Rejected by the Alpha

Chapter 2 - The escape.

"Step away Edward," Archer growled, "you too Sebastian."

Archer marched towards me and taking hold of my arm he marched with me to a quiet spot near the patio doors. Sparks flew up my arm from where he touched. I couldn't help the hope that bloomed in my heart. Maybe the mate bond would convince him to change his mind about me.

When he turned to face me he was holding his nose with his other hand and I chuckled a little even as my heart sank. "what are you doing?" I asked him.

"You smell so good," he replied and I felt my stomach lurch at little at hearing those words from him. His scent too was enveloping me, intoxicating me. If he was trying to clear his mind I should too. I held my nose too.

"i didn't want it to be you," I murmured.

He frowned for a moment and then laughed, "you know you might be the only woman in school that would be unhappy with this. Nevertheless, I'm glad we're in agreement. Although I have always found you attractive," he said, his gaze wandering down the length of me, "I explained yesterday why you're not suitable to be my luna."

"y-you... find me attractive?" I stuttered. I could feel Moonlight pacing with excitement in head. At that moment, we were interrupted by Natalia. "Archer," she said, "what are you doing?"

"Lena is my mate," he replied.

"No... She can't be. I'm your mate. I just haven't turned 18 yet that's all," Natalia replied, desperation lacing her words.

"Give me a minute Natalia will you?" he asked her.

"Are you sure she's your mate?"

At her question, Archer leaned towards me and buried his face in my neck. He breathed deeply and I could feel his hot breath on my neck. I gave an involuntary shiver at his nearness as a soft groan escaped his lips. "I'm sure Natalia," he said as he pulled away from me.

"You want her, don't you?" Natalia asked him accusingly.

Archer rolled his eyes, "For christ sake Natalia, I will be with you in a second. Can't you pull yourself together and give me a minute? Must you make everything about you?" He was still so close to me and I could see the muscles in his jaw clenching. When I looked back at Natalia, there were tears in her eyes. She turned and ran wiping her eyes with the back of her arm.

Archer sighed, "I'm beginning to think that no one is strong enough to be my luna."

"Maybe you have too high standards," I replied haughtily feeling a little sorry for Natasha....just for a moment. What was coming next for me was far worse.

"Well there's just one thing left to do," Archer said. "I, Archer Hunter reject you Lena Furrows as my mate."

I gasped as pain clawed at my heart. I noticed that he grunted as well. "Now say it back Lena," he said softly. "Just say it back."

Part of me wanted to. I wanted to leave with my pride intact having accepted his rejection with dignity.... But something wouldn't let me. It wasn't just Moonlight. She was fighting me too which is to be expected. Wolves go crazy for their mate. I imagined Archer's wolf was doing the same. But there was something else too. Some feeling or doubt or weakness I wasn't sure. But being unable to say it back to him and the humiliation of the entire experience left me hurt and furious. I focused on the anger in order to drown out the pain and to contain the tears that threatened to fall.

"Lena," Archer said, his voice soft again. Unable to bare it for a moment longer, I turned and walked through the patio doors. I heard someone come up behind me. I thought it was Archer but when I turned around, it was Rayn.

"I saw Lena," she said, "I'm so sorry."

"He rejected me and I couldn't even accept it," I said and a single sob escaped me. I was again infuriated with myself. What if Edward saw me? He was going to torment me with this for days. I paced outside the house. I wanted to get out of there, get far away. I wanted to run.

" Lena you should calm down," Rayn said.

"Don't tell me what to do!" I replied. I felt like my skin was burning. Without warning, I felt my back c***k. I shrieked with the pain of it. Then another bone broke and another. The sounds of it ringing into the night. Other people from the party had came into the garden to see or were watching from the windows. My first shift.

In a matter of minutes, I was in Moonlights form. I turned my heavy wolf head back to Rayn. I noticed Archer was now standing behind her, Natalia by his side. He hadn't lied when he said a minute.

I growled. Rayn walked forward and locked eyes with me. "Lena," she said. " You should stay. It's too late to run off on your own."

With a grunt, I turned back around and started running towards the forest. I heard my friend call out after me.

My paws pounded against the soft forest floor. The trees stood tall around me sheltering me from the embarrassment and pain of what had just happened. Moonlight was in charge and she was revelling in the chance to run and stretch her legs. In the distance, I could hear the rush of a river. There was a unfamiliar pressure in my head pushing against my consciousness. What is that? I asked Moonlight.

It's the pack, she replied. Now you have me we can telepathically communicate with them but I'm shutting them out right now. Unless you want to....

No, you made the right call, I told her. I needed this time to myself.

