Rejected Luna's Comeback

Lola POV I took a deep breath, calming my nerves. After five years, I was finally coming back to the place that held my most beautiful memories as well as my sad and painful ones. "It's all in the past, Lola. You are different, we are different," I whispered under my breath. That was what I told myself every day, the one statement that finally gave me the courage to face my reality. The reality that my mate had rejected me and that I would never have my happy ending with him. I had been driving for hours. The pack was not near the city. Today was an important day in my brother's life. It was his birthday, and I had decided to come around. "You can't escape forever, Lola. It's about time you returned home. Dad and mom miss you." Those had been my brother's exact words the last time we spoke. I knew for a fact that my parents missed me. I could still remember the looks of pain and sadness they wore five years ago when I decided to leave the pack. They loved me and because of that pure love, they let me follow my heart. "As long as this is what you want, as long as it makes you happy, I will support you." My father had said those words when I broke the news of leaving the pack. Leaving the people behind had not made me happy. It made me miserable but I knew that I needed to go. Leaving was the only way I could cope with the pain in my heart back then. I parked my car at the entrance of the pack for inspection. A new face approached me and I rolled down the window to have a word with him. "I'm Lola, Gael's sister," I introduced myself. "The Reid family only has a son. I have never heard about a daughter," the man replied, his eyes regarding me with suspicion. He seemed to be new in the pack. Maybe that was why he didn't know me. After all, it had been five years. Just when I opened my mouth to respond, a cheerful voice filled with disbelief called out. "Lola, is that really you?" I whipped around and came face to face with Hunter. "Long time, huh? You can't recognize me anymore? Does that mean I'm no longer your favourite person?" I teased, and Lucas burst out laughing. "How is that possible? You've always been my favourite person," he replied with a grin, but I still traced the sincerity beneath his words. Life had a way of being cruel, the one you loved didn't love you back, while the one who loved you was someone you could only ever see as a friend. Lucas had always carried feelings for me, but to me, he was nothing more than an older brother. Another Gael in my heart. The one I truly loved, however… "I'm glad to hear that," I said, smiling back at him. "You just arrived and you must be tired. Go ahead, your parents must be waiting for you." Hunter was still the same caring, thoughtful man from five years ago. "Let's catch up once I'm settled. I want you to fill me in on everything," I said, and he nodded as I drove toward our house. Our house sat in the opposite direction of the packhouse. As I drew closer to the white-painted villa, my eyes began to water. I wasn't sure whether it was sadness or relief. Five years had passed and yet everything looked the same. It was as if it was frozen the moment I left it. I, however, was not the same. I was no longer that fragile girl who had known nothing but tears when faced with hardship. I had learned the art of concealing my true feelings behind a smile, of standing back up when life knocked me down. “Smile through it all, until it passes or it kills you.” Time changed everything. I wondered if the people I had left behind had changed too. I supposed I would find out soon enough. I parked and sat for a moment, drawing in slow, steady breaths. When I stepped out of the car, my parents were already standing at the entrance of the house. The smiles on their faces blurred as tears rose in my eyes. Unable to stop myself, I rushed forward and crashed into my father's arms. "Hush now, sweetheart. You're finally home. I am so happy to see you," he murmured, his hand moving in slow circles across my back. "I'm sorry, Father." The words came out broken. I had been a poor daughter. For five years I had stayed away from the people who loved me most. I had been hurting, yes, but they must have hurt more, knowing they couldn't reach me when I needed them. My mother joined us and the three of us held each other. I heard her quiet sniffles against my shoulder. "There is nothing to be sorry about, child. As long as you are fine, I could never blame you," my father said softly. "Look at you two, weeping like children," he added, though I did not miss the tenderness beneath his words. "Who is weeping? I am no child," my mother retorted, pulling back with a dignified lift of her chin. "That was supposed to be my line," I said, and both my parents laughed. Their laughter pulled me in, and before I knew it, I was laughing too. "Seems like there's a family reunion happening and no one thought to invite me. Sometimes I wonder if I truly belong to this family," a familiar voice complained. "Gael," I called out, breaking away and running into my brother's arms. He embraced me warmly, just as he always had before I left. "I missed you so much," I confessed. Gael snickered. "Sure you did. Those words coming from someone who only ever talked to me when I was the one to call first. Forgive me if I'm not convinced." He was right. For the past five years, he had always been the one to reach out. If he hadn't, we might not have spoken at all. "Leave your sister alone. You're the elder brother, act like it," my father said, and Gael shot me a look over his shoulder. "See? Confirmed. I was adopted," he declared, making everyone laugh and breaking the last of the tension that had clung to my chest since I pulled through the pack gates. "Lunch is ready. We were waiting for you," my mother announced, and right on cue, my stomach gave a loud, traitorous rumble. "Sounds like someone skipped breakfast," my father remarked. Heat rushed to my face. It had taken me seven hours to get here, and I had skipped breakfast to make it on time. Gael took my hand and led me inside. The moment I stepped through the door, an unfamiliar scent drifted toward me and that was when it clicked. Gael had found his mate. "It's so nice to see you again, Lola!" I stiffened at the sound of that voice. A voice that dragged me straight back to my terror-filled high school days.