The Grateful Rejection
Chapter 25

Nora's POV

My eyes snapped open as the pressure in my stomach increased. I groaned in annoyance when Icouldn't move. That giant was practically sleeping on top of me.. the front of his body was halfthrown over me with his legs and arms securing my body, as usual.

"Sebastiannn... I need to pee. Let go of me" I whined and pressed my legs together. I only gotsleepy grunts in return, "Sebastian! I pee on you" I warned and tried to wiggle out of his hold.

"I can live with that" his morning voice made me shiver in delight. Huffing in annoyance andpressing my thighs together tightly, "Not when I wanna shit too! Do you wanna be smeared with myshit?" I snapped at him.

In a blink of an eye he rolled off me and groaned, "You're so annoying" he chuckled with his faceburied in the pillow. I chuckled back, "What did you expect? Something cute? We are way past thecute stage” I said and made my merry way to the bathroom

I heard him laugh when I closed the door, "Good old cringy days" he said making me laugh withhim.

After doing my business, I took a quick shower and went to the closet to change. After dressing upin a burgundy off shouldered top and a white flared pants, I picked up my shoes and purse andheaded downstairs.

The smell of waffles and coffee hit me along with my Erastis' smell. I smiled and went to the openkitchen and there he was in an apron that said kiss the chef.

"You're in mood today" I teased softly and went to pour my coffee. He gave me a loopsided smile,"Nah! Was hungry and you were taking too long" he said and sipped his coffee.

With a teasing smile I turned to him with one hand on my hip and the other holding the cup, "Isthat what I am to you Mr. Hounds?" The smile on his face dropped. The playful mood that we hadevaporated into thin air, "You're so much more that it scares me to bones. I don't even know howvaluable you are to me and that terrifies me" his face was set hard. He slowly came towards me andpulled me to him, "I was naive to say and think of things I never knew about. I didn't know howmuch my words would have hurt not only you but me.. I remember even my lycan didn't talk to mefor months." he bit his lip not meeting my eyes.

"Nobody should hold you accountable for your past. Everyone has a messed up past in a way orother. I do understand your situation, for the type of person you are. You don't like it when peoplemeddle with your life decisions. You were a stupid rebel but you did love.. Daisy.. with all of yourheart.. and love makes you do stupid things. Because let's be honest, you'd rather sacrifice the entireworld than to see a scratch on them." I said softly rubbing his chest and putting my head on it. Hisarms tightly wrapped around me and kept on pecking my head, "Thank you love. Thank you forunderstanding.” He softly said.

I pulled back and gave him a smile, "Well I won't be joining you for lunch today as I have to meetyour daughter.” I said trying to divert the hurtful topic.

He raised a brow at me, "The mom and daughter duo have started making plans without the father?I feel the warmth of my loving family!" he said sarcastically making me laugh.

"You're such a dork” I said and push him off me softly and go to the other side of the island, "Serveme my breakfast peasant” I said with a thousand volt smile. He just shook his head with a smirk,"Are you sure I am the dork here?" He said and began plating me a couple of waffles.

After finishing up the breakfast, we sat in a minute of silence trying to ignore the elephant in room.Sebastian sighed, "I am sorry for telling you about everything so late. I don't even know what I wasscared of but I was.. before meeting you I thought that my Erastis would not accept my daughterand after I met you I began knowing you for the person you really are. I know you would haveaccepted her long ago.. like you are doing now.. I am sorry." He finally said breaking the silence

I just sat there looking at him intently, "I don't.. I don't know what you want me to say or do." Ifinally said the only that that has been driving me to the edge of sanity.

"I don't want you to do anything.. the fact that you have accepted my daughter is enough. And fornot telling you all this before i will go thought any punishment you want me to.." he said serious.

I rolled my eyes, "That won't be necessary, just.. just don't hide things from me again..." I said andfinished my cup of coffee and wore the shoes I had carried from my room.

"On a second thought... I will punish you" I looked up at him with a mischievous smile, "From nowon you have to cook me food everyday for the next month.. and as you must know the food shouldall be something I have never had." I said and picked up my purse.

He looked taken a back, awe he is so cute when he is all confused, "Are you kidding me? Have youforgotten that you're a chef who roams around the world! How the fuck should I know what youhaven't had??" I says in distress making me grin.

