The Rejected Wolf Turn Mighty Luna

The party was in full swing when we descended the stairs. I had a simple but elegant dress on and even if I say so myself, it flattered me, emphasizing my shape and highlighting my bust line and colour.

Christopher kept looking at me with his mouth agape and Sylvester was no better as I could see the admiration in his eyes. To my chagrin, both of them rose to their feet and didn't stop there but came forward to walk me to my seat.

'Oh, my God!' Samantha whispered. 'This is so flattering, being fawned over by two hunks. And very tempting too, why settle for one when you can have two of the best? I am already very wet and wanting.'

'You have totally lost it, Samantha', I said as I felt my face heat up at her words. I pasted a smile on my face for the benefit of anyone staring.

Samantha chuckled and left my side as both Alphas took each of my arms in theirs.

The jubilation was ceased till we were seated. Then the noise started again.

'Hope you had enough rest?' Alpha Sylvester asked. 'You are feeling stronger, I hope?'

'Yes, I am. Thank you', I smiled at him.

'You look beautiful tonight', Alpha Christopher said.

'Thanks', I whispered. Then coyly, 'You mean I am an ugly duckling but looks better tonight all decked up?'

'I didn't mean that and you know it', Christopher said, smiling at me and poking my nose playfully and I smiled back. When I looked at Sylvester, he had an angry scowl on his face. My smile froze. This was not going to be easy.

'What is it?' Christopher asked. He must have noticed my discomfort.

'Nothing. Let's enjoy the party', I said.

'I was going to ask you to do that. It's your party after all', Christopher said, 'Let's dance, if you are up to it, of course'.

I thought that if smiling with Christopher was making Sylvester unhappy, then dancing with his brother would not be a good idea. Then I reconsidered. The party was for me after all and I was miraculously feeling better and I wanted Christopher's arms about me. What right did Sylvester have to be angry about my happiness?

'You don't have to, if you don't feel like it's, Christopher said.

I had already made up my mind. I stole a look at Sylvester and saw that his attention was diverted by one Gamma who was saying something to him.

'I'd love that', I replied, placing my hands into the hand he stretched towards me and he helped me up and as we walked to the dance floor, I saw Sylvester from the corner of my eye, start to rise but sat again, he must have changed his mind, thankfully. I did not want any ugly scenes like the one before my accident with wolfsbane.

'Is Sylvester making you feel uncomfortable?' he asked as we swirled to the dance. I was enjoying myself. I caught Samantha's eyes and she winked at me and gave me a thumbs up. I smiled. I felt light headed in Christopher's arms. I moved closer and he drew me closer into his arms. I shut my eyes, enjoying the feel of our bodies together. I was having some unholy thoughts and was flushed.

'Are you thinking, what I am thinking?' Christopher's voice was husky in my ears.

I looked up into his face and saw his need in his eyes. 'It depends on what you are thinking', I said.

'I am thinking of getting you naked and completing what go interrupted the other day', he hissed huskily.

'Hmmmm, I'd like that too, but I don't think this is the right time', I said.

'Will you come to my room later tonight or should I visit you?' he asked, looking me deep in the eye. It would have been so easy to say yes and I must say that I was tempted. I was strong enough for mating and I could understand his impatience. I found it difficult controlling myself when I am with him. He made me feel so strong. 'We'll have to wait a few days, so I can recover completely.

'Oh, I'm sorry, love', he said, all at once concerned. 'I'm really a cad. I totally forgot that you were just discharged from the hospital. It is just that - I don't know how to explain it - but what you do to me, how you make me feel, I lose control. I think of no one else but you when you are close to me and I just want to give myself completely to you and take you completely.

'Ohhh, you're so... I'm really fortunate to have you as a mate!'

'As I am and don't you ever doubt that!'

The music changed into a very slow one and we were virtually glued, even a tiny piece of paper would not have been put between us.

'My dance', a voice said, bringing me out of my daydream. I looked up and found Sylvester looking at Christopher menacingly.

'It is still my dance', Alpha Christopher insisted.

'And I say it is my dance!' Alpha Sylvester growled quietly.

I knew that if I didn't step in, there was going to be a scene.

