Isabella
"You need to have a bodyguard," my father is furious over the phone. "I've sent Dane to pick you up from school."
I growl at him. "I can take care of my bloody self!"
"No, you can't!" my father is growling right back at me. "The world is in chaos, and I won't have you dying before making it back home. Dane will pick you up. End of story."
My father hangs up the phone, and I scream in frustration before tucking my phone back into my pocket. I'm waiting for my chauffeur by the curb, but it seems Dane will come for me.
I glance down at my phone again, cursing nature when it pours. I don't have an umbrella, and many wolves from the Crescent pack are glaring at me from a street corner.
I shudder.
If I leave the school grounds, they will attack me; that's what they are waiting for. It makes me nervous seeing them here. I told my father that I could protect myself, but against a pack of Crescent werewolves? I rather have Dane come and pick me up.
Right on cue, a black BMW drives up to the curb. I know it's Dane without asking, thanks to the license plate with his name. Dane isn't shy about letting people know it's him driving.
Also, since Dane is a vampire and werewolf hybrid, he doesn't mind driving through the Crescent pack's territory. He came from that direction, but it makes sense—anyone challenging him would be a fool.
"Took you long enough." I get inside the car and close the door. Dane's car smells new, and the man himself carries this addicting aftershave scent. "It's pissing outside."
"I will be quicker next time."
"Thank you." I turn my head in his direction, grinning like the Cheshire Cat before meeting his face. "Anyway, long time no see—"
I blink at Dane and smile once the mate-bond crashes over me like a tsunami, but while this is the best day of my life, Dane appears absolutely horrified. His eye is twitching, and his face is paling.
For a moment, it sounds like he is choking.
"Unbelievable..." Dane sighs, raking his fingers through his black hair. He might be thirty-seven, but the man is hot-as-hell with killer looks.
"I know, right?" I'm beaming at him. "All along, we were mates, fated to be together! My dad's best friend and former bodyguard... I mean, wow! I can't believe you're the person I'm meant to be with forever!"
"You and I will never happen." Dane shocks me with his words. I stare at him, listening to his speech. "You're my best friend's daughter. You're nineteen years old and—"
"Eighteen."
He rolls his eyes. "Even worse."
My heart falters. We are driving down the street, and the rainy weather outside is how I'm feeling on the inside. I've always wanted to meet my mate, but I might get rejected.
"Why are you so negative?" I ask.
Dane silently stops the car outside a store. He turns to face me, allowing me to see his scarred face. There is an angry slash over his eye and left eyebrow, and his irises are red—a vampiric trait.
He is beautiful. You know how it goes: muscles for days and a face that could make women pregnant by a simple wink. But Dane's expression is stiff. His eyes show no affection, and dread churns in my stomach.
Here it comes.
The rejection.
"I'm sorry, Isabella," Dane says. "But I, Dane Johnsson, reject you, Isabella Rossi, as my mate."
I blink at him.
Dane seems to be waiting for something, possibly for me to reject him back. Those cold eyes are lingering on mine, but I won't tell him what he wants to hear, even though I'm hurt.
A werewolf has one mate in their life, possibly two if you're fortunate enough to get a second-chance mate. I could reject Dane and meet someone else if I'm lucky.
Yet I don't want to.
I want Dane.
Yes, we barely know each other, but I don't think fate makes many mistakes. Some, but Dane and I... We would be a beautiful couple. Sunshine and cloudy.
"Well, I can't make you want me," I tell Dane calmly, not afraid of challenging his gaze with some fire. "But I won't reject you back. I've waited all my life to meet my mate, and I still have hope."
He arches a perfect, bushy eyebrow. "Hope?"
"Yeah," I laugh. Dane looks at me like I'm crazy, but it doesn't matter. He can't remove the flutters in my chest. "I believe fate brought us together for a reason."
He snorts. "Ah, so you're one of those."
"One of those?" I question, almost feeling offended by his tone. He didn't sound optimistic.
"One of those girls who believe in fairytales," Dane is driving the car again. His face is caught in a frown. "They aren't my type."
"Or maybe you haven't realized what your type is," I tease.
His eyes meet mine in the rear-view mirror. They are narrowed and silently judging me. It causes me to bite back a laugh. Dane is such a ray of sunshine, way grumpier than I remember.
"Fate got a sick sense of humor making you my mate," Dane sighs. "Pink hair, sparkling personality, too young, as innocent as a lamb, and what are those things around your arm?"
"Lucky charms," I tell him, beaming. "I felt like the color red today and had them picked out from my collection. I believe in color psychology and wear different colors and rocks every day."
Dane doesn't reply, but I can see what he is assuming. His eyes say, "This girl is a lunatic," and he could be right. Yet I still trust that we are mates for a good reason.
"I might be your mate because I'm supposed to bring you out of your shell and make you smile again."
Dane's eye is twitching again. A tiny little vein in his forehead is about to burst, yet he says nothing. He continues driving, and I get comfortable in my seat.
"Can we drive past McDonald's? I'm starving and could go for a chicken nugget meal with extra dip sauce."
Dane inhales. "Are you always this chatty?"
"I usually talk more than this," I tell him. "But I'm toning it down for your sake, even though I'm dying to read your future in tarot cards later. I think I could help you smile again."
"I'm in actual hell..."
"What was that?" I ask. "Did you say something?"
"No..." Dane mutters. "I will take you to McDonald's. Just be quiet, please? I have a migraine."
I pout at him. "But we have so much to catch up on!"
Dane press play on the radio. Spice Girls is playing, and I clap my hands before singing along. It makes Dane groan like a dying animal, but I have no clue why—this tune is sick!