His Rejection, page 4
I snatched my arm away from her causing her to turn around with a shocked expression. “I'm actually looking for Nova. Have you seen her?”
She smacked her teeth and rolled her eyes. She took a long and exaggerated sigh before she answered me. “No, I haven’t seen her.” I never understood what Natalie’s problem with my sister was. Nova made sure Natalie got her way often, but she still wasn’t happy with that.
“What is your problem with my sister,” I asked her, irritated. This had really gotten ridiculous.
Before she could answer Juan came running down the hall shirtless and screaming my name. Everyone, including his mate, was staring at him like he had gone crazy. As he made his way to me Vanessa, his mate, made her way over too protectively close to Juan's naked torso. He was out of breath and his tan skin was flushed and red. Vanessa looked worried. It was obvious that he had shifted but what we didn't know was why, and we couldn't ask him before he caught his breath.
“Nova,” he rasped out. My wolf and I quickly gave him our full and undivided attention.
“What's was wrong with my sister? What happened to her? Is she hurt? Is she OK,” I shouted. I was spitting out a ton of different questions waiting for one to be answered.
“Give him a minute Alex. Can you see he's out of breath,” Vanessa asked in her thick Latin accent. I looked at her and she immediately backed down. If he didn't want me to ask him these questions, he should have caught his breath first and then started with Nova.
“Her and Maxon. Fighting. They're mates,” he spoke, pausing briefly while he caught his breath. “I think she is shifting.”
As soon as I heard that it felt like my world was falling around me. I was supposed to protect her and be with her while she shifted, I was supposed to help her with everything she wouldn't have understood. Now she's out there with that idiot, with no protection, and he's her mate! This couldn't get any worse…
Why would the Fates give my little sister that idiot for a mate, the guy who had been tormenting her for the last three years?
I looked at Juan. He was the only person besides myself to know about my sister. He had caught me one day practicing with my gifts. We had become fast friends when I had found out that Nova and I weren't the only Specials in the pack. He had also kept his gifts a secret from Alpha Ellis, afraid of being used only as a weapon. He told me that his parents were part of a rebellion within the pack. There were a lot of Specials who weren’t pack Warriors. His family was the one who helped me learn to control my gifts and to help me shield Novas’.
Did they manifest yet, I asked through a link.
I have no clue. She was going through the change when I left, but the wind was doing some creepy stuff. I rushed here thinking we would have time to get there before she changed completely.
He gave me a look that didn't give me much hope. We'd have to hope and pray that no one is around to notice.
Let's go, I told him.
He nodded and turned to Vanessa telling her to follow us and stay close just in case Vampires, rogues, hunters, and other packs were around. She complained about not understanding but promised to do as he said. He nodded at me and we took off running with Juan leading the way.
Help me keep her safe Alex, he sent me.
I nodded my head, and although he couldn't see it, he knew what I had done. A part of me was happy that I haven’t found my mate yet because it would be hard to focus on them and still worry about Nova. I wasn’t ready to think about anyone else except for Nova. Well Maxon too, I'm going to kill him if he hurts her.
Maxon
One minute we were talking and screaming at each other than the next thing I know Nova let out this gut-wrenching yell and fell to the ground. I rushed over to help her, cradling her head in my lap. I was yelling for her to tell me what hurts but I don't think she could hear me because she just kept screaming with her hands covering her ears. I could hear the bones cracking and reshaping in her body.
She is shifting, I told myself. Was she that angry with me?
Picking her up, I started running towards the packhouse, but a pain shot up my spine causing Nova and me both to crumble to the ground in pain. This pain was red hot and I even though I tried holding in my screams, I wanted nothing more than to yell out. I couldn't so I was stuck with my painful grimace.
What’s going on, I asked my wolf. He seemed to be in as much pain as I was. This wasn’t a natural shift pain. This was excruciating.
She’s a Special. Her powers are breaking through during her change. That and the fact that she and her wolf are extremely upset has something to do with it, he replied smartly.
