Rejected Assassin

Beep! Beep! Beep! Your alarm clock blares, pulling you from sleep. Groaning in annoyance, you hear your brother Austin yell, "Hayls! Get up!" You slowly rise, heading to the bathroom for your daily routine. Dressed in white skinny jeans and a black crop jumper, your hair pulled into a messy bun, you head downstairs, greeted by the welcoming smell of chocolate pancakes and waffles.

Sitting at the table, you greet your family – parents, Austin, and your cousin Jared. "Morning, Mom. Morning dad," you say, kissing their cheeks. Your mother replies, "Morning sweetie." Austin asks, "Hey sis. Ready to go school?""Yeah," you reply, quickly lacing up your Converses and eating before heading out the door behind him. Jared drives separately.

Arriving at school, you spot your best friend Kylie, the Beta's daughter. "Hey!" she yells, and you respond, "Hey!" As you talk, a captivating scent fills the air – fresh raindrops with lavender and honey. It grows stronger until Erik Andrews, the school's playboy, stands before you. Disgust is clear on his face. Fear grips you as you anticipate his words. "I Erik Andrews reject you Hayley as my mate and luna." He smiles cruelly, expecting you to break. Your wolf howls in pain, but you maintain a stone-hard expression, meeting his gaze. "I accept your rejection."

Ignoring the pain and your pack's anger, you walk away, pretending nothing happened. The day passes quickly, and it's now lunch. You grab food and join Kylie, Austin, Jared, and Kylie's brother Trevor. As you eat, you feel eyes on you but ignore them. Jared announces he's going to 'The Elite Assassin's High' (EAH) in North Atlanta and can take two people. A thought sparks – maybe going with him will help you. "Can I come with you?" you ask, surprising everyone.