The Rejected Wolf Turn Mighty Luna

Millicent had just come back from training with Raph and was busy with the baby, while Hugh, kept asking her questions about her pack when Mildred who had been cooking came out.

'You have really made a great impression on my nephew', she said. This was coming about three months after Millicent came to live with them. They had established a routine where Raph trained her in the evenings when he got back from work or in the morning after their run and there was still time before he went off to work. He was in the employ of Alpha Blake. He worked as one of the security officers. Little wonder then that he had been the first to sight her when she came into their territory.

'Your nephew?', Millicent mouthed, eyes agog. 'But I thought that he was...'

'My son?' Mildred finished for her. 'Yes, I see him as my son but he is actually the son of my late sister. I took him on when he was very young and has grown to see me as the mother he lost'.

Millicent nodded, she could identify with that.

'So Hugh and baby Cal are your sons?' she asked, curious.

'Hugh was adopted by Raphael's mother and I took the both of them in when she passed on. But Cal is my child. Didn't you ever doubt that Raph was my son?' she asked curiously.

'I did, the first time I saw you. You were so beautiful and young to have such a grown son, Millicent said thoughtfully, ' but I reasoned that you might have got mated early and are one of the few that are blessed with agelessness. Moreover, there is nothing in your behaviour towards him to show that he is not your son. Your love for him is very obvious and he reciprocates'.

'Yes, he does, doesn't he? I have always counted myself fortunate to have them, him especially as my son', she said, feelingly. 'But you didn't say anything to what I first said about the impression you have made on my nephew'.

'I do not know what to say', Millicent said shyly.

'Do you have a mate?' she asked Millicent.

'I don't think that there is a mate for me. I might never have a mate', she said, dodging the question.

'Of course you will', Mildred said, touching her gently on the shoulder. She could see where Raph had adopted the shoulder - touching habit. ' It takes some longer to find their mate but they do eventually. I found my mate at the age of twenty two. Had I not insisted, a Beta had wanted to make me his chosen mate'. She paused. 'You might wonder why I asked'.

Millicent nodded but she already had an inkling. Is this going to be the commencement of match making her and Raphael? she wondered.

'Just felt that you and Raph are good together. He might be your mate, fated or chosen. Either way, I know he will be good to you', she said. 'I do not want to say too much but he must have said something to you'.

Millicent shook her head. 'No, he hasn't. Are you speaking to me on his behest?'

'Oh, no. He isn't aware that we are having this discussion. I just came to speak to you as one woman to another. Could we keep this between us?' Mildred asked.

'Of course', Millicent was quick to reassure her. She was not about to start discussing feelings with Raph.

'Do you like him?'

'What is there not to like in Raph?' she asked hedging.

'That's good but not exactly the answer I was hoping for', she said. 'He loves you very much. I knew it right from the very first day he saw you. He came rushing to me and pleading with me to give you employment'.

'You mean, you weren't in need of a help?' Millicent asked in dismay.

'Of course, I was. Can't you see the workload? But I had had some other person in mind. When he spoke so glowingly of you, I knew I had to hire you or he might have a heart attack', Mildred laughed. Millicent did not join in as Mildred hoped because she couldn't see the joke in that. She had never been one to joke with people's feelings.

Seeing that Millicent was very quiet all of a sudden and thoughtful, she patted her shoulder, 'There is no pressure. Find out what your feelings for him are and let him know as soon as you can if he speaks to you of his. Do not break his heart, I beg of you', she said and went back inside to continue with what she was doing.

Millicent sat there unmoving. She did not want this. She considered Raph her friend and brother but not as a lover. She knew she could not live him that way.

Mildred had asked her not to hurt Raph, but if he was indeed as in love with her as Mildred had said, how could he not be hurt if he learns that his feelings were one - sided? And it would be unfair of her to pretend to love him. He was a good man and deserved better.

How was she going to do this? Just when she was settling down in the pack.