Whatever.
I had never felt pain like this before. I knew I was feeling Novas’ pain, and I felt bad that there was nothing I could do. It was never this painful when I first shifted, and I was an Alpha. The pain became more excruciating as it ran up to my neck and through my arms into my fingers, and then down into my toes. The cracking of bones didn't help lessen the pain either. The only thing that made it somewhat bearable was the fact that Nova was screaming my name, calling out for me to help her, but that was also hurting my wolf and me because we couldn't help her.
It was always said that mates could help ease the pain during the first shift. Mates could always take some of the pain away and soothe the other so that the transitioning wouldn’t be as painful, but for Nova and me it didn’t seem the case. Yes, I could feel her pain but that’s all I could do. I couldn’t move nor could I get my wolf and me to allow our bodies to take any more of her pain than we already had.
I felt another crack of my bones breaking and shifting, physically. Why was I shifting? What's going on, I asked my wolf. Even in my mind my breaths were labored and struggled.
Our mate is different. Whatever she has, she is sharing so we become a better Alpha. We become stronger, he explained.
He was in pain too. I could see him writhing on the cage floor of my mind. I felt bad. I didn't know what to do to help my mate or my wolf. I was useless.
Why all this pain?
Bones are re-shifting to make us bigger, this time he whimpered. It was the sound a dog would make if you hit them too hard, and it was breaking my heart. Something needed to be done.
There's nothing we can do but ride it out, he said. He paused for a moment to catch his breath and then continued. It's almost done. She’ll be a larger wolf too.
Just as he spoke those words, Alex, Juan, and Vanessa came running into the woods. I could see them, but they had yet to find us, even with all the yelling Nova and I were doing. Alex was calling her name in a panicked tone.
“Over here,” I struggled out. It was supposed to be a yell, and it turned into a whisper.
When they found us Juan and Alex both let out a sigh of relief. Alex catered to Nova and Juan and Vanessa kneeled next to me to help me through it. I could feel my black fur sprouting from my body, as the pain of everything slowly went away and turned into an annoying buzz. I could hear everyone gasping as they looked back and forth between Nova and me. I wanted to see, but I was too afraid to look at the mate I wanted to keep a secret.
Was she still mad at me?
I turned to look at her and gave a wolf-like gasp just like everyone else did. Nova was a beautiful white wolf with golden tipped ears and paws. She was so adorable as a wolf, but it was something about her build that was sexy and woman that caused my wolf to howl out to her. He wanted her more now than ever, and so did I. Her wolf body looked strong fit and athletic so I was sure her human form would look the same.
Told you so, Juan called out to me
.
Shut up Juan, I commanded with my Alpha tone. So what? I made a huge mistake. Apologizing and graveling would make it better I was sure of that. She wouldn’t be able to resist my puppy dog face.
Nova? I called out to her through the link we shared as mates. Looking into her mind I could see her realizing that she had shifted, and that she was still vividly upset with me.
She instantly growled.
She was still completely and totally mad at me, I thought to myself.
I'm in so much trouble. Do I fight her if she attacks me?
For at least the third time in my life I was completely terrified of what was to come next. I already learned that my Alpha tone didn’t affect her the same way it affects her the same way it did the others, but it wouldn’t help to try.
Nova calm down. You don’t want to do anything drastic, I warned her.
Don't use your Alpha tone with me, Maxon, she growled at me, but in my opinion, it was like she roared like a lion at me. However, she did it I still flinched from the sound.
I wasn’t trying to. I just wanted you to calm down. If I did, you would've calmed down already, I told her truthfully. I never wanted to use my Alpha tone on my mate like my Father always did with my Mother. I wanted her to do the things I said out of respect, not fear.
Not that it matters for her anyway, my wolf laughed.
Shut up, I shouted at him.
Whatever Maxon. We are finished. She started trotting away, but I sprinted and jumped in her path and growled at her.
We are not finished, Nova. Shift back, I told her. She snorted and tried to walk past me. I looked at Alex and Juan for support, but they were both too stunned staring that they were of no help.
