The Unwanted Mate

Ella

The hallway felt endless. I paused, glanced around, and continued walking, though each step felt heavier than the last. The silence was deafening, punctuated only by the echo of my footsteps. I had grown used to it—the stares, the whispers, the cold indifference.

In the beginning, it was new and different in ways I couldn’t explain, but now it was a familiar feeling. I could almost taste it every time I experienced it. When you’re ostracized long enough, it becomes easier to live with the isolation that comes with it.

I had learned to stay in the shadows, to avoid being noticed. It was better for me, and for them. You might wonder why I chose to fade into the background, but in my world, it was a kind of salvation.

I was an omega, the lowest of the low in our pack. Invisible, unappreciated, ignored, except when someone wanted to remind me of my place. They didn’t need a reason; my mere existence was enough. They would find me wherever I was, just to drill the harsh truth of my reality into my mind.

And no one did it more often than the Blackthorn twins. Alphas-in-training. Arrogant. Ruthless. Beautiful. It was hard to admit the last part, given their sour temperaments and cruel nature, but it was true. They were striking in a way that left an imprint on anyone who spared them even the slightest glance.

My heart clenched as I approached my locker, already sensing their presence. I didn’t need to look to know they were there; I could feel their energy from afar as they casually leaned against the wall, their identical smirks stretching across their perfect faces.

Lucian and Kade Blackthorn. They were the future leaders of the pack and my worst nightmares, wrapped in golden skin and dark, piercing eyes.

“Look who it is,” Lucian drawled, pushing himself off the wall with effortless grace. His voice was smooth, like silk laced with venom. His gaze swept the hallway before settling on me, dripping with disdain.

Kade chuckled from the other side; it wasn’t one borne of humor. Instead, it sounded like he was excited to see me squirm at the sight of them. His gaze was sharp and predatory. “I thought we told you to stay out of our way, mutt,” he sneered.

I swallowed hard, keeping my eyes on the ground. I had an answer ready, because technically, I wasn’t in their way. But I knew better than to respond. Engaging with them would be the ultimate offense in their eyes.

Silence was my best defense, a way to make them lose interest faster. At least, that was what I hoped. But as the seconds ticked by, I realized my silence only seemed to amuse them further.

“You’re not going to talk to us now?” Kade’s voice was closer, his breath hot against my ear. I flinched but didn’t dare move. My feet felt cemented to the ground. “Guess the omega thinks she’s too good for us.”

They had always been like this—taunting and bullying me, ensuring I never forgot my place. As if I needed the constant reminders. My lowly status was a reality they and everyone else drilled into me every chance they got.

I inhaled slowly, trying to make sure they didn’t hear it and use it as a reason to be annoying. And knowing them, they’d find a reason to be angry no matter what I did.

But then, something shifted. It was subtle at first—an odd sensation in the air. I couldn’t quite place it, but it was there, hanging thickly around me. My wolf stirred inside, restless and confused. I exhaled, trying to shake the feeling, but then it hit me all at once. A scent. Earthy, rich, intoxicating, and something distinctly powerful.

Mate.

The word struck me like a blow, freezing me in place as the realization crashed over me. No. No, this couldn’t be happening.

Life couldn’t be that cruel, could it? To play such a wicked game, this would be beyond evil. It would be downright heartless.

But when I looked up, I saw it. The flicker of shock in their eyes. They had caught the scent too.

That unmistakable bond, the one thing that tied wolves together beyond any hierarchy, beyond any cruelty.

Lucian and Kade were my mates.

I stumbled back, my breath coming in shallow gasps. This had to be a mistake. They hated me. They made my life a living hell. How could they be—?

“No,” Lucian’s voice was sharp, cold, as though he had read my thoughts. His smirk was gone, replaced by a hard, furious expression. “There’s no way.”

Kade shook his head, running a hand through his dark hair. “We can’t be mated to her. It’s impossible. Anyone but her!” His voice was filled with disbelief, and I swallowed hard.

Their words shattered my heart. Of course, they couldn’t accept it. Even I couldn’t fully accept it. Why would they? I was nothing to them.

Just an omega, the girl they tormented for fun. But the bond; the bond was real. It was undeniable.

Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.

“If you’re waiting for me to be happy about this, you’ll be waiting forever,” I muttered, my voice trembling but fierce. “I don’t want this any more than you do.”

Lucian’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “Good. Then we’re on the same page.”

I turned on my heel, walking as fast as I could, my heart racing. But even as I fled, the bond pulled at me, a tether I couldn’t escape.

I could feel their eyes burning into my back, could sense their confusion, their frustration and their anger.

We were bound now. Whether they liked it or not. Whether I liked it or not.

But they didn’t want me. That much was clear. And deep down, I wasn’t sure I could ever forgive them for that.