Rejection on the Full Moon

Chapter 17 - Worst Nightmare Comes to Life Part 1

"H.T. Amber." A voice calls out to me as I step out of my Mustang, the cold winter air nipping at any exposed skin not covered by my winter gear. I turn around to catch a Tracker jogging her way towards me, her warm breath fogging in the winter air and blonde ponytail bouncing up and down.

"Hi Lease, want to give me a hand with these?" I close the driver-side door and make my way to the back seat, revealing boxes upon boxes from my store’s bakery, my logo proudly showing on top of the boxes.

"Sure, as long as I get some to snack on some too!" I chuckle when Lease’s stomach growls to punctuate her statement then bend over to pick up a few cake boxes from the car and hand them to her. These are some treats that I had made in advance for the pack while at my store. I had a feeling that with all this snow fall the last few days everyone could use a sweet treat.

Business has boomed incredibly in the last year and a half after agreeing to Dominic’s request. Today was the busiest with tourist coming to town and shopping for Christmas gifts. I was run ragged until closing time and now all I want is to go home and sleep. But first, I have to make my usual appearance at the pack house.

Lease and I take our boxes of goodies and make our way into the pack house, greeting the wolves passing by. It has been a year and a half since my first day training the wolves of the Blood Moon pack, something I felt grateful for doing. I had gone home after talking to Christian and Dominic about who would make an incredible Head Hunter and great Assistant Tracker, as well as Head Tracker, if I decided not to take the offer. Dominic reminded me to think about the offer of joining this pack and knew right away what my answer would be. I remember calling Dominic late at night, surprised to learn he was still awake at the time and informed him that after the month of training is over, I would join his pack. On the first of August, I became the Head Tracker of Blood Moon and never regretted my decision.

Lease and I chat about the training she has been doing, a smile on my face while I watch the young eighteen-year-old wolf. I have a feeling that Avery is looking for more one-on-one training with Lease to turn her into our third in command in case something happens and either Avery or I can’t train the wolves for some reason or another. One thing is for sure, Lease is a talented Tracker, and having her in our ranks as another trainer and top Tracker will improve our pack’s strength significantly.

After setting the boxes down on the counter in the kitchen, I take out a Tupperware container and proceed to take out some treats I know Lease personally enjoys. I hand her the full container once I’m done, and the she-wolf bounds away with her stash of baked goods. I chuckle at her enthusiasm, even though we’re pretty close in age. Familiar steps on the hardwood floor catch my attention, and a soft smile plays at my lips. Seconds later, Dominic rounds the corner and enters the kitchen, his head tilting back as he takes in a deep breath. His wavy, silver-blue hair is slicked back and damp, probably from a fresh shower, and his ice-blue eyes wink at me.

“I smell… cheesecake. Did you bring enough to share?” He asks playfully, taking long, slow strides towards me. Inwardly, I curse and turn to search the pile of boxes, seeing the one box that must have been mistakenly carried in—containing my cheesecake. With a glare, I hold the box filled with my treasure away from Dominic, unwilling to share with him the one treat I have to hide away from the Alpha with a better nose than any Tracker I’ve trained.

“This is mine, Dominic.” I warn, slowly edging around the kitchen island to put more space and an obstacle between us. Dominic continues his advance with a smirk, his eyes darting between the box in my hand and my eyes.

"Give me the box, Amberle." Dominic’s voice is authoritative as he relies on his Alpha command to order me about. But the thing is, both of us hold Alpha blood in our bodies, even if mine is slightly diluted with Beta blood.

“No, Dominic.” I retort calmly, watching his muscles tense. Somehow, I’m the only one able to refuse his Alpha command. I know this challenges his authority, but being able to voice my concerns with this pack and not having to cower before an Alpha made a small part of me prideful—that, and the pack got a kick out of me annoying Dominic every time I refuse his command, brushing his words laced with the power of Alpha blood like a piece of lint off my shoulders. I continue to back away, using my skills and silent footwork to position myself, ready to run. Dominic soon joins me on the other side of the kitchen island, a gleam in his eyes as if victory for the prize of the coveted cheesecake with white chocolate drizzle is in his grasp. He makes his final move, lunging into the air in my direction. I run towards him, falling to the ground and sliding under his airborne form.

The sounds of the pantry door splintering alert me to Dominic’s position, but I refuse to look back. Looking back would get you caught.

