Being mated to someone I barely had any inclination about seemed so distressing. I do not know why everybody felt like it was such a great thing to be mated. It was like having no control over the choice of who you love. It was like an arranged marriage organized for us by an ancient fairy godmother, I mused at my thoughts.

I could tell that Lance’s announcement had caused severe damage to my family’s expectations and I could see Elena writhing in pain. All the physical pain they had ever caused me blended like a mixture of poisonous herbs to form a deadly concoction that caused them pain emotionally....