Chapter 3

SELINA'S POV

I arrived at our pack's training area early in the morning. I needed to use the training equipment. The sun hadn't even risen yet, but I was already here so I could avoid the students who hated me.

The sun was just beginning to rise, yet my clothes were already drenched in sweat as if I had just stepped out of a shower.

Before I could finish my training, I heard applause coming from one direction. That area was still dark because several of the lights were turned off. As the sunlight reached them, I saw Ellaine, Adrian, and their friends.

"Who told you that you're allowed to train here? You have no right to use the training equipment here," Ellaine said angrily.

I turned my back on them to gather my things and leave, but Adrian suddenly appeared in front of me. He grabbed my arm tightly. I frowned at him. His grip hurt because his fingernails were digging into my skin.

"You have no respect. You don't have the right to turn your back on me whenever you feel like it," he said firmly. I rolled my eyes.

The moment he saw me roll my eyes at him, he immediately grabbed me by the neck. I didn't fight back. I simply let him do whatever he wanted, but I could already feel the air leaving my lungs because of the way he was choking me. My entire face began burning from the lack of oxygen.

Ellaine only laughed.

I stared straight into Adrian's eyes, it looked like he had no intention of letting me live. Just before I completely ran out of air, he finally let go of my neck. I collapsed against his arms. I saw the worry in his eyes.

I couldn't understand what I was feeling. What did this mean? I could feel Adrian's emotions.

Before I could even process everything, he suddenly let go of me, causing me to fall onto the cold ground. I heard everyone laughing except Adrian.

I coughed repeatedly and took several deep breaths to regain the air I had lost. One hand remained around my neck while I sat on the floor.

"Alpha Adrian, are you okay? What happened to you?" one of his friends asked.

I looked at Adrian. His eyes suddenly glowed as he stared at me.

No... it can't be.

Only mates could feel each other's emotions. I saw the intense look in his eyes. He seemed just as shocked as I was.

There was only one explanation.

Damn.

The future Alpha of the Shadowfang Pack is my mate.

"Alpha Adrian," his friends called again, but Adrian suddenly shifted into his wolf and disappeared before our eyes.

"What did you do to him?" the future Beta demanded angrily. He grabbed me by the throat as well. His eyes burned with rage as he glared at me.

"What did you do to our future Alpha?" he demanded. I forcefully pushed his hand away from my neck before standing up.

"I didn't do anything to him. Is it my fault that his mood suddenly changed? Why don't you go after him and ask him what happened? You all saw him choke me, and yet you're asking me what I did to him?" I snapped before turning my back on them.

I felt a dagger being thrown at me from behind, but I dodged it effortlessly. I picked up my things and walked out of the training area.

"Selina!" Ellaine called after me, but I didn't bother looking back. I only walked faster to get away from them. Damn this life. What was that feeling earlier? If I could feel Adrian's emotions, did that mean he was my mate? I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head.

I already knew he didn't want me to be his mate. The way he looked at me earlier, it was as if it were my fault that the Moon Goddess had chosen me for him.

My eighteenth birthday wasn't until next week, so why had I already discovered who my mate was? Ellaine was a year older than me, yet she still hadn't found hers.

Everyone was waiting to see who Adrian's mate would be. They would definitely laugh at me, or worse, hurt me even more if they found out that I was the one chosen by the Moon Goddess to become Adrian's mate and the future Luna of the Shadowfang Pack.

I shook my head.

There was no way Adrian would ever want me as his Luna. He hated me, and he was one of the people who bullied me the most.

I was on my way home when someone suddenly grabbed my arm. I frowned when I saw Adrian standing in front of me.

"What did you do to me?" he demanded angrily. I looked straight into his eyes.

"I know you can feel me as your mate. You know I can't choose who my mate is, so why are you asking me what I did to you? I didn't do anything to you," I answered while holding his gaze. His grip on my arm tightened even more. I grabbed his hand and forcefully pulled it away from my arm.

The Mooncrest Trials were getting closer. I couldn't afford to have my body covered in bruises before the competition.

"I know you did something to me! Are you a witch?!"

"If I were a witch, I would've given you a love potion a long time ago so you'd fall in love with me, but I'm not a witch, and I definitely didn't do anything to become your mate," I said firmly before walking away.

I could still feel his piercing stare on my back, but I only quickened my pace until I finally arrived home. I was breathing heavily. I placed a hand over my chest.

Damn.

He's my mate, and if Ellaine finds out that Adrian is my mate, she'll explode with anger again. She'll accuse me of stealing something that belongs to her. I took a deep breath before heading straight to my room to take a shower.

Why were they at the training area so early? Did Ellaine find out that I had already left the house, so she brought everyone there to find me?

"Selina!" I was already getting dressed when I heard Ellaine's voice. I walked out of my room and saw her standing in the living room, completely furious once again.

"What are you two fighting about this time, Ellaine?" Mom asked as she came out of the kitchen. The moment Ellaine saw me, she rushed upstairs, grabbed me, and dragged me down the stairs.

"Ellaine! What are you doing to your sister?!"

"She is not my sister, Mom!" Ellaine shouted. "What did you do to Adrian, huh?" she demanded. "Your adopted daughter, Mom. If the Alpha finds out that Selina did something to his son, he might kill our entire family!"

"What?" Mom asked before looking at me. Ellaine was still pulling my hair. Annoyed, I pushed her hand away from my hair before facing them both.

"Selina, what is Ellaine talking about? What did you do to the Alpha's son?" Mom asked. I simply shook my head. If I told them that Adrian was my mate, the news would spread throughout the school in no time.

I probably wouldn't survive once everyone came after me.