Rejected, Replaced, & Forgotten

“Shoot! I left my hat. Hang on, Jay.”

I jumped out of my brother’s car, slamming the door behind me as I dashed back into the pack house.

I raced up the stairs, darting into my room and quickly rifling through my things until I found my hat.

It was a worn-out red baseball cap that my dad had given me when I was little. I wore it every day. Partly because I missed him like crazy, and partly because it helped me blend in.

A car horn honked loudly, making me jump. I was always running late, and today was no different.

I spun around to leave and immediately tripped, landing flat on my face.

I muttered something under my breath and rubbed my sore elbow. I looked down and sighed. Leah had left her high heels right in the middle of the room.

Because our pack house was so crowded, I had to share a room with my cousin.

Leah was a year older than me and we used to get along pretty well until she grew boobs and a love for boys.

That’s where Leah and I differed. She was all about makeup and high heels, while I was more of a jeans and sweatshirt kind of girl.

I was raised by a tomboy mom, my older brother, Jay, and my dad, so it’s no surprise I didn’t turn out to be a girly girl.

The horn honked again and I dashed out of my room, forgetting to close the door. I hopped into my brother’s truck and grinned at him.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

Jay rolled his eyes and put the car in reverse.

“When are you not daydreaming? You know how much I hate being late, yet every morning, it’s the same thing. Why don’t you set your alarm ten minutes earlier?”

I shrugged. “We both know I’d just hit snooze.”

Jay laughed. “Yeah, you would, wouldn’t you? I guess I have no choice but to put up with your chronic lateness, you are my little sister after all.”

He reached over and playfully shoved my shoulder, making me smile.

My brother and I were super close when we were alone, but as soon as we were in public, we avoided each other like the plague.

I steered clear of him and his popular group of friends, and he steered clear of me and my one friend, Sam. He was the beta of the pack and with it came a reputation he was desperate to uphold.

I didn’t mind the distance. I hated being the center of attention and his rank put him in the spotlight wherever he went.

“You know it’ll be three years since Dad passed next month,” Jay said quietly. I nodded and looked out the window at the passing forest, wishing I could be there instead of heading to school.

I sighed. “Yeah, I know. I wonder how Mom will handle it.”

“No better than she handles every other day, she’s like a walking ghost.”

I shrugged. “At least she hasn’t tried to kill herself.”

Jay gasped. “Livy! That’s terrible.”

I didn’t see it that way. “It’s true though, Jay. I mean, most wolves are suicidal when they lose their mates. Mom’s just stronger than the rest, I guess.”

Jay nodded in agreement. “Well, thank the Goddess she is, imagine if we lost her too?”

I stared out the window. “We’d be orphans.”

We got to school about five minutes later; the entire ride was spent in silence after our talk about Mom.

Jay and I had one thing in common: we hated talking about our feelings. It wasn’t often you found Jay or me crying or moping around.

Usually, we wore pretty blank expressions when we were upset.

“See you, Jay,” I said quietly as I hopped out of his car. Now was the part of the day where I completely ignored his existence and he ignored mine.

That was until the final bell rang and we were back in the car. Then we could laugh, talk, and joke all we wanted.

“Olivia!” I turned around and glared at Sam.

“When are you going to stop calling me that?” I snapped.

Sam laughed, his blue eyes twinkling. “Never, I love getting a rise out of you, Olivia. Your reaction is just too funny to pass up.”

I rolled my eyes. “The only person who calls me Olivia besides you is my mom. Do you know how annoying that is?

“No matter how many times I insist on Livy or Liv, she insists on the formality of my full name.”

“She has a point, you know. She did name you Olivia.” He let out a low wolf whistle and shook his head slowly. “Your cousin is a knockout.”

I turned around and looked across the yard at my cousin, Leah.

She was a blonde bombshell with the looks of an angel, but her personality was anything but. Not only did she have the body, but she knew how to dress it.

This made just about every guy drool over her, including my idiot friend Sam.

I smacked his head. “Stop it, you’re making me uncomfortable.”

He laughed and shoved his hands into his coat pockets before walking toward the school.

I wasn’t jealous of my cousin. It didn’t bother me that guys liked her.

Honestly, I liked that she loved attention because I didn’t. She drew all the attention to herself and left none for me, just how I liked it.

“Looks like Leah and Cole are back together,” Sam noted. I nodded dismissively.

Cole Emerson was the future alpha. I frowned at the thought.

When I thought about Cole Emerson, something nagged at the back of my mind.

When was his birthday again? I knew his eighteenth was coming up soon, as was the downfall of our pack when he took over.

“Really? That’s surprising. I thought he ended it for good last time,” I said, snapping out of my thoughts.

Sam laughed. “Doesn’t look like it. You know, I’m surprised she’s not his mate. She’d make a decent luna.”

I snorted. “You’re just saying that because you think she’s hot.”

