im not a mate

chapter One

Ash's POV

I tuck a stray strand of silver hair behind my ear and readjust my school uniform, tugging on the black and grey skirt aggressively until it rests on my hips properly.
My silver eyes stare back at me from my reflection, as if my glare can change my pigmentation. As if to erase my impure mark.
Cursing my impurities, I gather my books and head to class.
In the halls you can tell who belongs to what pack, by the colors of their uniforms.
Normally those with the same colored uniforms flock together like sheep. Groups of colorfully clad wolves chatting in the halls, each one of them a part of something. Like individual cells that make up a whole being, and I am the virus.
My uniform is devoid of any pack colors bland with its black and white color scheme. I am a forced rouge, devoid of any pack against my will.
Walking down the hall everyone avoids me like I'm a leper. As if my packlessness can be caught like some type of sickness.
My first class is Pack Culture: Advanced Honors.
"Hi Ashley welcome to class." The teacher, a dark skinned wolf in yellow, says forgetting yet again that I prefer my nickname.
"Hello Ms Arlington." I greet back finding my familiar spot in the back of the class.
While the rest of the class files into the room she makes small talk about last night's homework.
Most of the students in this class are newly turned wolves and a few packless though most found packs to join at the beginning of the year. I am the only one who wears a colorless uniform.
"Good morning class. Today we are going to be learning about blood ranks, how to identify them and what the responsibility of each rank is." Ms Arlington begins putting a slide show on the projector.
The first slide shows the laws when dealing with blood ranks.
Law one: alphas are to be obeyed, failure to obey will result in punishment.
Law two: each pack has its own laws on mixing of the ranks, though it is frowned upon when mixing alphas blood with lesser ranks. If an impure becomes dangerous, they will be executed.
Law three: if you are an impure you must have your impurities on display and you must never do anything to hide your mark.
Law four: you are never to mix ranks with a rouge.
Four little laws that ruined my life.
The teachers gaze lands on me as she reads the laws, sympathy oozing off of her.
The next slide shows the comparisons between the blood ranks.

The alpha males are the largest with bulking muscles and the biggest teeth best for ripping flesh when fighting. They lead and protect the pack from outsiders as well as internal turmoil.

Alpha females commonly known as Lunas come next they're dainty compared to the alphas perfect for protecting an alphas throat in combat, with a slimmer build but have much sharper teeth that are better at piercing and tearing off small chunks. Lunas help tend to the young and keep peace within the pack. They support and protect the alpha with their lives.

Betas are bulky but short like bulldogs, pure muscle with hooked teeth that help them latch on to their prey. They are the fighters of the pack, mostly warriors they tend to act as law enforcement within the pack.

Omegas are last with lanky builds and much smaller teeth, they're better built for running. Omegas are the work force and make up most of the werewolf population.

Rogues hold the same body type as their blood rank until madness consumes them. They have no responsibility, they are alone.

"Ok class let's do this work sheet about each of your own blood ranks." Ms Arlington says beginning to pass out papers, once I get my own I pull out a pen and fill in the answers.

1) What blood rank are you?
     Luna
2) How did you acquire your rank?
    I was born into my rank
3) If you are an impure what two                 ranks are you made from?
    Luna and rouge
4) Can you tell a difference between your wolf and others of different ranks? Also what are the differences?
    I'm much smaller and have teeth like razors.
5) Are you treated differently within your pack due to your blood rank?
    I don't have a pack.
6) What are your responsibilities within your pack?
     I don't have a pack.

The bell rings and the class packs up as we file out Ms Arlington takes our papers at the door. When I hand in mine she stops me for a moment, "I'm sorry Ashley if the class upset you today." She says her voice oozing out sympathy.
I shake my head quickly, "No it's fine."
"My pack is looking for new wolves and are willing to take in anybody. Regardless of being rouge." Her brown eyes are full of compassion and my throat tightens.
"I'm a forced rouge with a Luna blood rank. I would have to be an alphas mate in order to get into a pack." I say quickly, feeling sick to my stomach as I say the words.
Mates are rare, we all know we have one, but actually finding your mate is incredibly rare.
Her face drops, she knows there is nothing we can do. I can only wait until madness consumes me.
Dashing through the halls I hurry to my next class, physical education for the teen wolf year three.
I come into the gym just as the bell rings, the gym teacher, a very stout man wearing green points to the locker rooms to change.
The loud locker room silences when I walk in. The busy chattering halting while judgmental eyes follow my every move. Each of the half dressed girls watching in unison.
They are afraid of me that's why they watch as I change into my white leotard and shorts.
Once I'm dressed I lock my locker and leave the whispers begin.
They whisper about the thin lines on my back and my lack of natural tan lines, all of it back ground music as I find my place on the gymnasium floor.
The coach blows his whistle when the last of the students are dressed in a leotard and shorts that match their uniforms.
"Today we are going to publicly shift and find out the strengths of our wolves." His voice is loud and fills me with dread.
A few of the students smile, eager to show off their wolf form. Others are shy, your wolf is a very intimate part of you. To show it off is a large step in being a werewolf.
"For those of you who are worried about your clothes, like most of your packs, our uniforms are made with bewitched thread that shifts with us. Also for those of you who struggle with shifting I will be forcing the shift. So very little effort is needed on your part... everything is completely in control." As he speaks he eyes me. Wariness reflecting in his pupils.
I make my way over to him in the center of the room, all of they eyes of the class follow me as I move.
"May I sit this out...I'll take the bad grade." I speak to him quietly, calmly as he looks at me with clear disgust.
"No you may not sit this one out. You might think your all powerful because you're a rouge but no. You will shift as I command you to." I fight the urge to choke out a gasp.
"My wolf form is why I am a rouge." I say quietly trying to reason with this hell bent gym teacher.
"Get back in line." Is all he says. Sealing my fate.
This will be the second time I've publicly shifted, the first-time I got denounced by my alpha.
With my knees weak and my arms heavy I find my way back into the line.
One by one he calls up a student, they shift and he talks about how they look.
Most of them puff out their chest as he compliments the easily camouflagable colors of their fur or how large their teeth are.
Each of their coats different shades of brown or red with their eyes glowing gold.
"Ashley it's your turn." He calls for me to step onto the podium.
I am at the end of the line, like a hang man at the end of his rope, I struggle to breath.