What are they staring at, I wondered.
Move Maxon.
Shift back Nova, I commanded. This time I put move force into my words. I didn’t want to end our conversation like this. I wanted her to hear me out on this.
MAXON MOVE, she commanded. My legs all but buckled at the command in her voice. I had never felt such force in my life, but I wouldn’t let my own mate upstage me. She was going to shift back.
NOVA I SAID SHIFT BACK NOW, I commanded using all my Alpha tone and some of her powers.
Nova whimpered and immediately I felt bad. I didn't want to use it on her, but Fates she was stubborn. We both shifted back into our human forms and I felt like the dumbest person in the world. I should've listened to Juan, hell I should've listened to her.
As Nova stood naked before me, I knew two things. That one, I was an idiot and I should've listened and two, that she wouldn't take me back so easily. She was taller and her dirty blonde curls were now darker and longer than before. Her face was the same, the hazel eyes that were littered with golden specks. Her small lips were a bit fuller but the same. Her chest was larger and most of all her stomach was completely flat. She was beautiful through and through but by the look in her eyes, I knew I was in trouble.
I walked towards her, but she put her hand out to stop me. Her eyes weren't hazel anymore but an angry blue color. Her wolf's eyes were blue. They were beautiful cobalt blue, so electric, so bright, and so beautiful. Did I happen to mention she was beautiful? I went to open my mouth, but she growled and that shut me right up. Alex, Vanessa, and Juan were completely looking away from our naked bodies but were still deep into our conversation.
I can hear you, you know, Nova spoke through the link. Our link, our mate link. It had begun forming as soon as we looked into each other’s eyes in Alex’s car.
I know and I'm sorry, I apologized.
Don't Maxon. She had moved closer to me. Her eyes were slowing fading back into the hazel color that I was growing to love even more. Don't apologize. Because I know if you do, I won’t be able to do this, she spoke hesitantly.
Nova. Don't. Please. At this point, I was begging. I knew what was coming, but I prayed that it wasn’t true.
I could hear and feel the decision being made within her. My heart was breaking at the thought of her leaving me.
Please don't, I thought to myself, well to her. I knew she could hear me now. She was going to reject me and leave. I could see she wasn’t even thinking of telling Alex she was leaving.
Nova, I’m sorry. Please don’t do this, I begged.
I reject you, Maxon Timothy Ellis, I hereby take away my mate bond, my heart, and my soul. Will you accept?
Chapter 6
Maxon
I reject you Maxon Timothy Ellis, I hereby take away my mate bond, my heart and my soul. Will you accept?
I do not accept. I wasn’t going to let her go so easily. I wasn’t going to allow her to walk out of my life and never come back. I wanted her now and forever. I should’ve just listened to Juan…
Then you leave me no choice. I, Nova Amelia Summers hereby renounce the Midnight Sun pack and you as my Alpha. I also renounce my claim as Luna and will not take part in any pack activity. I will henceforth be known as a Rogue. Do you accept Alpha, she asked.
She was breaking my heart. My head was spinning, and I couldn't breathe. I fell to my knees. There was no point in me acting the part of the man if I wasn’t one. Nova completed me in ways she doesn't even know. Yet. I couldn't let her leave me like this. I wouldn’t let her leave me like this.
I do not accept, I said with a broken voice. If I were speaking aloud Alex, Juan, and Vanessa would be able to hear the heartbreak in it. My wolf and I were dying. I couldn't lose my mate. I wouldn't.
“Damn it, Maxon. This is what you wanted. Let me go. Why are you fighting it now,” she asked me; shouting. She had walked up to my kneeling frame and yelled. I didn't care that she was yelling, she was close to me, to us. I wanted her to yell at me every day if she would be this close.
“Nova, calm down. What's going on,” Alex asked her. He was finally able to hear what was being said.
