Her Loving Alpha's Strange Rejection

Memories...

Addi

I went to bed early last night. Lucas asked Dr. Morley about my encounter with the wolf and he didn’t say much. Asked me if I had any reason to think I was hallucinating. I frowned and told him it seemed real until the wolf disappeared strangely.

“Addi, he said something about a scent before he left.”

“Yes, it was really strong. Very sweet almost sickening. I felt really weak when I smelled it.”

“I’m coming to see you in the morning.”

When he got to the packhouse, he asked me to sit and handed me a clear bottle. “Just a small whiff Addi.”

I smell it and instantly feel weak. “That’s it.” The room seems to shimmer.

“What are you seeing, Addi?”

“The walls are wiggling a bit.” I blink a few times before it stops.

“What is that?” Lucas asks quietly from my side.

“Lunaricaine. It’s an anesthetic agent for wolves that you inhale. Can make you feel like you are hallucinating.” Morley looks grim.

“So that wolf was real. How did I get affected by this?” I ask him worried.

“Shot into the air, and you caught the scent. Or he could have been coated in it. The breeze carried it to you. You were distracted and worried about fighting off a large wolf while you have none.” Lucas muses.

“What is going on? I didn’t recognize that wolf.”

Lucas says, “This is extremely troublesome. I have wolves sneaking into my pack, and a damn Alpha at that. At least we know it wasn’t Seth.”

“I’m not sure he was an Alpha, Lucas. He was large and similar to one, but… He had no aura to him. And you can’t hide it all. My senses might be dulled, but an Alpha can recognize another one even if it’s only a hint. He just stared at me. Didn’t act like he was going to attack, but the paw stamp was weird like a half-challenge. And it was right at the edge of the pack forest border. Maybe he got disoriented and wandered into the pack. Especially if he was coated in that drug.”

Dr. Morley nods. "I am going with he was coated in it. Especially since his behavior was also odd, and it would explain why you didn't catch the scent until the end. And if he was coated in it, he would also be hallucinating. It may be just a lost rogue wolf. However, I worry about that much drug covering him. Let me look into any missing large amounts of Lunaricaine.”

“I’m doubling border security, and we will comb the entire forest today.”

He leaves after stationing two warriors outside the door, and I’ve been warned not to go out until he’s done with the security sweep. After he leaves, I head for my bathroom.

I stare at my mark before I shower. Closing my eyes, I think back to the night Seth marked me.

I’d been in his pack for ten days. After cooking me dinner, he built a fire in our living room. He’d turned on some music and asked me to dance. We decided to sit on the couch and watch a movie after that. After I sat down, he’d start rubbing my feet staring at me intently. I had been unable to look away from those mesmerizing green eyes.

His eyes darkened as Jagger had pressed forward a bit and his hands started massaging up my legs until they finally made it midway up my thigh. He’d kissed me slowly, his hands moving to my waist to pull me into his lap. By the time he broke the kiss, I had forgotten my name.

“Addi, I love you, and I want you. I want to mark you angel and make you mine.”

“I love you too Seth, and I want you too.” That bright tender smile he got almost brought me to my knees.

“Can I take you to our bed? Or is it too soon?”

“Please.”

“Please what angel? I need to hear it to know you are sure.” His lips hovered a mere breath from mine.

“Make me yours. Mark me, Seth.” I whispered and he devoured my mouth in a hungry kiss before wrapping my legs around his waist and walking us to our bed.

“We have all night, angel. I haven’t done any of this before so we’re going to learn what we like together. Promise to be honest with me, and I will do the same.”

I was shocked. Almost every Alpha besides my brother and cousin sleeps around with any female willing for a night. Their claims they have insatiable needs always made me roll my eyes. I had already guessed that Seth didn’t sleep around like that, but the fact that he was completely innocent was not what I had expected.

“Seriously, you’ve never touched a female?” I asked shocked.