He huffed and put his hands on his hips, "No sex would have been better" he muttered to himself. Iraised a brow at him questioningly, "You want no sex?" I asked to which he just shrugged, "As longas you're with me, sex doesn't matter. All I want is you." he said.

"I know.. and why would I miss the chance of seeing you all flustered with anger and confusion.” Isang and walked out of the penthouse without hearing him.

Soon I was on my way to my restaurant. When I reached there, I checked for anything is out of placeor not. My employees were all on a paid break for this entire month. Anyway we don't have muchsales during January so that's why for this entire month the restaurant is closed. I had used up allthe perishable stocked and sent them in the orphanage and homeless shelters around the city.

I had a bugging in my gut that something is going to happen, bad. Really bad. I don't now whatforced me but I turned on the entire security camera around the restaurant's property and linkedthe live footage to my phone. It took me almost two hours to check everything and head back in acafe where Kristen called for me.

Somehow the nagging managed to increase. It wasn't untill I reached the cafe and spotted Kristendid that nagging go away and was replaced my anxiety for pleasing her. Not in a sexual way forfucks sake.

When Kristen spotted me coming her way she gave me a big smile, "Hi Nora" she said andpractically jumped out of the booth to hug me. I chuckled and hugged her back, “It's nice to finallymeet you in person" she says as we slid into the booth.

"So how have you been?" I asked and with that we started chatting about random things andgossiping. We shared a lot of laughs with jokes, I must say Kristen is a sweet, funny girl. She is betterthan what I had expected her to be. Though she can be silly sometimes but she is has goodintentions.

She sighed softly looking outside, "On a serious note.. I actually want to have a good talk with you.."she said with a small smile.

'Yeah I have been having a lot of that since these past few days’ I said to myself.

"I'll cut right to the chase, I like you. You're good for my father. And you two are really greattogether, but... You cannot take my mother's place. Even if it was someone else I would have saidthat as well. Nobody can take my mother's place. But that doesn't mean you can't be my friend."she said in all honesty. Tears had gathered in her eyes as she looked into space smiling at a distantmemory.

I kept my hand on hers, "Trust me I will never want to take your mother's place. A mother is a sacredbeing to child, I know that very well. Even the god itself cannot take a mother's position, I wouldnever in my life stoop so low to supersede someone's mother.” She smiled back at me.

"You're actually so great I thought that you would be some evil step mom kind of mom. But actuallyyou're great, I was paranoid for nothing when I saw that picture” she said the last part to herself. Myhead snapped at her with a confusion, "What picture? Did Sebastian or the pack used to send youpictures of me?" I asked in curiosity.

She bit her lips, "That's also the reason I called you to meet me in private” she said taking out herphone and going through it for a few seconds. Then she showed me her phone I was shocked tosay the least, there were pictures of us, me and Sebastian loads of them.

I scrolled up to the first text to see the picture of the family dinner we had hosted in the restaurantmonths back and a text along with it, "Take your eyes off and someone who is your, will never beyours again” I mumbled. She had asked who he is but he didn't reply back instead he kept onsending her picture of Sebastian and me when I was on tour for food critique.

"When i first saw this picture, I was so fucking paranoid that you'd take my father away from me orworst turn him against me or something” she admitted honestly, I looked at her but she didn't meetmy eyes instead she kept on fidgeting on her seat.

"That day.. when we first met in Norway. It wasn't coincidence” I looked at her in shock as she hungher head low in shame, "I had tracked you down when I got the information that you're using mydad's plane. I was furious thinking that a whore is using my father for his money, the entire timefrom Rovaniemi, Finland to Alta, Norway I had my eyes on you. Then I realised that your not what Ithought and after much investigation I found you're a famous chef." she said in embarrassment."You-- you stalked me for a week?" I asked baffled by her behavior to which she just shrugged, "Ijust wanted to be sure.. you can't blame me.." she tried to put a reason for her doings.

I took a deep breath, "No I can't blame you. And I wouldn't blame you. But most importantly whowould try to sabotage me and try to bring you in?" I asked myself. I quickly put my stuff in the purseand took out a few fifty pound bills and put it on the table, "I am sorry to cut the meeting short butI have to be somewhere.. also I need your phone." I said in plea. She looked at me sceptical, "W-why?" She asked in fear.

