Rejection on the Full Moon (Rejection Series) Chapter 32

"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 and now 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 was my safe place, my home, and my rock. He is the only person I knew would protect me, and I needed 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 could see the evident 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 knew 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 knew about my past. I told them the things I've been through, including the rejection that led me to become a rogue. The only thing I never told them was which pack I left. 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 allowed 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 years, 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 felt 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 would 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 could use them. 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 took 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.