Once Rejected, Twice Denied.

Chapter Sixteen

TESSA POV:

"Abso-f*****g-lutely NOT! "

"Ah, Damon! Come on!"

Ray gives her brother puppy eyes and he curses under his breath before looking at me up and down. I don't miss the small glint of admiration in his eyes, especially as he looks over how form fitting my black, long-sleeve, maxi dress is siting. Yeah, I know it's not a loose dress, but who cares? It's literally the most casual dress in my cupboard and I have paired it with black winter stockings and a black pair of ankle boots. Sure, the slit of the dress is thigh high, but I have stockings on! Chill.

"Do you want Brett to kill me, Ray? You saw how he reacted yesterday when I just said her name. Now you want me to not only escort her to the welcomers lunch but also take her in THAT?"

I look down at my clothes now. It's just a simple dress, so why is he making such a big deal?

"Oh, stop being so dramatic! That dress covers everything. I wouldn't embarrass our future Luna like that."

Ray grins from ear to ear and Damon huffs and makes a weird face to mock her. I don't really know where to look. Future Luna sounds a little strange on my ears, especially considering the future Alpha does not want me.

"Whatever. You know what I mean. The answer is still no."

Ray straightens herself up now and gives me a pleading look. What the hell could I say to make Damon change his mind? He is busy lint rolling his jeans now, not that he needs it. In this light he looks NOTHING like Brett, although he is still charming with his shorter cut, medium brown hair and his lighter, hazel eyes. He has more of a warm and welcoming air about him and doesn't constantly wear a frown. There is something about Brett's wavy, dark hair and his dark chocolate eyes that do something to me, though. I clear my throat now and Damon looks up at me.

"The truth is that your brother doesn't want me, Damon. Apparently, I can never be his ex-mate, Julia. I know you were all friends with her, so I am not here to insult."

I hold my hands up and Damon stands up now, his smile fading and his whole expression turns more serious than ever. I can see in his eyes and how he looks at Ray that he is shocked at what I just said.

"She knows about Julia?"

He asks Ray, who just nods. He then rests his gaze on me. Is that pity? I hate it, even though nobody ever showed pity on me in Full Moon.

"You shouldn't have to feel like you are competing with someone who isn't here anymore, Tessa. Goddess knows if I had you as a mate..."

Damon realizes what he has said and then looks away. I shrug this off. There isn't time for this.

"I am not competing. The truth is, your brother denying the bond hurts like hell and Goddess knows I don't deserve this after everything, but I am also tired of waiting around all the time for people to like me. It was like that in my old pack. I had no friends, no family, no people in my corner or even just anybody to go out with. This is the first time ever that I have been ALLOWED to do what I want and I have never felt more free. Brett aside, I really want friends and I really want to get out there and find my place in this pack and this world. I need to, Damon. I haven't even begun to discover who I am and who I might become in the world."

Damon is still staring at me and his mind is moving at a million miles an hour at how much I can see the wheels turning in his expression.

"Tessa, if Brett saw you with me..."

"Brett doesn't want me, Damon. I just need a friend. I just need someone to believe in me and to help me get out there and show myself. How am I going to reach my potential when everybody is too scared to let me go around and meet people outside of this pack house? I can't just sit here and play second fiddle anymore, Damon."

I can see this has shifted his opinion. With just a nod from Damon, I find myself smiling as Ray jumps up and down and claps her hands.

"Well, are you girls ready then?"

Damon leads us out the door and I feel my skin pricking up into goosebumps from the cold. Sure, the dress has long sleeves but it's freezing out.

"Should I fetch my coat?"

Ray looks down at me now with a mischievous smirk and then shakes her head and pulls me into the car.

"No time!"

And off we go.

"You didn't ever tell me what a welcome lunch ever is."

I say to nobody in particular. Damon answers from behind the steering wheel.

"It's an annual event where we welcome any new wolves into the pack. Basically anyone who turned sixteen between now and a year ago. We have a whole speech about their responsibility to the pack and then we let them celebrate their responsibility."

Wow. There wasn't anything like this in Full Moon. You kind of just have your birthday and if you shift, it's exciting and if you dont...Ray turns around from the front seat of the car to face me.

"I would say it's more of a piss up for teenagers, although you get an official opening into the pack mind link at this event. Pretty cool for the new members, but pretty shitty for the rest of us who now have an extra teenager to listen to."

"Yeah and it's also my own little event, so I really try make sure it goes well for them."

Nick defends the teens and I smile at him in the rear view mirror.

"Well, I think it's great. Full Moon doesn't have such a thing."

Nick smiles back at me in the rear-view. It's not a weird, flirty smile but more of a collective agreement.

"Man, I wonder whats going to..."

The car comes to a stop and, to my surprise, the doors open and Nick and Lili jump in.

'Hey guys!"

Lili smiles. Nick is also smiling, but he stops grinning when he sees me sitting in the back next to Lili to my right.

"What the..."

Lili elbows his side and he shuts his mouth, gives me a glare and then turns to look out the window. I don't miss the headshake though. Why does Nick hate me so much? I frown now and Lili gives me an apologetic smile. Ray notices the odd exchange and quickly shifts the mood in the back seat.

