Rejection on the Full Moon (Rejection Series) Chapter 41

The next few days are spent either training the Forest Paw wolves and having them run through the forest or spending time with Axel, Serena, Claira, or Blue. Sometimes Dominic and my friends would join me. Other times it would just be me with those I call my family. Claira has gotten so big over the years, and spending time with the pup I call my little sister felt great.

Of course, during this week, the Forest Paw wolves have increased their speed and stamina, greatly impressing me. Leo also has kept his distance from me since his nose dive into the tree on the first day of training, allowing the mate bond to continue to die away. It was the end of the first week of training, and within these seven days, I've been debating on moving on to hand-to-hand combat with Miles. Of course, that depends on if a wolf can grab the scarf soon.

"Okay, guys. Let's end training for the day." I call out. Some wolves still settle onto the cold ground to catch their breath, but many were able to stay standing even after four hours of increasing the speed. For the first time in a long time, I'm proud of Forest Paw. Blood Moon wolves mingle with Forest Paw wolves, each making their way towards the pack house to eat.

"Every time I train with you, I feel like it's your mother training us." Serena's voice sounds just behind me, and I turn to face the woman I look up to. The winter wind blows past us in the emptying training field, causing me to shiver from the cold.

"Mom used to train you?" I ask. I knew my mother was the Head Tracker years ago. She was proud of her rank as both the Beta Female and Head Tracker, two tough roles that not many people could handle.

"Who do you think was her second? Axel worked closely with your father, and I with your mother. But unlike her, I could never handle the stress of being both the Beta Female and Head Tracker after her death." My eyes water as tears threaten to spill. I knew that before becoming a Beta Female, Serena was a skilled Tracker, one that went on many missions as I rarely saw her in the pack, even as a pup.

"Your mother loved using running exercises in the winter to train. She would run and run all day, with us trying our best to keep up with her." Serene reminisces, her eyes becoming unfocused as she thinks about the past. "You are incredible." Zack's voice cuts in after Blue went to his office, my brother staring at me with pride.

Mother loved the forest as much as I do. My father always made the joke that my mother was once a forest spirit before being reborn as a werewolf. It's why he had a hard time keeping her inside the house. I could still remember the first time she had me run through the forest to test my limits. It was a hot summer night, and the moon was bright and full. "Remember," Mother started saying to me. The humid air had the cicadas singing their tune in the night as we walked hand in hand in the forest, a proud smile on my mother's face. "You are my daughter and born to be a Tracker. You should become one with the forest and learn which trees can hold your weight and which ones will crumble beneath you." After that, she had me climb trees in both wolf and human form until I could easily scale a sturdy tree in seconds. Using the forest highways was a challenging task that led to many bumps, bruises, and broken bones. But I kept going. I wanted to take over as Head Tracker, even if my early shift meant I was destined for something greater.

"Mom trained Mia and I in the forest almost every chance she could. I think subconsciously, her training seeped into my own." I admit, my eyes staring off into the forest absent-mindedly. Would she be proud of who I am now? Would she approve of Dominic and Blood Moon? Questions swirl around my mind, my mood slowly plummeting with the thoughts of my mother.

"I'm actually shocked with how Mia turned out, to be honest with you. She had a lot of promise as a juvenile, but there was always this nagging feeling I got when around her. Your mother never knew this, but a month before your parents' death, I caught Mia in town at a bar with the locals. I knew something was wrong and immediately took her home, but she wasn't as diligent with training after that as Zack and you were. I guess part of me knew she would go down the wrong path." Serena admits with a sigh. Her words have me thinking about Zack and his words to me at the bonfire. Maybe my brother wasn't my enemy at all after the death of our parents. He might have felt just as lost as I did back then. With a sigh, Serena and I head towards the pack house together, my thoughts of Zack swirling in my mind. I remember how close we were before he went to college, how even on his holidays, he would find time for me to go out for a run in our wolf form. Maybe him becoming a father changed things, and we could regain our sibling relationship again.

An arm wrapping around me brings me from my thoughts. I look up to see Dominic smiling down at me. I could see the worry in his eyes, and I just smile, leaning my head onto his shoulders.

"I'm fine. Just thinking about things." I reassure him, getting a nod in return. The warm air in the pack house does its best to chase away the winter chill as soon as I step into the building, my stomach making known its need for food. The two of us quickly join the queue for food, our conversation about training and how we can soon move on to hand-to-hand. Miles joins us in line just as we get to the table loaded with many options. My hand instantly reaches for the sausages and potato salad. Once we gather our food, the three of us quickly join Greg and Concra at their table.