Once Rejected, Twice Desired (Book 1 of Blue Moon Series)
Once Rejected, Twice Desired Chapter 17

Alaia

POV

As I gently began to wake, I felt the soft rays of sunlight falling across my face. I slowly opened my eyes, only to be met with the crystal blue ones of Xander. Goddess, he was gorgeous. I couldn't believe he was mine.

"Good Morning, Little One," he said in his sexy husky morning voice.

I was so mesmerized by him that I didn't even register what he'd said.

My eyes trailed down from his eyes to his lush pink lips. They looked so soft, so warm. They could work some dangerous magic when put to work on my body; I could tell. My eyes snapped back up when I heard a low rumble from deep within Xander's chest.

"I can smell you, baby. What's going on in that dirty little mind of yours, hmm?"

Usually, I would blush and hide my face, but after last night I felt emboldened.

Finally, I opened my mouth and said, "I'm thinking about you, but more specifically, your lips. I just wonder what kind of delicious tricks they could play across my curves." I finished my statement by licking my lips seductively.

"Oh, Little One. You'll pay for teasing me like this. Would you like me to show you what these lips can do?"

I nodded my head before I whispered, "Show me, Daddy."

Xander's eyes flashed black before he captured my mouth in a blazing kiss.

My hands were pressed against his chiseled chest to steady myself as he wrapped one arm around my waist and brought the other up to cup the back of my head.

He pulled me impossibly close before he bit down on my bottom lip, causing me to gasp into his mouth.

Before I knew it, his tongue had found its way into my mouth, and I tasted him for the first time.

He tasted like the sweetest strawberries, and instantly I was addicted.

I broke the kiss and gasped for air while Xander took those magic lips on a journey over my jaw and down my neck.

Just as he did the night before, he lightly bit, sucked, and licked my marking spot. The feeling elicited powerful tremors to radiate down to my most delicate of places. Xander's mouth was driving me insane, and I loved every second of it.

Before we could go any further, there was a sharp knock on the door.

We pulled away from one another and tried to steady our breathing.

"Ms. Alaia, it's Dr. Collins. May I come in?"

Xander stood and passed me a robe hanging nearby. It was then that I realized that I was still completely naked.

I mouthed a quick "thank you" while I covered myself up.

"Yes, come in, Dr. Collins," I finally said.

A few seconds later, Dr. Collins poked his head in before he moved further into the room.

"Good Morning, Alpha Xander, Ms. Alaia," he greeted the two of us.

"Good Morning Dr. Collins. Are you here to sign my release papers?" I jokingly asked.

He chuckled at my silliness before saying, "First things first, how are you feeling this morning? You could stay another day if you feel that you need more rest, you know."

"I feel great doctor, truly I do. I'm pretty sure I got the best sleep of my life last night, and I'm more than ready to go back to my normal life. Please?"

I gave him my most innocent face before he erupted into laughter.

"You've got your hands full with this one, Alpha Xander. I wish you luck."

"Yes, doctor, I see that as well," Xander said with a laugh.

"Alright, Ms. Alaia, you're free to go. Please let me know if you feel anything out of the norm for the next couple of days, okay?"

"It's a deal Doc," I said with a smile.

"Have a good day Ms. Alaia, Alpha Xander."

Dr. Collins then turned and left the room.

"Finally! I feel like I've been here forever!" I said once the door closed.

"Well, you're out now. Any plans for the day?"

I took a look at the time and saw that it was only 7:27 AM.

"If you're not busy, we can go back to the packhouse for pancakes? I'm sure Mrs. Wilson wouldn't mind whipping us up a stack or two." "Sounds like a plan, Little One."

"Perfect, I just need to grab a quick shower back at my room, and I'll meet you in the dining hall around 8:00 AM."

"Actually, I've got a much better idea. I'll join you in that shower."

Shit...did it just get really REALLY hot in here?

***

Xander POV

"Actually, I've got a much better idea. I'll join you in that shower."

I watched Alaia's face to gauge her reaction, and I was surprised by what I found.

"That sounds good; let's go."

She took my hand in her tiny one before she started to lead me out of the room.

This was the first time that we'd ever walked side by side, and I could truly notice the size difference.

I offered a small chuckle when I looked down at her and said, "You are tiny, Little One. It feels like I'm being lead through the halls by a pup."

The look of shock and offense she sent me made me laugh even louder.

I reached down and scooped her up into a hug, leaving her small feet dangling off the ground.

