Once Rejected, Twice Denied.

Chapter Ten

TESSA POV:

My eyes start to flutter open as I gain consciousness. It's really bright in the room around me and I can smell the distinct scent of sanitizer. I know this smell all too well from all the times I wound up injured in Full Moon. My eyes snap open now and I am right. I am in a hospital. As quickly as the smell of medicine fills me, so does that same scent from my dream and it begins to lull me into calmness. Musk and earth and nature and...

"You are awake."

His voice is deep and commanding and my eyes go to his form sitting in the corner of the room. I thought it was a wild and intoxicating dream, but now I know for certain it wasn't. I can feel myself screaming for him. My eyes want to flutter closed at the smell. The shadow of dark stubble on his chin, the way his masculine fingers fist at the wooden rests of the chair, the kink in his hair as the slow breeze from the window whistles through and even the sound of his breath in the room all draw me in. My soul cries for me to lunge forward, to claim what is mine and to be united as we are meant to be. I know this feeling all too well, yet this time it feels so much stronger than before. This time I am even more nervous than before. He is my second chance...

"What happened to you?"

His question comes out clinical and cold and the tone has me feeling on edge. Why is he sitting so far away from me? Why is he looking at me with a glazed over expression? His impossibly dark eyes scan over me, hovering on my ribs and then looking away. How do I tell him that I am a rejected omega with no wolf and that I cannot heal from the abuse I suffered very quickly? I will be so embarrassing to him. My mouth runs dry.

"ANSWER ME!"

He shouts now, making me wince from the level of authority and anger in his voice. He is an alpha wolf. Still, he keeps his cool and sits on the chair, just looking at me. Goddess, he is so good looking. I have never seen such a perfect looking man. He sighs at my silence.

"Fine. Let me guess then, hmm?"

He stands up now, looking absolutely bitter yet delightfully organic in how passionate he has become. Goddess, where has my voice gone? Why can I not just say something?

"You were banished from your pack, which means you must have done something really bad. You have bruises all over you, so I am wondering if you got into some sort of fight. f**k, maybe you are even a murderer?"

His words shock me and it feels like he has kicked my gut.

"Your wolf isn't healing you. I can feel her there, but she isn't responding, so I am guessing she has left your ass after you got banished."

Silence again. My eyes start to fill with tears. Brett slumps down again and then runs a hand through his hair, mumbling something over and over under his breath. I can hear he is frustrated and that I am an absolute disappointment, so why should I even bother to rectify things? He has decided not to like me from the start, so there is nothing I can do. I scoff now as I think to myself how I have the worst luck when it comes to everything in my life. The Moon Goddess has a sick sense of humor, giving me a second chance mate and letting it not work out again. I will go down as the only wolf to ever be rejected and then denied twice by a mate. The thought makes me laugh bitterly.

"Something funny?"

I laughed out loud. He must think I am a psycho. Once again, the cat has caught my tongue at the wrong time and now his eyes have darkened.

"Here's the thing, Tessa..."

Goddess, the way he said my name. Wait, he knows my name?

"I am the future Alpha of this pack and I have an enormous responsibility to uphold. Fuck..."

I wince at his tone because I know it all too well. Tears roll down my cheeks. He hasn't even given me a chance to speak. Is this how it will happen? Goddess, Tessa, you really are pathetic. Your second chance is going to reject you because you don't have the balls to say something.

"You are going to reject me?"

My quiet question seems to make him look pained. His jaw ticks and his eyes look away from mine. My heart is pounding in my chest as he takes a deep breath in and out. I am nobody. I deserve nobody. It would be better if...

"YOU ARE AWAKE!"

The girl from earlier, the same one who looks like the Luna walks in and smiles at me. Brett curses under his breath.

"Not now, Ray!"

"Not now, Ray!"

The girl mocks Brett by copying his words with a silly tone. This only makes him more agitated.

"I want to speak to Tessa."

"I was busy!"

"Oh please. Scaring her to death and making her cry does not count as speaking, Brett. Besides, I heard her say the R word. You cannot seriously be thinking of that?"

Ray, speaks in hushed tones but I hear every word they are saying. I look down at her question and Brett's lack of reply is all the answer I need to know that he really IS wanting to reject me. My heart sinks and I feel my whole soul starting to pack up. Brett doesn't say anything at all, but instead huffs and walks out the room, not giving me another look before slamming the door behind him. My eyes water up again.

"Men. They can be so dramatic sometimes."

Ray rolls her eyes and then pulls the chair from the corner to be closer to the side of my bed.

"Hi, Tessa. My name is Ray and I am that big bafoon's little sister."

Ray beams at me and I have no idea how to act. Is this really the same icy-cold and strong female that came to collect us from the merchant earlier? Back then she looked like the queen of all things warrior and serious, but right now she looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Her hand is waiting for me to shake it in return, so I decide to do so eventually.

"Tessa."

That's all I say to the warm face beaming at me. Her smile should falter at how weak and ridiculous I sound, but it doesn't. Instead, she starts to offer me water and chips from her purse.

"Goddess, you have been through the most, haven't you?"