"So, you guys ready to ppaaaarrrttttyyyyyy?"

Lili sounds excited and I look out the window, noticing a whole bunch of people gathered around a bonfire in a clearing within the forest. They all look so young and vibrant. They are experiencing everything in their teenage years that I just never, ever did. Goddess, where have I been this whole time? Some of the sixteen year olds laugh and I see them looking super carefree as they sit around chatting. All it makes me feel is how I have lost two years of my life to absolute bitterness and negativity. I have lost two years, not because of anything I could control, but because I was never given the oppurtunity. Now here I am, eighteen and experiencing all this stuff for the first time. I look at Lili and how excited she looks. Nick looks pissed off. Ray a bit neutral and Nick serious. It makes me wonder...

"How old are you all?"

The car becomes silent and everyone looks around at each other.

"I was eighteen a few months back."

Lili beams.

"Twenty three."

Damon. Damn, how old is Brett then?

"Nineteen."

Ray.

"Too old for you to worry yourself."

Nick says before opening his door and climbing out. Seriously? He is also Brett's best friend. Damn...

The whole atmosphere is filled with a buzzing energy as I climb out the vehicle. The air is crackling with laughter and I can smell illegal booze and music in the air. Mixed into that is a whole lot of teenage angst, hormones and too-cool-for-school vibes. A few eyes check me out as I walk with Damon by my side to the edge of the bonfire. Everyone stills a little as they notice us taking our position. Damon gives me a reassuring smile and then looks into the crowd.

"GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE ANNUAL WELCOME LUNCH WHERE WE OFFICIALLY TAKE OUR PART IN THE MOON SHADOW PACK."

A cheer erupts. I look around at how adoringly everyone is staring at Damon. Some girls even seem to be swooning. A little breeze drifts through the air and I hold my arms together. Damon smiles, but then frowns as he looks down at me as I hold my arms together. Ray notices this and smirks. The heck?

"LET US BEGIN WITH SAYING THAT PACK LIFE GOES BEYOND THE HOME. AS A MEMBER OF THE PACK WE VOW TO RUN ALONG, SUPPORT, HONOR AND STICK TO AN ALLEGIANCE OF PEOPLE WITH WHOM WE SHARE OUR RESOURCES, LAND, HEARTS AND SOULS TO. IT IS A PROMISE WE MAKE TO THOSE AROUND US TO BE BETTER EVERY DAY SO THAT WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT IS BEST. WE TRANSCEND BEYOND THE FAMILY WE WERE BORN INTO AND WE BECOME PART OF A WHOLE."

His words echo over the dozen or so teenage ears and everyone nods and smiles. I can see in how they look around at one another that they are proud of being in this pack and they are also excited for what their future holds. Goddess knows I hated being sixteen. All it meant for me was heartache and insecurity. Another shiver runs up my spine as my eyes look over into the forest behind the crowd. It is so serene, but there is a cool wind that just won't let up.

"You cold?"

Damon leans closer and whispers in my ear. I look up at him. He is looking me up and down and zones in on my arms. He has clearly noticed my goosebumps.

"Here. Take my coat."

He pulls off his beige coat and wraps it around my shoulders. I smile at this. Nobody has ever really showed me they care, so this small act is really something. Ray smiles now too, but there is something weird in her smile and I almost stop smiling because of it. I decide, however, to shake it off as I step away from Damon and join a group of people who are chatting amongst themselves.

"Hey! Congrats on everything."

I offer my words of affirmation to those around me and they seem genuinely thrilled.

"Hey! You're hot!"

A drunk guy comes up to me and wraps his arm around my shoulder. The air in the space around me shifts, but I choose to suck it up and I smile at the guy.

"My name is Tessa."

"Such a pretty name! I am Tom."

We shake hands now.

"You must be pretty important to be with the top dogs tonight."

I give Tom a look of confusion and he laughs with a mouth full of braces.

"You are in Damon's coat. You his girlfriend?"

My cheeks are flush now. Is that really what they all think? A coolness washes over me and I feel tension swimming in the air.

"Damon is my friend."

Everyone stills now and my body senses him before my mind can even catch up. I turn around and see everyone looking at the pathway from the forest. Tall, dark and dominant is how he walks in, his hands in his ripped jean pockets and his hair messy enough to play with yet in place enough to say he made an effort. His eyes are dark and he isn't wearing much of a smile. He is looking right at me, his stare boring into me like a ton of ice entering into a lava pit. Goddess, he looks so hot in his gray shirt, but then I shift my gaze and try not to look desperate. He doesn't even like me. I look now at Tom and he smiles awkwardly at me.

"Hey, uhm..."

"Tessa."

I turn my gaze now, as Brett looks at me with a small smile.

"Brett."

I nod and smile back. He seems unsure, but then so do I. His eyes take in all of me and for the briefest moment I think to myself that perhaps he likes what he sees. His chocolate eyes become darker and darker and his jaw more stiff as he takes in my outfit, but then he notices the coat I am wearing. Oh shit...

A deathly growl erupts over the whole of the forest and I am left wishing I had never come.