-18-

[Avoidance and Rejection]

ARIANNE

As a girl growing up, I wanted everything the mate bond promised; love and commitment. Hell, just being the luckiest girl in the world to find that man created with the sole purpose of loving me.

Day by day, I watched as other unmated she-wolves in the pack found and claimed their mates. As sickening as it was to watch, the smiles on their faces always left me somewhat envious of not having what they did.

Yet, when I found my mate and realized it wasn’t Sebastian. I tried my hardest to put as much distance between us as possible. Even though I couldn’t bring myself to reject him, I couldn’t stand being with him either.

Believe me: that shouldn’t be possible. Had I claimed my mate when I found him, I wouldn’t want to avoid him so I could be with Sebastian. A mating bond was strong, created with unbreakable magic to keep the two fated mates together. Yet, somehow, that didn’t apply in this case.

I crawled to the other side of the Californian king-