Rejected Mate and Following Fate

Getting close to the manor is easier than I thought it would be. Domi was right about the fact the valley is almost like a deserted prison camp. Everything around the manor is still and empty while the valley has all those who are no longer loyal to their alpha, pushed away. Separated by electric fences, speakers playing nonstop the silent frequency to stop the vampire weapon being used against them. The whole place is eerie, like a deserted army barracks and strangely dark despite all the spotlights hanging from posts. None are on.

It’s almost like the aftermath of a battle in itself and if it weren’t for the distant chaotic noise of a real war going on, it would be as silent as the surface of the moon. There are no birds, no small animals, not even any kind of patrols and all the security cameras are facing the ground.

It feels like life has slipped away in what used to be a bustling busy home filled to the brim with an eager pack. Most of the windows are boarded and with only the moonlight as illumination, the place looks like a haunted house in some spectacular horror remake.

“I don’t like this.” I murmur to myself as Sierra and Carmen turn human and come to my side, pushing Radar and my other flanking wolf aside. We stand staring up at the dark building, no longer afraid of danger when the nothingness surrounds us. You can sense the fact that there is nothing here to be afraid of.

“Are they even in there?” Carmen steps in front of me and peers long and hard at the top west tower and its balcony. The room that belonged to Juan and we see not a single light in the entire place flickering through boards and curtains.

“He’s there. I can feel him. He is hiding like the coward he is, locked away tight with his few.” Sierra’s venom rings true, and I find myself staring at her for a long moment and truly questioning what she knows right now. There’s a change in her now we are here, and it makes me nervous to think she is suddenly unpredictable if she has the knowledge we are no longer bound.

If she knows, what will she do? Her death won’t affect me and that scares me more than anything. Her desire to see Juan die….it trumps even her need to survive. I know how strong her will to put things right is, and her devotion to ending this.

“You’re right. They’re in there. At least a dozen of them or more last time the crows saw him venture out with his men and I can almost guarantee they know about the vampires too.” Leyanne nods towards one sole camera which has a small red light blinking in the dark. I stare until my eyes adjust and realize it’s moving, spanning the area and functioning normally. Maybe the rest are dead, but he still has one eye on his surroundings. The camera room was always operational from inside those walls and I shiver with knowing we are being monitored.

“So we just sit and wait? And do what? Play eye spy? Wave?” I snap, out of frustration, annoyed that while our people are out there, we’re standing here like none of this affects us. I know Colton thinks this is for the best and eventually they will come this way, but this just feels weird and wrong. Like we’re hiding from the fight.

Luna!

I’m side struck away from Carmen out of the blue, taken by surprise as I’m caught by another wolf and pulled down to the ground. Covered with a heavy brown furry beast as he bears down shielding me. Panting heavily, my heart skyrockets through my chest and I squirm on the dirt as I try to come to terms with what just happened. There’s noise of scraping claws, gnashing teeth, and yet I am concealed and can only wriggle to get purchase from the wolf on top of me.

Luna. Are you okay?

feet and get behind him,

not in the best physical shape and are quickly subdued by my own and pulled to the ground to be restrained as Carmen and Sierra shield me from the front. They seem disorientated and the wave of bitter hate flows freely

blurt out into the chaos of noise they’re making. Grunts, growls and excessive heavy breathing as they are held down, and it’s now I can even see how thin and unkempt they

are. They are the offspring of loyal followers to Juan. Sons of his close command and yet all there of them look broken and exhausted and not exactly cared

holding him in a grip with arms folded across his back as he bears down on

mate’s spine makes me flinch. In soldier mode

us.” Aiden, the wolf on the ground snarls right back despite being held tight but makes

know Radar won’t hesitate to break his bones. We did leave them, and they have suffered. I don’t blame the ones left to roam free for hating us and believing we abandoned them. Radar relents a little and sits back on his haunches with a sulking hint of grudged obedience, giving Aiden room to breathe once more. I exhale heavily and try to calm my swirling nerves,

Luna Radar refers to and this is Sierra. You must remember her; she is Rema now and once was Juan’s Luna. The woman he locked up for a decade and betrayed. You are still our pack and that is why we are here. We’re here to help.” My heart bleeds for these wolves and I can already tell by reading their emotions that the intention to attack us was not for Juan, but for their own heartbreak and pain. I wonder how many of the villagers were hostile towards our wolves fighting for them for the same reasons. Nerves swirling that maybe already our wolves are fighting

to do?” Another of the men on the dirt responds with that same

where is Juan? Who are the ones who came for you? Scoff all you want but she IS your Luna, and WE are here to help.” Carmen steps forward and kicks the thigh of the second wolf with a sharp dig, gaining a snarl in response from the one I recognize as Taemin. A once valued sentinel and someone Colton treated like a

his son. Nothing good ever came from the sacred Santa bloodline where they’re concerned.” The third, Robyn grinds out to join the conversation, another from the same sub pack and yet despite his hateful tone, there’s a sadness in his eyes as I lock my focus on his face. Behind their fury and venomous words, are wolves who have been abandoned and

suffering can end after this.” Sierra becomes dominant in the conversation with a commanding tone I’ve never heard from her. Stamping towards Aiden and towering over him with a fearless aura as she glares down at him with all the presence of a queen. “You can go on with this attitude and become a hindrance, or you can get up, dust off and do everything to free and reunite our wolves. The vampires are the enemy, not us and Juan….. we’re here to make sure he pays

us?” Taemin struggles to get free but is kneeled upon by an extra wolf as they

weren’t here…. we were in another place fighting to survive and trying to figure out how to fix a fractured pack. We were out there licking our wounds and struggling to know what to do, while being oblivious to your suffering. We have no excuses.” I try and soothe with my words, feeling the intensity of betrayal among them

to suck it up and stop acting like sulky babies.” Carmen walks around to the front of all three and stands with her hands on her hips, jutting out her jaw while swishing her hair back with a flick of her head. “We’ve suffered too. We’ve been fighting and hiding, and we’ve had our own losses. You chose to stay here so don’t put that crap on us. Cut the bullshit attitude and show some

silence for a moment as they stare her down and then break contact and all three look away. Clearly recognizing her and knowing what she says is truth, but that high strung wolf gene is hard to dampen. I can feel their fire dying a little and look around me to double check there aren’t more to contend with. It seems these three were