Full Moon's Luna

Considering Rejection

Alpha Quinn

I headed to the sink, washing my hands before taking my usual seat at the head of the long table. At least once a week, I make it a point to eat with my pack unless there’s a celebration or an emergency. It keeps me connected to them, lets them know I’m accessible.

To my right was the seat for my Luna—still empty. That damn empty chair mocked me every time I sat down. To my left sat Kyle, my Beta, and his mate, Kendra. Their kid was bouncing in his seat, grinning like he had the energy of an entire pack in him. Across from them was Owen, my Gamma, and his mate Stephanie, as steady as ever. Farther down sat my brother Ethan, who also served as my Delta. He was young, unmated, and finishing his final year of college.

My parents? Well, they were halfway across the globe in Hong Kong right now. They handed me the Alpha title when I turned 20, knowing I was ready to lead, mate or not. They had faith in me, and I’ve made damn sure to live up to it every day since. They deserved their freedom, and I let them enjoy it.

Once I filled my plate, everyone followed suit, as was tradition. The buzz of conversation filled the room, but my mind was far from the table, spinning in a chaotic loop that only made my mood worse.

Kyle glanced over at me. “So, Quinn, what’s up, man? You look like you’ve had one hell of a day.”

I exhaled, trying to keep my voice steady. “That’s because I have. Let’s finish this meal quickly. We’ve got an urgent meeting as soon as we’re done. I need you, Owen, and Ethan in my office in 15 minutes. And to be clear—this has nothing to do with the pack’s safety. It’s personal.”

I made sure to emphasize the “personal” part. With our heightened hearing, there was no doubt a few pack members were eavesdropping, and I didn’t want unnecessary panic spreading.

But inside, I was boiling. I didn’t know why, but even thinking about discussing Shylah and her son had my blood pressure climbing.

When the last fork hit a plate, I slammed my hand down on the table, the sharp crack of it silencing the entire room. “Alright! Office. Now.”

My Beta, Gamma, and brother didn’t waste a second. They all but sprinted to my office, knowing from the sound of my voice—and the tension rolling off me—that Damone’ was barely contained.

Once we were behind closed doors, Ethan broke the silence. “What’s going on, bro? You’ve been on edge all night.”

I didn’t hold back. I told them everything. About Shylah, about her being my mate. About Khalil. About Elder Josephine’s cryptic warning not to reject her. And, of course, about the rising frustration in me that all but demanded I walk away before this got any messier.

Kyle, ever the level-headed one, leaned forward. “Dude, Shylah’s amazing. I met her when she came to sign the lease for her shop. She’d make a perfect Luna, Quinn. You can’t hold her past or her kid against her. She’s human, man—she didn’t know about mate bonds. If she’d known you were out there, waiting for her, you think she wouldn’t have waited? Get to know her, her son. Give them a chance. I know once you do, you’ll love them. Then you can tell her the truth about what we are, mate her, mark her, and eventually turn her. Don’t let your pride mess this up.”

Owen chimed in next. “Kyle’s right. The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes, Quinn. There’s a reason she chose Shylah for you. Maybe she needed Khalil before she met you. You have no idea what kind of life she’s had to navigate. Don’t throw this away.”

“Yeah,” Ethan said, nodding. “Rejecting your mate isn’t just about you, Quinn. It affects all of us. Our family—our pack! Do you really want to spit in Selene’s face by turning away the one she’s given you? We’ve been waiting for this, man. Don’t be selfish.”

Kyle leaned back in his chair, smirking slightly. “And honestly? Kendra and Shylah would probably hit it off. You wouldn’t even have to worry about third-wheeling it all the time.”

The room went quiet as their words sank in. They were right, as much as I hated to admit it. Rejecting Shylah didn’t just affect me. It affected everyone. And if there was one thing I wouldn’t do, it was fail my pack.

I exhaled deeply, the tension in my chest loosening just slightly. “Alright. I’ll think about it. But no promises.”

Kyle grinned. “That’s all we needed to hear.”

Ethan opened the door, and in walked Austin, my Beta’s son. For a kid, he carried himself well, but he still had that nervous energy about him whenever he had to talk to me.

“Hello, Father, Uncles,” he greeted, his voice steady, though his eyes darted to the floor. “I was hoping you could spare a few moments of your time.”

I nodded, leaning back in my chair. “Of course, Austin. What’s on your mind? Look at me and speak.”

He raised his head, his gaze meeting mine. “Well... I, uh... I was wondering if my new friend Khalil could come and train with me at the packhouse starting Wednesday for the Martial Arts Tryouts?”

The room went silent. The four of us exchanged stunned glances, as if the boy had just dropped a bomb in the middle of the room. Austin looked back at us, confused, like we were the ones acting strange.

I opened a mind link to Ethan, Kyle, and Owen. “Selene’s pulling some strings here, no doubt. But I’m not against it. I’d like to see Khalil’s skills.”

They all agreed, and we sent out a mental directive to the rest of the pack: No shifting while Khalil and his mother are on pack grounds.

We also made it clear to the higher ranks that Shylah, the human woman staying at the cabin, would occasionally visit the packhouse. None of them knew yet that she was my mate, and I wasn’t ready to share that information. I still had to process it myself—and decide what the hell I was going to do. Regardless, if I chose to accept her, the pack would have no choice but to follow or leave.

I broke the silence. “Sure, Austin. Khalil can train here, but listen carefully. They’re new to our world, so you can’t mention shifting or anything about pack life around them. Understand?”

“Yes, Uncle,” Austin said, nodding quickly. “I promise I won’t say anything about pack life in front of Khalil’s mom.”

And with that, he practically bolted out of the room. He thought I missed that last part, but I didn’t. The kid had a lot to learn about being discreet.

Once Austin was gone, I dismissed the guys and headed to my house behind the packhouse. I needed time to think.

After a quick shower, I climbed into bed, but sleep didn’t come easy. I tossed and turned, Damone’ growling restlessly in the back of my mind.

“I want mate,” Damone’ snarled.

“I know, Damone’,” I muttered, staring at the ceiling. “Hell, I kind of want mate, too. But you’ve got to calm down. I’ve got an idea, but you have to promise me something first: you can’t go into Shylah’s house.”

Damone’ paused, his growling subsiding. “Yes, Quinn. I promise. I know being an Alpha is hard. We are struggling with the need to claim our mate, but I will control myself. What’s the plan?”

I outlined the idea to him, and he settled down, satisfied.

I packed a small bag with a pair of shorts and a shirt and headed for the door. The cool night air hit me as I stepped outside. I stripped down, letting the shredded fabric fall, and shifted.

Damone’ emerged, massive and imposing. His pitch-black fur was streaked with silver, like stars scattered across the night sky. He stood at an impressive 7’5”, towering over my human height of 6’5”.

With one clear destination in mind, we took off into the woods, the sound of the wind rushing past us.