He smiled, “No, my dad always said your mate will be the best thing to ever happen to you. Touching someone else does nothing but give you a minute of pleasure and could ruin things with the most precious gift you will ever receive. He’s always been a little funny about this subject and he practically Alpha commanded me not to go out with or touch any other females. It wasn’t worth the fight with him and my mom. Honestly, she was even worse than he was. Told me she’s seen how females can act toward the Luna when they’ve slept with or touched the Alpha. Didn’t happen to her but they visited a lot of other packs. And as I got older than the fifteen year old hormonal teenage Alpha wolf, I realized they were right. I waited and damn I am glad I did. To know you are the only one who will ever know my body like this is amazing to me.”

“You are one of a kind Seth West. I am lucky to have you.” I kissed him gently letting my lips melt into his as I felt overwhelmed with emotion.

“No, angel. I got extremely lucky to have you. I will worship you for the rest of our days.”

When he marked me shortly after that, my soul felt like it could collapse from pure pleasure. I remember him nuzzling his face into my neck. “Mmm, now you smell like me too and everyone will know you are off limits.”

I’d giggled and told him the same thing. “I can’t wait to see what our marks look like.”

He’d laughed softly, “Mine says Belongs to Addison. My body and soul are yours my dearest love.”

Back to the present day.

Tears stream down my face as I run my finger over it lightly. “Nothing…it means nothing anymore.”

The days pass slowly. I love spending time with Jo and Hayden during the day. Little things trip me up though. Like passing by a couple of mates who just discovered each other in the coffee shop. Our retired head warrior, Alton, from when I was growing up asked me how Seth is.

Nessa is finally resurfacing after being gone for almost two weeks. She’s spoken a few words to me but is still grieving. Her first full sentence was today, 'We have a pup. I am sorry for being gone for so long Addi. I had to grieve.'

'Yes Nessa, we are going to protect him or her. Seth and Jagger do not know. And he still has to mark her and sever our bond. So I doubt our grieving is done by a long shot.'

With a nod of her head, she just curls up to think and rest.

Needing something to occupy me, I decide to walk to my parent's memorial site.

I link Lucas so he knows where I am going and I don’t miss the two warriors who try to follow me without me noticing.

'Lucas, I will be fine. I don’t need guards.'

'And I am taking no chances while you have a weakened grieving wolf. Deal with it. Big brother rules.'

'Fine, Dad.' He chuckles, and I smile.

It is nice to have someone care about me. No more signs of that wolf that I saw. The security sweep turned up nothing and Dr. Morley did find a report that a medical supply truck had an accident near the pack. It had turned over and was carrying Lunaricaine along with lots of other drugs. The driver was missing and Morley thinks the wolf might have been him and he got disoriented from the accident and the fumes from some of the drugs. It might have truly been a strange coincidence.

'Come by the office when you get done so I can rejoin you to the pack. I know you will have to leave, but I don’t like you here without being able to link everyone. Also looks like I need to step up their training since you spotted them so easily. Supposed to be stealthy about it.'

'Dad trained me too, so you forget that. And he was damn good.'

I walk to the stream farthest from the waterfall in our pack. This was my mother’s favorite spot and where my father used to bring us all for picnics on the weekends. A set of benches flank around a large white rock with a bronze plaque in the center. “In loving memory of Alpha Jameson Frost and Luna Nancy Frost.”

I touch the plaque dusting off a few leaves. “Hi Mama, Daddy. I’m home again for a little while at least. I’m going to be a mom. Not in the best of ways, but it is what it is. I wish you were here. I…I know you raised me to be strong Dad, but I’m so scared right now. Lucas is taking good care of me don’t worry, but I miss you two.”

I sit on the bench and listen to the water lapping letting it soothe my nerves. The warriors had hung back, and I was grateful for their forethought.

We lost my parents when I was fourteen. Lucas had to take over the pack earl at eighteen, luckily our father’s Beta, Brad, had been there for him every step of the way. Mom and Dad had gone to visit another pack. While there they saved a girl whose mate was trying to hurt her. He went feral and killed my mother. He had another wolf with him at the time and that one helped him attack and kill my father. Dad was extremely strong and everyone was shocked he’d been able to take him down. The only witness who saw it said that the second wolf looked like an Alpha also and that might have been the only way they defeated him. An Alpha and a feral wolf as your opponents attacking simultaneously isn’t easy to survive especially with the agony he was in with his mate dying. Feral wolves have been known to mass murder packs. They were never caught and I know Lucas has never stopped looking. He doesn’t mention it to me anymore but I’ve seen things on his desk in the past. I had always asked him not to let it consume him and he hasn’t. More passive if you see anything pass it along.

