The Rejection Contract

The Alpha's Table

Hayley knew she was a lot of things but one of those things wasn’t lucky. Really? How unlucky must she be to find her mate now? Now of all times? For f***s sake, the probability of finding your mate, especially finding your mate this young, was very slim and she just had to find hers now? Some wolves could wait whole lifetimes before they ever found their mate, some wolves have to search the globe before they find their mate and some wolves never find their mate in this lifetime. Hayley wasn’t a particularly religious person but if there was one thing she had begged the heavens for, even as a child, was to be one of wolves who never had the misfortune of meeting their mate. She stared blankly at her vague reflection in the mist covered mirror, her mind whirled at the memory of the beautiful girl with her deep bronze skin, dark eyes and dark curly hair. Hayley couldn’t shake it out of her head. Her body tingled, goosebumps prickling on her skin as the phantom feeling of the harsh sparks that ignited every cell in her body washed over her again, the walls of her mind whispering one word over and over again – mate, mate, mate, mate, mate, ma –

‘–Hey are you almost done in there?’

Hayley jumped, blinking out of her reverie at the sound of Carina’s voice. Carina had been kind enough to let Hayley use her shower where she had spent the last thirty minutes trying to block the girl from her mind. Somewhere between Hayley scrubbing her hair, she realized the state she was in when she had first met her mate – f**k, her mate’s first impression was of her was a terrible one, she was covered in dirt, twigs and dried blood and probably smelled like s**t – she looked like hell and probably smelled like s**t too because the look that the girl had spotted when her eyes first landed on Hayley, the look that flashed in her eyes before Carina hastily pulled Hayley back up to her room yelling quick apologies as she did so, was a look that was less than encouraging and seemed filled to the brim with utter disgust. As she rinsed the soapy suds off her body, Hayley tried to wash away the wave of embarrassment she felt. f**k. Today really wasn’t her day.

‘Yeah, yeah. I’m done.’ Hayley stepped out of the shower, wiping herself down before draping the fluffy spare towel around her like a cape instead of tying it around her torso.

‘I have the perfect outfit for you, I – oh.’ Carina cringed. Hayley didn’t have to ask why Carina stopped short, the large full length mirror was not too far from the bathroom door and Hayley could see the bruising from her beating clear as day on her skin, her arms and legs were covered in black and purple blotches all over; sure they were healing, she could feel them healing and in a few hours they would have disappeared completely but the sight wasn’t flattering at all. Still, Hayley was thankful that Carina couldn’t see her back because if she thought the sight of Hayley’s bruising was unpleasant then the sight of the scars on her blighted back were bound to leave her speechless.

‘It’s not too bad.’ Hayley said, forcing a laugh.

‘Are you sure?’ Carina queried doubtfully.

‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll just make sure to get them back better next time.’  Hayley waved. ‘Anyway, what did you pick out?’

Carina seemed to pick up on Hayley’s reluctance to continue talking about her ‘sparring’ session and decided to follow her lead, turning her attention to the clothes instead.

‘Well, I was going to give you this but…’ Carina’s eyes swept over Hayley once more, wincing slightly as she did so ‘…but I don’t think this blue is your colour. Let me find something else.’

‘Okay.’ Hayley nodded. Carina disappeared back into her walk in closet and Hayley stood awkwardly in the room before she peaked her head back out.

‘Aren’t you coming?’ Carina asked. Hayley startled.

‘Oh, yeah, sure.’ She said, following after Carina. The closet was a simple beige colour, the gold light glimmering off of the numerous make up products and accessories discarded on the dressing table. It was a bit of a mess but Hayley didn’t mind it, she wasn’t close friends with Carina, they were classmates and got along as well as any set of acquaintances would but Hayley couldn’t see her as messy, she had always seen Carina as one of the most organized people she knew; she was mitigating deputy assistant (or MDA) of the Werewolf Debate Club (or WDC), she was junior captain of the supernatural sports council (or SSC) and managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA each semester. It was hard for someone like Hayley to see someone like Carina as anything short of organized, even the mess on her dresser was organized; her makeup was piled on the right side while her accessories were lumped together on the left side.

The various makeup brands and labels seemed to gleam, remnants of shimmery eye shadows showered over the various pallets and brushes, and the numerous accessories glittered in the warm light of the room; golden necklaces and earrings, small studs and rings paired with striking gems. They looked beautiful. Hayley didn’t own a set such as this in her own house, she didn’t have any fancy makeup or jewelry because her father had never encouraged her using them. Hayley could vividly remember the day her father had caught her, red lipped, with a layer of cheap liner around her eyes that she had saved up to buy; she remembers how his face swelled, how it become far brighter and redder than the lipstick she had bought and how he had destroyed her two true possessions, bellowing:

‘I will not have any whores in my house!’

