Rejected and Claimed by his Best Friend, Book 1

Chapter 11

Alice

The day had barely begun, and already I could feel the tension in the air. It wasn’t just the usual unease I’d felt back at Silvermoon, the constant threat of ridicule and anger, but something far heavier. Something thick and suffocating that hung over the Crescent Moon pack like an unspoken truth.

It was still early, and most of the pack was still going about their morning routines, but I could tell that everyone felt it. The calm before the storm. It wasn’t just me anymore. It wasn’t just about me and what had happened to me. The pack as a whole felt it.

I was sitting on the porch, leaning against the railing, staring at the forest in the distance. The scent of pine and damp earth filled my lungs, grounding me, but the sense of unease didn’t fade. It never did anymore.

Remi had gone off to attend some pack matters, and I had decided to stay behind, taking a moment of peace to myself. The air was still, but my thoughts were anything but.

I had changed in ways I hadn’t even realized. At first, it was all about survival. Getting away from the Silvermoon pack and finding a place where I could breathe, a place where I wasn’t just a punching bag or the invisible girl. But now... now I was starting to feel like I belonged here.

Like I was meant to be here.

Winter, my wolf, was always there, a constant presence in my mind. She’d been my only friend for so long, the only one who understood the hurt I’d been through. And now, the bond we shared was stronger than ever. She was a part of me, and we were a team.

But that didn’t mean it was easy.

I looked at my hands, fingers still trembling slightly despite the calming energy of the morning. I’d spent so much time running, hiding, and avoiding the pain, but now, it was in my face every day. The truth of my rejection, of Josh’s cruelty, still hung like a shadow in my mind, threatening to swallow me whole at the worst moments.

The image of Josh’s angry face, the coldness in his eyes when he rejected me, was seared into my mind. No matter how many times I told myself that I was better off without him, that his rejection was a gift, it didn’t stop the pain. It didn’t stop the weight in my chest every time I thought about it.

I wasn’t just rejected by him. I was rejected by everything I thought I had. The Silvermoon pack, my father, my family. I was nothing to them. And for so long, I believed it.

But now, now I was part of something different. Something that didn’t look at me like I was broken, like I was some burden that needed to be discarded.

“You’re not broken,” Winter whispered in my mind, her voice soft but strong. “You’re stronger than they could ever know.”

I took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill my lungs. Winter was right. I had my moments of doubt, but deep down, I knew. I knew I was stronger than I had ever been. The Crescent Moon pack was my new family, and Remi... Remi had proven time and time again that he would do anything for me. He believed in me, even when I couldn’t believe in myself.

I stood up from the porch, stretching my legs, and turned toward the woods. A part of me wanted to run, to escape into the forest like I used to, but I didn’t need to anymore. I wasn’t running away from anything. Not anymore.

Instead, I took slow, deliberate steps toward the training area. I hadn’t been there in a few days. Remi had pushed me hard in the beginning, and I could feel it—my body was stronger, faster. But there was still so much I needed to work on. So much I needed to do to be ready for whatever came next.

The sound of footsteps reached my ears just before I saw him. Remi. His towering form appeared from the edge of the trees, his eyes immediately locking onto me. The warmth of his gaze was familiar and comforting, and I could feel the bond between us pull me closer.

“Hey,” he said, his voice deep and low, almost a growl as he took a step closer to me. “You ready for some training?”

I met his gaze, smiling, though I knew it was a little forced. “I’m always ready.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing the tension in my posture. “You’re still carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders, Alice. I can feel it.”

I shrugged, unwilling to admit how much his words hit home. “I’ll be fine. I’m ready to train.”

Remi didn’t say anything else, but he didn’t need to. His eyes softened with understanding, and then he nodded.

“Alright,” he said, leading the way to the training field. “We’ll start slow today, but don’t hold back. You’ve come far, Alice. I want to see just how far you’ve really come.”

I swallowed hard, a surge of determination flooding through me. I was no longer the scared, broken girl who had left Silvermoon. I was someone different. Someone stronger. And with Remi by my side, I would be ready for whatever was coming.

As we reached the training grounds, I could feel the eyes of the pack on me, the pressure mounting. But this time, I didn’t flinch. This time, I stood tall, ready to prove myself not just to them, but to myself.