Once Rejected, Twice Desired (Book 1 of Blue Moon Series)
Once Rejected, Twice Desired Chapter 10

Alaia

POV

It had been roughly three hours that I'd sat with the Alphas and Betas, discussing pack borders, treaties, and revenue streams. I thought I would have been bored out of my mind, but to my surprise, it was the total opposite. Xander had a brilliant mind, offering fresh and cutting-edge suggestions to everything from rogue problems to agriculture. I could see the respect for him growing more and more in my dad, and even Aaron. Alexi, on the other hand, not so much. I could feel his heated stare boring holes into me the entire time I was in the room.

Xander still hadn't let me up from his lap, so whenever he spoke, Alexi had to watch me, his ex-mate, sitting comfortably in the embrace of another. Did I feel bad? Honestly, yes, I did. At one time in my life, I thought Alexi was to be my entire world. But that all changed the moment he rejected me.

I was pulled from my thoughts by a voice in my head.

You good, sis?

I looked over at Aaron and offered him a small smile and nod

I'm confused as hell, but yes, I'm good. I don't know why, but being close to Xander like this just feels right. Maybe it was all part of the Moon Goddess's plan.

I'll kill Alexi for this, I swear. If I had known...

There was nothing for you to know, Aaron. Just talk to Alexi. You've been best friends since we were pups. You don't want to throw that all away. I'm moving on; maybe you can help him do the same. What do you mean?

Well, he's been staring daggers at Xander and me this entire meeting. It's almost as if he believes that I've somehow wronged him in some way. I didn't ask to be rejected, and I didn't ask to get a second-chance mate. And I'm pretty sure if I wasn't sitting here calming him down, Xander would have ripped out Alexi's throat hours ago. So, just help him to move on. Please?

I heard Aaron sigh out loud before he responded. Fine, but he better have a damn good reason for doing what he did. I can't make any promises for Jordyn, though.

The mindlink was cut, and I audibly gulped. I started to furiously chew on my lip as I thought, Ohh, how would I save Alexi from Jordyn?

***

Xander POV

As Alpha Jonathan wound down for lunch, I looked down and noticed Alaia deep in thought. She was chewing on that juicy bottom lip of hers, and it pulled a deep rumble from my chest. She looked up at me, so innocent and pure, and I fell even deeper for her. I brought my hand up to cup her cheek, then leaned down and asked, "What's going on in that beautiful head of yours, my little one?"

She smiled at me, and I almost forgot what I was saying. "It's nothing, Alpha Xander. I was-"

"It's just Xander, little one. You are my mate, my queen, and my Luna. You are my equal, so there is no need for titles and formalities."

Hearing my words caused a deep blush to cover her cheeks. Goddess, she was adorable. "It's nothing, Xander. I'm just thinking of how I can keep the peace with all that has happened today."

"Say it again," I said.

A look of confusion crossed her face before she asked, "Say what?"

"My name. Say it again," I growled in her ear while running my fingertips lightly up and down her exposed thigh.

I felt her shiver against me, and I couldn't help the immense pleasure that washed over me at the way her body responded to my touch. "Xander." She whispered it so softly that I almost missed it. But I didn't.

My eyes became dark with lust, and I wanted nothing more than to claim her lips as my own.

Before I could act on my desires, I heard someone clear their throat across the room. I shook my head clear of the lustful fog and looked up to see Alpha Jonathan looking at the both of us with a small smile on his face. "We've reached a good stopping point, so we'll adjourn for lunch in the dining hall. Xander and Alaia? Would you two please stay behind for a bit? Lucas, Aaron, and Alexi, you as well, please."

Even though it was framed as a request, I knew it wasn't. As an alpha myself, I couldn't be commanded, but the respect I had for Alpha Jonathan as a leader and my mate's father pushed me to nod my head in agreement.

The other Alphas and Betas stood and made their way to the dining hall.

I looked over at my beta, Kade. and gave him a nod. He'd been my right hand for as long as I could remember, so he knew I was excusing him from the room as well.

"I'll just go and grab a quick bite. Link me if you need anything," Kade said while standing.

"Alpha, Luna," he said to us before walking away.

Once the door clicked shut, a heavy silence fell on the room before Alpha Jonathan again cleared his throat. "To say this has been interesting would be the understatement of the century. So, if I've got this all straight, Alaia and Alexi found out they were mates less than twenty-four hours ago. But, because Alexi decided to reject Alaia, she is now mates with Alpha Xander. Before we get into details, I just have to ask. Alaia, baby girl, how are you holding up with all... this?" He waved his hands between Alexi and me. I felt her tense before she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Honestly, Dad, I'm so confused. I always thought I didn't want a mate, but when I locked eyes with Alexi last night, that thought completely vanished. I had never been happier. But then he ripped that happiness away from me." She took a moment to steady herself before continuing. "If Aaron hadn't come and found me, I would have just been a crumpled mess lying on the floor the entire night. I cried myself to sleep last night..." Hearing the way her voice broke filled me with rage. I glared at Alexi, and he at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"But this morning all that pain I had felt seemed to have disappeared. I couldn't explain it, but my wolf, Amethyst, was overjoyed. She said that our mate came to us last night. He wanted us and accepted us."

Alexi looked up at this with a comical look of confusion. "I didn't come to your room last night, Alaia. I was in my room the whole night."

"It was me," I said, causing the whole room to look over in my direction.

Alaia lifted her head and studied my face. "What?"

"It was me," I repeated. I look deep into her eyes before I continued. "I was at the party, and my wolf started going insane in my head. He told me our mate was here, but after searching for more than three years for you, I was skeptical. When I walked past the dance floor, we picked up the faintest hint of caramel in the air, and I knew. I knew that we had finally found you."

"Bullshit!" Alexi shouted, snapping all our eyes to him. "Alaia doesn't smell like caramel; she smells like warm honey. And she was my mate last night, so how could your wolf had sensed her?"

I balled my hands into fists before I felt Alaia take them into her tiny hands and rub her thumbs over my knuckles.

With my mind clearer, I continued. "My mate smells like caramel," I said, accentuating the first two words. "And by the time we found her, I guess she was no longer yours, was she?" Looking back down at Alaia, I continued. "I followed your scent through the packhouse, and it led me to your room. I just stood at the door for goddess knows how long before I got the nerve to knock. But you didn't answer. Having you so close and so far away was driving me and him crazy, so I slowly opened the door and looked inside. Your scent filled my senses, and before I knew it, I was standing beside the bed, looking down at the most incredible creature I had ever seen. I could see that you had been crying, your tiny, exhausted body was still hiccupping while trying to sleep. The fact that I didn't know who or what had caused you this pain broke me. So, I climbed into bed and pulled you to my chest. When I felt you snuggle further into my body, I was the happiest man alive. You started to relax, and soon you were sleeping peacefully in my arms." "Wow," she said, looking up at me. What I saw in her eyes, I could only describe as gratefulness. "You put me back together, and I didn't even know who you were," she breathed.

Her statement caused me to laugh slightly. "Exactly why I left before you woke up. I figured you wouldn't appreciate waking up in the arms of a strange man, no matter how dangerously good looking he was."

Alaia blushed at my comment before turning her attention back to her dad. "Well, there you have it, Dad. It looks like a bunch of my questions have been answered thanks to Xander."

Alpha Jonathan nodded at her then turned to Alexi. "Alexi, do you have anything to add here? Maybe you'd like to share with us why you thought it a good idea to reject Alaia in the first place?" Now, this I was excited to hear.