Rejected (Shadow Beast Shifters #1) - Jaymin Eve Page 0,3
“Mera Callahan,” she drawled, “the redheaded bitch of our pack.”
She took great pleasure in pointing out on the regular that no one else had my shade of hair color. The rest of the pack fell somewhere between honey blond to the darkest of raven locks, with all shades of skin color included. I had tanned skin and hazel eyes, the same as many others, but my hair…
A giant fucking stop sign announcing my presence.
“Sisily Longeran,” I shot back, “the next alpha-mate. You and Torin are going to make such beautiful babies.”
Beautiful, evil little shits, but I refrained from mentioning that.
Sisily’s smile spread as she drifted closer to Torin. They did look great together, with her perfect mahogany mane and bright azure eyes so striking against his coloring.
The moment she first shifted, after the solstice moon, their expected bond would kick in, and they’d feel the connection. The mate bond was all pre-ordained. A magical fucking miracle.
I had a mate out there too, but if it was any of the assholes in my pack, I’d rather chew my own arm off.
Sisily, done flirting with the almost-alpha, returned back to me. Her jasmine and lemon myrtle perfume drifted with her, and I almost gagged. This was her signature scent from Thomas, the apothecary master, who handmade all of our skin products so we didn’t react to human chemicals. And I fucking hated it to the point that one whiff induced nausea.
At least it did usually give me a heads up that she was close by, so I could escape. Not today though.
She bared her teeth, chest rumbling, and knowing what was coming, I braced myself as she slammed me into the lockers. The entire row shuddered under the assault, and heat burned along my back. Shifters healed fast, but I wouldn’t have that ability until my beast was released, so for now, I got to suffer and heal almost humanly slow.
“You are pathetic,” she spat. “Weak.”
“You wish,” I replied, shooting her a dark smile of my own. What she called weak, I called staying the fuck alive until I could escape them. An entire pack versus one wolf? Yeah, who could win with those odds?
I had fought back at the start, but it only made the beatings worse. So now I chose to grow mentally and emotionally stronger, forged in a fire of their hatred, all the while biding my time until I’d be free.
“Leave her alone,” Simone shouted, unable to get to me; Torin was deliberately in her way.
“Simone, it’s cool,” I said, forcing myself to sound cheerful. “Sis here is super clumsy; I’m used to her tripping and falling into me.”
Sisily’s growls grew lower and more menacing, but I was beyond giving a shit.
“Stop it!” Simone tried again, and I really wished she wouldn’t. As I’d told her many times, there was no need for both of us to be a target. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to her.
Thankfully, her parents’ position in the pack saved her from the worst of the bully behavior, but some still found small ways to punish her for having me as a friend.
Fucking loyal friend that she was; I barely deserved her.
“Shut it, Simone,” Sisily said without looking away from me. “Or you’ll join your half-breed mutt of a friend.”
“Half-breed and mutt,” I said with a forced laugh. “And last week, I was also a whore. I mean, my mom is super proud of me. Just so you know.”
Her hands formed into fists as she went in to break my nose again—signature move of hers—but she was stopped by Jaxson Heathcliffe.
My favorite tormentor.
My oldest friend outside of Simone.
Even if we were definitely more enemies these days.
“I thought I told you to give up coming to classes,” he drawled, leaning in close, his finger swiping across my cheek. It was a gentle motion, but the darkness brewing in his coffee-colored eyes spoke of something different.
A chirpy smile crossed my face. “Right? I mean, I tried that, but my teachers were all ‘you’re going to fail’ and ‘I’ve been looking for a red fur throw for my bed,’ so I decided maybe not showing up was a bad idea.”
Why. Was. I such. A smartass?
Honestly, this facet of my personality was going to get me straight up murdered. And I did not need any help in that department.
Jaxson crowded me into the lockers, and the burning in my back increased, but I didn’t make a sound. Leaning down, he ran his nose across my neck,