Chapter 4

Anastasia's POV

Jed.

The name echoed in my head.

The memories had come rushing back.

I remembered feeling a rush of relief and joy. “Mate!” I had responded, my voice trembling with too much emotion.

He then reached out and took my face in his hands, his touch sending sparks through my skin.

The moment his hands had touched my face, an electric current had immediately flowed between us.

The connection between us felt so real and impossible to resist. Before I knew it, we were drawn to each other like magnets, and our lips met in a hungry kiss without thought.

We locked lips and began to kiss deeply and passionately. The world around me soon faded away. It was as if we had both been waiting for the moment for a long time.

We barely made it out of the bar, stumbling together into the nearest motel. Every touch, every kiss felt like fire, burning us both into each other.

The intensity of our connection was quite overwhelming, I recalled, and we didn’t waste any second when we got to the room.

Clothes were pulled and discarded quickly, and we fell into bed, lost in each other’s arms.

It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Every touch sent shivers down my spine, and every kiss made my heart race.

For me, it had felt like the world outside just ceased to exist, and it was just us, lost in a storm of raw and intimate passion.

After a moment naked in each other’s arms, exhaustion and the alcohol had taken over, and I remembered lying beside him before everything faded into darkness.

My eyes widened.

Oh my God.

It wasn't a dream.

It had actually happened.

And the man sitting across from me was the same.

My mate.

I looked at him, waiting for something.

Anything.

A flicker of recognition. A smile. Even a surprised expression.

Instead, he barely glanced at me and muttered, “Morning.”

Then he returned to his breakfast.

I was stunned. How could he not remember me? I felt a sense of anger and hurt at the same time.

Mom, sensing the tension, looked at me. “Is everything alright, Anastasia?” she asked.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” I lied, looking at her.

I felt really confused within. This was without a doubt the same man I had met yesterday; I could still feel the strange and powerful connection between us.

But he was pretending not to know me, and it was infuriating.

As we ate, I couldn’t get myself to eat much with him seated across from me. Mom asked and I just said I wasn’t hungry.

Silas then cleared his throat. “Jed, why don’t you drop Anastasia off at school today?” he asked.

Jed looked at me once more, his expression soured as he obviously didn’t like the idea, but he nodded reluctantly and looked away. “Sure.”

I grabbed my backpack but then excused myself and went upstairs to pick up my notebook. As I walked, my thoughts stirred.

I asked myself why Jed was pretending not to know me. Was he really that much of a jerk, or was there something else going on?

The confusion ate at me, but I forced myself to focus on the day ahead, perhaps I would get a reasonable explanation from him on our way to school.

When I came back down, I found the room empty and the front door open. I then stepped outside to see Jed driving away in the car, leaving me behind.

“See you at school,” his loud words were followed by a laughter that did nothing to alleviate the rage I felt form inside me.

“Oh fuck me.”

I couldn’t believe how unlucky I was when it came to men and finding my mate.

***

“Watch where you're going, or do you need another slap to remind you of your place?”

Maisie's voice reached me the moment I stepped into the hallway.

I stopped for half a second.

Of course.

Because apparently, surviving one day in this school without being publicly humiliated was too much to ask.

I glanced at her over my shoulder. She stood with her usual group of girls, wearing that smug expression I was beginning to hate.

I didn't have the energy for her today.

So, I simply turned and kept walking.

“That's right!” she called after me. “Walk away, lowlife!”

I clenched my jaw.

Lowlife.

Apparently, that was my new name.

I continued toward class, keeping my eyes ahead despite the stares following me through the hallway. It seemed crossing Maisie meant earning a permanent place on everyone's list of people to avoid.

Fine by me.

I wasn't exactly desperate for their friendship.

The first few classes passed quickly, though the whispers and occasional snickers never really stopped. By the time I reached my fourth period, I was already exhausted.

Then something struck my arm.

“Ouch!”

I looked down and found a crumpled piece of paper on my desk.

I unfolded it.

'You're a lowlife.'

I stared at the words for a few seconds.

Maisie wasn't even in this class.

How the hell did she have an entire school working for her?

I crumpled the paper again and shoved it into my bag.

Whatever.

The bell finally rang, signaling the end of class.

I packed my things quickly and headed for the library.

It had quickly become my favorite place in this miserable school.

Books didn't judge me. Books didn't whisper about my father. And, most importantly, books didn't care who Maisie was.

I found a quiet corner toward the back of the library and sank onto the floor, resting my back against the wall.

For the first time all day, I was alone.

And apparently, that was exactly what my brain had been waiting for.

Because the moment everything became quiet, Jed's face appeared in my mind.

His cold expression.

The way he'd looked at me like I was nobody.

The way he'd driven away and laughed.

My mate.

The same man who had held me the night before.

The same man whose touch I could still somehow remember.

And now he was pretending I didn't exist.

My throat tightened.

Then, before I could stop them, tears slipped down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away.

“Get it together, Ana,” I whispered.

But the tears kept coming.

I buried my face against my knees, trying to cry quietly.

Then Mom words hit me. I guess she was right. Apparently, because the Moon goddess picked someone for you, doesn't mean they have to stick to you.

And here I was waiting my whole life for that bond, and—

“Can I sit?”