Silence.

"Our pack has a lot of wolves who were sold to us. We don't actually see it as anything other than buying your freedom."

"Ha! Even if you would like to believe that I am free in this pack, I will never walk around without knowing I am indebted to you. I was bought and even you know that no alpha doesn't expect some sort of payback at some point."

Ray winces a little at my reply and frowns.

"It's not like that here, Tessa..."

I scoff now and put some chips in my mouth.

"What, you don't believe me? Jeez! This pack has done nothing to make you feel otherwise, have they? You were unchained just ten minutes into your drop-off, given a place to stay, have met the alpha and you are having free and excellent health care. The doctors helped to fix up your busted ribs with no question. I still don't see any chains or torture devices around you."

She carries on and on. Goddess, I want to believe her. I so badly want to believe that this pack is good and kind, but I know better.

"Let me in, Tessa. You are mated to my brother and I could really use a sister here."

I look at her now. Her smile is gone and she looks a little more serious and desperate.

"Your brother doesn't want me, Ray. We aren't sisters and we never will be."

The words sting at each and every syllable, but it is the truth. Brett was silent when he shouldn't have been.

"Ugh, my brother will come around when he realizes you aren't dangerous. He just needs to work through his own emotions and past. We all have one, you know? Maybe you and him aren't as different as you think."

She gives me a weird look now and I don't know if I should feel offended or not at what she said.

"Who says I am not dangerous? Brett thinks I am a murderer."

Ray rolls her eyes.

"Oh, please! He is too caught up in his own scheming mind to think straight right now. I see through you, Tessa. I see the pain you have gone through. The doctor told me that a lot of your bruises are old. He also told me that your wolf isn't fully present yet."

I look away now as shame takes grip of me.

"Hey, Tessa. It's okay. How old are you?"

Of course she would ask. She probably thinks some kid is mated to her brother.

"I turned eighteen the day I was banished."

Silence. I can sense a little shock in the air. It is probably her realization that I am wolfless. I am nothing. I am the weakest link and her father's money just went to s**t saving me.

"Is that why you were banished? I am sorry, it's just..."

I look at her now with my eyes filled with tears.

"I never shifted when I was sixteen. I can feel my wolf there, but she hasn't come forward. I was banished because I am the weakest link in any pack. I have just become the weakest link in yours too."

"Tessa, that is not true! We can get to the bottom of it. There has to be a reason your wolf hasn't come forward. Why were you banished?"

I shake my head now as tears stream down my cheeks. Ray has put one hand on each shoulder.

"Tell me, Tessa, so that I can help you!"

I start sobbing.

"Let me help you, damn it!"

"BECAUSE I AM WEAK!"

It slips out like a scream and Ray looks at me with wide eyes.

"And the bruises?"

I look at her now with my tear-filled eyes and I feel sadness grip me.

"I was their punching bag."

Her eyes widen now as she takes in what I have said. I haven't even said the full truth, but I am not ready for that. These people aren't my friends. A growl ripples through now from the other side of the door. s**t. Did Brett hear this all? He burst through the door.

"WHICH PACK?"

He looks livid. His breath came out hot and angry.

"Brett, calm down, son!"

Alpha Henderson has now walked in with the Luna at his side. I continue to sob. It is all too much to deal with. Brett moves in front of Ray now and his hands are on either side of my cheeks. Tingles erupt everywhere, but I cannot enjoy them with how angry he looks. Besides, he knows now that I don't have a wolf. Why would any future Alpha want me?

"TELL ME WHICH PACK!"

His emotions are getting the better of him and his wolf is starting to come forward.

"Brett!"

The Luna now grabs him.

"IM GOING TO f*****g KILL EVERY SINGLE..."

"BRETT! YOU ARE SCARING HER!"

Brett looks down at me now. I have shifted into a fetal position on the bed and I am shaking. The only time I have ever seen a wolf so angry has been because I have done something wrong and each time has resulted in the same thing; Either a trip to the shed or some beatings. My natural instinct kicked in and that was to take cover. I must look pathetic, but what else do I know? I can see the shock in his eyes, the fear, the anger and the worry all merging into one, but it is the disappointment that has me the most wrapped in pain. I dissapoint him. I am a disappointment. His eyes turn from an impossible black back into menacing, chocolate ones as his brow creases. His fingers run through his curls in frustration. Only now, up close, can I see the bags under his eyes and the tired glaze on his expression and yet I still cannot pry my eyes away from him.

"Fine."

He holds his hands up and breaks eye contact with me.

"But mark my words. I will find out who did this to you and I WILL make sure they pay."

Everyone stares at him now as he begins to walk out the door. Is that all? Wait, does this mean he will still reject me? Goddess, he will hate me forever if he stays with me. Wolfless, weak, ugly...

"One more thing. See her to my room, Ray. Nick is waiting there to be on guard."

His body turns quickly to look at Ray before he exits. Ray stiffens at his words.

"But..."

"NO BUTS, RAY! JUST DO IT!"

His eyes scan me over one more time as the tension solidifies in the room. It doesn't stop until he leaves.

Finally, I take a breath.