Twisting Her Fate
Chapter 87

Connor just looks up at the sky and taps his foot with impatience, if he had his watch on he would be watching the second hand take off minutes of his life that he never wanted to waste with these two. Connor's strong arms crossed over his large chest, there isn't even the slightest hint of pain as he stands over the woman who is a crying, screaming mess. Maggie is clawing at the skin over her own heart, trying to do anything to ease the pain.

"Just hurry up and accept it Maggie. End this, I have work to do"

Connor is not swayed by Maggie's pitiful appearance at all, it actually disgusts him immensely. Maggie is a classic example of putting everyone around her down, lording her supposed superiority over everyone else, but she can't handle anyone doing anything against her. She has ruined so many lives with her pettiness and jealousy. But when it is turned back on her, all she can do is crumble under the pressure.

"You are heartless Connor. Do you really feel nothing?"

How can he not feel the slightest discomfort when she feels like she is dying?

"You are not my luna in my heart. Why would I feel anything?"

"You did so much wrong by me, you let me feel everything, you did nothing that a good mate should do, you place all the blame on me. But the blame lies with you as well"

"That is fine, we are bad, both sides have done bad things, but it comes with the same result. It doesn't matter who is at fault. It is all done and behind us, no matter where the blame lies, it can all be behind us as soon as you say the words. Just accept the rejection"

Maggie sobs and Gabriel scrunches his nose in annoyance. Maggie's pitiful experience is just reinforcing the fact in his mind that his lack in judgement resulted in all of this. Her endless whining is just shoving it in his face over and over again, the endless headache just evidence that he actually thought she would be valuable, that she was worthy to be by his side.

Is this the strong alpha blood she wolf that he thought she was?

"Shut the f*ck up. You are giving me a headache"

Gabriel starts to walk away, he doesn't want to hear anymore, he doesn't care at all, he feels nothing for the entire scene. Maggie watches as Gabriel steps away. She has never felt more alone. She looks up at Connor, who is just staring out at the trees, deep in thought. She knows there is no chance with him, he will never change his mind, he will never take back his words. The longer she delays the inevitable, the more annoyed Gabriel will become. She needs to hang on tight to Gabriel, he is her only hope now. "I, Maggie Greyson, accept your rejection"

The words she wanted to come out easily. She didn't want to give Connor the power. She wanted to be the rejector. She wanted to make it sound like she couldn't care less, but the words slice her throat, shred her tongue, acid, burning, melting, singing her. There is nothing calm about her words, the strong facade she is trying to put up has turned to dust and blown away in the wind. She can see Gabriel's boots walking away, one step at a time, never a pause in his movements, he decisively walks away as she shakes on the ground.

Connor looks at the woman, he knows he should feel bad for her, but he is not sure she deserves such an emotion. This is the only hardship she has faced in her many years on this earth. She made her bed and now she has to lie in it.

"Thank you Maggie, that was the nicest thing you could have done for me. I will live a happy life now and do you know what? I actually hope you live a happy life. I hold nothing against you and Lani doesn't either. It is all done now, we have done all we needed now it is time to move forward"

"F*ck you, you piece of sh*t"

Connor laughs lightly. She could call him all the names in the world if it would make her feel better. He really doesn't care, but he has better things to do than stand here wasting more time. "Okay then Maggie"

Connor motions to one of his Warriors.

"Keep guard and secure her a ride to the Amber pack. I don't think Gabriel really wants her right now"

Maggie hears Gabriel's car start in the distance and it takes off with a spin of the tyres, a small spray of stone is heard and she knows he isn't coming back.

Maggie lays on the grass, her cheek resting on the soft green blades as Connor's bare feet walk past and toward the pack house, not even a falter in his steps as she is left all alone. The pain is just too much, the bright sun beams down, warming everything it touches except Maggie, all she can feel is the icy cold embrace of loneliness.

Her eyes flutter shut, her consciousness fading to black, just a warrior standing a distance for her only company.