'You know how I feel about you. Let it go. It's just a dance!' I whispered to Alpha Christopher. And to Alpha Sylvester, I said, 'Of course, Alpha Sylvester', and I took his offered hand as he drew me into his arms.

I saw that his look became less menacing but Christopher was not happy at all as he stormed back to his seat.

I stole a look around to see if anyone had noticed what had almost happened but found everyone enjoying themselves. If anyone had noticed anything, they gave no indication. Even Samantha was dancing merrily at a corner, alone and I felt like a heel for not having asked her about her husband. Had I become so selfish that I was concerned only about myself that I forget about others, including my best friend?

'You look sad', Alpha Sylvester said looking at me.

'No, I'm not. I am actually, very happy. Thank you for throwing this party for me', I said.

'That is not the reason you looked so sad a while ago', he insisted.

'I feel bad that I have been so consumed with my problems that I hadn't asked someone who had come to wait on me these past weeks about her life, her husband', I said, smiling unhappily.

'There's still time for that', Sylvester said. You can still ask her, she isn't running away this night!' he added and we both looked at each other and burst out laughing, because we recalled the night I went away after being exiled without informing anyone. A party had been going on that night too.

'I'm sorry for all I put you through', Alpha Sylvester said. I looked into his eyes and saw that his apology was genuine.

'It's all in the past', I smiled, feeling funny. I felt like I was betraying my parents by being so nice and forgiving to him but it was only for this night, I consoled myself. This was just a feeling of gratitude for all his care while I was in the hospital, whether it was feigned or not and for this party which surprisingly, I was enjoying immensely, my weakness forgotten.

I looked away from his eyes because I saw a funny look in them that I didn't care to decipher and my eyes fell on Christopher and he did not look too happy. Infact, that was an understatement, because he was looking at me like I had betrayed him!

Samantha led me back into my room afterwards.

Both Sylvester and Christopher had volunteered but I didn't want them starting a war over me. Not this night anyway. So I told them I'd rather Samantha led me back since I had a lot to discuss with her.

I had wanted to talk to Samantha about her husband but immediately I got in and she helped me take off my dress, giving me my pills and a glass of water with which I swallowed them, I fell flat on my bed and slept.

I woke in the early hours of the morning, and found that Samantha was lying on the couch. I sprang to my feet but had to lye back again, holding my head. I had a headache and the sudden movement had made me feel it keenly for a moment.

'What is it?' Samantha asked, coming to the bed to hold me and feel my temperature. I did not know she had woken. My sudden movement must have alerted her to my wakefulness. She had always been a light sleeper.

'Nothing. Just a slight pain in the head brought on by my sudden movement!' I explained.

'You should take it easy. You were not supposed to have stayed at the party that late but I saw that you were enjoying yourself very much and did not want to interrupt you, especially when you had the attention of the two most powerful men in the whole of MoonVille and its environs of course', she smiled.

I sighed and lay back down. 'I must have been very exhausted', I stated. 'I was surprised just now when I woke and saw that it's already morning. I should not disturb you. You should go back to sleep'.

'I am used to keeping awake, you go ahead back to sleep, you need your rest', she advised.

I do not know if it was the tone of her voice or my intuition but I read something in her words that made me ask. 'Samantha, is everything okay?'

'Why wouldn't it be?' she asked smiling but there a slight tremor in her voice.

'Come lie with me on the bed', I said.

'No, Millicent. I couldn't. It would be disrespectful of me. You are the future Luna afterall', she said.

'I am your friend first of all and you mean alot to me', I said feelingly. 'How could you even have waited for me to offer before you slept in the bed with me?'

'I have my own room which Alpha Sylvester asked the maid to make up for me but I wanted to stay with you tonight to ensure you are okay', she said. 'Now that I am sure that you are, I shall go ahead and go back to my room. It is already morning, anyway. Call if you need anything', she concluded, rising from her sitting position at the edge of my bed.

I drew her back. 'Samantha, my position does not change the fact that we are friends. Are you angry with me because of it?' I asked, not comprehending her behaviour.

'No. I am not. I could never be. You deserve it, after all you've been through', she said, nipping my cheek fondly.

'Then stay with me because I need to speak to you', I said gravely.

'About what? Are you okay?' she was all concern.

I raised myself to a sitting position.

