The Rejection Contract

The First Encounter

Hayley was exhausted. She hadn’t caught a wink of sleep, her mind’s eye playing the events from the night before in vivid detail as she watched the numbers on the clock tick by steadily. Hayley didn’t know what to feel because she felt everything and nothing at the same time as she lay on her bed, staring blankly at the brow stained ring in the corner of her room, catatonic.

The night had ended in a disaster and Hayley could recall every painful detail of it. She remembers the panic that rose to her throat when she realized that she was seated at the Alpha’s table, how she looked around, desperately searching for an empty seat anywhere else and feeling sick to her stomach when she realized that there weren’t any nearby and that she didn’t have enough time to make a dash to the tables at the furthest end without drawing attention to herself, neither could she stand and make a dash back into the house for the same reason.

The introductory speeches had taken quite a bit of time as Alpha Guillaume presented Beta Hans and his family and Hayley remembers shrinking back as Collin left the table to stand with them. As Collin and his twin sister, Ella, stood between their mother and father, they looked like spitting images of each parent but what they mirrored in features they switched in character; Ella had their mother’s icy blue eyes and long straight jet black hair but their father’s reposed demeanor while Collin had their father’s curly golden hair and brown eyes but their mother’s animated spirit. Hayley remembers the dreadful feeling that sunk to her gut when they turned to make their way back to the table.

She couldn’t even run, not without making it rather obvious. So, Hayley hopped against all hope that they wouldn’t notice her. For a moment, Hayley remembers being certain that they hardly acknowledged her presence, between Collin and his mother whispering animatedly and Ella and Beta Hans simply quietly plopping in their seats, they did not address her directly. Once Collin sat down though, he promptly turned to Hayley and her face went red at the memory of her squeaking like a terrified mouse when he did.

‘Mum, dad, gremlin, this is Hayley.’ Collin had introduced. ‘Hayley, this is mum, dad and gremlin.’

Beta Hans had nodded in acknowledgement.

Ella had managed a small nod of acknowledgement and then shot Collin a look that was so deathly cold and had left Hayley wondering how he wasn’t reduced to a pillar of stone yet.

Collin’s mum had offered her a friendly smile and a whispered greeting as she reached across the table to shake her hand.

They had all promptly turned their attention back to the Alpha Guillaume and his family and Hayley remembers the sudden rush she felt as each member of the Guillaume family was introduced and stepped out. She wasn’t stupid, Alisha knew damn well why she felt this way and there was a part of her that was truly repulsed by her own behavior. Look at her, nearly stumbling out her seat because she hadn’t noticed how far she had leaned out just to catch the breeze that carried with it that enticing cinnamon scent. It was pathetic, really.

Hayley flushed in further embarrassment when she recalled how her thoughts had wondered once all the members of Alpha Guillaume’s family were standing in front of the pack. The Guillaumes’ were a beautiful family; Alpha Guillaume a tall, robust African-American man with tan skin and severe hazel eyes, Luna Saloni was a beautiful dark skin Southern Indian woman with warm dark eyes that twinkled like burnished obsidian gems and their children stood between them both, taking in their likeness; Carina and Ranbir shared their mother’s delicate narrow face and high cheek bones while Aarav and Alisha shared their father’s wide dimpled grin with Alisha also spotting her father’s cutting jaw.

All of the Guillaume children had the same head of dark thick curly hair and dark eyes, with each telling a different story; Aarav’s large eyes were always filled with wonder and his hair fell over them like a proud lion’s mane, Ranbir’s narrow eyes always seemed to twinkle with hidden knowledge beneath his bad boy persona that garnered him quite a crowd with his peers at school and Carina’s sharp skeptical eyes were never shrouded beneath her tresses. Then there was Alisha…whose eyes had seemed so raw and cutting as her emotions were lay bare for her to see, even passed the shutter of dark ringlets that hung in her face, and Hayley could remember how those eyes stared at her with complete and utter…disgust.

Even then, Hayley could remember that she couldn’t stop the wild thoughts racing through her head; the thought of Alisha standing in her father’s place with Hayley by her side in Luna  Saloni’s position, cradling a child of their own in her arms while their other children stood by them, tall, proud Guillaumes’ in their own right. What would they look like? Would their children have Alisha’s cheeky dimpled grin or grow up to have her sharp jawline? Or would they have her features? Would they have her fiery red hair or Alisha’s rich dark hair? Would they have Alisha’s dark eyes or her green ones? Would they behave more like Alisha or would they behave more like her? Would they–? No. No, no, no, no, no. This wasn’t okay. This was strange, wasn’t it? Why the hell was she sitting here thinking about a future with a stranger she didn’t know? It was weird. She couldn’t think like that.