I sat there for almost an hour and then decided to take a trip to the waterfall. It was one of my favorite spots before, but I wonder how I will feel now when I see it. I refuse to let Seth’s betrayal take everything I love from me though and I am determined to start getting over him by replacing all my memories tangled with him with new ones by myself.

I stop at the edge and look over the water. The sound used to soothe me; that simple rushing water noise. Instead, I am transported back two years ago to the sound of his voice. I can picture it and hear him as I stare at the spot.

Flashback

“Do you like it?” He bites his lip looking charmingly worried.

“It’s lovely, Seth.” I take in the candles and table set up with a bouquet of red and white roses on top. Two plates sit with covers and he leads me to sit.

“Lucas said this is your favorite spot so I thought this should be where we have our first date angel.” His forest green eyes shine with emotion, and I cannot stop my happy grin. This gorgeous man is mine. My mate, my Alpha for the rest of our days.

I never imagined Seth West would be mine after the last time I saw him two years ago. He’d been sweet and funny but I hadn’t dared to dream he would be fated to me. Yet here we are having dinner after he claimed me last night.

“You are so beautiful inside and out, Addi. I must have done something right to end up with you. When I had to leave two years ago, it felt wrong. Like I forgot something. Now I know it was part of me I left behind.”

We finish dinner, and he leads me to the waterfall edge. He takes me into his arms and begins humming something soft and slow. He twirls us gently around, and I smile at him. When the song is over he leans in to kiss me stealing my breath and the rest of my heart.

End flashback

I touch my lips as if it happened mere seconds ago. I can still feel it. Sadness fills my heart, but there’s a small amount of fury too. That fury has been slowly building over the last few days. He threw away everything we had in an instant. He lied about having feelings for me beyond the mate bond. Anger towards him and the moon goddess for giving him another mate begins to take over my emotions. I let it wash over me remembering the stages of grief I will go through. Anger is on the list somewhere, and it is not the best for an Alpha wolf unless you have a clear target to attack. I’ll be destroying another punching bag later tonight I suppose.

Lucas had ordered quite a few extra after he saw what I did to the two in his personal weight room last night. I had pictured one as Seth’s head and the other as Aubrey’s.

The sun was almost done setting as I turned to begin my journey back. Right outside the packhouse, my chest tightens up, and I cannot take another step. It’s as if someone is squeezing me in a vice. The pressure is making it hard to breathe. It doesn’t let up, and I vaguely feel my knees hit the ground. My entire body has broken out in a cold sweat and nausea rolls over me. I am panting trying to catch my breath and not throw up now.

I hear Nessa howl in anguish as my mark begins to burn. The intense searing pain has me clawing at my neck. I try to scream, but no sound comes out. Nessa writhes in agony as I fall forward on my hands. In the background, I hear someone calling for the Alpha. My neck is burning, but I am struggling to support my weight.

Nessa shrieks, 'The bond… it’s breaking. Our pup…'

My chest continues to tighten and bile rises in my throat. I feel my body hit the ground with a thud and lay there wishing to die. This pain… it’s pure torture. The bond is fraying. It’s as if Nessa and I are dangling from a rope watching the strands slowly popping. Each second is another stabbing pain.

“Nessa guard our pup. Protect them and don’t worry about me. I can’t…I can’t believe Seth is marking another right now. How could he and Jagger?” I sob to her. My mate….the father of the pup my wolf is now going to have to protect is rejecting us both for another. I’ve been in denial, hoping he would return to us.

My lungs are about to burst and my heart is slamming against my ribs painfully. Just as only a few strands are left, I succumb to the darkness beneath us screaming as I cannot hold on any longer.