'Oh, no, you should lie down', she said, trying to push me back into the bed but I refused, pushing her hand away gently. 'I'm okay, Samantha, really '.

'Alright then, what do you want to talk about?' she asked.

'Since you came here, I have been so absorbed in myself that I have not asked about you!' I started.'I want to know about your life, your husband'.

A sudden clouding of her features, caused me alarm. 'What is it, Samantha?'

'My mate and husband is no more!' she said simply, looking down on her hands, but I could hear the pain and grief in her voice.

'Oh, I'm sorry. What happened?' I asked, shifting close to her and holding her hands.. Then, I modified the question. 'Was he ill or was it during an attack on your pack?'

'He suddenly fell ill', Samantha said with a far away look in her eyes. 'The medical practitioners said it was a genetic disease but if well managed, he was going to live as long as anyone else. That gave us hope and I was determined to do my best to ensure that he lived long and enjoyed his days as well', she said and sniffed.

I squeezed her hands. I knew how hard this was for her but she needed to let it out so that her heart could feel lighter. No one knew better than I the burden and heartache of keeping it all bottled up inside.

'But Fredrick felt he was no longer useful', her voice broke and she started sobbing quietly.

'No longer useful?' I prompted .

'I'm not sure but he felt that he was not as strong as other males and started drinking heavily to drown his pain and the complex he had adopted. I told him he was all the male I needed and that I was lucky to have him. He would smile and we would mate. During which I made sure, each experience was an unforgettable one but he still would not stop drinking and continued deteriorating till one day, he didn't wake from his sleep'.

'Oh, my God', I said, tears stinging my eyes. 'I know how devastating that can be'.

'You know, he probably knew he was going to die because he made sure he mated with me in a way he had never done before. He kept looking at me affectionately and touching my cheek, telling me he was the lucky one between us. We mated thrice and they were all fierce and I thought afterwards that it was as though he was trying to leave his imprint in me and at the same time wish me farewell!' she sobbed harder.

'I never knew you were passing through such trying times and I wondered why you didn't wish to come see me. So inconsiderate of me!'

'You could not have known but I just didn't want to leave him for any long period of time, though he insisted that I lived my life as normal. I knew if I visited, I might need t want to stay for a short period and I couldn't ask you to come visit me. He didn't want people seeing him in that state'.

'That's the reason then, because of you had asked me, I would definitely have come running to you. You did the same for me', I said, smiling at her and squeezing her hands comfortingly.

'He never liked to see me crying and I tried not to when his death was confirmed but couldn't. I felt heartbroken and so alone. I felt that there must be something I hadn't done right because if I had been the perfect wife to him, he probably would have lived'.

Since he hated to see me cry, I asked his corpse why he had ended up making me cry when he didn't like me doing it'.

'He didn't want to be a burden to you. You said it yourself that he wanted you to live your life!' I consoled her.

'He could never be a burden. I loved him for goodness sake', she exclaimed in pain. 'I consoled myself that I might be pregnant with his pup, hoping our last night together had at least produced that, a male or female to remind me of the wonderful mate and husband that he was, a symbol of our mate bond, a pup or pups that would compensate me for my loss but even that was denied me because when I checked, that tiny hope was dashed!'

'Have you thought of the fact that it might be a good thing that you are not pregnant with his pup?'

'How could it possibly be a good thing?' she asked hurt that I could even think that. 'How could having something that he and I produced, something from him, a souvenir from him, be bad?'

'You said yourself that the disease that killed him was genetic. What if it got passed on to his pup?', I asked reasonably. 'Would you be prepared to feel the same pain again, bear to experience that type of loss again?'

She kept quiet staring at me and I knew she had not thought about that. 'So maybe the goddess spared you that pain and will give you another chance at happiness, that I believe'.

Samantha's whimpering reduced till it stopped totally.

'You are really incredible, do you know that?' I asked, filled with genuine admiration for her

'How so?' she asked wiping her eyes, and sneezing into the handkerchief I pulled from my bed drawer and gave to her.

'You were suffering such pain and you gave nobody any indication of what you had been through? You went about smiling and trying to make me feel happy and well', I said.

'But you are also, incredible', she said smiling at me tremulously. 'You endured what you did from a very young age, and didn't even let on'.

'I have apologised, Samantha', I said, sorrowfully.