Rushing to my feet, I hurriedly grab a fork from the dish-drying rack and scurry out of the kitchen and into the hallway. I have a feeling that if I raced off towards my house, Dominic would be there waiting to capture me and eat my cheesecake. The only other option is the stronghold we call his office on the second floor. Being the place where we store documents for our pack, Dominic’s office is reinforced to bear the brunt of an attack or storm. It is the safest place I can lock myself in and be able to enjoy the creamy treat on my own.

But my plans are foiled as a group of young pups bound down the stairs, forcing me to back away and turn around, ready to find another route. I forgot that on Fridays pups are allowed to study in the pack house with Hunters and Trackers as they learn the rules of being either a Hunter or Tracker, to then decide their role in the pack for the future.

Taking a step towards another hallway, I plan to make a run for the other staircase in hopes of reaching my destination safely. But strong arms pull me back against a sturdy chest, and Dominic’s familiar scent fills my nose, letting me know my attempt to run away has failed.

"I should really thank you for making me as fast as you." He whispers huskily, causing a shiver to run through my body. One arm stays around my waist as Dominic bends to lift me bridal style into his embrace, causing me to squeal in surprise. My eyes look into his, my pout signifying the pride of having the upper hand over him shattered. I always forget that pride comes before the fall, and with Dominic’s speed increasing each day, it was only a matter of time before he can outrun me. I hate the fact that I had trained him to be stronger and faster, matching me as my equal at this point in time. I stay silent while he treks up the stairs with me in his arms and the box of cheesecake in mine. Pack members give us amused looks, and a blush of embarrassment fills my face. I was never more thankful for the safety of his office while whispers about Dominic and I are spoken in our wake.

Setting himself down into the La-Z-Boy recliner he loves, Dominic places me on his lap, a smug grin on his face. Why did the Goddess have to make a devilishly handsome man like Dominic and put him before me?

"Now, are you going to share, Amberle?" Dominic asks in a parental tone used for pups. I hold the box closer to me, the fork clenched in my fist, internally debating the pros and cons of sharing the cake versus stabbing the fork into Dominic’s thigh. Dominic lets me think in silence, resting his head atop mine with his eyes closed. He has me trapped with nowhere to go.

“What happens if I don’t share?” I question boldly, with a hint of rebellion in my voice. I learn quickly what punishment of not sharing would await me. Dominic straightens in his seat with a mischievous grin. His hands move from encompassing me in his embrace to my sides. His fingers move rhythmically against me, sending my ticklish body into a state of thrashing while I fight against his hold, squealing and laughing. I had read somewhere that tickling someone is a form of a panic attack, and at this moment, I felt panicky. I hated my ticklish body. I try my best to keep the box steady so as not to ruin the cheesecake held within until sharing becomes the only option out of this predicament.

"Okay, okay, okay." I concede with tears in my eyes, focusing on catching my breath. Dominic had quickly learned my weakness of being ticklish on our first Halloween together. I remember getting drunk at a costume party and wanting to flirt with the guest from another pack. I had decided that since I was single, I had every right to find some form of companionship. I don’t remember much from that night other than a possessive Dominic as he carries me away from an equally drunk Alpha—or Beta since I can’t remember that wolf’s status—and leading me into his own room in the pack house reserved for when he has to work late. I remember feeling his hands on my side, causing me to squirm from the ticklish sensation. This eventually leads to me being underneath Dominic as he tickled me, tortured me into agreeing not to hook up with any wolf drunk. I don’t remember much after that because I quickly fell asleep, but I did wake up to swollen lips, Dominic’s shirt draped over me, and a passed-out Dominic quietly snoring beside me.

The fork being taken from my grasp brings me out of my thoughts. I notice Dominic carefully opening the cake box to reveal the pristine dessert. Part of me hates that I had gotten Dominic equally addicted to this treat as I am. There were times when I would come home from work to find Dominic lounging around the living room, watching the Raptors play while digging into a hearty slice. I soon learned to get creative with hiding places to stash away the treat for my own consumption and out of Dominic’s hands.