Hayley remembers shaking her head as though shaking the thoughts out of her mind. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Sadly, there was only so much Hayley could’ve done to keep Alisha out of sight or mind, at least for that night. No sooner had she thought those words, did Alpha Guillaume hand the floor to Alisha.

It was like a punch to the gut to see Alisha again, it had only been an hour or so since they had ran into each other in the hallway but Hayley could remember silently chugging down the rest of her water when the boisterous applause echoed through the crowd as Alisha Guillaume stepped forward to address the pack; her voice was smooth, it didn’t thunder like her Alpha Guillaume’s but it was capped with the same commanding confidence but was buttery in a way that was instantly tantalizing to her audience as she spoke and if she hadn’t admitted to her speech being rather impromptu, Hayley was certain that she and a lot of the pack members would’ve thought it was well versed but had an edge to it that felt organic with her beautiful dimpled grin and witty anecdotes that kept the crowd amused – and once Alisha was finished, Hayley knew she wasn’t the only one left wanting more.

‘You okay?’ Collin had asked beside her.

‘Yeah, sure, why?’ Hayley had said, her forcing her gaze away from Alisha’s face.

‘Well.’ He had said, pointing at the crumpled bottle of water in her hand. Oh…that was embarrassing. ‘It’s okay. I can get you another. You seem really thirsty.’ He had said, his laugh teasing but kind. Hayley remembers opening her mouth to retort but being unable to when the crowd around them burst into another thunderous applause, signaling that the Alpha family were done with their speeches and were now headed to their seats.

Shit.

Hayley could recall panicking at the sudden realization and turning to leave but she didn’t even get the chance to inch out of her seat before she the cinnamon scent began to consume her and that slick voice was speaking right behind her:

‘I see that we have an extra guest at our table.’

Hayley recalls her strangely successful attempt at calming herself down (because it had never happened that fast before) as she turned to face Alisha Guillaume.

‘Sorry. I…it was an honest mistake.’ Hayley had said. She remembers Collin attempting to jump to her defense:

‘It was my fault. Sorry about that. I–’

Alisha had held her hand up at Collin who promptly shut himself up.

‘Why are you apologizing?’ Alisha had asked, her brow raised at Collin. ‘I just made an observation, that doesn’t mean I’m upset by it though.’ Alisha had said, her gaze locking with Hayley’s. ‘The more the merrier, right?’ Alisha had said, her lips pulling into a crooked grin. Hayley had suddenly found the air around them too heavy, they were so close that she could've sworn that she had seen something dancing in Alisha’s eyes and Hayley could recall how she fought the blush creeping up her face tooth and nail, willing it away with the power of Alisha’s disgusted expression because that image of her initial impression of Hayley was discouraging enough and forever burned into her memory.  

Something about Alisha’s sudden change from her initial impression and her behavior then felt off and Hayley couldn’t help but wonder what game Alisha was playing at.

‘Thank you Alpha Alisha but I wouldn’t want to impose.’ Hayley had said, politely declining the offer. Hayley could recall registering the befuddled expressions that were spread across the table, a part of her recognizing how strange it must seem for them that she didn’t jump on the opportunity to dine at the Alpha’s table like a starved puppy. For most wolves, being welcomed at any Alpha’s table was considered a great honour and privilege but here she was, baulking away from the invitation.

‘It’s not an imposition when you’ve been welcomed to the table, my dear. Come on, take a seat.’ Luna Saloni had chimed in with a laugh and a wave.

Hayley knew that there was no way she could deny a direct invitation from Luna Saloni, so she sank back into the seat, noting with great annoyance, the scandalized expressions of the prying eyes at the nearby tables that scrunched their noses up at Hayley in clear contempt at her audacity. She could never truly win, could she?

Hayley could recall feeling a sudden spike of adrenaline shoot through her veins as she inhaled the cinnamon scent; it settled beside her as Alisha took the open seat by her right hand. While the rest of the table lapsed into banter throughout the evening, Hayley remained silent, nodding along politely and responding with the occasional hum; all the while wishing she could snatch up one of the Moonshine glasses and chug it down because she heard once heard that Moonshine had the power to burn a person’s nerves to a crisp and in that moment, she didn’t want to feel anything.

