Only Time Could Tell (Even If We Are Different)

3

Cheryl had rejected her mate three years ago because she never wanted anything to do with mating, and its accompanying closeness.

She had seen what her mother went through as a kid when her father had died. She almost went mad with the pain. The emotional pain was out of this world.

For days running, her mother hallucinated about how her father always came to visit her. After a full moon, the hallucinations and pain stopped. The mating mark also faded away.

So, on the day she marked her nineteenth birthday, she was busily training in the warriors building when a sweet-smelling smell like freshly cut grass hit her.

She momentarily stopped to look around. That was when she saw a youth that had a glassy look in his eyes. He had also smelt her and began to approach her.

“Mate.” Cheryl heard her wolf began to jump around in her head, but she had other plans within herself. She had a flashback at all the things she had seen her mother endure when her father died and her resolve became stronger.

She also remembered the mission that lay ahead of her, and its accompanying benefits, and she squeezed her hands to show her resolve.

Her wolf, already knowing what she was about to do, began to whimper mournfully in her head, but that wasn't enough to change Cheryl's mind. It was made up already.

The young man was also a warrior, but was a rank above Cheryl.

The youth had gotten to her by now and had a silly grin on his face. He was rubbing his hands anxiously and was about to say something when Cheryl shook her head and turned her back.

The young man who probably thought she was shy tapped her on her shoulders and ran around her to face her. He stretched out his hands and made to take her hand in his own.

Cheryl wouldn't have any of it and snatched her hand sharply from his. She shook her head while looking straight into his eyes.

“I, Cheryl McKenney of the Blood Moon pack, reject you as my mate.” She opened her mouth and told him. That was when the first pain hit her.

She reeled back the same time the young man doubled over in pain as it hit him. She had rejected him, so there was nothing he could do about it. He looked at her with a plea in his eyes for her to undo what she had said.

But her mind was too made up for her to look back. She couldn't concentrate on her training again as the pain was unbearable for her. She went home doubled over in pain.

The pain continued throughout that day and the night. By the morning of the next day, it had become bearable. She often had gusts of pain whenever she was close by to the man who was supposed to be her mate.

It lasted for up to three weeks before the next full moon. On that day, the mating bond was broken. She confided in her best friend the next day when the latter was lamenting about her inability to find a mate.

Louisa had looked at her with a kind of dreadful look. She had felt like slapping her friend until the brain was in the right form.

Here she was looking for who was going to be her mate and on the other hand, her best friend was busily rejecting one. That had been three years ago.

She snapped out of her reverie as she heard the ringing of her phone. She brought out the phone to see it was the arranged mate one of her maternal aunt's had set her up with.

She had rejected him because of the stories flying around about arranged mates. They were never to be trusted when it came to living together and getting old together.