Rejection on the Full Moon

Chapter 14 - Fateful Encounter

The warm sunlight surrounds me as I stare at the lake in front of me. The sound of waves gently crashing against the shore washes a sense of calmness over me as the soft breeze ruffles my long hair and pink sundress.

Today, I am nineteen years old, and it has been one year since becoming a rogue. My heart still feels broken, but I am happy even with the dull pain that being rejected still brings. As pups, we are told that the first year after being rejected is the most difficult to overcome. Your sanity could shatter, or the pain of the rejection could physically kill you. If the mate that rejected you was selfish, they could cause more harm to you by having sex with other wolves after the rejection. Sadly, I know that pain all too well and somehow I managed to keep my sanity, even when I felt like giving in to the pain. I managed to survive a year alone as a rogue and even killed plenty of Soulless in the process.

People might think that I’m cruel for killing any Soulless that crossed my oath, but the truth is I’m setting them free. Death allows the Soulless to enter the realm of the Moon Goddess on the other side and gives them a chance to either one—be reborn and reincarnated or two—serve the Goddess and help wolves who are waiting for their mate to join them in the afterlife.

Thinking about the Soulless, my mind wanders to the Alpha I saved. It’s been about nine months since I last saw the Ice Alpha. I learned a week after saving him that he had posted an article about me online and how I came to help him when the group of Soulless attacked. I couldn’t believe how detailed he went into the incident, from what we said and how we interacted to the smallest detail of how I killed each Soulless. I was flattered at first by the article and even printed it off the site to add to my scrapbook of articles on Fire Foot. But after the article, I soon found trouble looting both in human form and wolf.

Many wolves and rogues like myself wanted to see what I was made of and how my skills were. I would find myself being attacked in wolf form many times by other Rogues, finding myself battling to stay alive. Luckily the ones that attacked were weak and I always left them defeated and still breathing even if it was to an inch of loosing their lives.

The attacks and trials lasted for about two months. By that time, I had opened up my own store in the tourist city called Kenora, just an hour away from my house. My store is a bakery and gift shop located in downtown Kenora that sold delicious treats enjoyed by locals and tourists and traditional herbal medicine and tea made from the fruits, berries, and medicinal herbs from my own greenhouse. I also sold sculptures and furniture carved from the fallen trees of the forest and dream catchers made under the night of the full moon each month.

Everything I made has my own brand image on it: a pawprint inside a heart made of flames. It symbolized the community’s name for me, Fire Foot. Wolves from different packs in the area also come to my store for the sweet treats I made along with the fresh, sweet berries I grew all year round in my greenhouse that I had expanded over the year and the original works of art. Some would even leave orders for specific furniture for their homes. They all know that I’m a rogue, but because I took the time and invested my money into something that wouldn’t harm the werewolf community, they were more than happy to buy from my store.

My store became so popular within its third month of opening, I had to buy the building attached to it and expand. The new addition allowed me to work with local artisans and wolves from various packs who wanted to sell their own special goods. I created sections that allowed the artisans to rent so they can sell their products. They were allowed to come in early each morning to stock their designated display units for an hour and leave while my employees managed the store. They knew the rule that if they caused a fight with any of the other artisans, the ones fighting would be banned from entering and selling in my store. The best part about my employees is that some were rogues who were looking for a fresh start. They came to my store looking for work when they realized the owner is a rogue too. Some were even fresh out of culinary school, and, with a bit of training, they were able to bake the treats to my standard—sometimes even better than me.

I’m proud of what I’ve built in the last year, but today I had put a notice on the door and gave everyone an advanced warning that I would be closing for a weekend vacation. I want this day all to myself to reflect on this past year and to celebrate my birthday. Cake and food waited for my return home, and so did a marathon of The One Hundred on Netflix.

Today is definitely different from last year. I yawned and stretched out on the soft grass below me as the scent of wildflowers float around me in the breeze, my eyes closing to enjoy the sounds of the peaceful lake. This place is in the middle of neutral territory, a little place of untouched nature undisturbed by humans with thick trees protecting it from view and fields of wildflowers all around. I came across it after a rough day just after opening my store, needing to release the stress dealing with the rude customers. I remember running out of the trees on a night of the full moon, the lake so clear that you could see to the bottom of it. It was calming to be here and the stress melted as soon as I scented the wild flowers, spotting a few rare ones that I knew would be a good addition to my green house.

I spent that night sleeping under the moon in the very spot I sit on now and come morning I carefully dug up some of the rare plants and transported them back home. They became part of my ingredients in my products and the lake became my escape.

