Shannon's POV

I wished for the vacation to last a while longer. However, it was quick to end.I'm back here again, and this place is supposed to be an academy, but it's actually hell for me!

"It's okay Shannon, it's only a year away, it's almost graduation..." I muttered to myself as I walked through the Academy gates.

I picked up my pace towards my classroom, my eyes constantly darting around, desperately trying to avoid everyone, especially Eric.

Eric was a veteran of schoolyard bullying. I'd been bullied by him and his thugs ever since I came to this school. And there was nothing I could do to fight back, the only way was to hide and try to keep him from noticing me.

Fortunately, everything was going normal, but anxiety gnawed at my insides. Something that filled me with unease.

I took a deep breath, standing just before the door of my class as I pushed it open gently, and peered inside. Everyone was already there.

Of course, Eric was there.

My heart leaped as my gaze matched with Eric's and I immediately gazed down. A fuzzy voice in my head kept screaming, but I couldn't hear it clearly, it was as if the voice was shouting something very hard, but it wasn't loud enough to be heard clearly. I breathed heavily and tried to calm myself, but it was no use.

"Shannon?" who was calling me?

I was in a trance when a roar from the professor interrupted the voice in my head." Shannon Hirthe! Are you okay?!!"

I swallowed hard, meeting professor's gaze, and gave him a nod before entering the classroom. It felt as though my heart was ready to burst out of my chest any moment as I made my way toward Eric. The only empty seat was beside him, leaving me with no other option than to sit there.

But as I neared him, I felt suffocated, and a scent filled my nostrils. The voice sounded again, and this time it was unmistakable.

"MATE!"

For a split second, I lifted my head to glare at Eric, the bully in front of me, who was my mate?

But before I could think clearly about the current situation, Eric gritted his teeth and warned me, "Stare at me again and I'll gouge your eyes out!

I quickly lowered my head, my legs shaking as I sat down next to him and tried to calm down. I didn't want him to find out, if he knew that the Omega he hated the most was his mate, I would die a horrible death. I just swallowed and turned to the other side.

Fuck! It doesn't work, my fangs emerged as I struggled to keep my wolf in control. My vision blurred as tears welled up in my eyes while I covered my mouth, biting my fingers. I was pained, but it was nowhere near as painful as what I was feeling now. How could it happen? Why is it him?

A million questions arose in my mind, as I tried to focus back into the lesson. But how could I? There's no way I'm going to allow myself to accept him as my mate!

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I aimlessly scribbled through the pages. Was I being too greedy when I always wished for a mate after my 18th birthday, that’s why the Moon Goddess played such a prank on me? It would have been better if I didn't have any mate! I groaned, controlling my urges to mark him.

I didn’t know how the class went on, but as it ended, my gaze fixated on Eric, as he stared back at me, clenching his fist.

“Coming with me.” he groaned, his hands landing on my wrist as he stood up.

OH HELL NO! My eyes flared with anger, and I shook my head. “NO WAY!”

He rolled his eyes, closing the distance between us. His fingers tangled roughly in my hair, and he whispered, “Yes, you are unless you want to be stripped naked and FUCKED with so many eyes on us.”

I gritted my teeth. Much as I wanted to slap him, I couldn't forget that he was the Alpha of the Howlers pack, while I was just a fatherless omega of the Mystic Pride pack. There was a heaven and hell difference between our power.

I heaved a sigh, forcing myself to answer to his command. His grip on my hands tightened, pulling me out of the classroom as I closed my eyes in embarrassment, becoming the center of attention.

***

Soon, he took me to the corner of the storage locker, pushed me onto the wall, and grasped on my neck tightly.

"So, you're my mate?" he questioned, his gaze fixated on my neck and a sinister smirk curling on his lips. My eyes scanned the surroundings, as I found a crowd gathering.

I forced out a response, my voice trembling, "Yeah, I didn't know I was going to have a scumbag as my mate."

His grasp became tighter, as I coughed and gasped for breath, feeling suffocated, before he let me go. I gasped, taking deep breaths as my eyes fell on his smug face.

He laughed, “Give you the chance. Accept me now.”

My gaze widened, as I looked at him in disbelief. “Have you become crazy, Eric?” He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms against one another, and I continued, my teeth clenching, “There’s no way I’m going to accept you as my mate!”

His nose flared, and his eyes hardened while he choked me, making me unable to breathe. “Accept me, or, die?” He laughed, while my vision blurred, and tears streamed down from my face in suffocation.

“Y-ou…” I said, gathering my remaining strength and looking at him.

He laughed sarcastically, “Answer, Shannon.”

I took a deep sigh and nodded frantically with no other option when I saw him with no wish to let me go. “Say it.” the corners of his lips carved into a smile, as his gaze pierced into mine.

I nodded, my mind blank, as I coldly spew out, “I agree… I agree… Let me go.” Eric broke out in laughter, as his voice echoed around the hall before he let me go. I put my hands on my neck, my eyes becoming red and swollen as I tried to calm myself down.

Eric cleared his throat and brushed his fingers on my cheeks when I turned away. His lips crooked down and his brows raised. “Then? Aren’t you going to leave me alone?”

I hissed, making a fist as I punched lightly on the wall. My eyes lingered on the other werewolves, who simply stood there, watched us, and made fun of me. “Shannon, at least complete the vow.” Eric muttered, his gaze instilled in me. I gazed down and gave him a nod.

“I, Shannon Hirthe of Mystic Pride pack, accept Alpha Eric Funk of the Howlers pack as...” I groaned, trying to keep my voice as low as possible.

“I can’t hear.” Eric teased, putting his hands back in his pocket listlessly.

I gritted my teeth, and repeated, louder this time, “I, Shannon Hirthe of Mystic Pride pack, accept Alpha Eric Funk of the Howlers pack as my mate!”

“Then?”

I looked away, as Eric tapped on his lips. I rubbed my fingers in anger, calming down my urge to punch him. Damn, I can’t believe a day would come when I'd have to kiss him, this bully!

Disgust spread all over me quickly, realizing my fact, as I tiptoed, and moved my arms up awkwardly, as I inched closer to him. My heart raced faster in anxiousness, fear, and disgust as Eric’s eyes zoomed on me.

But, before our lips touched, Eric started laughing loudly, putting me off guard, as he gave me a tight slap and pushed me down. My eyes widened in shock, as I turned toward him, and stood up.

“Hahaha, you're ridiculous! Do you think anyone would want you as their mate, Rubbish?” He laughed, biting his lips, and shrugged. “What do you think about it guys, do you want her?”

The others started laughing too, as they chimed in.

“Who would want her? She is just a useless omega, who doesn’t even have anything attractive about her.”

"She's even a fatherless bastard!"

"Well, she's not even good enough to be a whore!"

As the crowd shamed him, Eric said in a cold voice, "I, Alpha Eric Funk of the Howlers pack, reject your OMEGA Shannon Hirthe of Mystic Pride pack!!!"

With his statement of rejection, my heart instantly clenched into a ball of pain. I collapsed to the ground clutching my chest and breathing heavily, it was as if I was going to die.

But no one cared about me, I should have known better...