After the party, I went home with my parents. I was emotionally done. I’m glad my parents did not try to talk to me. My parents are good that way. I know when to give me space to process. My parents and I went to our rooms as soon as we got back to the house. I wanted to go to sleep, but my mind kept going. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened at the party and the future of the pack.
I have that things happened the way that they did. I am worried about the pack. If the Elite warriors leave, the pack will be vulnerable. The protection around the pack is strong, but we have pack members that live away from the pack and they could become targets because they know the pack would not be able to respond right away. I need to talk to the warriors in the morning. I do not want them to leave the pack for me. We have worked much too hard to let this pack fall apart like that. I love they will stand for me the way they did, but the pack needs them more than I do.
I don’t know how I feel about the way things ended with Trevor. I appreciate that he apologized, but it’s too little too late for me. I do forgive him, but I still don’t want him in my life. He was my mate. The one person who was supposed to love me unconditionally, yet he tried to destroy and break me. It’s hard to get past that. If I wasn’t a special wolf, I may not have survived this situation. I am blessed to be strong enough to overcome the pain of rejection, but it still hurts me emotionally. I always thought my mate and I would be happy together. I wanted to love my mate. I think if Trevor would have come around and apologized before things went as far as they did, I would have taken him back. He just wouldn’t stop trying to hurt me. Since we broke the bound with him, I am numb to him. He still makes me angry, but mostly, I feel nothing where he is concerned.
I need to find a happy medium with Trevor for the good of the pack. If I want to help keep things together, I have to show the warriors that I am willing to work with Trevor and Alpha Connor.
Before I knew it, morning was here. I hear my mom and dad downstair talking as my mom makes breakfast. I jump in the shower and get dressed. If I know my friends the way that I do, they will be here soon to check on me. I’m surprised Talia and Mona are not here already. Since bother Talia and Mona are both mated, I know the twins and Ben will be here as well.
I finish dressing in sweats and a tank top and go downstairs. I guess my mom knows that my friends will be here as well. She cooked enough for an army.
“Good morning mom and dad.”
“God morning,” my parents say.
“Were you able to get any sleep, baby girl?” My mom asked.
“Not really. My mind wouldn’t stop working. I am worried about the pack warriors leaving.”
“I know Sweet Pea. I’m worried about the same thing. I’m hoping that everyone will listen to reason today in the pack. Alpha Connor linked me earlier. He has a solid plan. We just have to show our support,” my dad says.
“I trust you, dad. If you say it’s a good plan, I will support it.”
“Good. After the pack meeting, the council will meet with us to plan your training and the development of your team. There has been a little unrest lately. I’m guessing it is because mom died before you came into your powers so the supernaturals did not since the protector in the kingdom. They would just now start sensing you. My guess is that they think you are just being born. The council is going to want to get you out there and get order back.”
“I’m ready, dad. I was born for this. You and grandmother have been training me since I was a pup.”
Just as I finished talking, all 8 of my friends came through the door.
“Hi guys.”
“Hi Seleste.” Talia says, “How are you today. We wanted to come by and check on you.”
“I’m a good guy, really. My dad and I were just talking about my upcoming training.”
“You know you don’t have to put on a brave face for us,” Rose says.
“Guys, I really am doing good. I’m more worried about the pack than I am about me. Tamaska broke the bound between Trevor and me, so, I don’t feel the pain or emptiness of rejection. We are ok.”
All of my friend just look at me like they are waiting to see my break, but I won’t. They may think I am pretending, but I am doing good for real.
“Guys, I cooked a lot this morning, so come have a seat and eat with us. The pack meeting will start in less than an hour.” My mom says.
Everyone sits down and starts eating. I can see them peek at me periodically and we all engage in small talk. I know they are worried about me. They will see in time that I am fine and just want to focus on the future.
We all finish eating. Me and the girls help my mom clean the kitchen while the boys go to my dad’s study with him. I’m sure he is talking with them about the council. Sam and Drew are already on my protector team. Talia will be added to the team. There is at least one more warrior from this pack that I want to also recruit.
After we finish helping my mom with the kitchen, the girls and I go into my room. I already know they have been waiting to get me alone to talk. Rose and Talia did not know about the rejection, so this is all new to them. Mona knows that I’m ok. She has been with me these last few days.
“Now that it is just us, how are you really doing:” Rose asked.
“Girls, I really am doing ok. I was somewhat prepared for being rejected. I had a feeling that Trevor was my mate and I knew if he was, he would reject me. I hoped that I was wrong, but I was mentally prepared.”
“When did it happen?” Talia asked.
“It happened after the fireworks on his birthday. After you guys left, I went to that blessed space in the middle of the forest. I was lying there soaking up the rays from the moon when Tamaska started going crazy. She started saying that our mate was near. I was surprised because I had not turned 18 yet, so I didn’t know how she would know. We were so happy that our mate had found us. I stayed in my spot and waited for him to get to me. The next thing I know, I heard him say, this can’t be happening. You can’t be my mate. I was shocked that the person the moon goddess paired me with was the person who hated me the most. He immediately rejected me. I actually tried to talk to him and asked him to think about it before he decided like that, but you all know he did not listen. He left and tried to command me not to tell anyone. I left him lying in the field and came home and told my parents. You all know the rest.”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” Talia said. “I didn’t think Trevor would go that far.”
“I knew.” Rose said. “He had been telling my brother and the other guys that if his mate was a warrior, he was going to reject her. He told them he wanted his mate to be the opposite of Seleste.”
“We all knew Trevor was an idiot over the last year.” Talia says. “Mona. Why are you so quiet? Wait, you knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” Mona said. “I knew, but Seleste asked me not to say anything. She wanted to deal with things on her own and she did not want to put all of us in the middle of Trevor’s drama.”
“I feel so bad that you had to sit through us finding our mates and being happy while you were going through that.” Talia says.
“Guys. I was so happy that things worked out for you all and that you were happy with your mates. Don’t feel bad about being happy. You both deserve happy endings.”
“You deserve a happy ending as well Lettie.” Mona says.
“I know and I will have one, eventually.”
“So when you said you will get a second chance mate last night, you were being truthful?” Talia asked.
“Yes. I was. The moon goddess does not want her chosen ones to go through life sad, hurt and alone, so we can completely break the bond if we get rejected and we are blessed with a second chance, mate. What I have not told anyone else is that I also have the ability to ask the moon goddess to give Trevor a second chance as well. Don’t look at me like that. I am nowhere near the point of even considering doing something like that for him at this point, but if he proves himself over the next two years, I will consider it for the good of the pack.”
I should have taken a picture of their faces. It was so funny how they were looking. Even Mona was shocked. She knew about the second chance, but not about me having the power to ask for one for Trevor as well. The moon goddess loves all of her children and she really does not want to see us hurting, plus since most protectors are mated to high-ranking wolves, such as alphas, betas or gamma, there is a need for them to have heirs to carryon the leadership of the pack. The goddess gives everyone a way out and has an opportunity to test the heart of the protector and the growth of the wolf that did the rejecting. If the protector is the one that does the rejecting without just cause, then they are left to suffer all the consequences of the rejection without the hope of getting a second chance. They may also risk the protector moving to a different family unit from the descendants of Fenroe.
We talked for a couple more minutes and I was able to put the girls’ minds at ease. I know they will tell their mates what we talked about, so the guys will stop worrying as well. My mom just let us know that it is time to head to the pack meeting. We all leave together and plan to sit together. My parents will be on the stage with the alpha. My friends and I will be seated in the front with all the ranked wolves and warriors. I really hope Alpha Connor will be able to keep the pack together and rebuild the faith of the pack in our leadership.