The Rejection

Danika’s P.O.V.

A sharpened knife wouldn’t be able to cut through how heavy the tension assailed the air. The usual loud and cheerful path to the Pack House was now deafening—complete silence. Fear—yes, fear. I could feel it in the air, and I could feel it in my guts, too.

I wasn’t excluded, because the Alpha of the Blood Moon  Pack had declared war on our pack.

My father’s voice echoed in my head again for the fifth time: this wasn’t just news of any pack—this was the most powerful and dangerous pack. Just the mention of its name caused even kings to shake and tremble. I wondered what our pack did to direct his attention to us.

“Come in.” I heard Alpha’s voice from inside the office, but I could detect the tremors in his voice as well. I had reached his office now.

I pushed open the doors, and there they were—Drake and my little sister, now Luna—working together like the loveliest couple, and I felt a sting in my chest.

She was living my destiny. That was supposed to be my spot. I was supposed to be sitting there as Luna and not her. The shattered heart I fought so hard to patch together shattered again.

I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me miserable twice in a row.

“You sent for me,” I said, notifying them of my presence. He looked at me with those amber eyes that used to look at me with loving tenderness, but now there was nothing in those eyes—only nonchalance and indifference.

“I believe you’ve heard the news,” he started, and my eyes rested on his lips—those lips that used to play tango with mine. Those lips that used to confess beautiful things into my ears and make my body tingle were still supple and moist. Perhaps he had kissed my sister’s lips with them.

“Yes, I heard the news about the war.”

“Good, and we have come up with a perfect solution. As you well know, our pack is a small one with fewer warriors. We are not going to make it should we choose to accept that letter. So my Luna came up with a solution instead,” he said, turning to my sister to continue, since she was the one who proposed the solution.

“And what’s this perfect solution?” I asked, and a smirk that only I could see formed across my sister’s lips.

A heavy sense of foreboding formed in the pit of my stomach. I knew that whatever solution she proposed wasn’t going to be a good one.

“It’s simple,” she shrugged. “You’re going to the Blood Moon  Pack today to form a peace alliance with their Alpha.” She said it like she was saying, the skies are blue and the grass is green.

My head instantly swung to face Drake. Maybe he would just scoff and say it was a prank. But nothing—his face that once showed care now showed nothing but pools of indifference and coldness.

I chuckled nervously. “Wait. You’re not serious, are you?” I asked, searching their faces to see any trace of a joke, but there was no sign that they weren’t serious.

“This is the Alpha we’re talking about, not just any Alpha—the strongest one at that—and you’re sending me there? And alone?”

He was supposed to be the one to honor that invite, not me.

He slammed his hands on the desk, the spot breaking. “What insolence!” he bellowed at me. “Are you defying your Luna now?” His voice was laced with dangerous warnings.

I turned to face Eleanor. “Luna.” I chuckled, but there was no mirth in the sound. “Haven’t you heard about his ruthlessness, too? Haven’t you? Why should I be the one to go out there and die? Because I don’t get it, sis.”

“You’re just the right person who could pull this peace alliance off, and that’s why I’m sending you there. And besides, you’re so full of confidence that it amazes me. So go out and show us what you can do,” she said, feigning admiration.

The office was charged with tense silence for a while—my head down in defeat and misery. A striking contrast between my sister and me: she was enjoying this. She was sending me out to die—but why? So she could have Drake all to herself.

Why should I always be the one in pain? Why? I’m never going to accept this. Never.

“You might as well kill me before I go to that blood-sucking pack,” I spat.

Drake stood up from his seat and slowly walked toward me with a murderous look on his face. He looked at me and, without warning, landed a slap across my face with a heavy impact that made my ears ring and my lips tear.

“You must run this errand, Danika,” he enunciated, word for word, his voice passive. “And if you choose not to go, then be prepared to be exiled from this pack.”

He roared with an air of authority that could only belong to an Alpha.

“Why are you so cruel? Why does it feel like I’m the only one who felt this… this bond?” My voice croaked. I could still feel the mate bond. “Do you really not know that we are mated by the Goddess herself?” My voice was low and barely above a whisper.

He scoffed. “Really? Good then.”

He nodded his head severely, and I looked up.

“We should end it here and now.”

What does that mean? What is he going to do? It’s not what I’m thinking— is he going to—

“I, Drake woodland, Alpha of the Silver Tail Pack, reject you, Danika wolbane as my Goddess-given mate. You’re never going to be my Luna and me your mate. Accept my rejection.”

The coldness in his tone knocked out my lungs, making it impossible for me to breathe—suffocating. It was suffocating and unbearably painful.

“I, Danika Wolfbane accept your rejection.” I gasped, looking for breath—these words I never thought I’d ever say. Never thought I’d be rejected even before becoming a mate. “I will no longer be your Goddess-given mate, nor will I be your Luna.”