Rejected Moon

Chapter 5

My father was devastated when he saw me come home, looking rugged and bruised, after five days since we had our argument over being mated to Alex.

"My poor girl who did this to you," he said, running his hand over my head, as I laid on the couch.

"Alex, he attacked me in the woods."

I hid the truth of my capture by the death pack from my father, I wanted him to see Alex for who he is.

"I knew there would be consequences for mate rejection and I warned you."

"Father, he nearly killed me and all you have to say is this?"

"My beautiful Katrina," he said, placing my head on his lap, "in all that you do, always remember that loyalty to your Alpha and your pack comes first."

"Even at the risk of my own life?"

"Sometimes, my dear, death is preferable to being labeled as a traitor by your pack, for the rest of your life."

His eyes became teary as the words flowed from his mouth. I sat straight up on the couch to look at him closely.

"Father, why do you cry? Is anything wrong?"

"Love for your pack will protect you from the evils of the outside world."

"I don't understand you, father, what do you mean."

"I lied about your mother, Kat."

I was shocked. I wondered what he was about to reveal to me about my mother.

"What happened to my mother? What happened to her?"

Father stared into space for a while and heaved a sigh of relief.

"I think it is high time you know the truth. I have hidden this all these years, only to keep you safe, but now, I have to tell you."

"Tell me what, Father."

"Your mother was never mated to me," he began, exhaling.

"What!"

"She rejected her mate, just like you did. Her father rejected her for being a disgrace to her, and killed her mother for giving birth to a daughter that smears his name with shame -"

I remained frozen at Father's revelation.

"- she wanted a path of her own just like you, then I came into her life. I was from a rival pack. She found me injured on the surface of a river, she saved me and healed me. We felt an attraction, a bond stronger than any force on the earth, but I was never accepted by her pack-"

"- We defied all odds and chose to be together, without any concern for what the aftermath of our actions would cause. If I had known I would not have heeded to her suggestion of us eloping. We were hunted for years by her pack, we suffered injuries from having to run and keep running, then they stopped. After a short period, we didn't see them again, we didn't see them disturb us any longer, we thought they had forgotten about us. Three years after you were born, they showed up again, this time stronger and crueler - "

I remained dumbfounded as a watched Father push back the tears that has started to trickle down his face.

"- they returned with the worst of demons to torment us, they chased us to the farthest parts of the earth, and when we were tired of running, we decided to face them heads on. We fought them vehemently, trying to keep you safe. They no longer wanted her, they wanted you. Little did we know that they had evil tricks up their sleeves, they connived with the local wolf hunters in the town, and while we fought them, we were trapped by the hunters. Your mother sustained a silver bullet wound and could no longer follow us, she decided to stay behind so as not to slow us down -"

"Mother..." I whispered as I started to weep.

Father pulled me closer to himself and rested my head on his chest, he patted my head softly.

"- I also sustained a critical wound that could have claimed my life," he opened up his shirt to show me a scar on his chest, near his heart, "but my determination to keep you safe landed us in Echo Falls and I was saved by the former Alpha, who went on to become my best friend. He kept us safe and watched you grow with a smile on his face."

"I'm sorry Father, I'm sorry for causing you pain. I am the cause of all your sorrows and-"

"Sshh," he paced his finger on my lips to stop me, "you are the best thing that ever happened to your mother and me. Do you think I don't know of Alex's savage acts? Do you think I don't see his flaws like you do? I do Kat, I do.

But for you to be safe it has to be so. Nevertheless, I will not choose for you, and neither will I blame you for choosing wrongly. Whatever you choose is best."

Father's revelation left me in a dilemma for days, weeks. I had tons of sleepless nights trying to choose between my safety and my freedom. Alex would guarantee my safety but Lucas would guarantee my freedom.

I had begun to fall in love with Lucas, so much, just like my father described his relationship with my mother. And with each passing day, I feared what the future might hold for Lucas and me.

A certain night, after I had decided to tell Father about my decision to go with my heart, and choose Lucas, I set our house on fire while I returned from Lily's place.

"Father, no, no. Who did this to you?" I said, bobbin profusely as I saw my father laying helplessly in our front yard. There were lots of claw marks on his body.

"Katrina," he forced a word out of his mouth. He had suffered many burns and was barely alive. "My dear Katrina." He cupped my cheeks in his hand and I held it tight.

"Father, tell me who did this to you."

"Katrina, always follow your heart even if the road looks difficult. Sometimes our demons take over and do the vilest of things to the people we love, but never let your heart be silenced. Listen to what it says."

"N-no, don't leave me father, don't leave."

I held hand tighter, and felt the warmth of his disappear.

He rubbed his hand on my cheek, "beware of… axe… h-hand…man…. he i-is dangerous…"