Chapter One

Mate!

It was the first time since she discovered her wolf that Roxanna had actually really heard Vera stir inside of her like this. The unfortunate part of this situation was the fact that she was forced to look up at Alpha James as he stared down at her with disgust, rather than adoration or even acute interest. He looked angry. She had to think back at how she found herself in this situation. She had gone out to let her wolf out, and then she heard the call. The smell of everything she ever found appealing wrapped into one strong package. He smelled like a mixture of cinnamon spice, sandlewood and another natural earthy scent, and her heart lept in her chest, but her hopeful expression was soon to be crushed. 

James had barely noticed her existence in the pack. When he looked upon her at school, he simply avoided his gaze as if he saw nothing at all. She imagined that it was her size. The rumors were that her mother had been sickly during her pregnancy, Roxanna couldn't say for sure. All she really understood was the fact that she barely had any memories of her mother. One day she was there, and the next she threw her at her father and walked out of her life forever. She supposed, that she would be used to this sort of recoil, but it never got any easier.

James stepped closer to her now, making note to inhale her scent. She had always admired him, unlike the others he had never been overly cruel towards her. He simply didn't acknowlege her in front of others. He sucked in a deep breath and made a honest effort to soften his expression. 'I apologize. I just... can't accept you as my mate. The pack, they'd never accept you as luna. You understand. So, I'll rip off the bandaid here.. Roxanna Harlowe, I Alpha James of the Redwood Pack, hereby reject you as my mate. Now and forever. Please accept." James said, his piercing blue eyes peering down into her, his domineering expression was barreling holes into her very form. 

She couldn't help but gasp at the sudden pain that clutched her chest. It was almost like her heart was threatening to rip itself apart in her chest. The pain was absolutely incredible. She couldn't help but be fearful for what was to come. She winced, and sucked in a sharp breath. She steadied herself and softly whimpered the words that he longed to hear. "I accept your rejection, James."

That was it. The thin cord winded itself out and then snapped. Severing the connection forever, even as Vera was screaming and howling in her head, begging it not to be so. She nearly collapsed from the tension and release from the overwhelming process. James moved forward to help steady her. His eyes seemed sympathetic, but he also seemed unsure of what words to say next. "I am sorry, there really is no other way.  Be safe on your way home. For what it's worth, if things were different... I think you'd make a fine mate. Had I not been Alpha, you would be a good choice." James said softly. 

Roxanna was forced to watch him walk away. She could say nothing in response. She could only watch as he disappeared. This would be her fate it seemed, a small wisp of a thing, forever the rejected member of her own community. She tried not to let this get to her, but it seemed that the cards of fate were stacked up against her. She sighed, and headed back home. She walked quietly through the small patch of wooded area that led up to the dark sidewalk of her shabby home.

She quietly crept through the back door. She had to step over discarded empty liquor bottles, she figured she'd make it upstairs without her father noticing her. She was actually relieved to hear the sound of the large man slumped over in his chair, snoring and dead to the world. She sighed and tip-toed her way upstairs. She quietly closed her bedroom door behind her and locked it tight. She finally let out a long breath of air that she didn't realize she was holding and headed into her small bathroom for a shower. 

This is complete nonsense! How dare mate reject us, there's nothing wrong with us, Roxie! 

He wasn't overly cruel about it, he just doesn't want someone small and weak like us, it's heartbreaking, but there's nothing we can do about it.

Roxanna responded to Vera. She had been deathly silent on the walk back, but her wolf was furious now. She decided it was best to block her out for now to let her vent her anger in the empty walls in the back of her mind. Roxie peeled off her clothes and started her shower. She pulled the hairtie out of her hair and let her long dark tresses fall around her small frame and stepped into the hot stream. She thoroughly scrubbed everything, as if that could erase the day's events from memory, but she was still saddened by the day's events.

James was kind, he would have been an ideal mate, but Alpha's didn't tend to enjoy the company of little runts like herself. She was about half the height of most of the girls from her pack. She was shorter than most of the people in her pack, and even Vera, her wolf was stunted compared to the strong wolves that ran in her pack. Roxie had learned to stay to herself and avoid others, by doing that she avoided most of the conflict within the pack. However, there were those that saw her existence as an omen, and much like the mindset of James, would pick on her relentlessly to have their strength flaunted above and around her to ensure their own superiority. 

Roxie finished with her shower and wrapped her body up in her towel and stopped in her bedroom to stand in her mirror. She was short, barely reaching a height of five feet two, with long dark hair that reached below her bottom. She was lighter skinned, and had a petite figure. By human standards, she might even be considered a beauty, but here at her hometown, she was something that they disliked, and feared. None of which for a good reason. Roxie sighed to herself and pulled on a oversized dark tshirt and a pair of fresh panties.

She finished drying her hair and climbed into her bed to turn in for the night. She still had a couple of weeks of school left, she was now an eighteen year old, she had already had her wolf for the better part of a year. She had decided long ago that once she finished school, she would remove herself from her town and all of its problems, in persuit of a new life in a better pack, far away from this place. Roxie could do little at this point but pull the blankets up and pushing all her problems away from her, she finally faded off to sleep.