If the Alpha tries to make contact I might not be able to keep him out, she warned me.

The Alpha, Archer's father. I wonder if he would even tell him about me and what had happened. Probably not.

Moonlight leapt over a log, soaring over it gracefully. We were moving at a good pace and I recognised that even by werewolf standards, we were fast.

I told you we're more capable than you think, Moonlight said.

She had reached the river in little time at all. She dipped into it without hesitation.

To mask our scent, she explained. She then proceeded to walk down stream. She got out further ahead and switched the direction she had been going in.

Where are we going? I asked her.

Where would you like to go? she replied.

As far away as we can get from that house without crossing the border, I answered.

Consider it done, was her gruff response.

There was a lake at the edge of our territory. Moonlight slowed as she reached it and bent to take a drink. The water was still and reflected the night sky like a mirror. The forest was quiet like it was sleeping. Small prey kept a wide distance from my wolf. Moonlight paced in front of the lake.

We can't go back, I told her.

He's our mate. He might change his mind. He has to. If we train, he'll see that we're capable, she replied, a note of desperation in her voice.

My dad won't let me train. And honestly I don't want to desperately try to seek Archer's approval. I didn't even want him as a mate, I replied. I knew that her mate was going to be really important to Moonlight and perhaps his wolf truly was perfect for her but me and Archer... That match didn't make sense. My mind flashed to when he was so close to me, breathing in my scent, telling me he had always found me attractive.... The resulting flutter I felt in my stomach was unwelcome. Moonlight whined as she felt my frustration. I wanted to cry out, hit something.

I know you didn't want it to be him but is is, Moonlight said, there must be a reason for that. You're right though. We won't get our mate back by chasing him. It wouldn't work and it's not who we are anyway.

We should have accepted his rejection, I told her.

I'm not sure about that, she replied, we only get one true mate. This isn't something to rush into.

Archer didn't take much time with it, I reminded her.

He was wrong for doing that. He'll see that eventually, Moonlight replied sounding sure.

He wants Natalia, I told her. He's probably with her right now.

Moonlight snarled at the thought of Natalia with her mate. Then she whimpered and lay down. This isn't how it's supposed to be, she said, sounding tired.

There was a strange rustle amongst the trees on our right that couldn't have been the wind. Moonlight pricked her ears.

We'd been so distracted conversing with each other that we hadn't noticed. Something new approach us. The forests silence had shifted from sleeping to brooding. A twig broke under the trespasser's foot. Moonlight jumped onto her feet and hunched low into a defensive position.

The pressure in our head was still there, the pack trying to communicate. Moonlight let them in, broadcasting our position and that there may be an intruder.

In the next instant a black wolf leapt from the tree line. Moonlight quickly shifted position and was quick enough that the wolf hurtled past his instead of sinking his teeth into our neck as planned. This infuriated the black wolf and Moonlight snarled back. We circled one another trying to sense a weakness. As the black wolf made further attempts to attack Moonlight stayed on the defence. Neither of us had been trained in how to attack. The black wolf made a dash again but anticipating that we'd shift directions he changed angles at the last moment and made impact. As we stood off balance he sunk he teeth into our flesh. Moonlight yelped at the pain and tried to pull away but he was too strong.

Another wolf burst from the woods. A deep brown in colour. I recognised him instantly. My dad.

He knocked against the black wolf and sent him rolling off me. I could feel that he had take a chunk of my flesh with him. With a grunt the black wolf got back onto his feet and stared my dad down with a snarl. Stay down lena, my dad told me through the mind link. So I did what he asked. I let him protect me even when it went against my instincts. Maybe we are too weak to fight, I said to Moonlight and this time, she didn't have a response.

