Rejected
Chapter 7

The faint glow of the crescent moon is hidden behind a blanket of clouds, causing it to cast an eerie glow and making the sky look grey, even though it is nearly midnight. I allow her to lead the way, somewhat testing her ability to navigate her way home. We make it a few blocks when the clouds begin to clear just enough for the moonlight to shine down and I replace myself awestruck by the sight before me. Nadia stands perfectly still in the middle of the sidewalk and every inch of her exposed flesh is emitting a faint glow. She slowly turns to face me and it is her eyes that truly stand out. The deep blue orbs are glowing with an ethereal light that is both beautiful and haunting.

“How are you doing this?” Me and my stupid mouth. Could my mind seriously not conjure up a better question? I can feel her eyes searching me, trying to assess my reaction maybe?

“Doing what?” Seriously? As if she doesn’t know.

“You are glowing like a party favor at a rave.” She chokes back her laughter at my comparison and I replace myself doing the same.

“I have always been like this. It is as if my skin has a lunar powered charge system that I have no control over. On the bright side, I never had to be afraid of the dark. I am my own personal night light.” I step closer and absentmindedly reach out, running my fingers along the bare skin of her arm. It is hard to explain, but I can actually FEEL the way her body is drawing in the moon’s energy. In all my life, I have never seen anything like it.

“Are you the only one in your pack with this…ability?” Is that what this is? An ability?

“Yes. My mother told me that I was not always like this. When I was an infant, I was very ill. The pack doctor had told her that I would not live to see my first full moon, which was only a week away. My mother and father took me to the Sacred grove where their mating ceremony had taken place, and they used the ancient land’s power to call out to the moon goddess. They begged her to save me. As my mother tells it, the moon goddess appeared to them that night. She blessed their union and agreed to save me, but in order to save me, she had to merge her energy with mine. Apparently, I have been like this ever since.” I look at her in sheer disbelief and feel foolish the moment she bursts out laughing.

“So, you are joking?” She shrugs and begins walking again.

“Well, that is the story exactly as my mother tells it, but do I believe her? Not really. If all of this was a gift from the moon goddess, then she gave me all of her bad luck with it. I used to love that story as a child, but once I got older, I realized that the things about me that my mother thought made me unique, all they did was put a target on my back. Imagine being the only kid in your pack with white hair and skin that glows in the moonlight.” I wish I could say I understand, but having lived a privileged life as the son of the alpha, I never had anyone dare to ridicule me or treat me poorly. It is at this moment that I am realizing just how much this woman has been through and in many ways, that makes her a stronger wolf than I could ever hope to be.

“Maybe there is some truth to her story. I have met many kinds of wolves, but never one like you. Maybe the moon goddess has a plan for you and that is why she saved you from being mated to that dick.” She chuckles and glances at me with a warm smile, her glowing eyes drawing me in like an unyielding current.

“Well, that is one thing she definitely got right. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I would rather an eternity of agony over being mated to that pitiful excuse for a wolf. It seems like she is looking out for you too.” My wolf howls in agreement, showing more interest in our conversation than is usual for him.

“I think you are right there. I knew that Leah and I weren’t compatible from the start, but because she was my mate, I tried to build a connection with her, but it was like trying to bond with a dead fish.” I glance around at our surroundings and smile, realizing we are walking in the wrong direction, but I am enjoying our conversation far too much to tell her.

“You have to wonder what the moon goddess was thinking when she paired us with such self-righteous trash. I mean, did we do something to offend her in a past life?” I let out an exasperated sigh as she speaks the words I have thought since the day I met Leah and felt the mate bond.

“Well, maybe it is all part of her grand plan.” She stops walking and looks around with an irritated glare.

“Well, as my wolf has so kindly informed me, we went the wrong way. She usually is quick to correct me, but I guess she was taking a nap or something.” My wolf lets out a low rumbling growl that she clearly hears, based on the strange expression on her face.

“Your wolf isn’t the only one acting out of sorts lately.” Her lips curl into a smile, but it is quickly removed from her face as a loud scream tears through the cold fall air. My eyes dart around the buildings around us, searching for anything out of place when I hear the sound of bones cracking and shifting beside me. I turn and standing beside me is the most beautiful, glowing opalescent large white wolf with blue eyes that glow like a beacon in the night. I feel my wolf push forward just in time for another scream to shatter the quiet around us and without hesitation, the white wolf tears off in the direction of the scream. My wolf’s paws hit the floor and the smell hits me…rot, decay and filth. Rogues! My wolf leaps into the chase, almost catching up with Nadia.

A black figure shoots out of an alley and jumps on her back, but before I can reach her, she barrel rolls, slamming the mangy wolf into the side of a brick walled building with chunks of brick and mortar falling around them. She moves gracefully, but some of her movements are unnatural, almost as if her bones bend to her will. He jumps to her feet only to have the wolf sink its teeth into her leg. She practically folds in half and wraps her jaws around his neck, biting down and yanking until I hear a loud snap. His lifeless body falls to the ground and she takes off running again. We make it to an apartment building with the glass doors in the front shattered. She bursts through the door, paying no attention to the shards of glass that litter the ground as she bounds up the stairs. It is as though she is being led by some kind of internal GPS. She does not stop and scent the air, she just runs as though her body already knows its destination.