Closing my eyes, I lean back on the grass and bask in the warm sunlight, a smile on my face as I relax.

◆◆◆

Hues of red, orange, pink, and white cause the lake to look like a glowing gemstone under the waning light as my eyes slowly open. Realizing I must have dozed off sometime after lying down, I found myself staring at a beautiful sunset over the lake. The sight is breathtaking, and after pushing myself up into a sitting position, I pull my phone out to take a picture. I want to paint this scene and sell copies in my store soon, include a silhouette of a wolf or a pair of wolves in the foreground enjoying the view.

"Comfy?" A deep voice comes from slightly behind me, startling me. I drop my phone and unsheathe my hidden dagger from my thigh, my body prepared to attack as I look to see who it is that spoke. Soon, my eyes meet those of a wolf I know all too well - the ice wolf and Alpha to the Blood Moon Pack stares at me with an amused smile on his face.

"I was until you spoke." I joked, putting the dagger away and getting a chuckle from him. He slowly walks towards me until he stands right in front of me, the wind behind me blowing in his direction so he can take in my scent and I take the time to admire his looks under the setting sun. His tan skin and strong muscles are still the same as when I first met him. I size him up as he towers above me, noticing his easy going smile and relaxed posture. This wolf may be taller and stronger than my but not once do I feel scared or intimidated by this Alpha.

"I-"

"Wanted to thank me? I already heard it the first time." I smile, cutting him off and getting a bewildered look as I cut him off. I chuckle as he goes deep into thought before sending a warm smile my way.

"You were there?" The Alpha asks, turning to look at the water. I nod in response before sitting back down on my spot in the grass, surprised when the Alpha takes a seat beside me.

"Thank you for the herbs, by the way. I sell medicine I make with them at my shop. The wolves who buy them always come back." I break the silence that settles between us as I look at his profile. He quickly turns to look at me with shock at my gratitude and I can picture his mind trying to work out what I just said.

"The only place in the town that sells medicine is-”

"Fire Heart Bakery and Gift Shop. I know." I chuckle, finishing his sentence and sending a mischievous wink his way.

"Wait! Are you Amberle, the rogue wolf who owns that shop?" His face is a mixture of shock and awe as he stares at me, making me laugh at the Alpha wolf staring at me as if he met his childhood idol for the first time.

"Yes, nice to meet you mister-"

"Dominic DeValorse." He answers, finishing my sentence and shaking my outstretched hand.

"I think I like Ice better." I retort, rolling my eyes for a moment and returning my attention back to the lake.

"Ice? Why Ice?" Dominic asks, his head tilted to one side, puzzled. Gone is the image of a battle-hardened Alpha, as his nature is so carefree and childish. I giggle at how he looks and feel the grin on my face growing. It feels nice not having to worry about a wolf attacking me for being a rogue and have a proper conversation for once.

"Because of your fur. It’s like mine, but like living ice." He laughs at my answer, and I stick out my tongue at him childishly before we both end up laughing under the setting sun. Feeling safe around this wolf, whatever vigilance against Dominic that I had before vanishes. I begin to ask questions about his pack, learning about how he’s made new treaties and allies peacefully, which is surprising considering most packs prefer war over peace.

Our topic changes to questions about my store, and pride swells within me. I loved the store I have spent months growing, and how everyone who works under me has become a family in every way. Everything is great until Dominic asks a question I did not expect.

"So, I have to ask, why are you out here all alone? What made you go Rogue, because you’re an amazing wolf?" I go rigid at his question, pain etching itself through my body. I knew wolves would ask eventually about my situation, but talking about it still hurt, the wound still too fresh to bear at times.

"You don't have to tell me, Amberle. By the looks of it, this is a hard subject for you." He adds quickly, and I sigh. I see the concern and care in his eyes as he shifts closer to me, his hand resting on my shoulder.

"It’s been a year now but the truth is it started the night my parents died when I was nine." I start, and then the story of my life unfolds. Dominic is a great listener, nodding and allowing me to just talk without interruption. I talk about the hunters, the abuse, the pain, and the rejection. By the end of my explanation, I’m hugging my knees to my chest, watching the water in the lake roll gently, back and forth.

"Wow." That is all Dominic whispers in response as silence settles once again between us. Surprise fills me when strong arms wrap around my small frame, and I am pulled into a sturdy chest as Dominic settles his head on top of mine. His scent of mint and pine surrounds me, and I can’t help but take it in, letting him comfort me as my tears finally fall for the first time in a year. I let out all the hurt while this stranger holds me close and comforts me.

