My dress

The word didn't manage to leave Caroline's lips for more than a second before she was sent flying to the other side of the classroom.

I hear her skull crack when it makes contact with the wall before she slides down on the floor, staring at her boyfriend in disbelief. Everyone takes a step back from Axel, but no one jumps to help her.

If Axel has decided that she deserved that, that meant that even her minions have to agree.

"Thanks..." I manage to whisper, but he doesn't look at me.

 A soft murmur breaks the shocked silence. People are looking at Axel and spreading gossip around.

Caroline manages to pull herself together and her eyes are now glowing, as her powers help her heal.

"The next time you want to screw with the members of MY pack, be careful with your words. I am the future Alpha!" My jaw hits the floor as I listen. Is Axel defending me? Actually?

"Don't refer to my pack as yours!"

Oh...

 People nod, understandably. Of course, Axel didn't just start caring about the human loser. He was just mad that Caroline was too cocky. Which is fine, after all. No one actually likes the spoiled bitch, so her getting what she deserves is a rare satisfaction. Even Caroline seems relieved by it. For a second she must have thought that her boyfriend protected me. That would be actually shattering.

"You! Get the fuck out of here! Your face annoys me!" Axel turns to Brad with a murderous glow in his eyes and the boy almost screams as he rushes to grab his things before running out.

After Caroline shakes off the dust on her fur, she gets back to acting all lovely with Axel as their minions follow them around. No one gives me another glance and peace returns to the kingdom. As if!

 I am about to cross the street on my way home, when a sports car stops in front of me and the window rolls down. "Get in!" Axel commands. How can I refuse my mate?

"No!" I reply and move around the car. Like this.

"Rose! Please. I just want to talk..." His tone softens as he gets out and rushes to catch up with me.

"We can talk tomorrow at school. Oh, wait. We can't. Your friends will see you talking with the loser!"

I snap at him and he looks taken aback for a second. Like this is the first time someone has confronted him about his shitty behavior. "It wasn't like that..."

"Really? Weird. I was there and I know what I saw!"

"I didn't know what else to do!"

"How about being sincere?"

"Oh, really?" Now it's his turn to sound annoyed. "About what? About us? Kind of hard to say something about that when we had no time to discuss it ourselves! Are you going to reject me? Are we going to break the bond?"

“Really, Axel? Are you mad I’m not taking a risk by jumping in your arms, but you act like you don’t know me at school because you’re scraed you image couldn’t bare being rejected by the loser?”

“So you plan to break it…” He whispers, more to himself and for the first time real panic shimmers in his eyes.

Break the bond... I didn't even think of that. If you reject your mate, you insult the Moon Goddess' choice and you can not be granted a second mate. But if the match is so disastrous both mates hate it, they can break the bond. If the Moon Goddess accepts the break, they have a small chance of finding other mates.

"You want to break it?" I ask, frozen in place.

I knew he hated me. Damn, he proved that enough times. I knew that this bond would be disastrous for his image. I knew all those things. I repeated them to myself all night. But somehow... despite that... I hoped...

It doesn't matter what I hoped. The result is the same.

"I... I want to know what you want." He answers, now sounding shy and worried. He leans closer and his hand touches mine. The electrifying feeling of his skin almost makes me lose my mind. Even if it's so brief... it almost erases my self restraint.

"Rose..." He whispers in my ear. The word sounds like a prayer. Like a plea. An animalistic urge awakens in my veins and the hurricane in my mind goes silent.

I can't hold it together anymore, it hurts too bad. I grab his collar and pull him closer. Our teeth smash together painfully, but my lips are glued to his in a kiss that is so dangerously sweet, so dangerously addictive... so dangerous.

He is shocked for a second, but quickly responds, rushing to answer with an unhinged desire.

A damn car passes by and starts to honk. That's how I remember we're out in public. On a sidewalk! With people passing by, throwing us disgusted looks.

I am beyond myself with embarrassment, but Axel doesn't seem to care. He growls in protest when I pull away.

"Stop...!" I whisper softly, biting my lip; somehow hoping he wouldn't.

Axel takes a deep breath and puts some distance between us. Not enough to let me clear my head, but enough to be appropriate.

"Let's go somewhere to talk. Somewhere in private... I'll be good. I promise!"

I want to refuse. I want to be strong enough to laugh in his face and reject him right now. But I can't. My mouth won't listen to me. Avoiding him isn't working either because I lose control every time he is too close. I can only face him, right?

I sigh, defeated. The Moon Goddess must have been really bored to think of this match.

"But not now. My mom waits for me to go shopping."

"Can't you tell her that you're going out with some friends?" He asks, impatiently.

"She knows I don't have friends." I answered, and all the blood drain from Axel's face. Guilt flashes in his eyes, but he doesn't say anything. He just nods and, after a moment of hesitation, places a kiss on my forehead before getting in his car.

 *

"What's up with you?" My mom asks with a curious smile glued on her face. She has kept asking that since I stepped foot back into the apartment.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" I answer, but her smile only got larger.

"Well, I will not say anything about that dreamy expression of yours. But the fact that you've been staring at that dress for five minutes now." She comes closer. "It is very pretty though. I would love to see you in this color, sweetheart. Your color scheme screams grandma."

I actually take a look at this dress that apparently I was staring at and my jaw drops. It's a gorgeous summer dress. White, with red flowers streaking all around the bottom. The very high button.

"It's too short," I commented.

"What do you mean?" She picks it up and puts it in front of me. "I have dresses shorter than this... And I am forty!"

Just as I was about to take the dress and put it back, I hear that cursed, unmistakable voice behind me. "

I have to take that dress for my date with Axel tonight! It's our anniversary."

"He won't be able to take his eyes off of you, Caroline!"

"Or his hands!" Caroline and her minions laugh, and a sudden rush of panic comes over me.

"Mom, let's go!" I sputtered. But it is too late. The witch saw me. Her eyes squint at me and then at the dress.

"Hello, Rose!" Every hair on my body stands up.

"Nice dress you have there. Are you going to wear it on your date with Brad?"

My mom's eyes widen in excitement, and I know what is going on in her head. If I get a mate from the pack, I secure my place. Only if she knew the truth...

"Yes!" My mom answers for me, and Caroline's attitude changes a bit. She keeps a sweet-as-honey demeanor around the adults, and even though my mom is human, she won't drop her mask.

"I see. But it is quite different from your usual style. Are you sure you can pull it off?" Caroline asks and, despite her words, her tone almost sounds concerned and caring.

"Yeah. I'm sure. But feel free to buy one too. I heard you talking about how much you like it. We could be twins." I sting back, just as sweetly as her.

I don't know what has gotten into me today to confront her more than once, but it feels liberating as hell!

"Oh! So nice. Like twins!" My mom chimes in, and the minions try to conceal their laughter.

"On second thought, it's not really my style," Caroline replies and storms away.

"I will pay for this..." I said as I looked at her.

My mom, who was already grabbing my size to buy it, sighs. "Maybe. Or maybe they will know you're not that easy to mess with. I wish I'd be as strong..."

But I’m not strong. In front of the mate bond, it feels like I’m melting, like my body refuses to belong to me anymore. And even worse than that, I’m so pathetic and weak and tired that I’m not sure I even want to fight it.

Maybe if I stop running from it, maybe if I’m a great mate and do everything right for once… maybe if Axel accepts me… the pack will too?