^ Picture of Jamie Knox

"You think I'm nothing, 'cause I'm nothing like you. You think you know me. You have no idea what I've been through. So, take your shot, say what you want about me."
~Like A Storm, 'Love the Way You Hate Me'

~~~

*Sawyer's POV*

I'm taken off-guard when Remi pounces on me, swinging his fist at my jaw. The impact splits my lip open, but he doesn't stop there. He shoves me to the ground before straddling my hips and delivering blow after blow to my face.

My head is pounding from his punches, and I can barely concentrate enough to summon the magic to throw him off of me. I hear him yelp as his back hits the lockers, and I try to pull myself off the ground.

"Remi, stop!" Asher shouts as Remi tries to lunge at me again. Their faerie friend, Jamie, steps in to hold the angered wolf back. Remi glares at me with rage burning in his dark eyes.

I stand up, wiping my mouth and smearing blood on the back of my hand. I didn't expect Remi to actually attack me. We've had small fights, but nothing like what happened just now.

"Sawyer, are you okay?" Gabriel whispers next to me, his eyes wide and fearful. His slender frame is shaking as he clings to my arm in worry.

"I'm fine," I say loud enough for Remi to hear. "I'm not going to die from the scratches of a mutt."

Remi growls; the deep sound making my stomach twist and my eyes glow. I blink it away, not wanting to make it obvious how much he affects me. Nothing is worse than your worst enemy knowing exactly how much they bother you.

Asher tugs Remi's arm, dragging him out of the locker room. Sighing, I wipe my hand over my face in frustration. My jaw still aches from being punched repeatedly. Not that I'll admit how much physical pain he caused me.

"Are you alright?" Gabriel asks in a soft voice, his eyes down at the ground.

"I said I'm fine," I sigh for the hundredth time.

"Good," he says curtly, releasing his hold on my arm and stepping away from me. Gabriel keeps his eyes on the ground, not looking up at me.

I furrow my brows. "Gabriel?"

"Sawyer..." he starts, his voice beginning to shake. "I don't like what you just did."

"What I just did? Gabriel, he attacked me."

"Not that." Gabriel fidgets with his fingers, still not looking at me. "T-That word. I don't like that you said it."

I blink, not understanding what he's referring to for a second. Then it hits me.

"Gabri—"

"I-I don't understand you sometimes, Sawyer," Gabriel stammers. "I've always been on your side. You said we're different, and that means we have to stick together, and I believed you. B-But... that doesn't mean I'm okay with what you said to Asher."

"It's not a big deal," I grumble, and Gabriel finally raises his wide eyes to mine. "I only said it to make him stop looking at you."

"That doesn't make it okay!" Gabriel shouts, and I step back in surprise. He has never raised his voice at me. "You wanted to shame him for his sexuality, and I'm not okay with that! Not when my dads are the best people in my life. And what about your dads? How can you say things like that when you have your dads?"

My mouth feels like cotton as the wind is knocked out of me. I try to keep my face neutral, but on the inside I feel my stomach twisting with guilt. My dads... they would be so hurt if they heard what I said to Asher.

"I don't want to be around you right now," Gabriel says, stepping around me and walking out of the locker room.

Frustration boils up in my chest, and I slam my fist against the locker. I take deep breathes, but the rage isn't subsiding. It continues to build until the locker doors begin to shake; affected by the magic being uncontrollably released.

Ever since I was a kid, I've had trouble controlling my magic whenever I got angry. My dad taught me exercises to help me calm down, but it's not working right now. I keep picturing Remi's furious gaze, and the disappointment in Gabriel's eyes.

Gabriel hates me now too.

He was the only one who didn't, and now I've chased him away with my temper. My one friend.

She was right. No one wants to be around the hybrid freak.

| 4 years ago |

Standing in front of the shop window, I peered in reluctantly. Remi and I had recently gotten in another fight, and my dad insisted that I be the first to apologize. Even though I rolled my eyes over it, I still made my way down to the shop to find a gift for him.

Remi and I may not have gotten along all the time, but he was still the closest thing I had to a best friend. We understood each other, and even though I would never admit this to his face, I didn't want to lose his friendship.

Getting over my pride, I marched into the convenience store and began my search. This was the third store I had visited today, and I was beginning to feel more like a desperate loser with each passing moment.

