Training came early the next morning. I was finally going to meet their trainer who I was supposed to be working with on the first day. I needed to talk to him to figure out if what I was teaching the she-wolves was too much or too little.
I’m standing off to the side near the back of the she-wolves when I suddenly get a whiff of the most delicious intoxicating smell I have ever smelled-spiced oranges and pumpkin. Somehow the combination of the two had a heavenly smell that was drawing me to this gorgeous 6’2″ dark-haired male standing in front of everyone. He had pale blue eyes with a slender nose that led to plush lips and a square jaw. Hubba, Hubba.
Mate! Mate! Mate! my wolf kept yelling it in my head. I started walking up to him with a smile on my face.
He stood perfectly still looking straight at me with a female beside him. He had no expression on his face. He asked Beta Mason a question before I was ten feet in front of him. Then out of the blue, he blurts out loudly.
“I, Clark Downey, reject you, Melanie Miller, as my fated mate,” he yelled for all to hear before I was even ten feet in front of him.
I was stunned into silence. Growls were heard after he said that.
I gasped loudly holding a hand to my chest. I was trying to get my breathing under control. Then all of a sudden, I turned to my stunned father and stammered, “I’m going to be … I’m going to be banished because … because he rejected me! I’m going to be declared a rogue because he rejected me!”
“Calm down Melanie!” commanded Alpha Richard. “Daniel take your sister to her room. Now! Daniel stay with her until I say otherwise.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Daniel replied quickly escorting me to our suite.
Alpha Richard was restraining my father at the moment. “Troy, calm down. I need you to calm down. We’ll get to the bottom of this in a few minutes,” Alpha Richard declared to my father.
Alpha Tucker commanded Clark to go to his office and wait for him there. He left the training area with the female by his side. Beta Mason was just as stunned as the rest of the pack.
“Training is canceled this morning. Go about your normal duties. Beta Mason will apprise you later of what has transpired here this morning,” commanded Alpha Tucker.
“Yes Alpha,” chorused everyone present.
Daniel opened my door and escorted me to the chair. At this point, I was ugly crying and shaking uncontrollably. “I’m so, so sorry Mellie. I’m so, so sorry! You of all people did not deserve that” comforted my brother as he tried to hold me.
I was barely aware of my surroundings because my wolf was howling in my head. She was grieving the loss of our mate. I felt so lost at this point. I didn’t know what to do. I pulled myself into the back of the chair with my knees up to my chin. I wrapped my arms around my legs and just cried. I didn’t want to feel anything. I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
Alpha Tucker, Alpha Richard, Beta Mason, Delta Troy, Clark, and the female were in the Alpha’s office. Alpha Tucker introduced Clark and the female to Alpha Richard and my dad. The female was Clark’s chosen mate Nicole. They had been mated for two years and have a pup together with one on the way.
“Okay, so you’re mated already. I get that. My daughter deserved respect-she didn’t deserve a rejection yelled at her before she even said hello to you. The least you could have done was say, ‘May I speak to you in private.’ Would that have been asking too much?” my Dad snapped at Clark.
“No sir. It kind of caught me off guard. I panicked. I didn’t think I’d ever meet my fated mate. Then, I did and I have Nicole who is my chosen mate standing right beside me. It’s awkward, to say the least,” Clark stated bluntly.
“Awkward doesn’t even begin to explain the situation we had,” Alpha Tucker said.
“What did she mean she was going to be banished and declared a rogue?” Nicole inquired to my Dad.
“In our pack, if you reject your mate, you are banished from the pack according to the By-Laws and declared a Rogue. You rejected her without a second thought. Do you have any idea what you have just done?” my father asked him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. But, I already have a mate and I will not give her up. I have pups already. I will not break up my family just because she is my fated mate. I won’t do that,” Clark stated vehemently.
“Clark, shut up. Just shut up. You have no idea … just shut up,” Beta Mason growled at him.
Clark’s head snapped in his direction. He had a look of confusion on it like ‘Was I missing something?’ Beta Mason was his friend.
