Once Rejected, Thrice Accepted
Chapter 23

The guys and the king met for training the next morning so I decided to join them. I felt stronger than I ever had, and my weight was at a regular level now. I promised I would only do beginner level stuff, so they bribed Ally into helping me instead of trusting one of the warriors. Rude. The head guard, Erin, joined us after warmups. "Why does the Luna do beginner workouts?" He asked with curiosity not malice which surprised me.

"I wasn't allowed to train at my old pack. I barely had time for school before doing the shit jobs for my mother and the Luna. Even with that done my mother has anger issues and I was her punching bag." I answered honestly without giving too i.. many details away. "I am so sorry. A daughter is a blessing and should be treated as such." He scratched the back of his neck while avoiding eye contact like he was embarrassed. "My own the sisters knew how to handle me better than my mom and I was a hellion." "Yeah. He was." Charles teased as he and the guys walked over to are training spot under all the trees. "He got me in so much t trouble growing up. I can still feel the trying when the stick would hit my a*s while father was so spanking me.

"Oh no. You got in your own trouble. I was making sure you didn't fall down a well or die from getting your a*s beat." A few of the older members of the guard laughed along with Erin and Charles.

"Whatever you say Grandpa." Charles turned to me. "Would you like to join us in a lighter fighting session? We will take it easy on you, I promise."

Before I could answer Ally told them yes and waddled off for some cookies and a nap. Lucky. She had an excuse not to embarrass herself. And she was getting cookies.

"I guess I am joining. Pair me with someone who wont mind watching a train wreck." I shrugged my shoulders and waited for follow them down to the gym.

"I think you will do better than you think." Charles put his arm around me ignoring my mates growls of warnings. "Your men are a tad bit overprotective but Ill let it slide for now. I know that even without them you have withstood so much. Use that anger and fear against your opponent. We will teach you a few moves and you make them your own when you kick one of my guys butts."

"Ill take her on." Erin smirked at me. "I promise to go easy while helping her show her full potential."

Charles looked at him probably debating if he could trust him or not. "If she gets hurt all her mates get a chance to kick your ass together."

"I will go easy. How about it Gemma? Too scared to take on the head guard?" He was taunting me which fueled my anger.

"Let's go wrinkly ball sack. Keeping adding to my rage and ill turn you bloody." I growled at him.

I stalked off no longer waiting on the men to wonder down with me. My mates and brother left with me but stayed silent. I couldn't tell if they were scared for me or of me with how I reacted.

The inside of the gym was empty with mats laid down all across the floors. I didn't know where I should go or do so I let Leo take charge by having me go to one of the edge spots and take off my shoes while he grabbed the stuff to tape my hands. He mentioned something about keeping my delicate fingers wound free but I made no promises.

Erin joined just a few minutes later with a smug look on his face. "Ill show you a few moves before I let you try them out on me. I want you to have some sort of leverage before winning."

I just shook my head and ignored his words. I knew I would learn these moves and I would use the anger I had felt my entire life. I would land at least one punch to his smirking face. I didn't focus on the rest. I couldn't. I would no longer feel like a failure or waste of space. I would earn my spot here with my blood, sweat, tears, and whatever else was needed.

He taught me a few different punches, kicks, and take downs that looked simple enough. Leo and Lucas let me try them out a few times even pretending to be injured with my weak punches hit. I knew I wasn't as weak as I was letting on but with Erin being a bigger man and tougher warrior, I needed him to feel smug and conceded before delivering my true strength. Surprise was a weapon he wasn't counting on.

"Ready, Luna?" Erin kept his eyes on me as I threw my water bottle down.

"Sure."

"Now I want a clean and easy fight. No shifting. No drawing blood or breaking bones." Charles kept his eyes on his guard.

We both just nodded and faced each other. I knew there was going to be some pain when he didn't end up fighting me which crazy enough wasn't even on my concern list. After all the beatings I dealt with this was going to be a piece of cake. Unless he had some silver knuckles or a whip then all systems would go into shut down mode.

"Ill let you make the first move." He stopped moving. "Ill even stand still for ya."

'Snap.' Moonlight whispered. Our restraint broke.

I walked up to him slowly smiling softly. "Thank you..." Not giving him a chance to reply I snapped my fist into his face hard enough he took a few steps back surprised. "For letting me break your smug looking face first."

I heard my mates snickering and the King laughing loud enough he muffled the gasps and heck ya's from the others waiting their turn to practice. I was just doing my best not to show the pain from punching his brick face. "Shit." He wiped the blood off his face with his shirt before pulling it off. "Girl has an awesome right hook."

He turned toward the King to say something but I was too busy zeroing in on his birthmark. His paw shaped birthmark on his ribs. The same as mine.

"Dun..Duncan..." I stepped back until I ran into someone who stopped me from falling on my a*s.

"What's wrong?" Leo sounded alert as his arms wrapped around me. "Tell me so I can fix it."

Duncan and Leo ran over searching me for injuries. "He didn't have enough time to hit me." I snarked before tears fell on my

cheeks. "Look at his ribs. The mark." I whispered hysterically.

All three looked over at Erin making it obvious they were staring. Charles tilted his head probably trying to figure out what the heck we were looking at.

Erin turned and caught us a second later. "You like my body there boys? I doubt your little luna would be so up for sharing."

"Gross, old man." Lucas growled. "We just wanted to make sure you were ok."

"Don't lie. You were staring at him but only at his side." One of the guards added his two cents in. Dang it.

'I think if we want this relationship with the King to stay good we should be honest. We know the mark is on a good man.' I linked the guys.

They had a silent conversation that was taking way too long. I was starting to feel a bit antsy and just needed this over with. I learned that with telling the truth my mom didn't add on any fun time that night.

"Whats up guys?" Charles had straightened up and looked a bit rigid. "Thought we were all cool and friendly."

Yup, time to take over. "Umm, they..I mean I saw your birthmark Erin." I gulped. "See I was always covered with bruises and scratches since I got new ones daily and my wolf couldn't heal me as fast as the others as a precaution so they wouldn't try taking things to a new level. Well now being here, which has been great by the way, umm my bruises are healing. Heck, my ribs haven't hurt for a few days now and I don't remember that even being a thing so..umm..."

"Your rambling, baby girl." Duncan pulled me back against me.

"Oh umm I do that when I am nervous and feel super guilty." Duncan squeezed my shoulders once helping me back on track. "Yes, let me just show you."

I stepped forward away from Duncan and ripped my shirt off. Everyone went silent.

"Relax its not a peep show, perverts. I have a sports bra on." I stated before turning to the side and lifting my arm. "I thought this was a funny colored bruise but I have no more bruises left."

Erin and Charles walked closer looking at my side closer. "It can't be." Charles gasped looked back at me. He seemed to be taking in every detail of my face. "Could she?"

"No other family has this mark. We were given it thousands of years ago from the moon goddess." Erin replied. "It must be a fake." He growled stepping back and glaring at me.

I rolled my eyes and licked my hand slapping it down on my ribs wiping hard at the mark. "Still there." I lifted my hand and showed them. "So since only your family has it how the hell did the royal guard lose their 3 year old child?"