But I knew there was one thing I could by Remi that would make him forgive me immediately. His favorite brand of barbecue chips. That might not have seemed like a lot, but this specific brand was hard to find.

My eyes lit up when I saw that there was still one bag left of those chips. I snatched them quickly, heading to the counter to pay. My mood was lifted as I walked back to the pack, ready to throw this bag of chips at Remi and put this whole silly dispute behind us.

I walked down the dirt trail that lead into the woods, where our pack was hidden from view. As I was walking, I felt a pair of eyes watching me. I slowed my steps, looking around to see if there was anyone nearby.

"Hello?" I called out.

Silence.

Hesitantly, I started to turn back around to keep walking. I took one step forward, bumping directly into someone and releasing a surprised shout. I stumbled backwards, eyes widening when I saw I had bumped into a young woman.

"Er... sorry," I apologized half-heartedly.

She laughed lightly. "That's okay, Sawyer. I'm the one who snuck up on you."

I narrowed my eyes, stepping backwards. "How do you know my name?"

The woman smiled, and my stomach rolled with nerves. This didn't feel right...

She had long black hair, pulled into a high ponytail. A choker was placed around her neck, with a star-shaped charm made out of opal hanging from the middle.

"Are you going to see Remi?" She asked, and I felt a spark of irritation. How did she know about Remi too?

"That's none of your business," I said sharply, and she chuckled softly.

"I supposed you're right," she nodded, then her smile widened. "You seem protective of him. You don't like that I know who he is."

"He's my friend," I dryly answered.

"It would seem so," she mused. "Although... I do wonder why."

I paused. "Why what?"

"Why he would want to be around you, let alone be friends with you."

Her smile was so sickly sweet, contradicting the demeaning word leaving her lips.

"After all," she continued, her voice becoming threateningly low. "You're a dirty hybrid. Not even your own mother wanted you."

My blood turned cold. "How do you know that?" I whispered, but she ignored my question.

"Why would the future Alpha want to be your friend, if he knows you're damaged goods?"

I swallowed thickly. "Remi doesn't think I'm damaged goods. We were both adopted, so he knows—"

"Ah, ah," the woman cut me off, wagging her finger. "Yes, you were both adopted, but the situations were very different. Remi's parents didn't choose to let him, but your mother abandoned you. By choice."

I shook my head, unshed tears burning my eyes. "No. We don't know what happened to my parents. She could've been hurt, or I could've gotten lost, or—"

"It was a choice," she said firmly, as if she knew the full story. "She chose to leave you, because she couldn't stand to be the mother of a hybrid. A sin against nature. The future Alpha shouldn't be seen with the likes of you."

"Why are you saying this to me?" I whimpered as the first tear fell.

Her smile softened, and she reached out to wipe away my tear. "I'm telling you this so you don't have to be hurt again. Staying friends with the Alpha is only going to cause you more pain, and you've had enough. You don't deserve to be abandoned by another person. Sooner or later, Remi will leave you too."

"Why would he—"

"He's only hanging out with you because he feels sorry for you. A wolf of his status shouldn't be seen with a lowly hybrid. He'll realize that, and leave you behind. Just like your mother did. After all, no one wants to be around the hybrid freak."

And just had suddenly as she had arrived, she disappeared into thin air. I whipped around, searching with blurry eyes for the mysterious woman who tore my heart out.

Was she right? Did Remi feel... sorry for me? Was that why he was my friend?

And my mom... she knew about my mom, that she left me.

Abandoned me.

Just like Remi will.

'Staying friends with the Alpha is only going to cause you more pain, and you've had enough.'

Rage mixed in with my grief, and my eyes flashed as the trees began to shake around me. The leaves swirled off the ground, creating a small tornado fueled by my anger.

No. I wasn't going to be abandoned again. If Remi wanted to leave me behind, he had another thing coming.

Because I was going to do it first.

~~~

Anyone else hate Sawyer, but want to give him a hug?

But now we know what happened 4 years ago that made Sawyer hate Remi!

Thoughts?? Who was that woman?

Also - I want to clarify something. After this chapter, I'll start posting the future chapters on Patreon first, THEN on Wattpad. Why? Because I have two versions (fan fic and this one) of the same story, and sometimes I later decide to make changes between the two versions. I'll update the original version to Patreon, and then post the latest version to wattpad after I've made any changes.

See you next time!
-Gumbie