Hayley remembers how she had strained to keep her eyes focused on anything but Alisha; she tried not to notice the way the light cut at an angle that highlighted her features in a vainly vogue fashion or how blindingly bright her teeth were when she smiled and she tried not to noticed how their shoulders touched in a barely-there brush of fabric when she breathed in too deeply – but she couldn’t. Hayley was hyperaware of how close they had sat next to each other and she had fixated on it. s**t.

Things rarely ever go in the way Hayley hoped, she knew she had the most rotten luck but she never expected it to betray her the way it had last night because she could recall the accident that now rendered her catatonic. Hayley could recall how quickly the night’s events had turned sour. It had started out innocently enough as a simple request for someone to pass the gravy dish that sat a few inches from Hayley and Alisha, a dish which they both reached for.

‘Oh, sure thing.’ Hayley had said, holding one end of the gravy dish.

‘Nah, I got it.’ Alisha had said, holding the other end.

‘No. It’s fine.’ Hayley had assured lifting the dish.

‘I insist–Oh shit.’                     

Hayley didn’t hear the crash of the dish, she didn’t see the stunned, horrified expressions passing over the faces at the table but she could sense them. Hayley barely registered the harsh heat of the gravy had spilled onto her chest and dripped down her side but she could remember the prickling in her eyes as her vision blurred with unshed tears, she could feel the lump in her throat tightening and her face flare with embarrassment. That was the final straw.

‘I’m sorry. I’m so-sorry.’ Hayley had stuttered. ‘I-It’s my fault. I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to–I’ll fix it.’ Hayley had said, attempting to scoop the gravy back into the dish with her unused spoon. The entire celebration seemed to come to a stand-still, the silence that blanketed them only punctuated by Hayley’s quiet apologies as her hands shook, fingers blistering as she desperately tried to salvage what was left of the gravy.

‘Hey, it’s okay.’ Alisha’s had said. Hayley stilled when Alisha’s hands gripped her wrists, sending a stream of sparks coursing through her body as she halted her action. Hayley had blinked back her shameful tears as she resisted the urge to snatch her hands out of Alisha’s.

‘Yeah, it was an accident.’ Carina had said kindly.

‘It’s fine.’ Luna Saloni said graciously. ‘Alisha, why don’t you take her inside to get cleaned up? We’ll sort everything out here.’ 

Hayley found herself planted in mortification. She didn’t want to stay but she also found it hard to leave because she knew that she’d be in the pack house with her mate, with Alisha and the thought left her feeling constricted, as though someone had sat directly over her lungs and was forcing the air out.  

‘Come on.’ Alisha had said, gently uprooting Hayley. They walked towards the pack house, further and further away from the cruel cutting critical gaze of the pack members but it didn’t help Hayley because she could sense one pair of eyes in particular that burned into the back of her skull in vindictive promise from across the lawn, the gaze of the man who put the bruises on her earlier in the day and who was bound to do it again once they got home, no doubt.

Hayley swallowed at the thought as Alisha led her into the pack house and to the spare bathroom. There was a strange silence that settled over them; it wasn’t uncomfortable but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either, perhaps the better word for it was tense. It was tense. It was tense as Alisha handed Hayley a set of paper towels and Hayley thanked her without glancing at her; partly out of embarrassment and partly out of the fear that she might not be able to look away once she did.

‘Ah, so she speaks.’ Alisha had remarked playfully. Hayley had raised her brow in response. All she had done was thank her for the paper towels, it wasn’t a big deal.

‘Only when I have something to say.’ Hayley had countered.

‘You were really quiet at the table.’ Alisha had pointed out.

‘What a keen observation.’ Hayley had said sarcastically, her gaze not meeting Alisha’s. In all truth, Hayley couldn’t believe that Alisha had noticed that, she had a habit of fading into the background, sometimes being entirely forgotten when she does and it was rare for anyone to notice her rather reluctant yet polite participation in conversation.

‘What can I say? I’m a sucker for details.’ Alisha had said, Hayley noting her rather casual shrug from her peripheral view as she reached for more paper towels. ‘You do that often, don’t you?’

‘Hm?’ Hayley had hummed, rather innocently.

‘You ‘hm’ your way through every conversation?’ Alisha had asked, her tone faintly playful but heavily curious. Hayley had shrugged, trying her level best not to flush because she knew that if Alisha had noticed that, then that meant that she wasn’t the only one paying an unholy amount of attention to their mate.