'I'm not complaining. Far from it! I'm just stating a fact', she said

'Which is?' I asked, sceptically.

'That we're one of a kind. We are brave and woe betide anyone who messes with us!' she said, with an attempt at a joke and we both burst out laughing, hugging and crying all at the same time.

'Okay, enough about me and sad tales', she said wiping her eyes again. 'You have really come a long way from princess to maid and now to Luna'.

'I am not the Luna yet', I protested.

'But you will!' she insisted. 'You have a problem of choice here as I see it. For how long will you keep the both of them fighting over you?' she joked.

'You know that's not it. I would choose Alpha Christopher in an instant but there are alot of things involved.', I said, not knowing to put my feelings into words.

'What things are you talking about?' she asked narrowing her eyes at me. 'Don't tell me you're in love with both of them?'

'Has it not been known to happen?' I asked seriously.

'What?'

'I was pulling your leg. Seriously, I do not feel for Alpha Sylvester what I feel for Alpha Christopher. They look so alike but they are very different!' I said.

'Then it should be easy to make your choice and tell them about it!'

'The council of elders said one of the mates would have to die for the other to live with me and that is why I am hesitant'.

'You must love Sylvester', she said.

'Why do you say that?' I asked amused.

'You claim you want vengeance on Alpha Sylvester and you discover an easy way to make him pay and yet you hesitate!'

'I know if I announced that my choice was Christopher, based on their beliefs, Sylvester would die but I do not want to get my vengeance that way. He has wronged me so much in the past but I do not want to kill him in cold blood!' I do not know if I want to kill him at all. I want to teach him an unforgettable lesson, what lesson, I do not know yet but I surely will', I said and paused for a while. 'Also, I keep having this feeling that I might choose Alpha Christopher and it is he instead of Alpha Sylvester that dies!'

'How can that be? Are you afraid Alpha Sylvester would kill his own brother to be with you?' she asked.

'I am not saying that but fate can be very funny and yes, I wouldn't put it pass Sylvester to do that. Not because of any special feelings he has for me but for his ego!' I said.

'You have decided not to believe that Alpha Sylvester has feelings for you and nothing I say will make you believe', she said resignedly. 'I know that your eyes will soon be opened to the truth of my words'.

'If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in love with Alpha Sylvester', I said, laughing at the incredulous idea.

Samantha was quiet for a while.

'Are you in love with Alpha Sylvester?' I asked, not wanting to believe what her silence was indicating.

She suddenly started laughing. She laughed long and hard and I kept looking at her incredulously. What was so funny?

'Oh, Millicent', she said wiping tears from her eyes, and trying to stop laughing. 'I am a broken bereaved woman and you think I already fell in love with your Alpha?' she asked.

'I do not know what to think', I said.

'Would you be jealous if I were?' she asked suddenly.

'That's a rhetorical question. You're not in love with him and that is that. No need to ask if I'd be jealous when you know I won't be!' I said.

'Ate you sure?'

'I don't have such feelings for him!' I said.

'You know, when we were here, before I met my mate, I had a crush on him, much like almost all the girls, except for you of course', she said. 'And it was the one lady who hated his guts, that he got mated to. Irony of fate! And now, he has fallen in love with that same lady'.

'You are incorrigible', I laughed at her persistence. 'Okay, you'll believe what you will and I'll believe what I will'.

'Will your feelings for him change if he were indeed in love with you?' she asked and I was not sure I liked the question.

'What do you mean?' I asked frowning.

'Will you start liking him at least if his feelings of love for you turns out to be sincere?'

'No!' I said strongly. 'And Samantha, could we drop this topic?'. I felt uneasy and did not know why.

A knock on the door interrupted us.

'Who is it?' I asked, a little harshly.

'Breakfast is served, my Luna - to - be', a maid poked her head in and announced.

'Thank you', I said more gently. There was no need to take out my anger and frustration on her. 'We shall soon be down.

'The Alphas said, they would not start until you joined them', she said.

'We'll be there in no time', I assured the maid, smiling at her, to take the sting from any stinging response I may have given her.

'Time to get out of bed', Samantha said as soon as the maid was gone.

I heaved myself out of bed and we went into the bathroom to clean up quickly, and descended the stairs to have our breakfast.