Once Rejected, Twice Desired (Book 1 of Blue Moon Series)
Once Rejected, Twice Desired Chapter 66

Alexi

POV

We had been going for weeks trying to replace out all we could about Vincent and his family's claim to Alaia, but we continuously came up empty. It was like he was a ghost or a phantom. The only people who had ever heard of him only heard rumors or far-fetched stories that never panned out. We were three weeks from Alaia's due date and were becoming more and more worried. There were no more rogue sightings on our territory, but they were still out there. When the time came for Vincent to make his move, he would do it through the rogues, of this much we were sure.

It was around 3:00 AM, and we were five hours into a strategy meeting. Everyone was exhausted, and the ideas we were coming up with were increasingly worse than the ones before it. Kade was standing and looking at the territory map, trying to explain some trap door idea he had. It sounded insane.

Out of nowhere, it hit me. Alaia! I shot up from my chair, which caused the room to turn in my direction. "Sorry, Kade I didn't meet to interrupt whatever that was you had going up there." "You did me a favor, don't even worry about it," he said before he gladly took his seat.

"We have been going about all of this totally wrong. That fucker wants Alaia because of her powers, and we've been sheltering her instead of utilizing her."

"Alexi, I don't think I like where you are going with this," Xander warned.

"Wait, just listen. You kept the rogues alive so that they could lead us back to Vincent, but they are still bat-shit crazy down in the cells. They haven't given us anything," I continued. "What's your point, Lex?"

"Sedate one, heavily. Then have Alaia come in and try to read his memories. We all know that her powers of communication are incredible. I believe she may be the key to us cracking this." Xander stood from his seat, clearly frustrated.

"So, you expect me to send my heavily pregnant fiancé down to the cells to 'communicate' with a rabid rogue," he asked.

"No. I expect us to ask our heavily pregnant fiancé if she is willing to help by doing this. We've gotten nowhere Xander, and time is running out. She's our best option, and you know I wouldn't suggest it if there was any other way." Looking at the other faces in the room, I could tell they agreed with me, but no one was willing to tell their Alpha to send his mate into the lion's den.

No one but me.

"I don't like this idea. Come up with something else," Xander said before dismissing me and turning back to Kade.

"Kade, you're back up. Show us whatever that was you were doing up here again."

"Xander," I called to him.

"What, Alexi?"

"You're going to risk us doing whatever that was Kade was mumbling about, no offense, man," I said, turning to him, "over just asking her what she thinks? You've got to trust her and the rest of us more than that."

Xander was getting angry now, but I didn't care. She was my mate as well, and I wasn't going to let anything happen to her just because we were too scared to try all we could.

"She's my mate, too. I love her just as much as you do. I'd never put her in harm's way if I could help it. But we can help this."

"We're not doing it, end of discussion."

I sat down and just stared at him. Xander was being ridiculous, and he knew it.

"Why would you offer me the position of Head Strategic Adviser if you won't take my advice, the only good advice we've had in days?"

"Alexi, you're getting dangerously close to crossing a line. Tread carefully here."

"I want to try Xander." We turned to see Alaia standing at the door. She was obviously tired and uncomfortable, but there was strength there. She looked over the room before she softly asked, "Would you gentlemen please excuse us for a moment? I promise I won't hold up your meeting for too long. Actually, no. All of you go to bed. It's too late for anyone to be up trying to strategize, your brains need to rest and recharge. Go to sleep; now."

Kade, Matt, Henry, and Brandon all happily stood and shuffled out of the room. "Good night, Luna," they said as they passed by.

Once they were gone, she closed the door and walked over and curled up on the couch.

"Angel, why are you awake? You should be in bed, not roaming the halls this late at night."

"I'm awake because I had to pee. When I woke up, I saw that neither of my fiancés was in bed with me. So, I came to replace you. Imagine my surprise when I see that you're still in this meeting, and one of you is refusing to let me try and help my family." She then looked over at Xander. "You guys can't keep doing this night after night. It's only going to wear you down and weaken us. Xander, Alexi is right, and you know it."

Xander opened his mouth to protest, but she stopped him before he could.

"Clearly, I need to step in to help save my own a*s. I know you guys have done all you could, but Vincent covered his tracks, and well. You can only do so much, and I know that I can replace him."

"Alaia, you're in no state to do this. The pups are taking so much out of you these days. Even walking around is getting tougher for you. Now you want to interrogate rogues?" Xander said, trying to reason with her.

"I'm not too pregnant to sit and touch, not interrogate a rogue, Xander. Later on this morning, you two will sedate him, chain him down, and stay in the room just in case. You'll keep me safe, and I'll take it from there. End of discussion. I'm doing it." She then pushed herself up and started toward the door. "Oh, and I expect both of you in bed in the next ten minutes. It's already hard enough getting and staying comfortable; I don't want to be alone as well."

When she was gone, I looked over to see a defeated-looking Xander staring behind her.

"Maybe next time you'll just listen to me, then you won't have to be scolded by the principal."

