My Verboten Mate

7. What everyone fears

ANGELA POV

We were all sitting with our parents, cheering for our friends and family members. I was doing my best to avoid the lingering looks and double takes. For the first time ever, I was wearing a dress that wasn’t loose. It was a pretty summer dress that was fitted on top, and the skirt flared out. It went mid-thigh and was a pretty lavender color. I paired it with some strappy white sandals.

It was the first step out of the shadows. I would have preferred if the boys from our school didn’t ogle and cat call when they saw me, but I guess you can’t win them all. One look from my grandad had them turning their heads towards the stage where their kids and or siblings were waiting to receive their diplomas.

When Robbie received his diploma, we all went nuts, screaming and cheering for him. The big ham grinned at us and smirked at Luna Becky while she took his picture. Dev got his shortly after, just like before, our entire pack cheered for their future Beta. It was a stark contrast to when Adam went up. We all cheered for him, but the rest of the pack members remained quiet.

The cheers erupt again when Win goes up and continue as the remaining graduates accept their diplomas. That’s when my dad and Alpha Luke got up and left. A group of warriors escorted the graduating party and some who wanted to take pictures with them. Beta Jordan and a large group of warriors escorted the rest of the pack members back to the pack.

Luna Becky reluctantly leaves with the pack. It was her time to shine with her camera, but something must have happened back at the pack because she felt the need to join the rest of the pack members that were leaving. My mom left as well, but Beta Lilimar and my grandad stayed behind. Something was going on, but they didn’t want to alert the graduating students and ruin their day.

I almost left with my mom, but she insisted I stay with my brother and our friends. The only ones that left with them were Luke, Leia and Chris. Penelope was with her parents, so she had to go too. My confidence was beginning to waver now that Pen was gone. Luckily, Mel and Win took me with them to take pictures.

We split off when Winona’s friends pulled her away to take pictures with her. Adam was on his phone while Robbie and Devon were taking pictures with some of their friends. I needed to use the restroom and the closest one was in the gym. I quickly walked around the building and thanked the goddess that the door to the gym was open.

When I was done, I walked out of the gym and turned to walk back. Suddenly, I’m pulled back and my pressed up against the brick wall. “Damn baby, tell me why you’ve been hiding all of this goodness.” Raymond groans and scans my body with his beady eyes. Rolling my eyes, I try to push him away, but he is much bigger than me and is training to be a warrior.

I huff in irritation. “I need to get back to my brother, let me go.” I grit through my teeth. Neither he nor Vince, who is standing behind watching, has ever paid attention to me. I wear a skirt and now they are acting like cavemen. “Not so fast. How about we have a little fun… and then we let you go.” He smirked and pressed his body onto mine.

His nasty hands trailed up and down my sides, making me want to gag. “Get off!” I tried to sound confident, but I had never been in a situation like this, and I wasn’t sure what to do. He took my hands and held them above my head, crouching down to press his hips on to mine.

I noticed Vince began to get closer and my heart was nearly beating out of my chest. Looking around, I didn’t see anyone around. No one was here to help me. “Stop Raymond, my brother will kill you when I tell him. He took my chin between his thumb and forefinger, pinching it painfully. “You’re not going to say anything!” He smirked. “If you do, we will just say you offered yourself to us.” He said confidently.

Scoffing, I rolled my eyes. “No one will believe that!” His hand slid down to my neck, holding me in place. “Why not? You show up dolled up looking for attention. It’s obvious what you want.” His words sent doubt into my mind. Would anyone really believe them? I begin to panic at the thought that they could do something to me and get away with it.

He notices my panic and grins at me. I begin to wiggle out of his hold, but Vince’s hands replace Raymond’s. Now his hands are holding me in place while Raymond pulls back a little and looks me up and down. His filthy gaze is making me feel nauseous. It’s times like these I wish I had my wolf so that I could have a fighting chance or at least be able to mind link.

I had to do something. “HE..” Before I could finish yelling for help, Raymond covered my mouth. There was a sliver of hope I was holding onto. Hope that someone has heard me. We were far from where everyone was taking pictures, but with our heightened wolf hearing, they should be able to sense something. Or do they not notice I’m missing?

“Shhh! Don’t make me find something to gag you with.” Vince sneered. I had hoped he was the reasonable one, but it seems he’s as crazy as Raymond. I hardly knew these boys, why were they doing this to me. “Why?” My voice was muffled but they understood. Vince brought his face close to mine and gave me an evil smile. “My dad is Gamma blood and Raymond’s is Delta. One of them should have been the Gamma.” He grits through his teeth.

Raymond’s face is a scowl now and I’m floored by the stupid reason for them attacking me. “If it wasn’t from your mutt of a father, one of us would be next in line to be Gamma, not your mutt brother.” Raymond hisses. “The least you can do is console us.” Vince says, sliding one of his hands down my risen arm until he reached my breast and cups it.

A muffled cry leaves my lips and out of the corner of my eye I notice Adam is peeking around the corner, watching. The small sense of hope I felt when I saw him disappeared when I noticed he was not coming to help me. Could my grandfather have been right? Was he a bad person deep down and we just didn’t see it? I couldn’t believe that we were all wrong about him, that my parents and even the Alpha and Luna were wrong.

When his body slinks back and he disappears from view, I conclude that he is what everyone fears. Why else would he stand there and watch these perverts take advantage of me? My disappointment is now overshadowed by panic when their hands are roaming my body and the feeling of hopelessness is surrounding me. All of this because my father beat theirs for the Gamma position before I was even born.