He was forever the peacemaker. I was sorry that I had caused his sister to want to leave him. He wouldn't be able to follow her, with him being my Beta and all. It was then that I realized that I hadn’t just hurt my mate, but my best friend as well. I never thought it would go this far. I never thought she would want to leave him or leave me.
“No! No,” she shouted at him. “You don't get to save him from this! He deserves this. He was going to keep me a fucking secret. Me! I’m his fucking mate Alex! He wanted to keep me a secret because I wasn't what he wanted.”
I broke her. We could all hear it in her voice. Every word was filled with pain and hurt and what I believed was hate. Hate for me. She hated me...
“WHAT! ELLIS IS THAT TRUE?” I didn't even give him the satisfaction of an answer. I just kept my gaze on Nova. All four of them turned their gaze my way waiting for my answer or for me to say anything.
“Nova, please don't do this. I love you. Please just stop this,” I begged reaching for her hand.
When our fingers touched, heat radiated from our fingertips to our palms; it was magick. A million different sensations ran through my body and ignited a lot of things in me. My wolf howled out for his mate. I could see that Nova and her wolf were struggling to suppress the same feelings. Tears welled up in her eyes but refused to fall. I thought back to what I said.
I love you. The words kept playing back. I did love her and almost losing her was the perfect way to realize it.
“Don't do what,” Alex asked cutting in again. If I weren’t so distraught it would've really upset me.
“She has rejected me and has decided to renounce the pack and become a rogue,” I spoke before, she could. I needed as many people on my side as possible. I wanted her to stay, and this was one of my desperate attempts for that to happen.
“Nova you can’t,” Alex replied, hurt. He looked at her with pleading eyes that her eyes fled from.
I knew what I was doing to her. I was eating at her conscience. She wouldn’t be able to leave if her brother begged her to stay. Alex was my only hope, and I was really hoping he came through for me. I needed this girl in my life. The idea of her walking out on me gave me a searing pain in my chest. For the first time, I let myself cry in front of people.
“Don't you think is a bit drastic Nova? I mean it was just a little weight that's clearly gone. Just get over it,” Vanessa said in her thick accent. My wolf growled at her. They were supposed to be helping, not hurting.
Nova turned her now cobalt blue gaze to her causing her to flinch away. Juan stood in front of Vanessa protectively, which caused Nova to laugh. There was something dark about the way she laughed. Something that was almost too painful to watch. She was always a quiet girl which was something that I always secretly liked about her. I would never have to worry about her and drama because there was never a person she would talk to outside of her brother.
“MOVE JUAN,” she commanded.
Juan couldn’t fight the strength of Nova’s command. He struggled with whether he was to defy an Alpha or protect his mate… for only a second did he choose to stand there but eventually caved. He stepped aside but grabbed Vanessa’s hand for support. I think we all knew what was going to happen next, but everyone knew Nova wouldn’t hurt Vanessa or their pup. I just felt bad Vanessa was going to take all the blame.
“Bitch, how dare you even speak to me? You and your fucking friends made my life hell. But I never once let you know how much. I wouldn't give you that satisfaction. All you cared about was the size of your body and what you looked like on the outside. Do you think that Juan really cares about that shit? Better yet did Juan ever want to keep you a secret? Has he ever disrespected you as his mate? Well,” she ranted.
Nova was still waiting on Vanessa's answer. She was giving her the hurry up look when Vanessa finally shook her head no. She was on the verge of tears and Juan just tightened his grip on her hand. No male wanted to see his mate hurting and humiliated, but he had no choice other than to stay silent… Alex and I would kill him if he so much as barked at Nova the wrong way.
“All right then. Until it happens to you, don't tell me how drastic something is or to just get over it.”
“Nova lay off. She didn't mean it the way it came out,” Alex said. He immediately stopped when she looked at him. Her wolf had completely taken over. She was out for blood, not just anyone's though. She wanted my blood…
“Why,” she asked, turning back to me.
“Why what,” I asked. My voice quivered only a little, betraying me. I didn’t want anyone to know that I was a little nervous and afraid of my mate.