Digging into the side of the treat, Dominic places a fork full of cheesecake in front of my mouth. I take the offered bite happily, watching as he forks a portion and quickly stuffs it away inside his own mouth. Ever since my birthday a year and a half ago, Dominic and I have slowly gotten to know each other. We spent hours training and racing through the forest or lounging about in my house or his office. Our bond only grew stronger one night, when the two of us were by the lake I had encountered him at. He thanked me for becoming his Head Tracker, and explained his own past rejection and how he has been waiting patiently for his second-chance mate. Part of me hopes that in six months, when the final wisps of the mate bond tying me to Leo vanishes, Dominic will be the mate I end up with as my happily ever after. Some pack members have already voiced their opinion about me being their Luna, but I hated that word. I felt that a Luna has to be calm and collected with a pure and innocent disposition. I would rather be called an Alpha if Dominic and I end up mated in the future—that’s if the Moon Goddess pairs us as each other’s second chance.

For the next hour, the two of us enjoy the silence the office has to offer, chipping away at the cheesecake. Today, we are discussing which wolves are ready to become Hunters- and Trackers-in-training. We refer to these wolves as HITs and TITs, and honestly, I hated these nicknames. Since I begin training these wolves, both Hunters and Trackers have been training together, sharing their knowledge and working towards becoming stronger with new skills. It is why we have been debating on a new name for our wolves—Warriors. Dominic and Christian kept throwing in Fighters, but something about the nickname, WITs, for Warriors-in-training, sounded better than FITs, although Christian does like to throw a fit when nothing goes his way.

“Dominic, we have a problem!” Speaking of throwing a fit, Christian’s frantic voice flits in through the door from the hallway before the Beta rounds the corner, gasping for breath and leaning against the door frame. It seems like he ran from his office on the first floor all the way here to talk to Dominic about this problem.

“An ally pack just called. For a month now, their pack has been attacked and ravaged by rogues. They need our help with instilling a new training program.” This is normal for us. Every so often, a pack will ask for help in being trained. Most of the time, we send my assistant Avery and Miles’ assistant Silver to train those packs, as they have trained Blood Moon on occasions where Dominic, Christian, Miles, and I are unavailable to train. Maybe this time, we can send those two along as well.

"Who are they requesting for help, what kind of rogues are we dealing with, and how many rogues are there in total?” I feel a shift in Dominic as what I like to call his ‘Alpha Mode’ kicks in. I see Christian rummaging through his pocket, searching for Goddess only knows what. Leaning into Dominic’s embrace, I feel his fingers draw lazy circles on my back, a tick he has when annoyed with Christian or Miles. Sometimes I question why Christian is his Beta, with him being so unorganized and Dominic almost borderline OCD, but the two complimented each other well. My thoughts drift back to the lazy circles being drawn on my back, and I start wondering what it would be like to be with a mate—my own mate. The pain of rejection instigated by Leo still lingers, but it still shoots small tremors of pain through my heart.

“They are requesting the top members of the pack, including the two of us—our Head Hunter, Miles, and our Head Tracker, you, Amberle. They also asked for as many Hunters and Trackers that can help with defences.” Christian’s words bring me out of my thoughts. I sigh, making a mental list of what Avery will have to do to keep the training going in our pack while the four of us are gone.

“Soulless are the ones attacking the pack. From what they informed me, it’s about fifty in total, and over the years our ally pack has become weaker. I have no reason why their pack has lost its strength, other than their Alpha is an incompetent idiot and needs to find his mate and grow the fuck up.” Christian’s words have me laughing with his assessment of this ally pack of ours. As the strongest pack around, Blood Moon is known for its strict training now and its increase in strength. Many prefer to ally with us than to go to war with us over territory rights. Heck, when my property was merged into pack territory, Dominic was as excited as a pup to have more land. Granted, he gave up some land to neutral territory as well as provided funds to build some homes for rogues who needed a second chance like I did.

“Which pack is requesting help?” I chime in. I’m still learning about the allies we have made deals with, and curiosity fills me at the prospect of learning about a new pack.

“It’s Forest Paw.” Christian deadpans. My vision becomes hazy, and breathing becomes harder as the world around me starts to blur. My chest tightens from lack of air, and I gasp for breath. Memories begin to assault my mind, starting with the death of my parents, the abuse I faced at the hands of Mia, Leo, and sometimes Zack. I remembered how Zack’s mate Abby— the Head Tracker—would force me to train in harsh conditions, sometimes in only a sports bra and booty shorts, leaving me freezing and nearly at death’s door when I fell ill.