Gabriel sits in the car. He is undecided where he wants to go now. If he knew where Leilani was going, he would follow. He is not even sure what is in his mind, all he knows is that he isn't quite sure about the rejection, but he is not sure that he wants her either. Maybe there is a slight bit of interest, maybe he has a little crush or maybe he just thinks she is attractive. Usually he would just f*ck away all these thoughts and feelings, but that is impossible, so he can only steer his car toward the local bar. All he can do is drink away these thoughts.

In the SUV Leilani hears about what happened before she arrived. Arlo looks at her.

"I think he really loves you Lani"

Lani smiles, a genuine heartfelt smile and a gentle look in her eyes.

"I think so too. I think I want to try and make it work, he wants to accept me as I am and he accepts all of you and that is all I could ask for"

Lani gets out of her own world and looks around the vehicle.

"I know that Levi and Terrance aren't here, but what are your thoughts on what he proposed, because it isn't just about me, we are all in this"

Madden is driving, his large rough hands move around the steering wheel until they are sitting at the bottom of the wheel, he leans back in the seat.

"I can't speak for everyone else, but I have actually like it in the stormy pack. I cannot fault Connor as I know that he actually wants to make sure we are comfortable and both the options that he showed us. I liked both options, it would be nice to have a real home, to be part of a pack again"

Finlay who is the current technical alpha of the group, is in the backseat next to Leilani. He reaches out his hand and holds hers tightly.

"We want you to be happy, we always assumed that we would be cast out once a mate came into your life, but Connor doesn't want to split our group and I think he can make you happy. We are on board with whatever you choose"

"I would never..."

"I know that you wouldn't want to, but if we saw a genuine chance of happiness for you and he wasn't comfortable with us, we would have taken a step back because that is what would be best for you"

Lani squeezes Finlay's hand as she looks around the vehicle.

"You all think the same way?"

Arlo, Hudson and Madden all nod. Hudson closes the lid of his laptop even though he hasn't looked at the screen since they started talking. Looking at Leilani, his voice is small, almost vulnerable, a far cry from the usual confidence he shows.

"It might be nice to be part of a proper pack again, it has been such a long time, it might be nice to have a real home. I know we have the cabin in the training grounds, but every time we go there I am reminded of where we came from, I appreciate our past and how it bought us to this point, but I don't need reminding of it all the time. I hate seeing the new arrivals every year because I can see the pain in their eyes like we all had back then"

Lani leans forward, holding Hudson's hand before he continues.

"We have a fresh start in so many ways. A permanent pack and home would be that final piece that we are missing"

Arlo raises his hand, running his hand through his deep red hair.

"I agree, I remember how you once asked me about mates and you were saying that you weren't sure what would happen. To tell the truth, I wasn't either. We couldn't offer stability or a home. Maybe we can now, maybe it would be possible for all of us?" "Well, we will discuss it with Levi and Terrance, but I don't think they will be against it as Connor is Terrance's friend. But I think we can do this after seven years. I think we can be part of a pack that wants us"

Leilani smiles with tears in her eyes. It is such a happy moment for her. Lani pulls her phone out.

Lani: 'I think it is a yes, my brothers and I will stay. Connor, you don't know what all of this means to me. When I am back I hope that you will still mark me. I can't wait to proudly wear it, I can't wait to show the world that I am yours. Chosen is not less. I feel like with you, it is so much more, there are infinite possibilities and I can't wait to explore them all with you"

Connor has just sat down in his office chair, all the plans now cleared away and things reinstated to their original position, his heart is so light, for the first time in a long time, he thought he felt good before, just with his love for Leilani. But the rejection actually lifted a load he didn't know he was carrying. It was a burden, even though he hardly felt the pain of Maggie's intimate actions anymore, now that the bond is gone it feels good, he didn't realize the bond was so invasive, so toxic.

He feels like he has just come out of a six-month long headache, but it wasn't till the headache was gone did he realize how much the pain affected him.

His vision is clearer, his senses heightened.

He feels so very light.

A smile lights up Connor's face as he picks up his phone to read the text.

Connor: 'You will never have to ask me twice, all I want to do now is chase after you and sink my teeth into you. I can't wait for you to officially be mine. I would say that I can't wait to be yours, but I have been yours since that very first night. I just didn't realize it or I didn't understand it then'

Lani: 'I love you'

Connor: 'I love you more, be safe'

Lani: 'Always'