“You are so strong to have survived all this.” He whispers, his hand gently rubbing my back. It felt nice being in the embrace of someone and feeling safe and secure. This is something that I’ve longed for growing up, something I want more of.

“Happy birthday, by the way.” He adds, causing me to go into a laughing fit. It is so unexpected to hear him say that after the long-winded story of how I became a rogue, but it feels right.

"Thank you." I manage to say before slipping out of his arms and standing. Being beside Dominic is like a breath of fresh air, making me feel so alive again.

"Want to come to my place for some birthday cake?" I ask with a grin, extending the offer and my hand out to him.

"Sure." Dominic smiles up at me, a smile that nearly takes my breath away for a moment. Whoever ends up as his mate will be one lucky she-wolf.

Standing up and taking my hand, Dominic and I walk hand-in-hand through the forest towards my house. Along the way, I point out different wild herbs and vegetables his wolves can keep an eye out for to help them in the future. I couldn’t believe it when he told me that no one in his pack was trained in survival knowledge, as no one had ever turned rogue in his pack. He figured his pack wouldn’t need it, and I call him an idiot for it—which he agrees he is and states that everyone will be starting survival training as soon as possible. We stop walking when my property comes into view, Dominic’s face is in awe as he stares ahead at what I call my home, one that I have been slowly renovating over the last few months.

The house is enormous: a three-storey, two-thousand square feet property with a portion of the forest within the perimeter of a silver-plated fence. The fence is something I had completed last month as an extra security measure for myself, living in neutral territory with many rogues and Soulless in the area meant I needed this extra bit of protection during the night.

The building itself is a mini mansion made to look like it belonged in the woods, with most of the walls being glass panels to allow in as much light and view of nature as possible. The first floor is open concept, with each room in plain sight. I had renovated it so that the dining area is to the left of the kitchen, taking in the view of the backyard as it’s furthest from the window. The living room is closest to the wall of windows, allowing in more light during the day. The door to a small powder room is situated by the front entrance, as are the door to the garage and the mudroom that led to the greenhouse. The large, extended structure is my absolute pride and joy, housing many plants in a space just half the size of my house.

The second floor held four bedrooms—each with its own bathroom and small walk-in closet—, and a library with it’s own study. This space held more floor-to-ceiling windows to let in the most natural light possible as I work on my store paperwork and business deals, as well as have a cozy place to read my precious books.

The top floor is one that I deemed my favourite and personal space. The entire floor held one master bedroom with two large walk-in closets and a full bath, complete with a shower fit for two people, a large clawfoot tub perfect for soaking in, and a his-and-hers vanity sink set. I left one closet empty and closed for the day I am granted a second-chance mate.

The final touch is the large basement I had put a lot of effort into renovating. When I first bought this place, the basement was nothing but bare concrete flooring and unfinished walls and ceiling, with a laundry area that held a washer and dryer, furnace, and hot water tank system. At the time, I figured I needed specific areas for when winter hit or if I decided to start my own pack, so I started with the basement as one of the first major long-term home renovation projects, along with my greenhouse.

What was once a boring, cold basement soon held a bright and clean laundry room with state-of-the-art equipment for clothes washing and a station for clothes ironing, lined with shelves of cleaning products and extra linen, in case I decided to have guests over. Next to the laundry room is an area taking up half the basement which I took great pride in designing: a large home gym, complete with free weights and exercise machines to help keep me in shape when the snowy winters make it hard to workout. I always loved working out, and knowing I would need a place for both my wolf and skin form, I knew the basement would be the best place to create said space.

Finally, the very far end of the basement housed a large walk-in fridge and freezer as a storage area for food and other goods I could keep in bulk. As a werewolf, the amount of food I needed to keep up with my fast metabolism sometimes tripled or quadrupled that of a human. Having a large storage space made it easier to maintain a healthy supply of extra food and even store fruit and vegetables from my greenhouse.

Since it is summer, the garden is full of flowers in bloom, and the new pool that I had built last month reflected the various plants and berry bushes. The swimming pool is something I loved spending time in when I wasn’t running around by a lake or river, as it was shaped to be a natural pond with a deep end and shallow end. The filtration system flowed through an area where large aquatic plants filtered the particles through their roots, leaving my pool crystal clear and clean, with no chlorine treatment needed. And as a werewolf with a strong immune system, I am more than happy with a pool that fits in with the surroundings. The idea came to me one day in January when the area I lived in faced a brutal snowstorm. I was cozied up on the couch watching Animal Planet when Pool Master came on.

