Rejection on the Full Moon (Rejection Series) Chapter 15

"Axel, don't drop me, you idiot." I cry out in shock, my arms instantly wrapping around his head as he walks towards the dance floor.

"I won't." He laughs, his body shaking and causing me to cling tighter to his head. I hated being carried on someone's shoulders. I was not afraid of heights, but being carried this way always made me scared for some reason.

As we reached the middle of the dance floor, a purple cake could be seen, and I could now see why I was placed on Axel's shoulders. The cake was about ten tiers high with the typical happy birthday, and my name scrawled on it in red icing. Roses made of red, orange, and yellow flowers of different shades cascaded down the cake in a way that resembled my fur in wolf form, and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Leave it to Serena to make a statement with my cake. At the top of the cake sat a crystalline wolf figurine howling at the moon, its fur reflecting the moonlight in a dazzling prismatic effect besides a large eighteen candle. It made the cake stand out even more in the night. Everyone started singing happy birthday, even the jock crowd joined in, which surprised me. They even did the usual "how old are you now" song, and at eighteen, I blew out my candle, and the wolves gathered in the clearing erupted into cheers. A knife was handed to me by Serena, her blue eyes shining with pride, as I took down the crystal figurine and handed it to her before cutting a slice of cake for myself. Blue takes the knife from me as Axel catches me off guard to set me back onto my feet, causing me to stumble into someone. Shocks run through my body as a euphoric scent wraps around me, causing small shivers of pleasure to run along my skin where strong arms catch me.

MATE

The word runs through my head, and my eyes widen as I turn to look at who I was destined to be with, whose scent had been causing me to go stir crazy all day, only to be met with the shocked face of Leo.

"You're my-"

"Mate? Now, why would I want to be mates with a snivelling idiot like you?" Leo cuts me off, a sneer on his lips as his eyes glare down with disgust at me. I could feel my heart break—more like shatter—as the man who is supposed to be my everything looks at me as if I were nothing but garbage in his eyes.

"Give me a good reason why would I want to be your mate? You're nothing more than a stupid bitch that got her parents killed!" The music was shut off, and the crowd fell silent as his hurtful words hung over us. I could see Ivory and Dawn holding back Kevin and Kent as they look on at me with worried eyes and contempt for the wolf in front of me.

"My parent died because of hunters, not because of me!" I scream out, shoving my slice of cake into his face as rage courses through me.

"They died coming to protect us—to protect you because Goddess forgive us if his royal fucking highness gets captured or killed. It was your stupid idea to head into the cave. It was your stupid idea to be sitting ducks when we could have kept running." I continue. The years of being suppressed by him and my siblings surface in my mind as hate and contempt for the man who is supposed to be my mate grows. I see the crowd slowly start to whisper as mocking eyes stare at the so-called future Alpha of Forest Paw. I watch as his muscles clench while he wipes away the cake and frosting off of his face, the purple from the frosting leaving a stain on his skin. Suddenly Leo grabs the collar of my dress and pulls me off of my feet.

"I, Leo Bloodsbain, reject you as my mate forever!" He sneers at me, his face inches from mine as rage fills his eyes. Something inside me snaps as the pain of his rejection spreads through my veins like a raging inferno. I knew I was on the verge of breaking down, but I would not give Leo the pleasure of relishing in it. With strength I never knew I had, my hands clutch at his wrists, and an unmistakable snap resounds in the air. Leo screams as I'm released from his grasp and find my footing long enough for me to send a roundhouse kick to his face and send him crashing into the cake.

[Your gifts are in your car, Amberle. The trailer is hooked up.] Serena's voice enters the mind link meant for her, Axel, and I, as I catch Axel slowly stand beside his mate with a wink.

[Do what you feel is right, Amby Bamby. We will always support you.] Axel adds, his eyes showing pride as he stares at me. I smile at the two as I turn to look at Leo, his face contorted with pain as Blue tries to help him up. Leo never understood how lucky he is to still have his father to help him out of the shit he gets himself into.

"Get this straight, Leo." I began as I stoop down to pick up the knife used earlier and make my way forward until I stood above him and Blue.

"Amberle, you don't have to do this." Blue pleads, and I hold my hand up, stopping the Alpha from continuing. Blue knew me well and knew that there is no turning back once my mind is made up. Leo had gone too far tonight.

"I, Amberle Crest, reject you as my mate and make a blood oath to the Moon Goddess, vowing to become a strong wolf and an ally to her in exchange that you never find your second-chance mate until you repent for treating me, your true mate, as nothing but worthless trash for all these years leading to tonight." I hold my hand open and slowly cut a long slice into my palm. Blood begins flowing up into the air out of it and evaporates under the moonlight into the night. The knife drops from my hand onto the wooden dance floor with a loud thud, followed by an agonizing scream from Leo as I turn on my heels and begin to make my way out of the meadow. The crowd parted like I was Moses, and they were the Red Sea. All I wanted was to leave now, put this pack behind me and start fresh at a new life. I could hear Blue yelling at his son for rejecting me before yelling for help from the pack doctor present. His voice fades away the further I walk. I knew where I stood in Blue's eyes.

No one stopped me or came after me as I walked past the spot my childhood home used to stand on. Everyone is either back at the meadow, probably talking about what just happened or on patrol. The moon shines brightly down on me. Its brightness intensifies as if to compensate for the fact I was rejected, rejected on my birthday and rejected on the night of the full moon.

I make it to the shed and pull back the doors wide open, seeing the top down on the convertible and the gifts from tonight situated in the back seat. I knew what I had to do the moment I climbed into the driver's seat and start the ignition. I shift the gear into drive.

I drive away from the only place I knew.

I drive away from the life I've lived for the last eighteen years of my life from my friends and enemies, from the people who loved me, and the many who despised me.

The fresh air fills my lungs as the pain of rejection finally settles in once the rage simmers down. Tears slowly fill my eyes as the pack border comes into view, and a weight falls from my shoulders.

[Goodbye, everyone.] I send through the pack link for the last time before renouncing my place in this pack and crossing the border into neutral territory.

I was a rogue now, with no obligations to anyone but myself. It is time I start caring about myself and doing what is right for me for once.