Mistress of Blood and Fur

Chapter 26 - The Rejection

Onyx

For werewolves, rejection is a serious matter. It means that you have been given a mate, but you’re not happy about it. You not only reject the wolf, but you also reject the gods that provided you with your mate in the first place.

There’s no such thing like that nowadays. Our wolves are still inside us, growling as ever. Blaze can tell you just how annoying he can be. However, mates are now chosen. Because women are rare in Opium Hills, they get to decide. It’s our way of wooing them. My father just didn’t see that complications can happen. Complications like Sarah can turn to deadly problems like the shapeshifter.

“I’m not. I’m your conscience, Onyx. The one who sets you straight,” Blaze indeed growls, reminding me of his strong presence. In about a week, we will be running through the forests again. I intend to claim Grace then.

“Sets me straight? You push me into things more than you set me straight.”

“Well, I didn’t say anything about this. You’re putting everyone in danger.”

Maybe.

My throat is dry as I walk toward the hall with Grace not too far behind. We decided not to go in hand in hand. We don’t know what script the shapeshifter will be following. We need to play it safe.

The hall is full of young wolves hobnobbing. There’s some excitement as the male ones try to get Josie’s and Elaine’s attention. I can almost feel a rumble as some spot Grace entering the hall. Over my dead body.

Where’s the shapeshifter, anyway? Is she ready to do her job? My mind also drifts to Tobias. Is he dead? Guilt racks me. We should be scouring the forests for him, but we don’t have time. We have less than an hour to make things happen.

“I have an announcement to make.”

I turn to Grace as soon as I hear the shapeshifter’s voice. It’s loud and clear, and sounds very much like Sarah. It chills me to the bone to think that she can take on someone’s identity and be that person or wolf for that moment. There’s no variation at all. She has become Sarah.

Everyone turns their attention to the petite figure standing in the middle of the room. She doesn’t look like she has been tied up for hours. Her hair is long and sleek. Her eyes are bright with excitement, but she reins in the glow. She’s aware that she’ll be rejecting me as she pretends to be Sarah. A rejection is never something to be celebrated.

“You all know that I claimed Onyx Warcloud,” she begins.

The wolves cheer. They think that what she’s about to say is something to be celebrated. The long pause that follows plus the sad look in her eyes make everyone fall silent.

“It was a spur of the moment, decision. So, today, I reject him. I reject Onyx Warcloud. I will only take a mate who will reciprocate my feelings.”

Gasps are heard from all over the hall. Everyone’s shocked about the announcement. More likely, they have never heard of a rejection in their whole lives. Our generation hasn’t experienced being mated. We mostly live among humans, and many of our kind have intermarried with them.

“Are you sure about this, Sarah?” my father asks. I only notice him now, as he rises from his chair in one corner of the hall. I’m used to him being in front near the podium, but he seems to be hanging out with everyone else right now. “When you reject a chosen or claimed mate, you cannot take it back.”

The warning echoes through the hall, and I see anxious faces all around us. Some may not have thought about this part of claiming, and now the Alpha himself has clarified it for them. They also know that if Sarah goes through the rejection, the other wolves may not take her choices as seriously.

“Poor Sarah.” Blaze chooses this moment to express his unwelcome opinion. But I get him. Oh, I do. A part of me agrees with my wolf. A part of me wants to get the hell out of here instead of letting Sarah reject me so publicly. The humiliation is hers, not mine. Once upon a time, it would have been the other way around.

“I know. I f*****g know, Blaze.”

It’s too late to stop what has been set in motion. If I shout out to stop it and reveal who the entity really is, there will be hell to pay. Fox, Dash, Grace and I will all be in trouble. Deep trouble. We have a girl tied up in our cabin, and we should be trying to find a dying wolf. Tobias. s**t. I can almost feel the pain emanating from Grace right now. She’s crying inside, and even her face reveals some of her feelings.

“Alpha Kele, I am aware. I reject your son, Onyx Warcloud, not because I feel I am so much better than him. I reject him because I realize that he loves someone else and I can’t let myself be second choice. I have never been second best.”

Sighs of relief travel from one wolf to another, until it feels like the whole place throbs with that singular emotion. The shapeshifter has done a great job.

“You know you’re going to pay for that performance.”

“I know, Blaze.”

“If you’re sure. Then, I would like the rest of the pack to know that Sarah Alpern is now free to choose one of you, young wolves again. Make sure you woo her well so that she’ll be sure about your feelings. As for Onyx, you are again free. Any of the remaining young she-wolves can choose you. Again, let us make things clear. Sit at the table where your chosen bride is. As for the brides, come to me if you have any concerns so that we can avoid any other such instances.”

Murmurs erupt, but everyone understands. Wolves move toward the tables their chosen she-wolves sit. Sarah Alpern’s doppelganger chooses the one right in the middle. She looks so serene, but the gaze she uses on me is meaningful. I know I’ll pay for it one way or another. She’s taken something from me before. She will take more, especially now that she has done us a favor. The gold necklace glints on her chest. I remind myself that the one made of pure gold is still with Fox. It’s the one that can bind her, but I know that there are other things that must be done to completely destroy this creature.

“It’s never a good idea to make deals with demons,” Blaze murmurs sagely.

“I know. This one’s a particularly dangerous one.”

Grace’s table is, again, almost empty. Our place in this hall is relatively quiet compared to the bustling ones around us. Sarah’s table is now full of admirers. The real Sarah may thank us yet, but somehow I doubt it and I can’t blame her.

I wonder if people will start noticing that Fox isn’t with us. Dash also looks restless, as if he wants to bolt from the table at any time.

“The table is almost empty. They’ll notice when I leave to look for Tobias. I should have sat at Elaine’s table,” he says uneasily.

“You’re right. We also can’t move out of here together. Can we?”

“Yes, we can do that,” Grace says. “The three of us can leave together. Wait a minute. What about Carlotta?”

“What about Carlotta?” Since when are Grace and Carlotta friends?

All three of us turn to a table in the farthest, darkest corner of the room. Carlotta sits there as if she doesn’t give a f**k if anyone will choose her.

“Why isn’t anyone sitting with her?” Grace asks. “I thought the wolves are more wary about virgins.”

“You’re right,” Dash agrees. “It’s strange that nobody’s sitting with Carlotta. She must have put up a barrier.”

“How many hybrids are there in this pack?” Grace looks dazed. I know she has always leaned more toward her witch side of the family. It’s why she feels a strong kinship with our resident warlock genius, Fox Green.

“Too many,” Dash grumbles. “And stop looking at Carlotta, Grace. If you’re thinking you two can be friends, think again.”

I can’t help but think, however, that something’s strange is happening to Carlotta. She would have already bitched about the wolves racing toward the other brides’ tables. She didn’t seem forced when she arrived here.

“Maybe she doesn’t need a mate,” I say.

“Maybe.” Dash nods. “But I’m serious, you two. We need to find a way to get out of here early to find Tobias.”

“We also have to catch the shapeshifter later to bind her,” Grace reminds us.

“Oh, s**t,” I mutter.

The cleanup is going to be harder than the actual task. By the way the shifter is looking at me with that c****d brow and smirk on her face, she’s expecting to have a lot of fun.