A Bond So Despised, A Love So Desired!

I walked into the prodigious hall that was packed with people dressed like the moon goddess herself was the host. They chatted with one another, their fingers clutching wineglasses halfway filled with exquisite wine.

Well, I was late, but I barely drew attention, not that I desired it.

My outfit was simple, and I wore very little makeup in contrast to most female guests I could see.

Exhaling a sigh, I accepted a glass of wine from a server.

I just hoped this party would get done with quickly so I could get back home to handle the documents awaiting my perusal.

Suddenly, I picked up a scent. It overpowered the present clash of perfumes in the hall. The din of the place faded out, my heart started pounding against my chest, not the scared kind but the frenziedly excited kind.

"Mate! Our mate is here!" my wolf, Tricia declared excitedly in my head, leaving me in disbelief.

My mate was here?

Why now?

Having turned 25 last month, I'd already resigned to the fact that I had no mate. And I wasn't worried, I felt a mate was another luggage I didn't want to handle in my life. A part of me had even thanked the goddess for leaving me out of the mate issue.

And now, she went against my wishes to grant me a mate tonight?

"Come on, don't pull that long face, girl. I bet the moment you see him, all your hesitations will disappear into the wind," my wolf told me, but that didn't lighten my mood.

I just hoped it wouldn't be a rival, at least or one of those corrupt souls adept at faking smiles.

I followed the scent, navigating through the sea of people, only to freeze in my tracks shortly after.

"Yeah, that's him. Go to him, please, he's our mate!" My wolf said, her excitement knew no bounds.

My clutch nearly tumbled from my fingers as I stared ahead in disbelief.

Not far from me was a brunet in a 2-piece grey suit. Tall and muscly with his hair gelled back, he was chatting with another man who was holding a wineglass in his hand.

How could it be?

How could he be my fated one? Was this a joke?

Appalled, I headed towards him, but my Aunt, Lisa Nicholas, suddenly blocked my path.

"Yaria, dear, I knew you would make it. Come with me, let me introduce you to someone. Who knows, you two might very well click," she winked at me, but I didn't want to obey. I had no interest in whomsoever she wanted to show me.

"Um, Aunt, you can show me his picture later. For now..."

"Now, dear, what's the use of a picture? Meet him in real life, who knows if you'll drool?" She urged.

"Aunt, please, later. I've got something to do right now," I impatiently told her, my voice firmer than I had intended.

She sighed and let me pass.

Now that I was free, my brows knitted together.

I looked around, but I could no longer see him or smell him. Hell-bent on meeting my mate, I headed to where I last saw him.

"Hello there, do you know where Mr Sawyer went?" I asked the young man whom I'd last seen him talking to.

"Yeah, he's headed outside to get some fresh air. Do you need anything from him?"

"No, I mean yes."

The man raised a brow at me in askance.

"Thanks, enjoy the party," holding the skirt of my dress, I quickly made my way out of the hall.

Aunt and I had come here to attend her friend's birthday function. Being a social nerd, I didn't want to come, but she compelled me to.

My eyes flitted across the area for any sign of my mate as I could no longer smell him.

"Head to the left." My rather excited wolf told me.

"Tricia, there's no need to be this happy," I upbraided her sternly as I headed west, my heels clicking hurriedly against the hallway floor.

"Finding one's mate is a happy thing, girl," my wolf responded.

I rolled my eyes, "We don't need a mate,"

"Yes, we do. And you'll eventually come to love the goddess' choice,"

"Not interested,"

I felt like retching.

I could never love that bastard; I'd rather wake up next to a snake every day.

After minutes of searching, I finally found him standing next to a maple tree in the garden. His back was facing me, and it seemed like he was on a call.

I stood before him, arms folded, my lips set in a tough line, shooting him a glare.

"Alright, Nelson, I'll ring you later," he ended the call, stashing the phone away in his jacket.

"Yaria..." He softly called my name, his eyes gentle.

