Der sechzigste Tag

His red eyes bore into mine while his face squeezed as he wore an irritating expression on his face. He was looking so violent and furious as he gazed heavily at me. I could see the hatred written all over him and I was sure he never for once wanted me.

"Don't you dare stare back at me!" He thundered.

I shook, a tear slipped from my eye and I couldn't even hold it back, I heard murmurings around me; of course, it was not a dream, this was happening to me, but why?

"Lower your gaze!" He ordered.

My eyes wandered around immediately, looking everywhere else but him. I caught myself trying hard not to look his way. How did things go from being good to just this? I couldn't pinpoint what exactly went wrong, my hands shook uncontrollably and my lips quivered but then I suddenly remembered this wasn't how things were meant to be, why was I afraid of him?

I took a bold step and looked him in the eye, though I didn't feel any voice in my head or whatever I knew for sure that he was my mate, the butterflies in my belly, the feelings, the sudden surge of emotions and everything showed I was right and besides; one can never be wrong in things like this, I had to stand on my ground.

"Are you daring me?" He asked.

I chuckled, and my fears momentarily dissipated, was that a façade? Was he trying to see my competence and all? I would show it to him.

"What do you mean?" I asked in return.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes which I found cute, I instantly made a mental note to remind him to always roll his eyes when we gate mated, my cheeks turned red at the thought of mating with him, I've had my fantasies but not with him but it would be worth it.

"Are you out of your mind?" He yelled; jolting me out of my reverie.

I folded my arms. "I don't understand," I murmured but he was quick to hear me.

I could swear I heard him sneer at me, just a few minutes ago, I found out Alder is my mate and I couldn't be more grateful.

"She doesn't understand? What don't you understand? The fact that I rejected you?" He said.

I felt my heart stop, my head spun and everything became darker, it was then I remembered why he was being violent towards me, yes! After the mate attraction surfaced, he came to him willingly, his eyes were drawn to me and it was obvious we were mates but he openly rejected me. I thought it was all a dream but his words reminded me I was wide awake.

"What..... What do you mean?" I stuttered, my voice was shaky.

He stared into my eyes, I saw no emotions in his just disgust and disdain.

"What do I mean? Do you want to hear me say it in another language? Fine! I Alder hereby reject you Cassi as my mate!" He said firmly.

The world came crashing down on me, my breath ceased and it was like I forgot how to breathe for a moment, he was rejecting me? My mate was rejecting me? I couldn't believe my eyes or ears, nothing else mattered at the moment. I was fully focused on him alone. I subconsciously hit my chest gently and reminded myself to breathe. Tears streamed down from my eyes but I was quick to wipe them away with the back of my left palm.

There was no way I'd accept the rejection, he's my mate and I'd spend the rest of my life with him, why would I be separated from him?

"No," I said firmly.

"No?" He asked.

I looked him in the eye.

"No," I repeated.

He squinted his eyes and stared at I don't know, me?

"No, I don't accept your rejection," I interjected.

He went silent and I didn't even realize I was holding my breath, he suddenly burst into a mirthless laughter which began to scare me.

"No?" He laughed.

I was confused but he took a few steps and covered the distance between us, his face was inches away from mine.

"Yes, No, I reject your rejection," I said, I wasn't sure if I sounded brave enough.

"Oh, you will accept it, Cassi." He threatened.

"But why? Why are you rejecting me when it's obvious we are meant to be together?" I asked slowly, my heart was hurting.

"Because you're nothing but a lowly human! How can I be mated to the lowest of all beings?" He yelled.

"I'm not a human!" I said defensively.

"Is that so? Then summon your wolf!" He requested.

My eyes wandered elsewhere. "I can't," I said.

"You can't? Why? Because you're not one of us, you're not a werewolf! You're just a bloody human one who somehow came to him and I would have no relationship with an abomination, I would rather die." He swore.

I chuckled nervously and reached out to hold his hands.

"So what? What if my wolf isn't awakened yet? My parents are werewolves and their blood courses through my veins, I promise you that I'm just you all, can a wolf be mated to a human? No! It means I'm not human, we can sort this out together!" I said desperately.

He yanked his hands-free from mine and scowled at me.

"I'll have nothing to do with a mere human, I'd rather be mated to a slave than accept you as my mate, I reject you." He said venomously.

My legs failed and I crashed to the ground. There was this inexplicable pain that tugged at my heart and head. He turned his back on me and began to leave, was this how I'd live my life? In rejection and pain? I shook my head in disagreement, it's two ways; we both have to disagree on the bond to dissolve it.

"I disagree!" I yelled.

He stopped dead in his tracks and glared back at me. "What did you say?" He asked angrily.

"I said, I disagree with your rejection," I repeated.

He smiled wickedly and came to me. "You don't get to disagree with what I say, my word is the law." He said.

"Too bad, I'm not a fan," I said.

"You will agree." He threatened.

"Else what?" I dared him.

"Else I'd make sure your parents don't see another day, I'll have them burnt alive for sorcery and question your paternity, they'll be seen as traitors and traitors do not die fairly well." He said.

I gasped, he was pure evil, was he going this far just to dissolve the bond? Does he hate me that much? He stooped as low as threatening me with my parents.

"You wouldn't dare," I whispered.

"Watch me." He said with a wicked smile plastered on his face.

My heart raced, my parents had done fairly more than enough for me, was I going to repay them by causing their deaths? Of course not, but on the other hand; if I agree it meant I would be living the rest of my life in pain and dejection, was it worth it? Alder had his back turned on me and was walking away, I'd be damned to cross him.

"Wait!" I called out. "I agree! I accept your rejection. Cassandra accepts your rejection, Alder." I said with a heavy heart, the words were heavy and stabbed at my soul.

I could hear him chuckle and then that was all, he walked away without sparing me another glance, my head hurt and I couldn't cry my eyes out to my heart's content, after an hour of immeasurable pain and confusion; I picked myself up and walked home, I walked mindlessly and didn't feel a thing save for pain.

The door was slightly open when I got home so I didn't announce my presence, all I wanted was to bury myself deep under my covers and cry until this pain goes away, I walked into the house and proceeded to my room, my parent's room was slightly open too and I could see their figures, they seemed to be discussing an issue but I was less concerned.

The pain in me was overwhelming, I was about to enter my room when their talk caught my attention.

'I hope she never finds out.'

'Yes, we've hidden it for a long time.'

'Poor girl, she's trying so hard to fit in.'

'Why don't we just tell her the truth?'

'What is the truth? That we aren't her real parents, she was adopted and she's human?'

My heart skipped a beat, what did I just hear? I was human, I almost lost balance and I ran out of the house immediately, I didn't know where I was headed but all I knew was that I ran until there was no strength left in me, I'd been living a lie! I wasn't theirs? I wasn't even human! The rumors were true! For years I've heard whispers that I'm not human.

Now everything seems to be clearer, I always wondered why I didn't have my wolf yet and why I was always out of place, why I could never fit in, it was because I wasn't ever one of them, to begin with, Alder was right, I'm human.