Once Upon A Rejection

The party seemed to be a huge success. All the pack members were relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere. Even the council members seemed to have forgotten to hate us for a few minutes at least.

I sipped on my beer as I looked across the scene of the party. Ezra and June were talking to my stepfather, Carly was happily chatting with her friends while Grayson, his parents and I entertained the council. Leyton was standing nearby playing the part of the dutiful assistant.

“In the last few years we have done a lot of work on the pack’s hospital.” Alpha Ward was telling the council members.

“I would be interested in seeing this work.” One of the council members replied.

“Of course, I can show you in the morning before the meeting.” Alpha Ward suggested.

“No, we will go now.” The council member replied, his voice leaving no room for argument.

That was typical of what I had seen from them in the short time I had known them. For old men they sure had a way of acting like petulant teenagers.

Grayson’s parents reluctantly agreed to take the council members on a tour of the pack to show them their recent refurbishments. Grayson and I stayed to keep an eye on things at the party. Grayson, leyton and I watched as their parents led the council members into the house.

“Thank f**k they have gone, they were litrally sucking the life out of this party.” Leyton said once he was sure they would no longer be able to hear us.

“Yes, they do seem to have a way of making even a party seem like hard work.” Grayson agreed.

I laughed.

“Did you see the way that they looked at us when you were kissing me?” I asked.

“No, I was only looking at you.” Grayson said, making me smile.

“Well put it this way, I thought they were going to have you arrested. They looked so horrified.” I replied.

“That is because most of them are so old that they have forgotten what it is like to have a mate or be in love.” Leyton said.

“Hey.” Carly said as she walked over to our group.

She had been keeping her distance from us during the party. Leyton had told the council that he was leaving but they weren’t happy about his decision. They were trying to find a way to keep him but they didn’t seem to realise that they had nothing that could compete with love.

Leyton smiled as he noticed Carly approaching. He held out his hand for her to take which she gladly accepted with a smile on her face.

“Molly, one of the lycans has been looking at you funny all afternoon.” Carly said.

“Ugh, what is his problem?” I said, rolling my eyes.

I knew exactly the lycon she was referring to. I noticed him looking at me when he first came down from his room. After that I made a point of not looking in his direction, I didn’t want to talk to him and I didn’t want to start a fight in front of the council members.

“They are hiding their scent, are you sure that he isn’t your lycan’s mate?” Grayson asked.

“I can’t be sure but if he was my mate why wouldn’t he tell me? If he is my mate then he is clearly untrustworthy.” I said.

“Maybe he just heard your reputation for rejecting your mates.” Carly said.

“Wait, I didn’t think anyone knew about that.” I said.

I was about to defend myself when I noticed that my stepfather was heading in our direction. I had never seen him look this angry before.

“So this is the reason you suddenly decided to reject me.” My stepfather shouted as he stomped towards us.

“Calm down Thomas, you are making a scene.” Grayson said.

“I am not going to calm down. You expect me to just step aside and let him take my mate from me. That is never going to happen.” He shouted.

He turned his full attention to Leyton.

“If you want her then you will have to get ready for a fight because I am never giving her up or accepting her rejection.” He growled.

He pulled off his jacket and threw it to the floor then started to loosen his tie. Leyton growled then started to take his own jacket off. I glanced around me, everyone in the pack was now watching the drama unfold. They all looked shocked with the exception of the lycans who just looked amused. This was starting to get out of hand.

“This is ridiculous, can’t we just talk about this?” Carly asked, the tension clear in her voice.

“If your idea of talking is me giving you up then not a f*****g chance.” My stepfather shouted.

They were both rolling up their sleeves. Carly screamed in frustration before running away towards the forest at the back of the garden. At the same time Ezra who had seen the commotion was running towards us.

‘I will go after Carly, can you sort these two out before the council members come back.’ I mindlinked Grayson as I started running after her.

‘Be careful.’ Grayson replied on mindlink.

I ran into the forest then began to follow Carly’s scent. I wasn’t as experienced at tracking as Grayson but out here in the forest there weren’t many other scents to confuse my senses. I ran for about half a kilometre and then I saw her.

She was laying on the floor. I was filled with the horrible feeling that she could be dead. I should have checked the area but panic was well and truly in control of me. I ran over and kneeled on the ground next to her.

I could hear her heart beating and I couldn’t see any obvious signs of injury but she was unconscious. There was a rag of cloth next to her, someone must have used it to knock her out.

“She said you were gullible but I didn’t believe her until just now.” Said a voice from behind me.

I stood up and looked around. I was surrounded by three lycans. There were too many of them for me to take on alone with my rusty fighting skills. I couldn’t hope to outrun them and save Carly. I was screwed.

I silently cursed myself. He was right, I had been so stupid. I had known that there were people after me yet I came into the forest alone. I am a fricking idiot.

‘Grayson, there are lycans in the forest. Help me.’ I mindlinked.

‘On our way.’ He replied.

“Do you really think your wolf mate will be here in time to save you?” The lycan said, walking towards me.

“No but I am.” Talen said.

He was looking at the one who was in front of me doing all the talking but he already had another one of them in his arms. He quickly snapped that lycan’s neck before walking up beside me.

“You? What are you doing helping her?” The lycan in front of us said.

“That is none of your business.” Talen growled.

“You should be on our side. I can’t believe you would go against your own family like this.” The lycan in front of us said. His anger was clear as his eyes changed colour.

“I will never hurt the innocent, even if that means going against my own family. Even if it means killing her.” Talen said, his fingernails elongating into claws. He glanced back at me for a second before turning his attention back towards the lycan in front of him.

“Get out of here honey, this is about to get ugly.” Talen said.

Talen lunged at the lycan in front of him, scratching at his neck and chest. The lycan staggered backwards as the other lycan attacked Talen from the side.

“Run.” Talen shouted.

I did as he said. I picked Carly up and I ran back in the direction of the house. I only managed to get a few hundred metres before I ran straight into Grayson’s wolf. He was followed closely by Leyton, Rich, my stepfather and a few of the best fighters in our pack.

Grayson shifted back into his human form and held me. Leyton and my Stepfather for the moment put their possessive urges to one side and held Carly’s unconscious body between them.

“What happened? Where are the lycans?” Grayson asked as he stroked my hair.

“It is ok, I killed them.” Talen said, approaching us slowly.

His clothes were ripped and he was covered in b***d but I wasn’t sure if it was his or his opponent’s.

“Good.” Grayson said, his voice muffled as he buried his face into my neck to comfort his wolf.

“Telen, you have a lot of explaining to do.” I said.

“I guess I do.” He said.