CHAPTER 9

I couldn't fathom how things ended that way, so I just left without searching for any evidence of Anessa's enemy. It's not like I could find anything anyway.

" I'll just wait for Anessa to recover and show up," I said. 

I'm worried about my wolf but I know she isn't dead, because if she is I would've died along with her without even knowing it.

I ran for like fifteen minutes searching for my pack, though I'm in my human form I can run faster than an ordinary werewolf.

The moment I entered the pack's territory I heard voices from a few meters away.

" I Natalie Kendrick, hereby reject you Henry Austin as my mate!" 

'Huh? Natalie? She must have found her mate. But why would she reject him, and why are they in the pack's boundary?'

I stopped my tracks and went to hide listening to their conversation.

" What? Why? I thought we were doing fine?" Said, Henry.

" Seriously? You don't know?" Natalie said like she couldn't believe Henry asked that question.

" No! I don't know Natalie! You're my mate! We're supposed to be together..." Henry said.

" I don't care if we're mates Henry! Don't forget you're a rogue!" Said Natalie.

" And what if I am? You can't deny the fact that you're mated to me!" Henry said getting emotional.

" You're right! That's why I'm rejecting you." 

" Why can't we just be together? I love you, Natalie... I love you so much..." Henry said crying.

" What can your love give me? Can it feed me? Can your love give me fame and authority? No!! So fuck off and just accept it!" Natalie said heartlessly.

Henry fell on his knees and begged her.

" Please... Please... Natalie, don't do this to me." 

" Even if you crawl and lick my shoes I wouldn't take back what I just said. Goodbye then." Natalie said

" Why? I know it's not just because I'm a rouge... Is there another man?" Henry asked still crying.

Natalie flinched and stopped walking away.

" You're right! And do you want to know who the other man is?... It's the next alpha of our pack. With him, I'll be the luna! I can get whatever I want. But with you?" Natalie said as she looked him up and down.

"I will have to live my life like a rouge. And even if you aren't a rogue I'd still not want you!.. But if you were an alpha then maybe I would've accepted you." Natalie said and left without looking back.

After Natalie left, Henry didn't move an inch. He continued kneeling on the ground crying his eyes out.

" I've never seen a man cry, I thought they're incapable of doing so... " I said coming out behind the tree I'm hiding.

Henry was so startled after he saw me.

" Y-you! How long have y-.." Henry said but wasn't able to finish at his sudden realization.

" What the fuck! Why are you naked?" Henry said and looked away after realizing I'm butt naked.

I'm all naked all this time because I couldn't find any clothes to wear in the woods.

" Oh sorry about that! Hahaha..." I said.

" Uhmmm... I don't have anything to wear so... Ummm.. can I borrow your shirt? I kind of tore my clothes accidentally!.. Hahaha..." I said scratching my neck embarrassed.

He didn't say a word and took off his clothes.

" Here!" He said throwing his shirt in my direction without looking.

" Thank you..."

" You can turn around now," I said.

" You?.. Are you also a rogue?" Henry asked. He's now facing me.

" No!" I said.

" Then why do you smell like one?" He said. 

" It's a long story!" 

Henry looked so lifeless like he has given up on everything.

" She's not worth it! So pull yourself together!" I said. He was taken aback by my words.

" How dare you say she's not worth it? Even if she rejected me she's still my mate! You're just an outsider! How dare you!" He said angrily. 

" She left you for someone else because you can't offer her anything but love, do you think she's worth it?" I said.

"Maybe because the other guy loves her so much I couldn't compare, that is why she left me!" Henry said lying to himself.

" You know you're the only one who can truly love her. And.. don't you think she's hurting someone else by staying with that guy?" I said.

" Why would she be hurting someone else? She just wanted to be happy!" Henry said almost shouting.

" Are you seriously taking her side? Don't forget even alphas have fated partners!" I said.

Henry stood there silently without looking at me, he's mad but couldn't argue with what I said since it's true.

" Maybe that guy didn't want his mate because the one he loves was Natalie..." He said in a low voice.

" He doesn't love Natalie!" I said.

" And how'd you know that? Oh... Maybe because you belong in this pack?" He said.

" Yeah, you're right! I'm a pack member of this pack." I replied.

" So? Being a pack member doesn't mean you know your alpha's feelings!" He said getting annoyed.

" Maybe because I'm not just a pack member but the alpha's mate," I said.

" W-what? You're the alpha's mate?" He said in disbelief.

" Then why did Natalie said she's going to be the luna? Stop lying woman!" He said.

" Because I rejected the alpha!" I said.

" What? He's the alpha why'd you reject him? With him, you can have everything you want..."

" Because he didn't love me for me...And besides what I want is love, not fame or authority. I know you know what I'm talking about." I said not taking my eyes off him.

" I don't know what you're saying. What are you talking about?" He said looking away.

"You're not a rogue I can tell..... The rogue smell you have might fool Natalie but not me.., I can smell your alpha scent. And besides, you'd be dead by now if you are one."  I said taking a step closer to him.

" Y-you... How did you know?" He said, his expression says he can't believe I blew his cover.

"  That's not important!.. You hid your identity because you want her to love you for you right? You got your answer so stop being so petty!" I said.

" Anyway.. thank you for the shirt!" I said and left.

"Wait!" Henry said.

" See you next time Henry.." I said as I waved my hand without looking back and left him in the woods.

After walking for an hour I'm finally nearing my house. 

" Ughhh... I missed my bed! My body's aching so much lying on that rock." I said.

As I'm nearing our house I heard a rustling sound near the exit of the woods.

" Oh my god!!! SHE'S HERE!!!" A man's voice shouted.

I looked to see the man who shouted and realized he's a high-ranked warrior of the pack.

He is topless and sweating which means he must've had a run or something.

After a few seconds, my parents and several pack warriors, and Alexander came.

' What the hell? Why is he here?'

My mom came to me and hugged me. She looks so tired and her eyes are swollen.

" Oh, my baby... You're finally back! Where have you been?" Mom said crying.

My father came closer and hugged me too.

" Sweetie just where have you been? We're so worried about you!" He looks terrible too, his bags are so dark like he hasn't been sleeping for a while.

" Mom.. dad I'm so sorry.." I said as I hugged them back.

" But is it really necessary to have the pack warriors here just because I stayed a night outside the woods?" I said taking a step back from the hug.

" What are you saying  a night outside?" Dad asked.

" Huh? What do you mean... I came back right away after I woke up in the morning... " I asked confused.

Everyone was shocked at my words. They all turned to look at me with a frown.

" W-what! Why are you all looking at me like that?" I said getting uncomfortable.

" You were gone for a month, Vanessa. That's why everyone's been out looking for you." Alexander said.

'What? How's that possible?'...