The Alpha's Cursed Rejection

A Delay…

I drive out of the pack gates and start to turn right to head home when I see a car to my left that crosses the lanes and crashes into a tree. It’s about two blocks from me and I turn the car to see if they might need help. I pull off to the side turning the hazard lights on and climb out looking around. I see no one. When I approached the car, I saw a man slumped down in the passenger seat. I call out to him but get no answer. He’s a wolf, and I can smell him. I check his neck, but there’s no pulse. His skin is cold too which means he’s been dead. I look and see a pair of frightened eyes in a young face in the driver’s seat. It’s a boy, ten years old at best.

“Hey, are you ok?” My voice jolts him into action and he leaps from the car running into the woods.

“Hey, wait. Where are you going?” I stop as I smell it.

Rogues. Three of them.

Persephone perks up, 'go Layla, run.'

I take off following the boy. I need to help him. He didn’t smell like a rogue.

I race into the trees, and I hear him ahead. I overtake him after about ten minutes and lean down. “Climb on my back. I’ll help you.”

He does it quickly and I take off again looking for somewhere to hide. Suddenly one jumps in front of us and I set him down behind me.

He’s shifted and is a dark brown snarling wolf. I hear the other two coming in from my left side and I turn us so I have him shielded.

'Perse, you ready to fight, girl?'

'Let me out, Layla. I will tear them apart! Chasing a pup!'

“Stay behind me.” I say quickly and shift shredding my clothes.

Persephone is large. She’s dark gray and you can feel her Alpha aura radiating from her. The rogues are not intimidated though. The first one launches at me and I crouch waiting. Persephone takes him down easily ripping his throat out.

The second one charges forward but he’s smarter. After a few tussles he leaps at me and I see the third one sneaking in for the boy. I dodge him and rush to snarl at the third one . I circle the boy snarling when they both leap at me. I can smell other wolves approaching and they don’t smell like rogues. Hopefully they are from Owen’s pack.

I latch onto one’s throat and bite down crushing it before I fling it away. The third one has my hind leg and Persephone whimpers as he bites down hard. A thunderous growl sounds and I turn to see him release my leg right as he is bowled over by an enormous black wolf. Before the rogue can get up he crunches down breaking its neck. I catch his scent as he rises and I internally scream as Persephone’s subdued voice confirms it in my mind.

'Mate!'

'f*****g fantastic! Not now!' I snarl.

I look away checking on the small boy. Persephone walks over to him and we sniff him for injuries. He giggles when she nuzzles his neck and so she does it again. I hear the sound of bones shifting and realize the other wolves have changed back.

I wait until I hear. “if you’ll take this we will turn so you can shift.”

I look up at a guy with brown hair and green eyes. He has the aura of a Beta and is holding out a black shirt. Not my mate.

I take it in my mouth gently and he nods. They all turn and I shift back quickly pulling the shirt on. It smells like him and I fight the urge to bury my face in it. It hangs almost to my knees effectively covering me.

“You can turn now.” I say quietly.

I look at the boy again, “are you hurt?”

He shakes his head and runs over to hug my leg. I crouch down and gather him into a hug. Before I can ask anything else the guy who handed me the shirt says

“Scott, what happened? Where are your parents?”

“You know them?” I whisper to him.

He nods, “they are from my pack.”

“Let’s talk about this back at the packhouse. Put her and Scott in my car.” His voice is a rich deep baritone. And I close my eyes hearing it. It pours over me like velvet. A damned Alpha mate…

'I wonder if he can sing.'

I shake my head internally. What the hell am I doing having those kind of thoughts?!

'Honey I’d listen to any tune that comes out of his mouth. Maybe Layla...' Perse purrs.

'Haha very cute. As if he’s even going to learn my name yet.' I tell her very seriously.

She snickers but then gets somber. 'Maybe he will be able…'

I cut her off, 'you know better Perse, don’t even get your hopes up.'

The green eyed guy comes and says, “follow me. I’m Beta Ryan.”

I start walking holding Scott’s hand, “listen Beta Ryan you should know that half a mile back in the road is the car I saw Scott drive into a tree. Someone was in the passenger seat and they are oxygen challenged if you catch my drift. My car and phone are parked nearby with the hazard lights flashing. You may want to…”

His eyes flash at me. “I’ll get someone to take care of that immediately. I will have them grab your phone too. What is your name?”

“Call me Laura.” I can answer to it.

He gives me a funny look. He leads me to an Audi RS 5 and I almost whistle at the sleek car. I stop for a minute to admire it before following Scott into the back seat. He would have to be an Alpha with great taste in cars so far.

Ryan climbs in the passenger seat and Scott crawls in my lap. I lean my head back and close my eyes pretending to sleep.

I smell him as he climbs in and Persephone whimpers. I keep my heart rate low and hear him ask Ryan very quietly if he got my name.

“Laura.” Ryan whispers.

“That’s it?”

“All she said.”

“Hmm.”

When the car stops I hear Ryan exit before that smooth voice says, “you can get out with Scott now.”

Damn! He knew I was awake the whole time.

I follow them inside. Scott clings to my arm. They lead us to an office and the two of them sit on a couch. I walk to a chair across from the Beta and sit with Scott crawling into my lap.