Alpha Richard had already told my father that the only person or persons who could override the banishment or rogue status would be the Council or the Alpha King himself. Alpha Richard excused himself so he could place the phone calls necessary to handle the situation.
Alpha Richard told Alpha Tucker that the Council would get back to us within an hour to let us know what to do. So, he allowed Clark and Nicole to go get some breakfast. Dad went to change his clothes into his business attire for the day.
While he was in the suite, Dad poked his head into my room to check in on me. I was still near hysterics. Danny told Dad that nothing he did was comforting me. Dad told Danny not to leave me per Alpha’s orders. My wolf would be very unstable right now. They couldn’t risk me not hurting anyone at this moment.
Alpha Richard asked all of us to meet him back down in the Alpha’s office in an hour. We needed to be sure we had our things packed and ready to go back to our territory.
When the time came to meet Alpha Richard in Alpha Tucker’s office, Daniel escorted or rather carried me down the stairs. He knew I was not really in any condition to do very much right now. I was still in my workout clothes.
We entered the room and Danny gently placed me in a chair. I kept my eyes on the floor and didn’t speak to anyone. I just knew what my fate held all because of my ‘fated’ mate.
“Elder Hawkins, we are all here. Daniel just brought Melanie into the room with us,” announced Alpha Tucker.
“Very good. I would say good morning to everyone but this is not a good morning, especially for Melanie. Melanie, my dear, I am so sorry this happened to you this morning. I can only imagine how you are feeling right now. Please let me or Astrid know if there is anything you need,” Elder Hawkins advised.
“Yes Elder,” I stated barely above a whisper.
“Now, Let’s get down to business. As I understand the events of the morning. Before training could commence, Melanie was walking up to her fated mate when he blurted out, in front of everyone, his rejection of her. Is this correct so far,” Elder Hawkins asked Alpha Tucker.
“Yes, Elder that is correct,” Alpha Tucker confirmed.
“Now upon hearing the rejection, Melanie reacted by saying that she was going to be banished and declared a rogue because of your pack’s By-Laws is that correct Alpha Richard?” Elder Hawkins asked him.
“Yes, Elder that is correct,” Alpha Richard confirmed.
“Now, Clark Downey. What is the reason why you rejected Melanie Miller as your fated mate?” demanded Elder Hawkins.
“I already have a chosen mate Elder. Also, we have a pup with another one on the way,” Clark answered him.
“I see. Melanie, my dear, I have discussed your situation with the Alpha King and the Council. We have already decided that you WILL NOT be banished or declared a rogue. You did not reject him. He rejected you. Do you have any words for him before you and your family depart for your territory?” inquired Elder Hawkins.
“Yes, Elder I do,” I stated softly.
“Then, go right ahead and state it before you accept his rejection,” announced Elder Hawkins.
“Yes sir,” I replied to Elder Hawkins. I stood up and faced Clark. I must look ghastly because Beta Mason’s face paled. “Clark, I’m sorry you did not deem me worthy enough to wait for me. I waited for you-you were going to be my first date, kiss, everything. That’s how much I honored ‘you,’ my mate. Then, when I went to approach you this morning, you yelled a rejection at me before I could even say ‘hello’ to you. Do you know how horrible that made me feel?” I was explaining as Clark tried to interrupt.
“I didn’t …” Clark tried to say.
“I’m talking! Not you! You had your say earlier. Now, it is my turn. You made me feel like I didn’t matter. Like I was not even worthy of you because you chose someone else over your fated mate. Thank you for letting me know now where I stand. I, Melanie Miller, accept your rejection, Clark Downey, of being your fated mate and Delta male of the Brookwood Pack,” I stated strongly.
As soon as those words left my mouth, I almost collapsed. Daniel held me up. “I got you, sis. Come on, let me get you in the car,” Daniel said.
“What did she mean the Delta male of the Brookwood pack?” Clark asked Beta Mason.
“She’s the Delta Heir in the pack. She’s taking over the position in 3 months from her father. Not her brother, her,” he answered him.
“Oh,” he said flatly.