Hayley could remember how that act alone had earned her a vicious slap, one that had sent her stumbling to the floor; echoes of its harsh sting still lingered on her cheek at the memory.

‘I can do your makeup after.’ Carina offered, cutting through her thoughts. Hayley looked up to see that Carina was smiling kindly at her through the mirror, her eyes glancing down at Hayley’s hand as it hovered over her makeup brushes. Hayley hadn’t even noticed her hand had ventured that far, she needed to stop because she was being creepy, wasn’t she? Besides, it’s not like she could wear makeup knowing her father was attending this gathering too, he was going to throw a fit if he notices it.

‘Oh, uh, no. Its–its fine.’ Hayley said, snatching her hand away as though the container had personally offended her. 

‘You sure?’ Carina said.

‘Yeah, I’m sure.’ Hayley said with a forced laugh.

‘Okay. Fine.’ Carina said, her shrug casual but her told Hayley that she was skeptical about her answer.

‘I’m serious. It’s fine.’ Hayley said. Carina shrugged.

‘I’ll only accept that if you let me do your hair. Deal?’

‘Deal.’ Hayley agreed, managing a small smile despite herself.

 ‘Good.’ Carina smiled. ‘Now, here. I thought this would look much better on you.’  She said, pointing to the outfit she had laid out on the small sofa; a black long sleeved turtle neck, a pair of black leggings, a blue denim jacket and black biker boots. Hayley nibbled at her lip, a sudden rush of guilt washing over her. Why was she doing this? Why was she being so nice to her? Hayley knew that Carina had a reputation and outside of her stunning beauty, she was known as being both sweet and stern so it should come as no surprise to Hayley that she wanted to help but this still made her feel so strange. Carina really didn’t have to do this for her, hell, she even took the time to be thoughtful enough to find a nice outfit that could comfortably cover Hayley’s bruises.  

‘Have fun and call me when you’re done.’ Carina said, stepping out of the room.

Hayley nodded dutifully, taking the clothes and changing into them. The outfit looked great; the leggings stretched and fit her form but the turtle neck and jacket that hung a little loose and fell over her fingers but Hayley didn’t mind, she liked the loose fit. Carina was short and slender, she had a body that most girls would die for as her hour-glass frame filled out her clothes perfectly – a body Hayley did not have. Hayley and Carina were close in height but what Carina had in curves, Hayley lacked severely; she wasn’t blessed with curves in all the right places, she was just short and skinny. Hayley didn’t mind it but she didn’t care for the mocking and often pejorative comments she had heard thrown her way because of this; her size and stature, coupled with her pallid complexion and red hair, earned her a host of unholy names from some of her peers, most of them relating to derogatory comparisons to vampires.

‘I’m done.’ Hayley said.

‘Oooh, you look good.’ Carina said, a prideful grin flourishing on her face when she saw her handiwork. ‘All we have to do is your hair. Sit.’

Hayley pulled one of the pillows on the small sofa, setting it down and making herself comfortable on the carpeted floor while Carina sat behind her on the small sofa, armed with a drier, comb and hair oil. Hayley winced. Carina’s grip was a little sharp as she tugged but Hayley could forgive her for this as the pleasant scent of the olive oil wrapped around them, warm as she combed through the fine red strands and once she was done with the drier, she set it down and got to work on her hair.

‘I’m sorry about what happened back there.’ Carina said. Sorry? What for? Hayley wondered.

‘What?’ Hayley asked.

‘For the fall back there. I should’ve been more careful.’ Carina sighed.

‘Oh.’ Hayley said. ‘It’s okay.’ It was an accident and Hayley didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Besides, she didn’t want to make Carina feel bad about it, especially with how nice she was being.

‘No it’s not.’ Carina said with a sigh. ‘With your injuries and the crash – that wasn’t supposed to happen – I should’ve been more careful.’ Carina said. Hayley could hear a pout in her tone and a small chuckle escaped her lips.

‘It’s fine. I don’t think anyone plans to run two people into each other.’ Hayley said.

‘Still.’ Carina sighed. ‘I mean, I kinda sorta ruined the surprise too – or maybe she did, I mean, she wasn’t supposed to be out and about.’ Carina added absentmindedly.

‘Surprise?’ Hayley probed.

‘Shit.’ Carina said, her hands pausing in Hayley’s hair.

‘What?’ Hayley asked, turning to her.

‘Nothing. It’s nothing.’ Carina said. Hayley raised a brow.

‘Are you not allowed to tell anyone?’ Hayley asked, glancing back at her.

‘Well, it is a surprise.’ Carina said with a sigh. ‘It was.’ She added, with a small roll of her eyes.