But I would be a fool to fall for it. "Why did you leave the hall?" I queried him.

"I'm sorry, I felt our first meeting after so long should be done in a tranquil place. Also, I'd been waiting for this call. Anyway, it's good that you're here," he said, smiling at the last part. "And what a lovely surprise, we're fated mates,"

"Reject me," I told him, not wanting to spend another minute in his presence.

"What?" he looked taken aback. "Yaria, look..."

I cut him short, "I don't care what you want to say. Just reject me and let's stay enemies."

He shook his head, "I don't want to be your enemy."

"Well, I do!" I snapped, unfolding my arms.

"Why?" His brows were drawn together.

"Because I despise you and I loathe your family as well,"

"Yaria, what I did back then... it was wrong. I should never have done that." He spoke with a remorseful look, but it had no effect on me.

"I don't need your apology, Drake. If you don't want to reject me, I'll reject you."

He shook his head and wanted to hold my hand, but I backed away from him, frowning. "Don't you move another step!" I warned him.

"I know,w sorry doesn't cut it. I know I don't even deserve to ask for your forgiveness..."

"Thankfully, you're aware," I interrupted him again, my tone more impatient. "I, Yaria Elwood, hereby reject you, Drake Sawyer, as my fated mate," I said with my right hand placed on my left chest.

"I don't accept this rejection." He held my hand, making me feel disgusted.

I wanted to free myself, to no avail. "Drake, let go of me!" I snapped at him.

"You can hit me. You can do whatever you want to me, but I can't let you reject me."

"Rejection is more beneficial to us and to our families," I reasoned.

But he shook his head, "I won't make the mistake of letting you go again. I was foolish back then..."

"Drake, I don't want to ruin this expensive outfit, that's why I haven't wolfed out yet but if you push me..."

He let go of my hand, letting out a defeated sigh.

"If rejection will make you happy, and if it'll make you hate me less, then, let's go on with it." He snuffled before continuing, placing his right hand across his chest, "I, Drake Sawyer...henceforth... reject you, Yaria Elwood... as my fated mate,"

"I accept your rejection," I responded with set jaws.

My bold expression quickly disappeared, though as I felt as though a hammer had crashed against my chest.

The pain sent me to my knees. I clutched at my chest, willing back tears that threatened to fall.

Drake, on the other hand, wasn't kneeling. Instead, he held on to the tree trunk, clutching at his chest, teeth tightly clenched but with knees quivering.

I focused on myself, feeling as though my insides were boiling after the pain in my chest had greatly reduced.

But that was strange.

In the records, one's system would return to normal after the pain of rejection subsided.

Why was it different in my case?

Gritting my teeth and enduring the urge to strip off my outfit, I rose to my feet.

I saw him hugging himself; his entire body seemed to be quivering, but I didn't care to ask.

I left the garden, eventually taking off my shoes when I got to the hallway because they'd become very uncomfortable.

I didn't return to the function, not in the strange condition I was in.

Quickly exiting the premises, I flagged down a taxi.

When I got to my destination, I overpaid the driver but couldn't wait to collect the remainder.

"Keep it," I told him.

Frantically, I knocked at the gate, and the moment it was opened, I shoved the gatekeeper to the side and rushed into the house, ignoring the greetings of Layla, the housekeeper and her concerned words.

I tried to insert my room key into the keyhole, but when I wasn't succeeding, my frustration spiked, prompting me to kick down my room's door.

Throwing my clutch to the bed, I ripped off the gown before dashing into the bathroom.

I turned on the shower, but even the coldness of the water didn't calm down the heat in my insides.

I sat on the floor, yanking my hair in the shower.

'What's happening to me?' I thought worriedly.

I spent a long time in the shower, but when I came out, I still felt hot.

"Miss, are you alright?" Layla asked as she entered my doorless room.

"Tell Frander to prepare the other car. I'm going to the hospital,"