Emma's Mate (ON HOLD)

Chapter 5

Emma Smith

The walk back to my house was filled with tension and awkward silence. Neither of us spoke or made eye contact. I continued walking, with him closely following behind.

Upon arriving at my house, we found it empty. It seemed like everyone was still at the training field, waiting for us.

Our parents and Abigail are aware of our situation. They understand Ashton's feelings towards his mate, so they must be giving us some space and time. This is why no one attempted to contact us through our mind link.

I was thankful to them for giving us privacy, but now the question was how we were going to get inside. I realized that I didn't have my house keys with me, but we did have a spare key hidden under a plant pot. However, I doubted it would be of any use in my wolf form.

I turned to Ashton, who was already looking at me. "We'll have to break in," I told him.

He made a noise in response, as if to agree.

"You could use words instead of just making sounds," I said with a sigh. "Anyway, let's go."

I leaped over the fence of my house, knowing that the windows would be open for us to enter.

Entering through the windows in wolf form was no easy task. It was challenging, but we managed to do it. I think we both got hurt in some way because of the small size of the window compared to our large bodies, especially Ashton, who is huge.

Ashton followed behind me as I made my way to my parents' room. This wasn't the first time he had been in my house. He and Abigail had been in and out numerous times, and we had all had sleepovers at each other's houses. However, things changed about two years ago. Since then, Ashton seemed to prefer spending his nights with his "play toys" or alone. Abigail and I were the only ones who continued with our sleepovers. It's not that he wasn't still a friend; he was. But he seemed to be spending most of his time with other girls or, I should say, his "play toys".

I entered my father's unlocked closet and picked out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I tossed them to him with my mouth.

He is taller and more muscular than my father, standing at 6'3" compared to my father's 6 feet. The clothes may be a bit small for him, but I'm sure they will fit.

"Put them on," I said to him, "I will be in my room."

I left him without turning back, heading into my room, feeling the weight of eyes on me.

As I reached my room, a realization struck me - I had no clue how to change back into a human form. I panicked and left before they could provide any guidance.

Returning to Ashton, I noticed he was already watching the door, anticipating my return.

I could see the expression in his eyes as he looked at me.

"Has the light bulb finally turned on in your head, tubelight?" he asked with a smirk.

"I am not sure how to shift back," I replied sincerely. My voice lacked any hint of humor, showing just how serious I was. I was too nervous to joke around, too scared of the rejection that I knew was coming.

He sighed. "I understand. I'll show you how." He kept his tone relaxed as he spoke.

He has already gone through all of this as the next alpha in line. We all underwent different trainings, but the key members of the pack, including the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and the pack warriors, received additional training.

Even though I am the beta's daughter, I never had any intention of becoming a beta or holding any other high rank. My goal is to become a pack doctor and serve in that role. That is my passion - to become a pack doctor.

After that, he gave me clear instructions on how to return to my human form.

I went back to my room and transformed back into a human. It was painful, just like when I shifted into a wolf. I've heard that the first transformations are always the hardest, but they get easier with practice.

But let me tell you, the physical pain I felt was nothing compared to the emotional pain I was going through. I don't remember putting on clothes, pacing the room, or crying out of frustration and pain. Everything was a blur to me.

I was completely lost in my thoughts and emotions.

I'm not sure how long it was before I heard a knock on my door. I shuddered. I never imagined that in two years, the girl I pitied would be none other than me. I don't think it ever occurred to me that Ashton could be my mate. I don't think any of us saw that coming. He has always been my best friend. We adore each other and would go to any length for one another. But never once did I consider him to be anything more than a friend.

Throughout all these years, I have never once looked at someone and thought, "This could be my mate." I have always waited for my mate, hoping to fall in love with only them. So, I never anticipated Ashton to be my mate. Our dynamic has completely shifted now that he is my mate. Unfortunately, this change is only evident from my end. I am sure he will never accept me as his mate.

"Please come in," I whispered softly. My voice was barely audible, and I doubted that anyone else would have been able to hear me. However, Ashton, with his keen wolf hearing, caught my words. He slowly pushed open the door and gasped, "Emy," as soon as he saw my face.

For some reason, whether it was the tone of his voice or the expression on his face, something about him drew me in, and I found myself jumping into his arms.

I clung to him, my heart breaking as tears streamed down my face. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close as I sobbed uncontrollably.

"Please, Ash, don't reject me," I pleaded, my voice choked with emotion.

He rubbed my back soothingly, his touch a comforting presence in the midst of my despair. "Don't do it, Ash. Please, just don't do it," I whispered, my voice filled with desperation.

As I buried my face in his chest, I felt his embrace tighten, as if he was trying to protect me from the pain. "Calm down, Emy. We need to talk," he urged, his words gentle but firm.

"I never meant to hurt you, Emy. I never thought you would be my mate," he confessed, his voice filled with regret. "But I swear, I never meant to harm you. It's just that..." he trailed off, his words hanging in the air between us.

This is it then. This is the moment when all my dreams will come crashing down around me. I never imagined myself in this situation. Looking back at my life, I only have happy memories: wonderful parents, two amazing best friends, and a caring pack. I never thought I would become depressed. It just never crossed my mind. But now my life is taking a different path, the complete opposite of what it has been. I fear I will never smile or laugh again, never feel content.

I pulled away from his arms and shoved him forcefully. "Don't do it, Ash!" I shouted loudly. He looked surprised. I don't think I had ever raised my voice at him like that before. Isn't there a first time for everything? Just like my rejection.

"Emy, you're misunderstanding everything. Just listen to me, please. I'm not going to..." He started to say desperately.

But I interrupted him. "I, Emma Smith, reject you, Ashton Williams, as my mate."
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