Rejection on the Full Moon (Rejection Series) Chapter 82

Morning comes quicker than I thought as light streams in from the large window and into my eyes. After Ira's last words to us, Alex and I concluded that no matter what, we would create our own pack. I will accept my birth father when I meet him, and build a relationship with him and any family from either side of my true mother and father. But the thought of joining another pack over being able to create my own brought a sense of unease. I never want to be under someone else's power again.

Looking at Alex, who is still fast asleep beside me, I smile and silently creep out of bed and tiptoe to the door and out into the hallway. My goal is to shift for the first time consciously and test out my wolf form. The halls of the Temple of the Goddess twist and turn, making it hard for me to find any exit to the outside where I can shift without worry of accidentally destroying something. Every time I try a new hallway after retracing my steps from a dead end, I find myself at another dead end. Whoever built this temple is a genius at creating security features with the maze-like halls, but also an asshole since it's way too easy to get lost in here.

Finally, a member of the Temple Acolyte notices my lost and confused self, taking the time to talk with me and guiding me to the nearest exit, much to my relief. Fresh air surrounds me quickly as I take in the view of a clearing full of wildflowers mixed with moonflowers. Large trees surround the clearing, their fall colours indicating winter will be coming faster than expected, adding to the beauty surrounding the Temple.

"If you need anything else, Miss Geminie, let a member of the Temple know," The she-wolf brings my attention back to her and away from the beauty of the old Canadian maples, large birch, many species of straight pines and many sturdy oak trees in the forest before me that I could not wait to run through. The scent of pure nature brings a comfort to me that no place other than the Hidden Valley has brought. After thanking her, the Temple Acolyte walks back inside, leaving me alone to bask in the peaceful nature.

With a smile, I make my way closer to the forest, the sun warm against my skin and the cool soft grass tickling my feet. The carefree feeling I have never felt until now feels so liberating. I take a moment to sit in the clearing, the scent of wildflowers mixed with the scent of maple and pine surrounding me. I understand why the temple was set up here after the first Moon Goddess ascended her position, and why wolves use it as a sanctuary to escape a horrible pack. It brings a sense of security and calmness to one's mind and soul, a place to be closer to the Moon Goddess, to my mother. This also makes the perfect setting to consciously shift for the first time.

I jump to my feet and stretch, a grin of excitement on my face thinking about finally being able to run in wolf form and what my wolf may look like. I take a deep breath, letting the calming scent of my surroundings wash over me as my mind is cleared of everything but the shift. My body will change from human to beast, paws hitting the forest floor and running past the trees, wind flowing through fur.

And then the pain comes.

Falling onto my hands and knees, I feel my spine contort and bones snap as the pain causes me to open my mouth in a silent scream. Tears flow from my eyes, and fearing for my life, I fight against the shift. But fighting only makes the pain worse. My heart begins to beat faster as if my body is fighting death itself.

"Let it happen." A deep husky voice calls out, causing me to turn and face the owner of it. Leaning against the nearest oak tree is a tall male dressed in a navy V-neck shirt and dusty jeans. A pair of black hiking boots on his feet. His body screams of a powerful male, with sun-tanned skin that I know, even if he were to hide inside for a month, would never change in colour and long black hair pulled back into a bun on his head. Traces of tattoos peek from the collar of his shirt, and an easygoing grin graces his lips.

"If you keep fighting the shift, you'll kill yourself. You don't seem like the type to give up your life, so accept the shift. Accept the pain and take a deep breath," He continues, pushing off from the tree and slowly walking towards me. I feel no malice or threat in him towards me, only amusement and concern.

I whimper from the pain but nod in understanding and close my eyes. I think about the shift, accepting it as the speed of my bones breaking moves from a slow torture that has me wishing for death to a breakneck speed, a speed that, although painful, is gone in a split second. My body realigns itself with each break and shift in bones, my face elongates into that of a muzzle, and my hair retreats into my scalp while fur sprouts from my skin. Soon, I find myself panting, laying in the clearing with remnants of the nightgown I was wearing now, nothing but torn rags around me.

"Better, Little Wolf?" The mysterious man asks with a chuckle. I nod in response, letting out a sigh and rolling around on the grass happily. It felt liberating in fur form, more natural to me. The man chuckles at my pup-like actions, his dark, forest-green eyes never leaving my form even as I lay back quietly, my tail thumping against the earth.

"Why don't you try standing and testing out your legs?" He suggests, getting a yip of approval from me in response and another chuckle from him. A small pang shoots through my heart with his constant chuckling, thinking about the mate bond I had lost days ago due to the rejection. Although the mystery man is attractive and definitely the definition of a true man, my heart still yearned for the bond of my soulmate, even if my brain knows it will never happen. I guess my emotions must have shown on my wolfish face as I soon find fingers running through my fur in a comforting manner.