‘Oh, I don’t know. Do you laugh your way through every conversation?’ Hayley had countered, bluntly calling out the recurring obnoxious laughter she witnessed Alisha often force from her lips whenever someone said something that was sounded remotely humorous, even when it wasn’t. It was hard to ignore it when it resulted in Hayley noticing how perfectly lined Alisha’s teeth were.

‘Fair point.’ Alisha had conceded with a slight smirk. ‘Also…’

Hayley hadn’t had time to move away and the minute she turned, Alisha had her hand firmly resting on her chin, wiping away some of the dried gravy that had splattered up her cheek with a damp paper towel; her dark brows furrowed and focused, the creases on her forehead softening as she finished cleaning Hayley’s cheek, their eyes meeting.

She was stunning. So stunning that Hayley knew that even if she wasn't mated to Alisha, she would still have found her ridiculously attractive; her dark eyes really did seem to sparkle like burnished black tourmaline crystals under her long dark lashes and her two-toned lips vaguely reminded her of candy; looking so plump and soft and sweet with her dark top lip and pink lower lip slightly parted. Alisha's hair mimicked her little brother's, the thick dark glossy ringlets falling over her dark furrowed brows and stopping shy of her broad shoulders. She was unjustly stunning and Hayley didn't know how long she had been staring but the rough knocking at the door made her startled her out of her trance.

‘Hey Hayley, your dad said he’s waiting for you in the car so you should go out to him once you’re done.’ Carina’s voice called from the other side.

‘Okay.’ Hayley called back, trying and succeeding in not letting the spike of fear she felt pass through her at those words be apparent to the girl in front of her.

‘Sorry about that, by the way.’ Alisha said, vaguely gesturing to the gravy stain.

‘Oh, no, don’t worry about it.’ Hayley waved. ‘It was an accident.’

‘Yeah, right. An accident.’ Alisha said with a nervous laugh.

‘It was…wasn’t it?’ Hayley asked, narrowing her eyes at Alisha.

‘Sorta…I mean, I wanted to talk to you and I knew I really couldn’t do it alone but I didn’t mean for this to happen like–’

‘–What?’ Hayley felt her eyes twitch as it finally dawned on her.

‘My bad. I didn’t mean for it to be this bad.’ Alisha said. Hayley felt her fist coil in her palm as her face began to grow warm, not flushed with flattery but red with rage and she could recall how hard it had been fighting the urge to slap Alisha straight across the face even if she really wanted to do so in that moment – Alisha was still an Alpha and Hayley knew she would probably face some form of punishment for doing so. With reserved indignation, Hayley turned her heel and left, slamming the door behind her before stomping off to the car, her nose assaulted by the familiar peppery scent all the way home.

Hayley knew that Alisha probably thought she was overacting, in her eyes, it was probably just gravy, hot gravy but the spill could be forgive on account of the fact that it was just a ploy to get her alone so that they could talk and on account of werewolves notoriously fast healing abilities but that wasn’t the reason Hayley had been upset. It wasn’t the primary reason. Hayley knew what would happen to her the minute she got home and it came as no surprise to her that once she stepped over the threshold of the apartment, she could taste the dry chipped paint when her head was slammed into the brick wall. It came as no surprise to her when stream of mocking insults grew into increasingly vicious vulgarities as she felt a hand reach for her and yank her back by her braid only to slam her head into the brick wall again and again and again.

‘You little piece of s**t! Who the f**k do you think you are?!’ Her father bellowed. ‘You think you can fight me you sick s**t? Then you embarrass me in front of the Alpha like that?!’  He growled menacingly, his fingers had dug into her head and she could feel the pressure of his rage, she could feel it pressing against her skull, threatening to break it.

Hayley didn’t even have the energy to try and fight him off, she simply took the beating and tried to focus her energy on staying alive. She had survived. Unfortunately. And once her father was done and tired, she managed to stumble her way down the hall to her bedroom and plopped on her bed, staring blankly ahead as she felt the familiar burn of her body as it began to heal itself. Her eyes had remained open through the gentle hooting of the owl to the soft twittering melody of the birds when dawn broke. 

Hayley finally rose from her bed at the sound of the alarm and began to get ready for school, her mind only registering one awful inescapable fact: she was going to be seeing Alisha Guillaume in school today. f**k.