Or So I Thought.

Rejected.

(Little Do You Know by Alex and Sierra.) I finally published this at 12:16 a.m. but you guys are so worth it!
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Now that everything had calmed down the camp we were setting up was awkward, to say the least. Bell was mad at Landon for some reason maybe he ate her food, or she might be in heat...huh, well I guess thats why she's so red and sleeping alot.

I was mad at Ryden for jumping off a bloody five story high tree with no chance of making it to safe ground. Or in our case a shadow that looked like a dragon. Apparently if you stare at a tree for more than seven seconds, I even counted how long, something is automatically wrong with you.

I had been staring at the tree and Ryden at me when he suddenly jumped up and slung me over his shoulder, classy, and carried me deep into the forest. The fact that Ryden was holding me so tight prevented me from ripping Bell's throat out for her comment 'Be safe you two, Nicole's too young to get pregnant!'

Hey I'm eighteen...yeah I'm way to young Ryden hasn't even proposed. Or taken me on a date for that matter. I was brought out of my thoughts by ryden dropping me on a large tree that was knocked over during our fight with the shadow.

"Okay I know your mad at me and why but you have to talk to me." "Oh? I have to talk to you why should I? We don't have the kind of relationship where your opinion matters to me, Alpha Ryden. I understand you were drugged but I don't understand why you had a brother that you knew you had and yet you never told your mate, even now that your not drugged I don't know if I can trust you. Im sorry Ryden but I've been through enough already. I reject you as my mate."

I closed my eyes waiting for the pain I read about in the books but all I heard was Ryden's agonized and humorless laugh. "You did it wrong." Even after what I just did I managed a small sad chuckle as I wiped the small tear off Ryden's cheek.

"I was kind of hoping for that." "Nicole I know I haven't been the best or even a good mate but give me another chance, please." I looked up from the ground and into Ryden's eyes, the world, for once, stopped spinning as I watched the lightning bugs flying about, the moon coming out and lighting the little clearing we were in perfectly.

Every werewolf book has a jerk, player, bad boy mate for the loving girl and there is always a point where the girl has a chance to walk away from her pain, her mate, even if it means dying from seperation. I always hoped they would leave their crappy mate and save themselves now I find myself in the same spot.

I could turn my back on Ryden and save myself from any more pain but do I want to? It's the good moments that make them so good and the bad ones worth getting over. I might get hurt because of inevitable fights Ryden and I will have but you only know your alive if you bruise and at this point I'm ready to bleed to death.

Looking at Ryden again I saw how scared he looked, scared he would lose me. It was then I remembered something I heard as a month old baby, something my birth parents told me. 'It takes strength to be weak' to let your walls come crashing down and face your demons.

To say you hurt me but I will always be stronger than you, I will always over come my pain I won't let my fear take my life from me. I will find my life and I'll hold on and never let go. I will stand up to my fears and if I'm lucky I'll find someone to stand with me.

Looking into Ryden's eyes I made a choice that will forever shape my life. Slowly leaning in I captured Ryden's lips in mine tugging his hair giving me better access to his mouth. I pulled away before things got to heated.

"I take that as a yes?" Ryden asked still panting and flushed. "Definitely yes." I said while tucking my head under his chin listening to his heat beat slowly calm down. "I love you Nicole, until the sun dies I will love you." "Hmm is that from one of my songs?" I asked laughing making him give a breathtaking laugh.

"Of course. May I have the dance to this song my lady?" He bent over twisting one hand over his chest and the other holding my hand to his lips. "Of course, my love." We danced under the stars to the song Little Do You Know by Alex and Sierra both singing our lines.

For a small moment everything was perfect the stars were out, the moon was bright, there was a gentle breeze until a flock of birds started flying. Not romantic white doves but scared wild birds, there was danger, again, somewhere close. We rushed back to the camp to find Bell and Landon staring at the same spot the birds flew away from.

"Guys whats wrong?" Ryden asked a frantic Landon. "You won't believe us if we tell you." "Nicole look over by Lunar's house," There were leaves blowing in a tornado like pattern around the area but that wasn't the bad part, the sky was turning into stormy black clouds with silver and gold lightning illuminating the land. "A few miles away is where Lunar and her mate fought and mixed blood right?" Bell asked deathly calm.

"Yes so what?" "There's another clearing near the first two making a perfect triangle with the three points. We have to get over there fast, that is the finish line where the first brothers fought, the eclipse is tonight." Uh-oh, poop sack.

We finally reached the third clearing and were met with Jameson, Kia apparently James new beta after I killed Matthew, five random guys that I didn't know and Taylor.

That Bitch is dead.