‘Okay, fine. Don’t tell me.’ Hayley shrugged. There was a pause and Hayley could practically hear the wheels turning in her head before she added: ‘I could guess. Then technically, you wouldn’t have told me but I would’ve guessed it.’

‘Well technically, you’re right.’ Carina said, a cheeky glint to her tone as she caught onto what Hayley was implying.

‘So, is it someone important?’ Hayley asked.

‘Yeah, they’re pretty important.’ Carina said, Hayley could sense her nodding as she resumed her work on her hair.

Hmmm…okay, so if they’re pretty important, they must be a wolf with a title – an Alpha, Beta, Luna or Lune.

‘Are they an Alpha, Beta, Luna or Lune?’ Hayley asked.

‘Yeah, they are.’ Carina said.

Okay, well that doesn’t narrow down her options much, does it?

Who could it be? It couldn’t be an Alpha because if it was the pack would have already been alerted by Alpha Guillaume that it was another Alpha, at the very least. It couldn’t be a Luna or Lune because most Luna’s and Lune’s are never allowed to travel to another Alpha’s pack territory without their Alpha accompanying them or disclosing it with their Alpha and the other Alpha’s pack. It couldn’t be a Beta for as much as they were held in high regard, Beta’s were never treated to such an extravagant welcome unless they were accompanying their Alpha on a trip (because Beta’s only ever travel at the behest of their Alpha) or happen to befriend another Alpha which was a rare occurrence and Hayley couldn’t think of any Beta’s that were that friendly with Alpha Guillaume.

‘Well... I don’t think it’s a Beta because I don’t know any Beta’s that get a reception like this unless they’re with their Alpha’s or happened to be close friends with another Alpha and I don’t think I’ve seen Alpha Guillaume be buddy-buddy with any Betas.’ Hayley said, thinking out loud.

Carina hummed in agreement.

‘I don’t think it’s a Luna or Lune because they’d have to come with their Alpha mate.’ Hayley said.

Carina made another agreeable hum.

‘I don’t think it’s an Alpha because Alpha Guillaume would’ve told us if it was one.’ Hayley said.

Carina made a slightly agreeable hum at this.

Hayley took note of this uncertainty and her nose scrunched up in question.

‘Wouldn’t he?’ Hayley asked. Carina hesitated.

‘I mean, yeah, he would tell the pack if it was an Alpha.’ Carina agreed but her tone hinted that there was something else there.

‘Alpha Guillaume knows how wolves can get around an unfamiliar Alpha.’ Hayley said, thinking out loud again.

Carina gave a hum that carried the same blasé air of a non-committal shrug.

‘And the only reason he wouldn’t want to tell the pack about the arrival of another Alpha is if…’ If the Alpha in question is uninitiated and therefore, poses less of a threat. Hayley’s eyes went wide as the realization began to dawn on her and she swerved, almost violently, in her seat, turning to face Carina who looked both startled and amused.

‘What?’ Carina asked.

‘Do I know this Alpha?’ Hayley asked.

‘I didn’t say it was an Alpha, you know?’

‘Well you didn’t deny that it, so, I think it is.’ Hayley said.

‘Fair point.’ Carina shrugged.

‘The Alpha. They’re uninitiated, aren’t they?’ It was a statement, not a question.

‘You know, if I knew you were this good at guessing games, I would’ve put some money on this.’ Carina giggled. Hayley blinked, a sinking dread seeping through her bones as she did so.

‘Do I…do I know this Alpha?’ Hayley asked again, fearing the answer as she turned to sit back down.

 ‘Er, technically, I think? Depends on what you define as ‘know’?’ Carina said.

‘Have I met them before?’ Hayley asked.

‘Well, you have run into them before.’ Carina giggled.

Hayley felt a punch to her gut the moment those words left Carina’s lips. There was only one person who fit that description, only one uninitiated Alpha popped into her head when she considered the only other single person Alpha Guillaume would be close enough with and comfortable enough with to have around his pack without making an announcement and only one person who she didn’t really know but ran into, quite literally, it was his eldest daughter – Alpha Alisha Guillaume.

‘Wow! You’re right!’ Carina laughed, completely oblivious to Hayley’s discomfort. Hayley hadn’t even realized that she had said that last part out loud but the piercing shriek that rang near her ear startled her out of her thoughts before she had a chance to process them. ‘I don’t think you’ve ever met my sister before.’ Carina continued. ‘Have you?’

Hayley shook her head.

‘Yeah, figures. Your family joined the pack shortly after she left, I think. She went to Camp Alpha, which is basically a military boot camp for Alphas to learn how to be more…Alpha? I guess? I don’t know.’ Carina said. ‘Anyway, that doesn’t matter, what matters is that she’s back and she’s gonna be graduating senior year with us! I’m so excited–’

There was a knock on the door.

