Once Rejected, Thrice Accepted
Chapter 28

"Woah there speedy!" Erin yelled as he ran to catch up to me. "I need to speak to you before the violence starts."

The laughter just erupted out of me without warning. "You finally gonna tell me how we are related now that I am all blood thirsty?"

He pushed the door shut pulling me to face him. "It's so hard to explain and I hate knowing that I....that I was part of the reason you were lost. My family, your family, has missed you every day you have been gone." He wouldn't look me in the eye. "Please just sit and let me tell you your story ending with how we are related." "Why can't you just tell me who I am related to?" I huffed crossing my arms.

"Because he knows, just like us, that you would run out and head on down to the dungeon." Charles chuckled patting the seat beside him. "This will clear a lot up and give you some time to think about the exact revenge you want so badly."

"Fine but after this I vote someone shows me how to cut a finger off without the victim bleeding out." I sat down across from Charles not taking the seat he had wanted me to take. I felt too much rage to hear much over the blood pounding in my head. Erin pulled a seat to sit beside me. "I am so sorry that you had to grow up with those people. I never wanted that. I don't know where to start."

"The beginning, Erin." Charles whispered, bringing a small laugh out of the guys.

"Oh ok." He took a deep breath. "We were visiting the neighboring pack to fix a few issues within it and figure out why a group of rogues were targeting them. Your father and mother both came with us. She had some friends in the pack and couldn't wait to show you off. She... umm..." He gulped and rubbed his face before clearing his throat. "She dressed you in this adorable pink puffy dress with your brand-new white shoes with the smallest heel. You picked those out actually and refused to wear anything else with your pweety dress as you put it."

"Oh yea. I got in trouble for calling it cute." Charles laughed like he was reliving the memory. Erin gave him a glare. "Sorry, didn't meant to interrupt.' He zipped his lips and threw away the key.

Erin turned back to me before continuing. "We needed to go investigate an area outside the pack lands. Nothing too dangerous, just thought there might be a way they were getting away that was hidden. You begged to go with us and I figured your parents would love the alone time." He wiped a tear off his cheek. "I had you by my side or in my arms the whole time until three rogues came at us out of nowhere. I put you on a tree branch so you were high enough up for protection but wouldn't break anything if you had to jump down. You promised to stay there."

A memory came back to me. I closed my eyes, Erins voice becoming distant. I saw myself still in the pink dress but it was dirty. I had no shoes on and my hands were covered in blood. Trees were all around me as I hunkered down at the bottom of an old tree doing my best blend in among the huge roots. Someone was calling for me but fear kept me quiet. Fear of being in trouble for hurting another wolf.

"Hey, you listening baby?" Duncan shook my shoulders bringing me back to the present.,

"I was scared, so scared, after falling off the branch." I whispered, keeping my eyes on Erins. "A smaller wolf tried to grab me biting my leg but I didn't scream out. I was scared id distract you and you would get hurt." "What?" Erin looked confused. "You remember?"

"One memory came back." I knew who he was but couldn't say it. "I was hiding from you after I hurt the wolf that tried to take me. I killed him with a sharp rock I found and was covered in his blood. I thought you would hate me....grandpa."

He lost it. He pulled me into his arms blubbering about being sorry and that he would never be mad at me. My arms wrapped around him hugging so hard breathing must have been hard but I needed the reassurance that this wasn't just a figment of my imagination.

"I...looked...everywhere....days....weeks." He could barely speak between the tears and sniffles. "My little butterfly... your dad.... Gonna lost it."

I pulled back wiping my tears before wiping his. "Are my parents still around?" Moment of truth and I could feel the sweat dripping off my hands.

"Your dad is. He is training new guards at the palace currently." Charles answered since Erin had pulled me back in for a hug just whispering his apologies. "Your mother.... She died giving birth to your sister."

"I have a sister?" I lit up. I have another sibling. "Tell me about her. I hope she will get along with Draco so we can do sibling outings." I could feel my heart growing a size.

"Gemma," Draco interrupted sounding a bit off. "I'm not your real brother so it doesn't matter if we do."

I growled pushing Erin back and rounding on Draco. "Blood or not you are my freaking brother. You better commit that shit to memory, the inside of your thick skull, and anywhere else so you never say that horrid sentence again. In fact, later this week we are getting matching tattoos." I pointed my finger at him. "If my blood sister has a problem with you that isn't justified than I don't need her. You saved me. You have been here for me, judgement free, and have pulled me into your little family like I was here from the beginning. I will never turn my back on you. Got it?!?!" I was yelling by the end of my rant. He just nodded but at least he was

smiling again.

"Loyalty like that is rare, Gemma. I can't wait to see how you take on the palace and all the backstabbing drama between families." Charles was beaming.

"What do you mean?" I looked around the room and noticed that everyone looked a bit sad. "When I visit?"

"No, butterfly, when you move there." Erin smiled at me.

I looked at my mates and finally understood. "Look I am glad we found each other and I can't wait to meet the rest of my family but I will never leave my mates and our pack." I patted Erins leg. "You are welcome to visit especially when we have kids and same with the rest of the fam but I would never chose anything over my self made family."

Erin smiled kissing my cheek. "My strong, brave, girl. You keep that up and your pack may get as strong as Charles over there."

"We will discuss living arrangements later." Charles stated like it was a fact. "Lets go deal with the prisoner."

I stood and stared at Charles. "Listen to me, King Charles. I am only repeating this once. I chose my mates. I chose this pack. I chose my happy life. You will not chose for me to do anything other than run this pack like the worlds greatest f*****g Luna." I growled. "No means no. I am not moving there. I will visit when I can and that is that."

I grabbed Duncan and Leo's hands with Lucas putting his hand on my shoulders before we left. Erin and Draco followed behind. I figured Charles needed some time to think and everyone must have agreed.

"He is pissed." Erin stated as we left the packhouse. "But you are right and he will see that. It has just always been the mate of one of our families moves to the palace and works there. This is a first and I like it." "Us, too." Duncan said. "Us, too."

“Come on, Gramps. Keep up." I teased Erin speeding up. "Do my mates need to carry you?"

Erin growled playfully. "Gramps, huh? Better run, little girl, or this grandpa is gonna beat you!" He ran past us laughing. We all took off after him.

I knew I still needed some more details about the family and this business with being the guard before him telling them about me but i was just going to enjoy it for now.