But I shall pretend I am not aware. He hasn't told me anything afterall, she thought but knew it was going to be difficult to go back to how they were because she would read meaning to his every touch, smile and move, which she hadn't been paying much attention to previously.

She still needed him to train her more. She was not good enough yet and she wanted to be extremely good if she hoped to hold her own against Alpha Sylvester. So, because of that, she was not going to take flight just yet, like she would have loved to.

She felt bad because it felt so much like she would be using Raph but what could she do?

'Oh Moon goddess, send Raphael's mate his way, and make him love her so much and she, him, that he might forget all about me and be happy because he deserves it', she prayed as she wiped a tear from her eye.

'Hia, hia', went the sound from Millicent as she trained. She had been training really hard since she had that discussion with Mildred two months ago. She would train at her free time and train with Raph when he got back home. She had noticed how he looked at her tenderly, his eyes filled with love that it always tugged at her heart. She nearly asked him not to love her once but since he hadn't said anything about loving her, she kept quiet.

Mildred had once commented on her ferocious training 'You train as though you are preparing for a war. I hope we are safe?'

'Of course you are. Do you doubt your safety with me? I have been known as a weakling all my life and taken advantage of. I want to erase that impression and rewrite my own destiny', she said , a far - away look in her eyes.

'You speak with bitterness and determination', she observed. 'Were you hurt by someone in the past?'

Millicent marvelled at her perception. She had not told them about her birth pack - Crescent Pack nor a great deal about the pack from where she came - Moon Ville pack. Just the basics. She had got tired of staying there since her parents died and everything reminded her of her parents and she wanted to go rogue but before she could, their ruthless Alpha banished her for not obeying orders and mourning for too long for her parents.

It had got her the sympathy she knew it would, though she had not needed it, just an explanation why she couldn't go back to her own pack.

'Some of the Omegas bullied me and I could not fight back', she said, frowning in recollection. 'Who knows where one would find herself next? It is better I grab this opportunity and make myself stronger, so no one takes me for granted', she concluded, hoping that would put paid to the unwanted questions.

'You do not believe that the Moonlight Pack is your final destination?' Mildred probed.

'Like I said, I do not know for certain what the future holds but it is better one is prepared for anything it throws one's way'. And she continued her practice.

Mildred went back into the house, deep in thought.

That night, Raph came home thoughtful. After his meal, he looked at Millicent. 'I would like you to accompany me on my stroll', he said, looking deep into her eyes.

'Of course', she said and straightening her dress, she stood and went out with him. The pups were already asleep and Mildred waved her off when she tried to ask if she might need her help with anything.

They walked in silent for a long time and Millicent was beginning to think they might be walking into another Pack but of course it was not as easy as that. At last, Raph came to a stop in a clearing that had a fallen tree. The tree was quite large and the leaves had been cleared from it and it served as a good bench.

'Sit', he said and she obeyed, placing her hands on her knees and looking up at him.

'You have really not said much about the pack from which you came and I have not bothered you because I felt you would tell me when you were ready', he said.

'There's nothing to tell!' she said quickly. Too quickly and it did not escape his notice.

'So you say', he said smiling at her to put her at her ease. 'I am not going to prob but there is a question I wish to ask you', he said.

'Ask away', Millicent said with a shrug, hoping it was one she would be able to give an honest answer to.

'Do you er.. h..have a mate?' he stuttered. 'Of course you must have. Every wolf does. What I mean is have you er found him?'

Millicent felt that the same discussion she had with Mildred was about to start but this time with Raphael.

'Emm, that is a strange question you have asked. Is there any reason for that question? Are you planning on sending me back to my mate? Have you found him?' she countered.

' Do you always answer a question with one of your own?' he asked smiling happily. Millicent could feel the relief in his voice, and the joy reflected on his face and she bit her lip. How was she going to answer his personal questions without hurting his feelings. And this was what she had wanted to avoid all along.