‘Come in.’ Carina called. Luna Saloni walked in, startling slightly at the sight of Hayley before her shock turned into a warming smile.

‘We’re ready.’ Luna Saloni said.

‘Oh, okay. Well, I’m done and you look so cute.’ Carina squealed, rather proud of her handy work. Hayley stood up and studied at her reflection in the mirror, even managing a small smile at the pretty fishtail braid Carina had plaited for her. Carina was right, she did look cute in clothes that weren’t her own and in a hairstyle she couldn’t even begin to imagine doing on herself.

‘Thank you Carina.’ Carina stood from the sofa, grinned and gave a burlesque bow.

‘You girls look beautiful.’ Luna Saloni beamed. Hayley and Carina responded in unison; Hayley thanked Luna Saloni for the compliment while Carina said ‘I know’, unabashedly teasing her hair as she grinned at her mother who rolled her eyes at her. ‘Alright, let’s go.’ Luna Saloni said, turning and heading out the door.

‘Maybe next time we’ll do your make up.’ Carina teased, nudging Hayley playfully as they stepped out of the room.

They were separated. Luna Saloni disappeared with Carina shortly after prompting Hayley down the stairs and to the lawn that was patched with white wooden tables outside. As she made her way down the steps, she was bombarded with the image of the girl with the curly black hair – it was everywhere! She couldn’t escape it! Pictures of her hung on the walls of the mansion; baby pictures of her round tubby face and fingers reaching for her mother, pictures of her with her gapped-tooth grin beside her siblings and pictures of her and her father training. All around her, Hayley could see the time lapse, from infants, to toddlers, children and then teenagers – the girl with the curly black hair maintained a wide cheeky dimpled grin or had her brows furrowed in concentration at something.

Hayley hardly ever paid any visits to the pack house unless it was necessary and on the few occasions she did visit, she never really paid attention to the pictures that hung on the walls but now, all those pictures came into sharp focus and her eyes were only drawn to one face in particular; the face of Alisha Guillaume. Hayley felt her head spin. She hadn’t had time to properly process what she now knew to be true when she was with Carina, she didn’t have time to properly digest the gravity of the situation and she really wished she didn’t have to but it’s not like it’s going to go away. A part of her wished it could, she wished she could close her eyes and simply pretend that it was all a bad dream – but no, she couldn’t, she knew she couldn’t even if she tried, not when that sweet cinnamon scent still lingered in her nose.

Hayley heaved as she stepped outside, gasping for air just like a fish out of water. Truth be told, she was completely out of her depth here – she just found her mate, she just found out her mate would be joining her school as a senior like her and to make matters even worse, her mate wasn’t just anybody but the future f*****g Alpha of a pack she had no intention of staying in. Hayley wanted to scream, she wanted to cry and she wanted someone to knock her into another dimension because she couldn’t believe just how unlucky she is. What did she do to deserve this? What–?

‘–Uh, Hayley, you okay?’ Hayley looked up to see Collin’s kind eyes staring back at her concerned.

‘Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.’ Hayley said.

‘You’re all red.’ He said. ‘Oh, wait, not I didn’t mean your hair.  I meant, you just don’t look too well.’ He said.

‘I could…I could use some water, I’m not feeling too hot right now.’ Hayley said. f**k, if she didn’t get something to cool her down, she might just throw up.

‘Sure thing, come with me.’ He nodded, waving ahead. Hayley followed him dutifully to his table where he snatched up a bottle of water for her; she chugged the bottle of water down until it was nothing but a crumpled piece of plastic in her palm. ‘Another?’ He asked, handing her another. She nodded weakly as she took the bottle and she was halfway through when Alpha Guillaume’s voice boomed:

‘Everybody please take your seats.’ Hayley, caught off guard, began choking on her water. Collin, being the ever charitable person that he was but also not wishing to get into any trouble, patted her back comfortingly and quickly sat her in his chair, before swiftly pulling one for himself beside her. As Alpha Guillaume proceeded to give his introductory speech, Hayley took a moment to scan the table, counting the number of seats available at the table and she could feel her world spin on its axis when she realized something – that the table she was sitting at was the one table that was always reserved for the Alpha and any person of importance in the pack; usually the Alpha would be seated here with all those wolves who held high rank positions within the pack and that sometimes included the Beta and his family (which would explain why Collin in supposed to be seated here since his father is the Beta of the Lunoir pack) or skilled pack warriors and their families – sometimes both. The Alpha, his family and his entourage would soon be taking their seats here. s**t. Hayley wanted to leave but moving while the Alpha was talking is considered rude and she didn’t want to draw attention to herself but she couldn’t be caught seated here.

Hayley was seated at the Alpha’s table and she had to find a way out.