Rejection on the Full Moon (Rejection Series) Chapter 8

"How about a shopping spree?" I ask as I turn around with a wink. Blue knew how much retail therapy I did – which was nada, zero, zilch! Serena practically had to drag me to the mall in the city to shop, especially when she fell pregnant last year. She had me up at six in the morning just to drive all the way to Toronto and Brampton to help pick out her pup's nursery, from paint to furniture and then clothing for us to twinsie with the pup, when we found out she was having a girl. Now, I am Claira's babysitter when Axel and Serena need a date night, and I would not trade having that little spitfire in my life.

"We both know Serena will be dragging you to one later next week." Blue chuckles as I grab my plate and begin to eat while standing opposite of him. He was right, though. Serena was already planning a girl's day for me, her, and her pup, Avery.

"Well, I know how much you want your own place, so how about I give you enough money to buy one," Blue says out of nowhere, my jaw dropping with shock. I'm so surprised, I nearly drop my plate of food. Amusement flickers in his eyes as he sips his coffee before the weight of his words has me realizing he was serious.

"That would be amazingly awesome!" I practically shout in excitement as I put my empty plate down and hug him, nearly knocking over his coffee mug in the process.

"You deserve it, Amberle. You work hard for the pack as a Tracker while still in school. Not many wolves can do what you can. Besides, I know you're eyeing a higher Tracker position." His voice holds pride as he hugs me back. I felt my heart swell, knowing I had done a good job and have proven that I was not useless like most wolves thought I was. Blue was proud of me, and that was enough right now.

"Thank you, Blue." I was grateful for everything he had done for me. Blue only had Leo as his one pup before his mate was killed in a rogue attack years ago. Everyone knew he had a soft spot for pups, considering how much he wanted Leo to grow up with siblings. I was lucky to have been raised for the past seven years by him.

Even though I had my own part-time job at the café in town and had saved up over a hundred thousand between tips, paycheque, and birthday money over the years, Blue knew I was reluctant to spend it. I was constantly debating using that money to go to college or university or even buy my own house just outside of the pack line, maybe a small place in Sauble Beach to get away from the pack every now and then.

Only Blue knew about my secret bank account. He knew the situation I had with Mia and Zack. If Mia or Zack knew I had money, they would immediately take it away, and I would be left with nothing.

"Why do we hear joy from a little slut?" I bristled at her voice as Mia comes into view, wearing her usual outfit choice: a crop top that was mostly a bra and the shortest pair of short shorts anyone could find. Mia was the definition of the pack whore. Easy and sleazy. She was a stripper at the new strip club built in the city two hours away, and I always felt bad about her circumstances. Part of me knew it was because she used her body to get attention from wolves, but she could have gone down a path our parents would have been proud of.

"Mia, that's enough." Blue's voice is laced with authority, and I smirk from behind him. For years, Mia would find fault with me, from the way I walked to the way my hair was combed. She blamed me for the death of our parents and always played the victim when I stood up for myself. She had most of the male wolves our age wrapped around her finger and many more between her legs, which always confused me. Where I inherited my mother's looks, Mia inherited my father's looks, including his big bone structure. She looked manlier than most of the females in the pack, especially since she was almost flat-chested.

Zack knew better than to say something around Blue about me as he walks into the kitchen and makes his way to the coffee maker. I could feel his glare as he sips on the bitter liquid, knowing that if looks could kill, I would be dead already. Zack rarely interacted with me. I could see the hate in his eyes whenever we crossed paths in the pack and knew he was doing everything to not kill me.

"Well, I'm off to school. Are we going to the coffee shop as usual?" I ask Blue, ignoring the two wolves I no longer consider family. Friday outings had started off as a way to cheer me up. Blue would take Leo and I out to town. We found this coffee shop by accident, and instantly it became our go-to place. Leo had no choice but to join us even though I knew he hated me. His hatred only grew when rumours of me taking over the pack instead of him started to surface two years ago. It's the reason my once-best friend was the mastermind behind my torture at school.

Most of the pack respected me to a degree, considering who my backers were, but I was Cinderella to those my age when the leaders were gone. I thought it was normal, considering I was an orphan, and my siblings didn't want me. But one day, Blue came back early due to another pack wanted to visit and walked in on Mia and Leo beating me up with other pack members. I was weak from hunger and tired from not only training, but also having to do seven other wolves' chores. All I remember was the fury Blue held before I found myself waking up in the pack hospital hooked up to machines. I broke down and cried about all the things I was put through when no one was around to stop the younger generations, and since Leo was the future Alpha, no one went against his rule. Only Maverick—Blue's nephew—stood up for me. He would even visit me and send me get-well gifts when I was in the pack hospital or recuperating in my room. Sometimes, I secretly hoped he would be my mate since he has yet to meet his. After that incident, Blue sent Leo away for training for two years. When Leo came back, I was unfortunate to learn he did not attend the rest of high school and wouldn't be in my grade due to this.