"f**k off, Alexi. I don't have time for your shit." He grumbled a few more niceties to me before he slammed his laptop shut and walked out the room with me close behind. "Oh, and you haven't even accepted the position of head adviser. Until you do, don't pull something like that again," he warned.

I didn't see the need to antagonize him any further, I had already gotten what I set out for. "I apologize if I crossed the line. And I'll have an answer for you soon."

We finally made it to bed and were both asleep within minutes.

***

Alaia POV

I continued having these visions, but I didn't know how to stop them. Each one felt more real than the last, almost as if I was physically there witnessing everything first hand. But I also felt closer to figuring it all out. I knew I could crack this if I tried-just a little bit longer.

I was downstairs with the guys playing with the food on my plate. My appetite had slowed down considerably, and I think I was because I had nowhere to put the food. These little boys had taken up every bit of space they could, and my poor stomach and bladder felt like they had been squeezed down to a fraction of their former size in accommodation.

Finally, I push my plate away and look over to Xander. "I'm ready when you are."

"I'll never be ready for this, Alaia."

Ugh! He'd really put me in a bubble if he could. "Xander, listen to me. I trust you and Alexi to keep me safe. So, come on, let's get this over with so we can finally replace Vincent."

He took my hand and kissed my knuckles before helping me to my feet.

We got down to the cells, and I saw that Kade and Alexi were already there. They had the rogue strapped down to a large table with his arms, legs, and neck tightly chained down. They also placed a cloth sack over his head. I guess to shield me, but from what I wasn't sure.

Alexi placed a chair right up by the rogue's head and helped me sit. In the corner of the room, Kade shifted into his wolf and waited. Xander stood right next to me, but never took his eyes off the figure lying before him. If this guy had even involuntarily twitched, it would have probably been game over for him.

"Okay, you three, just relax," I told them. I took a deep breath and placed my hands on either side of the rogue's head. I felt a sharp jolt run up my fingers, but it wasn't painful. It felt like I was establishing the connection, so I continued. At first, everything was a blur, but eventually, it all became clear. I quickly flipped through the last few weeks since he had been found. When I finally got to memories showing him running free, I slowed down.

He lived alone in the woods, far from most packs, and never caused any trouble. And he definitely wasn't rabid. Scenes flashed by. Him hunting, hiding from patrols, a flash of a figure in black.

Wait. That's it. The rogue was at a small creek cleaning his recent kill when a hooded figure approached him from behind. I could only see a portion of his face, but I was sure it was Vincent. Before the rogue could react, Vincent was on his back and had sunk his teeth into his neck. When he was unconscious, I watched as Vincent dropped a vial next to the rogue that exploded into a cloud of red smoke. The rogue was then up on his feet and following wordlessly behind Vincent. No words were spoken, but I made sure to remember the creek. Maybe this would help.

When I broke the connection, I looked to Alexi and Xander and told them what I had seen.

"I want to see the other two. I think if I can replace out where Vincent found them all, we can narrow down where he is hiding out."

This time Xander didn't argue. He ordered the other rogues sedated and restrained before I went to their cells and repeated the same thing all over again.

Rogue two was attacked outside of an abandoned sawmill. Rogue three was passing through an overgrown cornfield with a long stone wall lining the west end. Just like the first, no words were spoken, and after the vial of red smoke was dropped, the rogue stood to his feet and followed Vincent.

When I was done, we went to Xander's office and pulled up a map, trying to replace the places I had seen. Lucky for us, they were not too hard to locate and formed a triangle pattern when laid out geographically. We now had a search area for Vincent.

It was then that I realized how exhausted I was after reading three scattered and rabid minds. I curled up on the couch and was closing my eyes when Matt rushed into the office.

"They have healed, guys. Whatever Vincent did to them, Alaia undid. We can question them now."

I was amazed, to say the least. I didn't think my powers had grown that much, but I was also relieved. I snuggled down and shut my eyes. I had done my part; now, the guys would take over.

***

Xander POV

I had to admit that I was surprised at how well Alaia did. The rogues never once moved while she was in the room with them; it was a smooth and seamless operation. One that we could have done weeks ago had I not been so stubborn. I had thought of utilizing her powers, but my fear of her or the pups getting hurt overshadowed all rational thoughts. Hopefully, we weren't too late to make good use of this break.

I stood outside the cells and watched as the rogues sat calmly and spoke to Kade, Henry, and Matt. There was no foaming at the mouth, no snapping of jaws. They were just as calm as the rest of us.

Alexi came to stand beside me and looked on at the interrogations in silence. He hadn't hit me with an I told you so, but if he did, I wouldn't fault him for it. "Lex, I want to apologize for how I reacted earlier when you brought up this idea. I know you love her as much as I do. I've just got to learn to see how strong she really is like you clearly already do."

"Don't worry about it, man. You see it now. That's what matters."

Just then, Kade walked out of the cell and stood before us. "He told us everything, Xander. Once Vincent put them under the spell, they were like zombies, but they still saw and heard everything that was going on. This is it. It's the break we were waiting for."