Sam shrugged nonchalantly. “Maybe, maybe not. I have the right to an opinion, even if it is based solely on looks.”

I rolled my eyes and adjusted my cap. “Anyway, he wouldn’t even know if they were mates. He’s not even eighteen yet.”

I kicked a loose pebble as we walked toward the school doors, trying to keep it on a straight path.

“Actually, he is. Today’s his birthday. Didn’t you hear everyone singing to him this morning before he left for school?”

I shrugged. “I’m a heavy sleeper.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Figures you’d sleep through the biggest moment in pack history. He’s our pack’s fiftieth alpha.”

“Really? That’s kind of cool, I guess,” I said, giving the pebble a good kick. It skittered over some uneven pavement and I hurried to catch up with it.

Sam nodded, trying to keep pace with me. “It’s more than cool, it’s a huge honor. Too bad it’s wasted on him. He doesn’t even care.”

I shrugged again. “Who cares? As long as he doesn’t get us all killed, I’m good.”

We kept walking, and I made sure to keep the pebble moving. We reached the school doors, and I gave the pebble a hard kick, not expecting the yelp that followed.

“Ouch! Who just kicked a pebble at me?”

I froze, my stomach sinking. Just my luck. Just my stupid, stupid luck. I turned and lowered my head. “I’m sorry, Alpha.”

I heard Cole sigh. “Isn’t this your sister, Jay?”

I heard my brother grunt. “Unfortunately.”

I looked up just enough to see my brother looking both angry and embarrassed, which was never a good combination.

Suddenly, I caught a strange scent in the air; a mix of some amazing cologne and strawberries. It was intoxicating.

“Okay, well, you can go now or whatever. Shoo.”

A round of laughter followed from both our new alpha and his friends.

I nodded and looked up, only to be caught by the most beautiful hazel eyes I’d ever seen.

Time seemed to stand still when I looked into those eyes. Everything around me stopped moving, and the only things I could focus on were my own heartbeat and him.

I heard my wolf howling in joy, celebrating that she had found her mate.

And then my cousin locked her lips with his, and I felt my heart shatter.

“Mate,” I whispered. Immediately, everyone turned to stare at me.

Jay was the first to break the silence, his laughter filling the air. “What did you say?”

“I-I—”

I felt my cheeks heat up and I looked over at Cole, waiting for him to pull me into his arms or kiss me or something.

I watched as his eyes quickly scanned my body and I silently cursed myself for my baggy clothes and baseball cap.

He looked at my face, seeming bored, and then he smirked. I felt my heart flutter and wanted nothing more than to jump his bones.

Maybe my clothes had disappointed him but I was sure my face wouldn’t. After all, mates were made for each other, right?

“Yeah, right, like anything like that would be my mate. Too plain, too boring, and too…unattractive.”

I felt my heart squeeze as unwanted tears formed. I didn’t want to be hurt by his insult. I didn’t want to care about my appearance or what he thought about it.

But when I came to him, I was suddenly vulnerable.

“What are you talking about, Cole? I’m your mate! I’m the future luna!”

I felt the truth of my words settle over me and drew on that confidence. I was the next luna. I was his mate. I had felt the bond snap into place.

Jay looked as though he had been electrocuted; he was on the verge of an embarrassing seizure. “Liv, shut up. Stop spewing this crap and move on already.”

I turned and glared at him, recoiling slightly. “I’m not lying, Jay! I swear!” He knew me better than anyone and that I wouldn’t create a scene for no reason.

One of the pack members sneered at me. “You heard Cole, he said you’re not his mate so let it go while you have some dignity left!”

I turned and stared at Cole wondering why he wasn’t doing anything. Surely, he felt the connection that I had! Surely, he knew that we were mates, destined to be together.

“Please, although I find this mildly flattering, it’s also getting annoying. So, just go along with your little friend and leave me alone.” Each word was like a punch to my stomach, a stab in my heart.

“But, Cole—”

“Stop being pathetic, Olivia! Get lost! You heard what he said. Now stop being delusional and go!” Jay shouted at me.

He was desperately trying to regain his cool status now that I had come in and made a fool out of both him and myself.

“Like your brother said, get lost. I’m not interested and never will be. I have a mate out there, but she is not you.”

Cole took off my cap and threw it into a puddle a few feet away, soaking it and crushing me even further.

If it had been anyone else, I would have tried to punch their face in, but because he was an alpha and my mate, I just swallowed my pride and went to retrieve my ruined cap.

Trying to stop the tears that were rolling down my cheeks, I turned around and froze.

I watched as Cole wrapped his arms around Leah—the arms that were meant for me.

I watched as he kissed her cheek and then her nose, and eventually her mouth.

I watched as Leah ran her fingers through his hair, and as his hands slid down to her waist.

I watched them intertwine with each other, oblivious to the fact that the sight was breaking me into pieces.

Not only had I been rejected, but I had been replaced. And standing here as I watched them, I realized I had been totally and completely forgotten.