I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm mated to Jessi's ex-boyfriend. If she finds out, she's going to absolutely hate me, but honestly, that's not too different from how she feels about me now. It might even be a bit entertaining to watch her hatred intensify.

I was dreading going home. I can't stand it here, but since I have no other place to go, I had no choice but to head back. Aaron dropped me off at my house, and as I walked in, my mom rushed over, worry etched on her face. "Bella, where have you been? Are you okay? Did something happen to you?" Her voice was filled with concern, and I could feel the weight of her questions pressing down on me.

I glanced behind her and saw that everyone from the party had already left, which made sense. If Nathan wasn’t there, no one would stick around for me, and if he was, they'd all flock to him because, let's face it, he’s the one everyone wants to be around, not me.

Mom noticed my silence and demanded, "Bella, answer me! What’s wrong? Did you lose your voice?" Her urgency made my heart race.

Before I could even respond, Jessi's voice sliced through the tension in the room. "She probably did lose her voice. I mean, it’s midnight already, and she’s rejected; she probably lost both her powers and her voice," she said as she marched toward me, her eyes blazing with disdain. I felt a chill run down my spine. I've never understood why Jessi hates me so much when all I do is try to mind my own business and keep her out of my life but I guess it’s something I will never find out.

I scoffed, "Jokes on you, Jessi. I didn’t lose my voice."

"Then it’s a miracle! I’m so happy for you," she said, forcing a grin that was more of a grimace than anything genuine.

Mom, always eager to jump into the conversation, chimed in, "Jessi told me what happened with Nathan, and I’m so sorry, Bella."

"It’s fine."

"I know you’ve been wanting to have a future with him and you’ve planned everything but it just seems like that’s not what he wants," she said reminding me of the times I was delusional thinking I had already found the person I’ll be spending the rest of my life with. Mom continued to speak "You really shouldn’t be worried about him, he’s not meant for you, after all, guys like him are just so crazy, they chase after girls like you but when they see beauty..." Before she could finish her thought, I cut her off, practically shouting, "What?"

"Didn’t you hear her? She said guys chase after beauty—beautiful girls like me—forgetting girls like you. It’s sad, isn’t it?" Jessi pouted, her eyes sparkling with cruelty, clearly enjoying the moment.

I rolled my eyes, feeling the familiar frustration bubble up. Mom will always be mom; I can’t believe she’d say something so thoughtless. But honestly, I really shouldn’t be surprised. With Jessi around, it’s always about her and how stunning she is. There’s no denying it—she has those mesmerizing ocean-blue eyes that seem to pull everyone in, her skin is soft like silk, and her perfect brown hair flows effortlessly. Plus, her posture is so confident that it draws attention without her even trying. But for me, it’s a whole different story.

Just as I was about to defend myself, Jessi interrupted, "Anyways, do you mind giving me Nathan’s number? He left his underwear here, and I’m just wondering how I’ll give it back to him. Maybe I should just swing by his house. What do you think?"

A surge of anger coursed through me, her words echoing in my head like a bad song I couldn’t shake off. "You bitch."

"Jessi, mind your language," Mom interjected, her tone sharp.

Normally, I would just let it slide, but with Mom so quick to defend Jessi after everything that happened, I couldn’t hold back any longer. "You know Nathan was my boyfriend, but you still went after him like the whore you are!" I shot back, my voice trembling with a mix of hurt and rage.

"Bella, I said mind your language!" Mom growled at me, her eyes narrowing in that way that always made my stomach twist. She never sees any fault in Jessi, so I’m not surprised that she’s only yelling at me when Jessi is the real problem here, acting all high and mighty.

"It’s okay, Mom. She’s just upset because she lost her wolf powers. I understand," Jessi said, her smile as fake as the compliments she throws around.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling a bit smug. "I have my powers."

"How do you have your powers when you’re rejected?" she asked, her tone dripping with disbelief.

"I got mated tonight to a really special guy," I said, letting the words hang in the air, knowing how much they would sting.

Jessi scoffed, rolling her eyes. "What kind of guy would want you after being rejected by your own boyfriend?"

"The kind that saw me and fell in love with me right away," I lied, just to burst her bubble and watch her face twist in annoyance.

Just then, as if he could sense the tension, Aaron walked up, saying, "Bella, you forgot your phone." I turned to him, noticing the look of shock on his face as he took in Jessi and my mom. He stood there holding my phone, staring at Jessi like she was a puzzle he couldn’t solve. I quickly snatched the phone from his hand, making his attention shift to me. With a confident grip, I held his hand tightly and declared, "Mom, Jessi, meet my mate, Aaron."

The expression on Jessi’s face was truly priceless. I had never seen her like that before, and it was incredibly satisfying to witness her swirl through a mix of emotions. Shifting my gaze to Aaron, I leaned in and planted a light kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for bringing me my phone. I’ll see you later today," I said, noticing the puzzled look in his eyes. It was clear he had a million questions racing through his mind about my sudden boldness, but I planned to explain everything in private.

As if he understood what I was doing, Aaron nodded, playing along with a smile. "Bye sweetheart, have a good sleep." As he turned to leave, Jessi’s eyes remained glued to him, filled with shock and disbelief. I reveled in her confusion; she probably thought I had lost everything tonight, but little did she know, I was still very much in the game.

As soon as Aaron was out of sight, I started to walk away, but Jessi couldn't help herself. "You and Aaron, you really think you scored with him, huh?" she taunted.

"Do I smell jealousy, Jessi?" I shot back, a smirk playing on my lips.

She scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "I’m not jealous; I just pity you because you have no idea what you’re in for. Aaron is not the guy for you."

"Oh, really, then who do you think is the guy for me?" I asked but she went silent. I smirked, sensing my opportunity to poke at her. "Just as I thought, you don’t want me with him because he’s your ex-boyfriend."

"He’s an ex for a reason," she shot back, her voice steady and serious. "But you know what? Go ahead and have fun with him. You’ll soon be wanting to leave when you realize why I’m no longer with him." Her words felt heavy, like a warning wrapped in layers of past hurt.

Even though Jessi often spewed nonsense, I couldn’t shake the feeling that her words had hit a nerve. A part of me considered her seriousness, wondering if there was something about Aaron I didn’t know. But another part of me was resolute, brushing off her claims as just another attempt to unsettle me.

Not wanting to give her the satisfaction of a reaction, I shrugged it off and said, "Whatever Jessi." I scoffed. I was determined not to let her scare me; she was just trying to rattle me, and I wouldn’t let her win.