"Oh no sweetheart it's not about you. I need to know about the person who threats our family. Ineed to track him" I said trying to calm her down, the poor woman was on the verge of tears. Shenodded and hesitantly gave her phone, "Just don't open any of my messages or gallery” she said. Inodded my head and hugged her a goodbye, "I'll return your phone as soon as possible” I said as Ileft.

As soon I was in my car I called Oliver. He picked it up in a few rings he picked it up, "Hello sister!!How--" I interrupted him, "There is no time to talk, oli. I am coming over. Get your IT head, there hasbeen an emergency. And don't tell Dad” I said and hung up the phone.

Within few minutes of very rash driving I was in the packground. I was met by a distressed Oliver inthe gate who had a hard face, "What happened?" He asked as we made our way to the IT room. Iexplained to him everything in short and also showed Kristen's phone. He was fuming with rage forthat person, from all the things Oliver could take over from our father was protectiveness. He ismore overprotective of all the things that belongs to him than our father.

We got inside the room and locked the door, the room was soundproof so we didn't have to worryabout anyone eavesdropping. He connected the phone to the high tech computer and startedputting in some codes and typing away things that went over my head.

In my head I tried to think of all the people who had a grudge with me and wanted to fuck my lifeup, there were handful of them but the ghosts from my past stood up the most prominent.

"That person is bouncing is signal” the boy commented, his eyes fixed on the screen. My phonekept buzzing with notifications after notifications as we stood in the room. The only sound werecoming from my phone and the computer.

"Alpha, it'll take time for me to locate him.” The boy said looking up at Oliver.

He grunted, "Keep an eye on it and inform me as soon as possible" his alpha voice ringing strong inthe room. Pride blossomed in my chest hearing his command, my brother.

A couple more buzzing from my phone now made Oliver snap at me, "Just check the phone forfucks sake or put it on silent” he said in annoyance as we made our way out of the room. I rolled myeyes and pulled out my phone, I unlocked the phone and opened the first notification that wasshown, it was of security camera of the restaurant.

As soon as I opened it my heart stopped. My foot was rooted to the ground as I stood paralyzed infright. My breathing became shallow and my mind went blank for a second without thinking Ishifted into my lycan and ran as fast as I could within a minute I was standing in front of therestaurant. I could hear distant voice coming from the forest that belonged to my family, I shiftedback instinctively.

I stumbled back in terror, looking at my once normal restaurant to now be set in huge horrors offlames consuming ever part of it.

In no time Oliver along with dad, Gina were by my side.

Third person's POV

Amell couldn't believe his eyes, he has never in years seen his daughter in such shock. He pulled hisdaughter to his chest, "Years of hard work has been set inflame papa..” she said with teary eyeslooking at her father. He pulled her face close to his chest as she cried.

'Call the Huntsons' Amell mind-linked his mate who nodded back at him and began typing on thephone. As soon as she said that the restaurant is on flames a portal opened and the elder Huntsonscame followed by Ariana, Sebastian and their pack.

Earl opened a portal above the flammed restaurant and water started pouring like it was comingfrom a huge water fall, which it did.

Sebastian approached Nora who was crying in her father's chest. Nora pulled away from her fatherand looked deeply into the ground. Everyone was cautious, they know how much Nora hassacrificed to build up this restaurant. It was Nora's everything. Even in the worst of times, therestaurant was there with her. It helped her to cope up with her dark side, even if it wasn't alive, thisrestaurant was an emotion. And nobody hurts Nora Huntsons and gets away with it.

"Where is my phone?" She asked Oliver. Who shook his head, "I-i don't know.. you must havedropped it on the way" he replied to her. She ran back to the pack house without glancing back atthe ruins of her hard work. They huffed again and followed the lead of Nora.

She picked up her phone from where she shifted to her lycan. She opened the app and rewind thesecurity footage, she could feel everyone surrounding her looking at her phone in curiosity.

Her eyes burned with rage when she saw the culprits.

No matter how much you try to tame a wild wolf, sometimes what it really needs is not a chance buta bullet in it's head.

Nora learnt that now.

"Briana" she growled loudly as her eyes turned the horrifying white. The demon in her had takenover her.

Everyone back away from her in terror, when Sebastian tried to approach her, he was held back byAmell, "Only blood can satisfy her now"