'From your response', he continued happily, it is clear you've not found your mate and have not been mated to anyone. I have liked you for a long time. In fact since the first day we met. Though you have not given me an inkling about the way you feel for me, I know you could not possibly despise me', he said, humbly. Though the same utterance from Sylvester, we ould have sounded conceited. 'So I have decided that we should....'

'You did not tell me how Alpha Blake got to know I was in your house', Millicent said hastily, hoping he would catch on and change the subject or at least, the utterance could buy her a little reprieve.

'Raph frowned but decided to play along, wondering if she was playing hard to get? There really was no need for that.

'Oh, didn't I?' he asked. 'He wanted to know the new person in our pack for security reasons and I told him you were the daughter of my mother's friend and have come after a long time to visit, after losing your parents. He wanted you to work in his kitchen but I told him if it pleased him, to leave you to help my aunt out in the house we since I was not always around'.

'I was shocked when he sent for me'. Millicent said. She had wondered what he wanted. Has Sylvester got wind that she was there and had asked him not to drive her away? She couldn't put anything past Sylvester.

'You sent for me Alpha'. she said.

'You are welcome to Moonlight pack!' he growled. 'I hope your stay be everything you hope it would be',

'I know it will be', Alpha Blake. 'Your pack is one of the best around here. Am I glad to be here!' she replied, looking down, in respect to the Alpha.

'Millicent', Raph started now, Millicent could see him debating inside himself and knew the instance he made his decision. 'You must know I care very deeply about you', he continued as though he had not been interrupted and he took both her hands in his and drew close to her.. 'Do you love me?' he asked, fidgeting, but took control of his emotions and looked her deeply in the eye. 'I want you to be my chosen mate!'

Millicent's POV

'Do you love me?' Raph asked, and I could see how nervous he was. 'I want you to be my chosen mate!'

I had wanted to stop him asking me the question that led to that declaration but what could I have done short of pinning his lips?

'Why are you so quiet?' he asked. 'I know this may have been sudden but it can't have been that much of a surprise if you are aware of my feelings for you'.

'Raph', I said looking at him earnestly, hoping he would understand. 'I have indeed suspected that you might have special feelings for me, but I have prayed that I was wrong about that because I do not deserve you'.

'Oh, Millicent, how can you even think that?' he asked.

'I am a nobody. An orphan and I have nothing. What good could I possibly bring you or even be to you?' I asked, hoping to help him see reason why he should not have feelings for me.

'I do not need anything from you but your love', he said looking deeply into my eyes, his heart in his own.

'Exactly!' I blurted. 'I do not love you. Not that way. And I cannot marry you when I know that I do not reciprocate your feelings for me. It will be unfair', my eyes pleading for understanding.

There was pain in his eyes and he looked down. 'So, you do not love me', he said, ' but that does not mean you despise me. We can build on what we already have and it will grow, I know it will', he said earnestly, holding my hands.

'And what happens when your destined mate comes along?' I asked.

Raph hesitated and I drove home my point.

'You might think that you love me but when your fated mate makes her appearance, the mate bond will make you forget about me. Please wait for her', I advised.

'I have not met my fated mate but I have met you and I love you and that is enough for me', he said. 'Is it not possible that I might not want or love my fated mate? Have you not seen such things happen?'

I had to agree with him. Take my situation as a case study. But I was not about to back down nor allow him know the mate I was cursed with.

'You are still young, Raph. Eighteen, nineteen or twenty at most. You will meet her some day and you shall thank me for not accepting to be your chosen mate!' I assured him confidently.

'You sound so sure of that!' he said, looking downcast.

'I am!'

'What if you are my fated mate?' he asked hopefully.

'If I were, you will know. We both will know it but I am not and we both know it', I said.

'And you will not change your mine or at least give us a chance?' he asked hopefully.