A wraparound porch snaked around half of my house, starting from the front of the house, along the wall of windows, towards the back where the pool is. Just steps from the pool, the end of the porch gave way to a large, wooden gazebo fitted with furniture I had made in my four-car garage during the winter. Only one car sat in the garage, the Mustang convertible my father left to me.

"For a rogue, you’re doing pretty well for yourself." Dominic states as his eyes scan the property as best as he can from where we’re standing. He continues walking towards my property, his hand still clasping my own, and a proud smile spreads across my face.

“Thank you. Believe it or not, between opening my store and buying and renovating this place, I was actually broke for a while. It wasn’t until the store started doing well for itself and gaining popularity that I finally had a stable income.” I state, taking my hand out of his. I push open the only non-silver spot of the fence line, an iron gate, revealing a small path that leads from the paved driveway to just outside the sliding gate that allowed me to drive my car in and out of the property and into town. I lead Dominic into my house, instructing him to take off his shoes at the front door or risk being skinned for making my floors dirty before guiding him into the kitchen.

The smell of baked chicken and roasted vegetables fills the air as the oven keeps the meal warm. I motion for my guest to sit on one of the stools beside the kitchen island as I take the food out of the oven and place it in front of him. I then pass to Dominic plates, cutlery, and a bottle of wine before joining him to serve ourselves and dig in.

We continue getting to know each other, talking about our likes and dislikes, and it makes me wonder if the many Alphas of the Blood Moon Pack are as ruthless as the rumours make them out to be. So far, other than growling at me when Dominic first found out I was Fire Foot last year, he has been nothing but friendly; and maybe a little too tempting to be with.

With dinner finished and the clear night sky providing a view of the gorgeous stars, I suggest eating dessert on the patio on a lounge set by my pool. Dominic agrees readily to this idea. I show him where to take out the plates and cutlery we will need and glasses, then I grab another bottle of red wine and the cake from the fridge and head over to where he sits waiting.

"Wow." I laugh at his expression as I place the New York cheesecake with white chocolate drizzle and chocolate chips before him on the wooden table and begin to cut nice-sized slices for us to enjoy. I lean back into my chair, my eyes watching Dominic as he takes his first bite and lets out a delighted moan, his eyes closing in absolute bliss. The pool water bubbles gently in the quiet night, the only sound between us, and the scent of all the flowers swirling around from the breeze creates an intimate atmosphere. This is the best birthday I’ve had in a long time.

“To be frank with you, Amberle, I am glad I ran into you today.” Dominic starts, ending the comfortable silence as he reaches for another large slice of cheesecake, practically making out with it as he shoves the fork into his mouth.

"Why's that?" I inquire, a bemused expression on my face while I watch my new friend. It seems like I’ll have to hide this cheesecake from now on if he becomes a regular at my place.

"My Head Tracker is retiring to raise her pups, and I was hoping I could run into you again to ask you to join my pack and take her spot. You can still stay here and run your store, but the Trackers normally train from Fridays to Saturdays. I know you have employees and normally use those days to work on paperwork, so it wouldn’t cut into your business.” My eyes widen at first from his implied stalking me, then from his proposal to join his pack. For a moment, I stare silently at the wolf before turning my gaze to the water, my thoughts swirling. I am Fire Foot, the notorious rogue who loots powerful packs, yet he wants me in his pack. I can’t lie to myself and say that the idea of finding a pack and being a member in a community once again didn’t call to me. I want to be with other wolves once again and feel connected, but the fear of what happened back at Forest Paw held me back some days. But something in Dominic’s eyes as he stares at me, without the pride and arrogance of an Alpha, causes a flicker of hope to burn bright inside me. Maybe this could be a new beginning, a new chapter in my life that I needed. The prospect of my dream job being handed to me on a silver platter on my birthday added to my decision. After a long silence, all while Dominic leaves me to my thoughts, I smile and nod.

"One month. I will train them for one month and tell you if I plan to stay or not afterwards." I answer firmly. If I feel like I belong in a month and that Blood Moon could become my new family, then I would stay. But if I felt like an outcast once again, then Dominic will have to find someone else.

"It’s a deal. We can do a test run tomorrow and see how it works out since I know you closed the store this weekend.” Dominic adds, and I can’t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm. We shake hands, and I lead him to the study to make a contract of the terms for the month to come. He leaves shortly after signing both copies—one for each of us. I spent an hour gathering things I would need for training and coming up with an idea that tested their abilities. As a Tracker myself, being quick and quick-witted is an asset, and I need to comprehend just how much work needed to be done tomorrow with the Blood Moon wolves. Tomorrow I will be training his wolves, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited.