Once Rejected, Twice Desired (Book 1 of Blue Moon Series)
Once Rejected, Twice Desired Chapter 11

Alexi POV

"Alexi, do you have anything to add here? Maybe you'd like to share with us why you thought it was a good idea to reject Alaia in the first place?"

I looked over at my dad, then the Alpha and saw the disappointment in both of their eyes. I didn't think it would come to this, but here we all are.

"Alpha, at the time, I thought I was doing what was best for Alaia. You all know my reputation; I've never been one to settle down with just one girl. It's not that I didn't think that I could settle down with Alaia, but it was the fact that I didn't feel that she deserved to have to settle for me."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alaia's face drop, and I hoped my words had the intended effect.

"Alaia deserves the best, not some guy who's slept with the majority of the girls in the pack! So yes, when I rejected her, I was doing it for her. But then she accepted my rejection; she didn't even fight for me."

I looked over at Alaia and stared her right in her golden honey eyes. I heard Xander growl at this, but I didn't care. I had to make sure she understood what I had to say.

"When you accepted my rejection, I felt our bond break. You could have filled my veins with wolfsbane, and it wouldn't have stung nearly as much as it did when you turned and walked away from me. Last night I stayed up all night thinking over my decisions, and I realized what an i***t I had been to reject you. I had hope that one day you could forgive me and finally be mine, I still have that hope..."

"She's MINE!" Alpha Xander roared from his seat at the table.

"You had your chance, and you tossed it aside. Clearly, the Moon Goddess knew you would do just that since she then gave Alaia to me. Get it out of your head now that you'll ever have any other chances with her!"

"Alexi, why didn't you just think this through? Your mom and I taught you better than this. We always taught you to have respect for your mate, your absolute greatest gift. And you were blessed with Alaia of all wolves. You couldn't have gotten anyone better for you, and you without thinking reject her? I just don't understand..."

Those words from my dad were like rubbing salt in my still open wounds.

"I'll challenge you for her," I finally said, looking Alpha Xander directly in the eye.

Xander snorted before replying.

"You can't be serious. Alaia's already mine."

"You haven't mated or marked her. Per wolf laws, an unmated and unmarked shewolf who has multiple suitors claiming to be her mate is still fair game."

I then stood to my feet.

"I Alexi Kostov, future Beta of the Opal Moon pack, challenge you Alpha Xander Black of the Blue Moon pack, for the right to mate Alaia Miller, daughter of Alpha Jonathan Miller, also of the Opal Moon pack."

You could hear a pin drop in the room. No one appeared to move or even breathe.

Soon, a smile crept up on Xander's face before he lifted Alaia off his lap and stood to face me.

"I, Alpha Xander Black of the Blue Moon pack, accept your challenge."

What the f**k had I just gotten myself into?

***

Alaia POV

"I Alexi Kostov, future Beta of the Opal Moon pack, challenge you Alpha Xander Black of the Blue Moon pack, for the right to mate Alaia Miller, daughter of Alpha Jonathan Miller, also of the Opal Moon pack." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was still trying to figure all this out when Xander gently placed his hands on my hips and lifted me off his lap before he stood.

The next words out of his mouth stopped my world completely.

"I, Alpha Xander Black of the Blue Moon pack, accept your challenge."

"Wait! You guys can't do this! A challenge, really? I'm not some prize that you can just rip each other apart to claim. Dad, stop them please!" I begged.

"I can't sweetie. You know I abide by all of our laws to the absolute best of my abilities, and that won't change now."

"Alpha Xander, as Alexi is the challenger, it is up to you to decide when this fight will take place. Since Alaia is still a member of the Opal Moon pack, we will see this through right here on our pack lands."

I turned around to Xander, reached up, and pulled his face down, so we are looking eye to eye. Before I realized it, a lone tear fell from my eye as I pleaded with him.

"Please, Xander, don't do this."

He bent down and kissed the tear away before again standing straight.

"Don't worry, Little One; everything will be fine. It will all be over soon."

He then looked straight ahead at my dad and said: "Alpha Jonathan, I think tonight would be perfect."

When I heard these words, my legs began to wobble, and darkness started to move in on me. Just before my world went completely black, I felt my body become weightless, and a smooth baritone voice called my name. It was all too much, so I just slept.

***

Aaron POV

I watched in horror as Alaia's eyes rolled back and she collapsed in Alpha Xander's arms. I ran to her, wanting to take her away to the pack doctor before I remember my place.

Alaia had a mate, two mates apparently, and it was for them to see to her wellbeing now. She was no longer my baby sister; she was a beautiful young woman.

"Alpha Xander, if you'd follow me, we can take her to the pack doctor and get her checked out. I'm sure it's probably just the stress of the past couple of days getting to her, but it's better safe than sorry," I looked over and said to him. Alexi let out a low growl and stated, "She was mine first. I should be the one..."

"SHUT THE f**k UP LEX!" I roared.

"This, all of this," I say while pointing around the room, "Is all. Your. Fault. If you'd thought with your brain instead of your d**k all these years, we wouldn't be in this situation now. So please, if you care for Alaia, shut that hole in your face and let her mate do what he needs to do."

Alexi looked beyond furious once I finished speaking but didn't say anything. There was nothing he could say at this point, so he just nodded his head once and exited the room.

"Alpha Xander, come with me, please."

"I'll meet you there, Son. I need to fill your mother in on all of this, and you know she won't want to hear it over mindlink."

I nodded at my dad before I turned and started to rush through the halls to the pack hospital. Alpha Xander easily kept up, and when I glanced over, I saw how delicately he was holding Alaia. Like she the most precious thing in the world. Then I realized that to him, she was.

When we arrived at the hospital, I asked the first nurse I saw where I could replace Dr. Collins. She pointed us towards the room, and we quickly made our way over and in.

"Ahh, Aaron, and Alpha Xander. Come, come, lay her down here. Your father linked me and filled me in on what was happening," he said to us.

As soon as Xander placed Alaia on the bed, Dr. Collins got to work, checking her heart, temperature, and blood pressure. After a few minutes, he turned to Xander and offered a reassuring smile.

"Your mate is fine, Alpha; she just needs to rest. It seems that all of the recent excitement has drained her and her wolf. Being rejected, then immediately replaceing your second chance mate is almost unheard of. Her heart was shattered then put back together in such quick succession that she's now completely spent. I'll give her something to help her sleep more peacefully before I head out, but she should stay with us at least until morning."

The news seemed to calm Alpha Xander, his body slowly started to relax, and the look of worry that had been on his face began to fade.

I pulled up a chair and placed it next to the one already at Alaia's bedside. Once I sat down, I looked over at Xander and said: "Well, it looks like we've got a bit of time to get to know each other."