'No', I said. 'I do not want to dash your hopes. It will not be right to give you false hope when I know my answer will not change'. Then shutting my eyes, and opening it again, I said, 'Please, Raph, I do not want this discussion to change anything between us. I do not want us to cease to be friends. I value our friendship greatly'.

'You have my word on that', he said smiling wistfully with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

After that time, I tried all I could to make it up to him but I caught him sometimes looking longingly at me and it made me uncomfortable. I started contemplating going away but I was too attached to the little boys, especially Hugh and kept postponing my departure.

Raph fell ill all of a sudden.He was shivering and running temperature. I recalled once when I had similar symptoms in Moon Ville under Alpha Sylvester and how the medical personnel had treated me.

I gave him herbs that helped calm the pains in his joints, and eyes. I would spoon - feed him the herbs I made into a soup. I would scoop it into his quivering cracked lips. And he would sleep afterwards and I would dab his body with a wet towel till his body would cool and she would allow him to sleep while I go off to do other chores. And Mildred would come and stay with him.

'With the way you care for him, there is no need to call for a doctor. You really have a talent for healing', Mildred said, when she saw the way I took care of her nephew.

I smiled but said nothing.

The news of his ill health had been reported to Alpha Blake and he was given time off work to recuperate.

On the second day, the fever got worse and he started hallucinating and blabbing about his love for me.

It saddened me that he should be suffering this way. I had suspected that it might be my rejection that had brought on the fever but I could not be sure but speaking of his love for me in his feverish and unconscious state only confirmed to me that it would not be easy for him to get over me. I wished I could give him what he wanted but I couldn't. My life was already twisted and I have a mission to accomplish.

And I cared for him. I did all she could till his fever broke. This was the third day but he remained weak. His eyes red and swollen. Mildred was running scared. She sent for the doctor.

'What did you give him?' he asked after examining him.

'I got some herbs and made it for him', I replied, telling him the name of the herb.

'That's a powerful herb', he said. 'How did you know of it?'

'I was ill once and the medical personal attending me, made me the same herb and though it is very bitter, it helped restore my health', I replied.

'It is good that you used the herb on him, else his fever would have been far worse!' he noted and prescribed some drugs.

Mildred got the drugs and I would take Raph out for fresh air, walk with him and when we got back he would sleep after taking more of the herbs and eating. He slept at the slightest exertion.

'You are really good for me Millicent', he said one day as they took their regular walk. 'I wish you could be mine in the real sense'.

I did not want us to go through that again.

'And you are a strong warrior. You can withstand anything life throws your way and come out of it even stronger than you were', I smiled at him. He looked at me and returned my smile.

'I am fortunate to have a great friend like you', he said. 'You are going to be very great one day', he prophesied.

I prayed that his prophesy come true but I just smiled, 'Get well soon so that you can continue training me so I can really be great', I said jokingly.

'You already know all there is to know about combat. Have you forgotten how you beat me the last time?' he asked.

'But that was because you were not paying attention', I said.

'That was not it and even if it is, it is one of the rules not to allow anything distract you right?'

I nodded.

'See?' he said triumphantly. 'You did not forget the rules but I did. Now you are as good as I am or even better!'

I did not know about that but knew I was stronger and more experienced at combat than I was formerly. 'We'd better start getting back, so you can relax'.

'Don't treat me like an invalid!' he complained.

'And what are you?' I jested. 'If you do not like being treated as an invalid, get strong soon. I like you better that way!'

I felt movement from the corner of my eye. 'Who's there?' I asked but here was no answer. I peered into the bush but no stirring.

'What is it?' Raph asked.

'I thought I saw something but I was obviously wrong. Or it might be that I saw the movement of the leaves by the wind', I said, not wanting to trouble him unnecessarily.

He nodded and I could see he was tired. Though I would have loved to investigate the matter further, see if I would see whoever had been spying on us, because I feel strongly that someone had been there watching us, I said, 'Let's go home'. And I forgot that incident but something happened not long afterwards to remind me of it.