

"Maya!" A voice broke through my reverie and Sam's face came into view when I wiped my eyes.

"How could he?" She stomped her feet angrily on the ground, veins throbbing on her forehead.

My knees shook as she helped me stand on my feet and I could barely stand upright.

"Sam, I imagined everything just now right? Yes it was all just my imagination." I nodded assuringly to myself while Sam stared at me blankly.

"Maya, snap out of it for goodness sake!" Sam yelled at me and my eyes regained focus.

"Oh dear, you didn't imagine anything, He claimed Rhea. That bastard!" She huffed angrily.

"Let's get you inside." She added softly, beginning to pull me along with her.

"No, I won't accept this, Rhea has got to explain this to me." I yanked her hold away, my gaze decisive.

"Maya." Sam called out to me but my stride remained consistent as I walked away

"They both owe me an explanation." I muttered angrily, feeling my blood rushing like a raging inferno.