My arms are wrapped around me in an attempt for comfort as the last memory of Leo rejecting me and the pain that followed suit wracks through me. Panic rises inside as the pain takes over. My heart is beating a mile a minute, feeling as if at any moment it will burst into a million pieces. I had promised myself never to enter that pack again, to never allow them a chance to hurt me anymore. Yet here they are, requesting help from Blood Moon.

“What’s wrong with her?” Christian asks, worry evident in his voice, sounding muffled as if someone covered his mouth with a thick cloth. I feel Dominic wrap me in his arms and press my face into his chest, holding me close. My arms unwrap from around my abdomen, and I reach out to clutch at his shirt. Dominic is my safe place, my home, and my rock. He is the only person I know will protect me, and I need that right now.

“That’s her old pack, Chris. It’s the one she left before becoming rogue.” Dominic’s voice is low and soothing, his hands rubbing my back gently while I take deep breaths, inhaling his calming scent. Tears stream down my face and onto the soft fabric I cling to. Time ticks by as slow as molasses, while the pain of the memories subsides, and I feel my body returning to normal. I feel relieved that the two men did not push me for anything while the emotions run their course through my body.

"You okay, Amber?” Dominic asks, pushing my hair away from my face. I see the worry in his eyes as he smiles down at me, taking in my appearance. I nod with a shaky breath slowly releasing from my lips. I turn to look at Christian with a questioning gaze. Maybe they could let me stay back with Blood Moon and watch over our pack while everyone went to Forest Paw. But Christian looks at me with a weak smile and sighs. I already know his answer.

"They want our best so that we can train them and have everyone prepared to fight." Christian resumes quietly while sending me a sympathetic smile. Christian, Avery, Miles, and Dominic all know about my past. I told them the things I’ve been through, including the rejection that led me to become a rogue. Only Dominic knows which pack I left; the others were kept in the dark. I preferred to keep that part of my past buried in the past, but it seems like life has other plans for me now.

"It’s okay, I can do this. I am the best Tracker, after all." They both chuckle, and we start making our plans. We would take only fifty wolves—excluding the three of us and Miles—each ranging in skill. Twenty-five Trackers and twenty-five Hunters will be the amount for each team since bringing any more would cause our pack to be vulnerable with our absence. Dominic calls Miles, Avery, and Silver—Miles’ assistant Head Hunter—into the office. The five of us slowly get down to work on a list of wolves, deciding who we will bring with us to Forest Paw and who will stay with Avery and Silver to guard the pack. Christian’s Mate Camile will handle the pack work as the Beta Female in our stead, so that allows us some breathing room. The final list is the equipment we will need. When the digital clock on the shelf in Dominic’s office showed the time to be eleven o’clock at night, we decide everything is set for tomorrow.

"I'm heading home. Avery, since you’re the manager at the bakery, make sure everything runs smoothly. We probably won’t be back for about three weeks." I say, giving instructions for my shop and bakery to Avery. The two of us have become close over the year, and when she asked for a job, I was quick to hire her. All the wolves working there love her, and some of the rogues who worked for me have also joined Blood Moon. It feels more like a family-run store now, and the atmosphere is always lively with all of us working together.

“Okay, sounds good, Amber.” Avery answers with a yawn as she, too, takes her leave. I smile at Dominic, walking over and giving my best friend a hug for the night before making my way to the door.

"Good night, Fire." Dominic’s voice calls out softly to me. Turning to face the man still at his desk, with Christian and Miles reading out the list and contacting each wolf to be packed and ready for tomorrow, I catch Dominic’s warm gaze as he stares at me, a small blush creeping along my cheeks.

"Good night, Ice." I whisper before leaving his office and making my way down the stairs and outside the pack house, where my car awaits in the cold night. The drive to my house is short-lived. I park inside the garage and take the treat boxes into the kitchen. Tomorrow I will be facing the demons I left behind in Forest Paw. Doing a quick sweep of my house and making sure any food that can be frozen is packed away, I take the perishables and put them in a box—the pack house can use them while I am gone. My movements are robotic as my mind thinks about the many possible outcomes this trip can have. The only benefits would be seeing Axel, Serena, Blue and Claira again.

Avery already promised me she would check on my greenhouse and tend to the plants earlier, so that takes some worry off of my mind. I do one last sweep of my greenhouse garden before heading up to my room to pack. After finalizing everything I will need, I switch out the lights and crawl into bed. This trip will be a long three weeks, and every part of my being dreads it.

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