The black wolf and my dad charged again and collided, snarling and snapping at each other. My dad managed to sink his teeth into the other wolfs leg but it grabbed a bite of his shoulder like it had with me. I whimpered watching the fight. The wound on my shoulder still throbbing. They were ripping at each other now and it was impossible to know who was winning. Then my dad made a miscalculation. He made a move that left his neck exposed. The black wolf swerved forward. With a yip, I pushed off the ground ignoring what my dad had said. As I ran forward the black wolf had sunk his canines into my dad's neck. My dad cried out for a moment before the sound was cut short. I charged at the black wolf. He pulled away from my dad as I took him by surprise. He kicked out with his claws but I moved quickly, ducking under his move and sinking my teeth into his chest. I then scraped my claws along his underbelly, using all my strength to drive them into him. He yelped and pulled away from me but I held on. I wasn't going to give him time to recover and strike again. When I could feel his strength had lessened, I loosened my teeth and claws. He whined as I subtracted them. Knowing he was no longer dangerous I turned back to my dad. As I did, I noticed another rustling from the trees. I growled in fury but discovered that it was just some of my packmates. Rayn, Sebastian, our Beta Greg, our pack doctor Jane and to my surprise, Archer burst from the trees in their wolf forms. Jane held a small medical bag in her mouth which she sat beside my Dad. He had returned to his human form. That wasn't good. The wounds on his body were much more visible now. They had shrunk in proportion to his new body but they still looked ghastly and large. I whimpered at the sight. My dad appeared to struggle for breath, the wound on his throat made it difficult for him. I changed back into my human form too. It didn't worry me that I was nude. Most wolves didn't have that type of modesty. I was different from most in that I preferred to be covered but in this instant I was only thinking about my dad. A blanket was suddenly draped over my shoulders from behind. I didn't look to see who it was but I could smell him. Archer.

"Lena," my dad said, his words a croak.

"shh you shouldnt speak," I told him as I anxiously watched Jane attempt to tend to his wounds.

"I heard what happened. Rayn told me. If that's what you're destined for perhaps I was wrong. Now without me..."

"No," I interrupted him."I don't need to know anything about what I should do without you because you're not leaving me okay? You can't. I won't let you." I squared my shoulders determined that by sheer will I wasnt going to let this happen.

"Aww pumpkin," he coughed on his words, blood bubbling on his lips. "I don't think either of us have a choice in it."

I felt my stubborn face crumble, "Please," I said and I wasn't sure if I was speaking to him or the universe or the Goddess herself but I said it again to anyone who had to hear it, "Please, no."

I looked at Jane who caught my eye and gave a gentle shake of her head. Pain and panic gripped my heart. She couldn't save him. I could hear Moonlight crying softly in my head.

My dad's breaths were becoming slower, shallower. It was like he was falling into a sleep but it was one he would never come out of.

"Your mother's pack," my dad said, "you have family there." His words were like a breathy whisper now and I remembered the necklace. It still hung around my neck; the chain big enough that I could wear it as a wolf. "Don't feel sad for me pumpkin. I'm going to see your mum again. I love you," my dad said, his final words.

"I love you too," I replied and I think he heard me before he was gone. I howled in acknowledgement of my loss and the tears wouldn't stop. I wasn't sure they ever would. I turned to face Archer and the others. In this moment, I didn't care that he'd rejected or if he thought I was weak. But I did know that with the exception of Rayn, there was nothing but pain for me here now. I wanted to leave. As soon as possible.

"What happened?" Greg asked.

"There was an intruder. He tried to kill me and my dad intervened," I stated without feeling. But then anger bubbled up inside me, "Why didn't you get here sooner?" I demanded.

Archer raised an eyebrow at my question, "Excuse me?" he asked but before he could say anything else, Greg intervened. Meeting my eyes calmly, he said, "Your father was closest when we got your message about your location. He had been out looking for you although we encouraged him to stay and let you run and return in your own time. We tried to catch up as quickly as we could but... We were obviously too late. I'm sorry Lena."

I dropped my head to stare at the ground. Rayn approached my right hand side and Sebastian came to my left. "Let's get you home," Rayn said and gently took my hand. Sebastian put his hand on my back, "I'm so sorry Lena," he murmured softly so only I could hear. A growl cut out across the clearing.

Archer. Of course.

Realising the implication, Sebastian took his hand from my back.

I turned to Archer feeling pure fury, "Are you being serious right now?" I asked him.

"I can't control it," he said and had some sense to look apologetic.

We still haven't accepted his rejection, Moonlight said.

I don't think that would make a difference. He's a future Alpha. He will never let anyone touch his mate even if he doesn't want her and has rejected her. We need to leave Moonlight.

My wolf agreed and we didn't see any reason to delay things. So without another word, we shifted, the blanket falling from our wolf form.

"No you don't Lena," Greg said. "You need to come back with us. Be with your pack. Help us lay your father to rest."

I looked down at my father's form. Jane was attempting to wrap him in cloth. I knew they would make sure he was laid to rest properly. I could trust them with this. I didn't want to be here a moment longer. I turned and sped around the lake. I heard them calling after me but I kept going. I crossed the border and I kept going. I knew that at this point, they wouldn't follow me. I'd made my choice. I'd deserted my pack. The pack will try to discourage someone from leaving but once the choice was made and the border crossed, it was their choice. My pack would then make the decision whether they would excommunicate me officially if I ever returned.

None of that mattered though right now. I knew where I was going. I was going to my mother's pack.