Autumn P.O.V.

A few weeks ago

Birthday party

"Hey Autumn, there you are?" Hey, you ready for your party" I heard my mother speak behind me. I giggled and turned around, seeing a big smile on her kind and lovely face.

"Hey, Mom, Yes, I am ready." But first, I want to thank you and Daddy for my birthday party." I told her with a hug and a smile on my face.

I appreciate it. I do appreciate both. They are excellent parents a girl could ask for.

Oh, I forgot! She spoke. I saw her pull out something her bag had on her.

When I saw it, I gasped when I saw a ruby red diamond ring and white stones surrounding it in a glass box. It was beautiful.

"I have been waiting for this a long time," I heard her say, knowing she was giving it to me.

Just Like her mother did her and her mother did, she handed it down the line from generation to generation.

I opened my hand out, and she dropped it in my hand. I grabbed it with my other hand and set it on my right hand. I knew later on my left hand would be my mate's ring.

Oh, thank you, Mom, I love it." I told her and hugged her again.

Now, this will tell you when your mate is near." So, don't be nervous, and your beautiful, sweetie." She told me.

"Oh, my baby girl is growing up." She said, frowning with tears falling down her face, but she was happy for me.

"Oh, Mom," I told her, smiling with happy tears.

She nodded her head and walked out the door. I turn my head back around. I gasped when I saw myself in the mirror. I could not believe this shy, quiet, backward girl no one knew this staring before her was breathtakingly beautiful with a smile.

I took the last step on the stairs and walked around the corner. I heard music and people chatting.

But when I saw the door.

Once, I walked into a room.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw everyone dancing and having fun.

I saw my mother, and I saw her smiling over at Dad. I sighed with happiness for them. I can't wait to have that with my mate.

When I was thinking about my mate, that's when I smelled it. Him.

I can smell my mate. And he is near. But something was off when I saw him with someone else. That's when I saw him, and he was staring right at me. So I jumped when he walked over to me, grabbed me, and dragged me outside the pack.

Mate!

My wolf was howling and rolling around and wagging her tail with excitement when we found our mate! She had a woof grin on a long, happy face.

Ahh, I thought to myself. I am so excited for her and me.

Mate is so handsome! I heard her say. But then something happened that changed her mood. Something was off when she started to stop and whined. She started whining and whimpering.

Huh? I thought. Why is she whining? And Whimpering?

But before I knew it. It happened.

The Rejection.

That's why Winter is whining and whimpering...

A week later. After my birthday bash his rejection.

Somehow my mom and dad were asking me questions about that night if I found my mate. But they knew I went outside with my rejected mate. But they were excited to know it was their best friend's son, Atticus Fawn, the new alpha moonlight pack.

"No, you got it wrong; I didn't find my mate," I told them but immediately regretted lying to my parents. I never lied to them or anybody else before. I have always done the right thing and never disobeyed or got in trouble. I am lying to my parents that I didn't find my mate. The truth is, I did. He rejected me for my best friend he had been in love with. He already told me he is going to marry soon.

So, yeah, I had to stand there listening to him rejecting and breaking me every time he talked about Anya Snow as my best friend. How can I do that to her? They have been dating for a long time since we were little in middle school.

I liked him first. I was the one who put love notes in his locker. I am the one who made him brownies and peanut and pecan cookies, his favorite. And I am the one he kissed in the closet at the dance, not her. She was too busy kissing Atkins Fawn, his younger brother. I know she is my friend, but she doesn't deserve him. Me.

I do. I wanted to tell him it's always been me who did everything, not her. Me.

Me. But I didn't. I just shut up and listened to him, breaking my heart one by one piece at a time.

I shook my head when I heard what my mom and dad had told me.

"You will marry Atticus Fawn!" She told me. My heart beat excitedly, but I knew he didn't want that. So, I had to act like I wasn't excited. And I told her the opposite of how I felt.

"Mom! Atticus doesn't love me! "Why are you guys making me marry someone who doesn't know I exist and in with someone else." So, I told my mom and dad to stand beside her.

"Autumn, sweetheart, I heard my dad say. We know he is your mate because his parents heard him say your name."

I didn't speak when I heard that. I felt something inside me warm up and down my body when I listened to my dad tell me about Atticus saying my name out of his gorgeous mouth that I dreamed one day I would kiss. But then I thought with sadness that it would not happen because he was in love with Anya Snow, my best friend, and his mate. But she and I both know that's not true. He doesn't want to accept I am his mate. He already made it clear when he rejected me when I turned twenty-one on my birthday when my parents invited the wolf packs from around the world to our home.

To celebrate my coming of age and finding my mate. But I always knew it was him. My heart always beats faster when he is around. That doesn't make sense. I thought to myself. Because he already rejected me. I know. Because I could feel my heart breaking again into millions of pieces. That's when I had to watch my mate return to her and kiss her right before me.

Tears fell my cheeks, and my heart cut out of my chest.

"No, Dad, that can't be true." He had already made up his mind. I thought to myself.

"Besides Dad, he already has a mate," I told him. I was thinking about Atticus. I felt pain inside my chest, knowing I would not be with him. My mate, whom the moon goddess assigned, is my long-lasting soulmate forever. But he has one. Anya.

It hurts he has already picked Anya Snow as his mate, not me.

"I am not his mate," I said with my head down, but I knew I was lying to my parents because I didn't want them to know. So I am keeping it to myself for now.

"What do you mean his is not your mate?" I heard my dad say with unbelief but with a snap in his tone.

"But. Autumn, we thought when we saw you two walk off that he was your mate?" my mom opened her mouth and replied. I wanted to please them with the answer; it went well, but I couldn't tell them anything. The best thing I could do is. Don't say anything. Just be speechless.

I can't move my lips to say anything to them. But I wish I weren't in this communication with my parents right now. I want to forget this and him. I know I am going to be alone. I know I will not be here to watch Anya with my mate—the happy couple together with their love thrown in my face. I can't do it.