Rejected? Deuces! A Gay Werewolf Novella
Chapter Seventeen (Homecoming, pt. 1)

“Welcome home, Carson!”

That’s the first thing that came from the mouth of my first and only friend Ciara- er, I mean Alpha Ciara Harvick as I crossed the threshold of the spacious main pack manor where almost all of the places I was never allowed to go outside of the basement that became my prison. “It feels like I’ve woken up from a dream- one dream that felt too real,” I commented, taking a look around at all of the home decorations and everyone that was rushing around to prepare for the celebrations in my honor. “I never thought that I’d-”

“I know,” Ciara replied, giving me a clap on the back. “Mom and Dad also knew that you never got a chance to go outside of the prison that was called the basement- your room.”

“Even the pups got lots of room to run and roam around and I was lucky to be given a slice of bread and a cup of water once per week, not to mention the twice-weekly showers.” I sat down the two bags of clothing that my two fathers (AKA my brothers and the Kings of the Werewolves) bought for me three days before my release from the hospital. “Now, I’m here. I’m here and I’m now-”

I couldn’t say any more to the sobs that were lodging in my throat. I just collapsed and let the tears flow freely with Alpha Ciara coming to me and kneeling next to me, the both of us crying for myself and all that I had gone through- my lifetime being trapped in the basement, being beaten up by Keith and the other asshole Betas and warriors, being rejected by Regan, performing the Soul Conversion and being human for two years, being a good friend and boyfriend/stepfather to Gia and her daughters, the car crash...

I had gone through so much hell and now, things were starting to fall into place.

“I-I’m sorry,” I said, hiccupping a little bit. “I know that today’s supposed to be a happy day, but I can’t help it. I’ve been missing out on everything and I’ve been in the coma for so long that-”

“Shh, shh,” Alpha Ciara said soothingly. “It’s okay, Carson. You weren’t given a fair chance and you had been broken many times. But you’re still standing strong. You’re now the son of the Royals. And you’re a Moon Wolf. I’d kill to be in your shoes by now- well not really, with the rejection and all of that. Still, you got EIGHT second-chance mates who share the same spirits as you do- not to mention you being a phoenix AND a Moon Wolf. All I can say is that you may have missed out on my late brother- may he rot in hell. But you got a hell of a jackpot that will do you right.”

I smiled through the tears, chuckling and sobbing as I hugged her while Fianna and her mom, Bianca, and Alpha Ciara’s parents joined us. “Thank you so much for being my friend, girl,” I said, wiping away a few tears with a tissue that Madam Marianne handed me. “You were one of the few people here that kept me sane through all of this. Even with my vow to not commit suicide, I knew that I was going through a lot of hell before all of this.”

“Son, Regan was never the one to show love to anyone who was deemed weak. Hell, he was dead set on killing everybody that was either an Omega, part of the LGBT community, or both. And when he found out that you were his mate, he swore up and down that he wanted all the weak links out of his life. But he’s getting his just desserts and you’re a young Royal who’s stronger than you realize. You’re a warrior within an Omega,” Harvey said, helping me to stand.

“And let’s just say that while you were recuperating in the hospital, everyone’s been making sure that you’ll be given one celebration to end all celebrations,” Fianna said. “All the Hunters who are pledging their allegiance to protect you are making sure that you have one weeklong party before you begin your royal duties and spend some time with your mates. I can speak for my late sister Gia and her twin daughters- the people whom you showed love to when her husband died- that you’ll be loved and that they are grateful for all the time and efforts that you made them happy.”

“In a way, we should be thanking you because you’re the human form of perseverance through the hardest of storms,” Bianca joined in. “When you woke up and triggered the resurrections of my sisters and those dead or in a coma, I knew that it was your volition to come back and embrace your true destiny. You showed everyone that despite the odds, you are brave.”

I nodded. “I never even knew,” I said softly. “I feel like such a fool for being so modest.”

“But that’s what makes you your person,” Marianne replied. “You have the spirit of a rule that shows justice yet is merciful to the repenting. It just proves that you’re going to be the ultimate ruler for when the time comes.”

I felt myself glow with happiness. “Thank you,” I breathed. “Thank y’all so much for helping me through this and standing by my side while I was in a coma.”

“Anytime, but you might want to go ahead and freshen up before the party,” Delia said as she took my hand while Ciara grabbed my bags. “Your mates will be arriving soon and we need you to look your best.”

“I’ll help out with picking out with what to wear,” Fianna cheered.

“I’ll fix up his bath.”

And on and on, I knew that I was in for a full mini-makeover because I was going to be meeting my second-chance mates outside of the hospital and Goddess knows what was going to happen. But I was also feeling excited. Because for the first time in my life, I wasn’t going to be afraid.

Because my sunshine has finally come and I was going to be dancing under the sunbeams with pride.