"You're perfect the way you are, baby. Besides, I can think of more than a few things I'd like to try with such a small mate."

I ran my nose along the side of her neck before gently placing her back down.

She again looked up at me before she said, "Don't let the small package fool you, babe, I can still kick some serious a*s in a fight."

"Of that, I have no doubt, my love. Now, about that shower..." I said while pulling her up the stairs and towards her room.

When we arrived at her door, I remembered the night of her birthday party. The night my universe was finally complete.

I stepped inside and was met by the memory of her small frame curled up on her bed, heart shattered and torn apart before I stepped in to put the pieces back together.

"You okay, Xander?"

I looked over and saw my precious mate with her head leaned slightly to the side, a look of concern marring her beautiful features.

I walked over and wrapped her in a quick hug.

"I'm better than okay, Little One. I just remember the moment I found you and the feeling of completion I felt when I first laid eyes on you. At that moment, my heart became whole, and it became yours."

I placed a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face until she was looking deep into my eyes.

"My heart belongs to you and only you, Alaia, from now until forever."

I leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss, hoping that she could feel every emotion that I felt for her at that moment.

I then pulled away and looked into her dazed golden honey eyes.

"Now, strip Little One. We've got business to attend to."

***

Alexi POV

I felt like I had a ten-ton truck parked on my chest. I kept trying to move, but my body refused to cooperate.

Eventually, I was able to open my eyes to a blinding white light.

I must have been dead. I knew I didn't stand much of a chance against Xander, and I refused to give up the fight, so this could only be my entrance to the afterlife.

After my eyes adjusted to the light, I heard a low "beep-beep-beep" beside my head. I looked over and saw at least three different machines running tubes to and from my body.

Was I in the pack hospital? If I was here, that meant that I wasn't dead.

Did I win the fight? I promised myself that I wouldn't concede, but maybe Xander did? I knew that piece of s**t couldn't love her nearly as much as I did.

I tried to sit up, but my IV got caught on the bed and was almost ripped out of my hand.

"s**t!" I yelled before I reached down to adjust the tube.

My outburst woke my Dad, who I didn't know was sleeping in the corner of the room.

"Alexi? Thank the Goddess; you're awake. Stay still, son; I'll go grab the doctor to look you over."

"I'm fine, Dad. What happened? How long have I been out? Where's Alaia, why isn't she here?"

"What do you mean, Alexi? Alaia is with her mate, Alpha Xander. Don't you remember?"

"What?! What do you mean? I'm her mate; she should be here with me!"

The machine monitoring my heart rate started going crazy as the beeps got faster and faster.

Alaia not being by my side had to be a mistake. I was still alive, so there was no way that she wasn't mine.

I reached over to pulled the IVs out of my arm. I needed to see her and figure out what the f**k was happening.

"Alexi, stop!" My dad yelled.

"Look at me son, Alaia is no longer yours. You rejected her."

"Don't you think I f*****g know that?! But that doesn't explain why she's not here now. Or why you're telling me that Xander is her mate. What happened at the challenge?"

"You conceded, Alexi. You put up an admirable fight for as long as you could, but in the end, Xander overpowered you. You began to lose consciousness; I saw the light going out of your eyes. But before it was gone, you lifted a hand in surrender. Xander immediately stopped the fight, and I brought you here."

"You can't be serious right now, Dad. I didn't concede. I don't know what you guys thought you saw, but it wasn't me giving up. I would rather have died than give up Alaia!"

"Alexi, it's over. Xander has claimed Alaia as his. You're to renounce all claim to mate her as soon as possible. It should have been done after the challenge ended, but you weren't in a coherent state."

I ripped all the IVs out of my arm and stood to my feet before my dad could stop me.

"Alexi! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to replace my f*****g mate!" I roared.

"She's MINE, and I will get her back. I don't care how I have to do it!"

I stormed out of the room and ran towards the front doors. As soon as my feet hit the soft dirt, I felt my body begin to shift, and my wolf Max took over.

I wasn't expecting to shift, but I had already turned eighteen, and Max had been fully awake for weeks. I guess I had been avoiding the actual first shift because of the horror stories about how painful it was. But calling this painful didn't do the feelings justice.

I felt all of my bones snap and pop out of their joints; my skull stretched and elongated, making way for my snout.

I felt as claws replaced my fingernails, and reddish-brown fur sprouted from my skin.

When it was finally over, Max let out a loud howl before he turned and thundered into the woods.

Don't worry, Alexi, we'll get our mate back, even if it's the last thing we do!