Chapter 1

Maya's POV

“Look at me when I'm talking to you!” He barked.

I didn't dare look at him. He was too close, so damn close. I could smell him, smell his cologne, his aftershave, his being, all of him. I was currently pinned against my locker, and those eyes, a perfect mix of the prettiest blues and the deadliest greens were staring- no glaring- at me.

“What…” I couldn't even say anything.

“What did you see this morning?”

I had been elated to feel my mate and when I began to walk towards where the sensation was coming from. As soon as I entered the class and saw him smoking with his friends, I knew it was him. The one I had spent years waiting for.

He was the one I had been dreaming about, his every feature etched into my mind like a masterpiece. Everything about him seemed perfect. From that long mane of hair, the colour of rich copper, to his gentle eyes, his tall intimidating height and those broad shoulders.

We locked eyes briefly before I backed out of the classroom and proceeded to the hallway. Moments later, I was standing at my locker when he stepped into the hallway, his friends around him and I watched him walk towards me.

But as he reached me, instead of a warm smile or friendly greeting I had hoped for, or perhaps a kiss, though that would be taking things too far, he shoved me up against the locker and behaved like a total brute! His expression was cold and distant, nothing like the warmth I had imagined.

“What did you see this morning?” His tone was harsh, almost accusing.

I felt my heart sink as confusion and hurt washed over me. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

“I-I was just… I did not see anything,” I stuttered, trying to find the right words to explain myself.

He cut me off before I could finish my sentence. "Don't bother.” he said dismissively. “You will be quiet, you didn't see anything. Is that taken?”

“Y… Yes.” The metallic coldness of the locker pressed against my back, contrasting sharply with the heat of his body so close to mine.

"Let her be, Micah, we have a class." One of the guys in the room said and then they began to walk away leaving us alone.

"Be warned. You are a newbie, you can't just waltz in here with your red hair and green eyes and act like you belong." Micah’s voice was filled with malice.

His words were like a relentless barrage, each one meant to chip away at whatever semblance of confidence I had left.

"Please, let me be." I whispered.

"Shut the hell up!" He snarled, leaning even closer. His scent teased my nose and I closed my eyes only to snap them open when he continued speaking. “You don’t belong here, red freak And you certainly do not belong with me."

He felt it too. He knew I was his mate.

He leaned in closer, his face inches from mine. "You actually are not delusional to think I would want to be your mate, are you? An omega? That’s hilarious,” he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

His words burned and I wriggled against his hold. The pain of rejection seared my chest. “Let me go!"

His breath warmed my face as he spoke, "Why would I want a pathetic little omega like you as my mate when I already have a beautiful girlfriend?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as his words hit me. The fairy tale ending I had always imagined shattered before my eyes, replaced by the harsh reality with each word driving another dagger into my already shattered heart.

"I, Micah Alphus, have absolutely no use for an omega red head freak. I reject you, Maya, as my mate. And don't you dare go around telling people we're mates," His words had hit me like a physical blow, knocking the breath out of my lungs.

“I reject you too,” I replied without thinking. A slight show of surprise warmed his face making him loosen his grip on me.

As he stepped back, a surge of adrenaline coursed through me. Without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped him across the face with all the strength I could muster.

His eyes widened then narrowed into slits, but before he could say another hurtful word, I picked my books off the floor and dashed off.

I hated Micah Alphus. Mate or not, I hated him so much.

****

"That's the new girl? She looks like a loser.”

I looked up from my schedule card to see groups of people hanging round the hallway, muttering and whispering to themselves. It sucked to have super human hearing. It sucked to be in Crystal High. Nothing had gone right since I stepped into the damned building and I loathed father's decision to send me to this town with every passing minute.

“Much for a new wolf.”

“She looks like a lowlife.”

I shut everyone out and continued to walk till I found my class. The card I held had my seat number on it and I went straight to it, ignoring the stares I continued to get.

About five minutes after I was settled on my seat, I was about to read a book when I got a tap on my table and looked up. A tap on my table caught my attention, I looked up to see a real life barbie doll and she had her gang of friends around her as well. They all looked the same. Blonde, blue eyes, and pink dresses.

“Hey there, newbie” the girl said with a hint of superiority in her voice. She certainly wasn't an omega. "Heard you were cozying up to my man this morning,"

My heart sank as I realized where this conversation was headed.

“Let me make one thing clear, girlie," She grinned, patting my red hair condescendingly. "Micah is mine. Stay away from him if you know what’s good for you. And frankly, you’ll never have him. He doesn't have a thing for Omegas."

I felt a surge of anger and frustration rise within me. I tossed her a sugary smile. "But he has a thing for Bimbos apparently."

That got the whole class gasping, and queen bee's face turned red.

"You messed with the wrong bitch, pup!" Someone yelled from behind me and the next thing I knew, my hair was pulled back leaving me at Juliet's mercy.

Juliet leaned down then, her blue eyes turning cold.

“Oh sweetie,” she cooed condescendingly, “you clearly don’t understand how things work around here. Micah is off-limits to you. And do not make the mistake of crossing me.”

Crossing her?! She had no idea what it felt like to be crossed. What it felt like to have your world fall around you in shambles. How I had moved here for a fresh start and instead, I have been pushed, bullied and insulted!

And frankly, I was done.

“You," I began, locking eyes with her unwaveringly, "And Micah can go shove a stick up your asses."

Juliet gasped and the class was thrown into whispers.

"How dare you?" She raised her hand to hit me, but the clearing of a throat caught our attention. The teacher had come in.

"You won't be so lucky next time, you'd better watch your back." And with that, she walked to her seat.

Lunch was a breeze and when the bell rang signalling the end of school, I had never felt so happy to be out of place before. I was just about to step out of class when a blonde girl came to me.

“Hey, newbie, the principal wants to see you. Follow me.” And that was it. She just left without waiting for me.

The mention of the principal wanting to see me sent a shiver down my spine. Why was I being called out? And why on earth was she leading me outside the school?

A hand covered my mouth while another grabbed legs. I tried to scream as they dragged me to a corner of the building outside, dropping me to floor before a familiar pair of blue eyes.

"You!"

Juliet grinned. "Hello, bitch. Girls gather around, it's time we teach the new girl a new subject."

"Crystal High 101," One of the girls hollered as they formed a circle around me.

My heart sank as I realised what was about to unfold. Before I could react, they grabbed me and pounced on me, their fists raining down on me mercilessly.

“Not so bold, now are you?!" Juliet cackled, her voice dripping with malice.

I tried to defend myself, but their numbers overwhelmed me. Pain seared through my body as blow after blow landed on me. Tears welled up in my eyes, a mix of fear and anger consuming me.

“Please stop!” I pleaded, curling up to protect my face but my words fell on deaf ears as they continued their assault.

"Juliet!" Micah's voice, dark and deep rang in the air and the beatings ceased. Hope soared in my heart and then crashed to bits when he continued speaking. "Leave the red freak, will you? We'll be late!"

Finally, they stopped, leaving me bruised and battered on the ground.

Juliet leaned in close, her cold eyes locking onto mine. "This is just a taste of what’s coming for you, omega. This is my domain and you would do well to remember it!"