My Alpha Rejects Me

Slave¿?

A/N (7/25/2021) — The original chapter that I wrote in 2015 has been updated to reveal altered information that makes more sense to the storyline/audience compared to what I had written as a teenager. 

"Slaves Mark..?" I say breathlessly.

"Yes... I did some searching in my library sometime after seeing it. Remember when I told you that it was unique?" I nod. "Yeah, since I was fascinated, I went home after escorting you to your pack line and asked one of the Elders if I could see a book on marks."

"And how did you find out about Slave Marks? I've never even heard about them."

Adam shushes me before taking my hand and leading me to the library. We walk to the back of the room where we are greeted by a spiral staircase going up to the next floor. The two of us ascend it slowly and he picks up the first book on the right, once at the top.

"This is it." He says handing it to me.

"This is what?" I take the book from his hands and offer him a questioning glance.

"Your packs Mark Records, every pack has one."

I study the cover. To me, it just looked like any other old, ordinary hardcover book with leather binding and decorative gold stripes. "Aren't the Mark Records supposed to be private, or special or something?" I finally ask as I briefly flip through it's pages.

He nods.

"This doesn't look very special." I say as I flip it over in my hands and study the blank back cover.

"It looks like that for a reason. Camouflage."

"Then why is it just sitting here?"

Adam gestures to the library downstairs, "With all those books downstairs, no one would need to come looking for books upstairs."

"We're not actually supposed to look at the Mark Records are we?"

"No, we're not. If we could then it wouldn't be 'hidden'."

"Then is there a section in here specifically on Slave Marks?" I ask looking up at him.

"No, actually."

"Then why are you showing me this?" I put the book back in its original spot and turn back to Adam.

He rolls his eyes and pulls it back out, "Because I wanted you to look at the Mate Marks in here."

"What's the point?" I ask him as I lean against the bookshelf.

"After studying the Mate Marks in both of our pack records, I noticed a key difference in the way yours looked compared to everyone else's. I believe your pack has records of Slave Marks somewhere in this library, but it's camouflaged just like this one, and somewhere amongst all these volumes on this second floor." He finally elaborates as he opens the records and shows me a few different Mate Marks that I considered against my own. "I didn't find anything on them amongst my pack, but I did find a section that mentioned it deep within our records."

I nod along to what he says, letting it soak in.

"What did you feel when saw Dakota?" He asks turning towards me.

I blush for some unknown reason and look away, "My wolf shouted mine..."

He glances away briefly, a hint of pink rising to the surface of his face, "Okay, that seems pretty normal compared to a Mates Mark. You're supposed to want your mate." He continues to flip through the pages, avoiding eye contact with me as he responds, "Speaking of which, do your parents even know that you're mated to Dakota?"

This time it was I who avoided eye contact, "No..." I finally answer him.

"Why haven't you told them?" He asks as he closes the book and slides it back into the empty space. "I feel like that's something that you should have brought up. It could change everything."

I scoff at him, as if he would even know what kind of situation I'm in, "He doesn't want me. He rejected me at first sight! There's no need to bring my parents into the situation!" I raise my voice at him, unable to conceal my bubbling irritation sparked by his judgment.

"Maybe that has something to do with the difference between a Slave Mark and a Mate Mark." He responds, immediately neutralizing the situation and calming my inner anger. "It's not normal for a mate to look at their other half and reject them. They should feel exactly what you and your wolf felt. That you were theirs, just as they are yours..."

He wasn't wrong... "So do you think that if this mark is not a Mates Mark, that Dakota isn't my mate?" My heart immediately flutters and sinks all at once just at the thought.

"Yes," Adam nods, "I think that your mate is still out there, and that this mark just masks your ability to sense them. His reaction to your mating just validates that."

My heart jumps and I can't really tell if it's from shock or happiness. That asshole isn't really my mate. My true mate could be out there somewhere.

"Apparently when you are marked like that it overruns your senses to find your mate, as well as it overruns your mates senses to find you. People could be marked, look their true mates straight in the eyes, and not even feel or know a thing. They could go their entire life living in a... toxic, abusive bond; never knowing true happiness."

"So what's it like for Dakota?" I ask.

"I guess it's like an obsession. He obviously doesn't care about you the way a true mate would or else he wouldn't be treating you like such shit. It's more of a feeling of owning someone."

The door downstairs opens and some people come in. Adam ducks down, taking me with him. "Why are we hiding?" I ask. He holds his finger up and shushes me, "We're not actually supposed to be up here." He whispers.

I hit him in the shoulder and stare at him with my mouth open. "What the hell?"

He looks away from me and over the railing. "There's two people in here." He whisper-shouts."

"Well what do we do!?" I whisper back.

"Be quiet?"

I look over the railing and watch as the two people leave with a armful of books. I sigh and stand up, "Let's get out of here."