Once Upon A Rejection
Chapter 38

I knocked on the door to my step father’s house. Ezra opened the door almost instantly, as though he had been waiting on the other side for us to knock. As soon as he laid eyes on June a huge smile came over his face.

“June, I’ve missed you so much.” He said before practically throwing himself at her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips against hers. For a split second June looked shocked. Her hands went up as she prepared to push him away but then the shock wore off. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she pulled him closer to her, deepening their k**s.

Yuck!

I really didn’t need to see this. I went around them into the house, pulling Grayson with me. Once we got past them Grayson put his arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug. His lips grazed my ear.

‘Looks as though we are not needed. Maybe we should go back home.’ Grayson mindlinked me while nibbling on my ear. I leaned against him, enjoying the heat from his body and the feel of him against me.

‘Yes let’s go before anyone says anything.’ I replied.

“Molly.” Shouted a shrill, excited voice from the direction of the kitchen.

“Carly, what are you doing here?” I asked.

She was the last person I expected to see here tonight. Had she convinced Ezra to invite her so that she could repair her friendship with me. It seemed like a bold move but it wasn’t too far out of character for her.

I looked at her trying to gather some idea of why she was here. She glanced behind herself to where my step father was cooking dinner in the kitchen. I noticed that her cheeks had a slight pink tint to them.

Come to think of it, her whole demeanour seemed uncharacteristically nervous. She was also dressed strangely for an informal dinner. She was wearing a knee length black dress and high heels. She looked like she was dressed for a night out, not a meal with her friend.

“I think you should come through to the lounge.” Carly said.

She walked into the lounge without saying anything further. Everything about this situation was so strange, what was I missing here? I looked at Grayson, he shrugged his shoulders and indicated that we should follow her.

When we got into the lounge she was sitting on the sofa. She was looking into the corner of the room, away from us. I had a feeling that I wasn’t going to like what she was about to tell me. I sat down on the sofa between her and Grayson. Grayson held me close to his body, trying to alleviate some of my anxiety.

‘It will be fine sweetheart.’ Grayson mindlinked me.

“There is no easy way to tell you this so I will just come right out and say it.” Carly said. She took a deep breath.

“Thomas is my mate.” She said. She was looking at me, trying to gauge my response.

“Thomas as in my step father?” I asked.

“Yes.” She replied, her voice was quiet and she was blushing more heavily now.

“That can’t be true. He is old enough to be your father.” I said.

I was in shock and apparently that meant that I lost the filter between my brain and my mouth. I could tell my words had hurt Carly, she looked as though she was close to bursting into tears. I cursed myself for being so cruel.

“I know but he is my second chance mate. My first mate rejected me.” She said.

“I am sorry, I didn’t know.” I said, feeling guilty about my outburst.

“It is ok, I felt too ashamed to tell anyone. When you get rejected it feels physically painful but that is nothing compared to the emotional pain. You feel repulsive, like you are unworthy of being loved.” She said, wiping the unshed tears from her eyes.

I shuffled along the sofa and hugged my ex-best friend. I heard her muffled sobs and she cried into my shoulder.

“Who rejected you?” Grayson said, his voice was sharp.

“I don’t want to get them into trouble.” Carly said between sobs.

“They won’t be in trouble, I just want to know who in my pack is a heartless d**k.” Grayson said.

“Leyton Ward.” Carly said, pulling away from me and looking at Grayson.

“I am going to have to have a word with my little brother.” Grayson growled.

“It won’t help. He rejected me so he could go to work for the council and I accepted his rejection. Even if he took it back he would resent me forever for taking away his chance to work for the council. I couldn’t do that to him.” Carly was ranting.

“Have you and Thomas marked each other?” Grayson asked.

Carly shook her head.

“We only worked out that we were mates at that party the other week. He said he didn’t want to risk his position by acknowledging me. He came to my house a couple of days ago saying that things had changed and he wanted to give our relationship a chance. I agreed but I told him I wanted to take it slowly” She said.

I could tell that she was still unsure about the relationship. After all, the whole situation wasn’t exactly what you dream about when you are fantasising about meeting your mate. There was no love at first sight with either of her mates.

“Don’t do anything hasty. I will talk to my brother. I know him, I am sure he is already regretting his rejection.” Grayson said.

“I don’t believe that.” Carly said.

The sadness was evident on her face. The pain from her rejection must still have been there.

“As I said, I know him. He will be hurting as much as you are. He will take you back but you will have to reject Thomas.” Grayson said.

“Thomas.” Carly said.

She was looking behind us towards the door to the kitchen. I followed her gaze. My step father was standing in the doorway, he looked devastated. He was wearing an apron with food stains down the front over his outfit of jeans and a dress shirt.

“Do you all hate me that much?” He said.

“That is not what he meant.” I said, feeling the need to stand up for my mate.

“You didn’t seem to want your mate so I thought she deserved a chance to be with someone who did.” Grayson said.

“He rejected her.” My step father said. I heard Carly sob.

“I am sure he has realised the error of his ways by now.” Grayson said.

Ezra and June were standing in the doorway now. They had been interrupted from their makeout session by our argument. June’s hair was slightly messed up and Ezra was wearing more of June’s lipstick than she was. Ezra had his arms around June in a defensive gesture.

“I may not have been the best mate to Carly so far but don’t underestimate how much she means to me. I wasn’t expecting another mate, especially not one who has only just turned eighteen but I will fight for her if I have to.” My step father said.

Carly stood up.

“This is all too much.” She said, tears were streaming down her face. She tried to make a run for the door but my step father caught her. He pulled her into an embrace.

“Please don’t run away from me.” He said.

“Why? You are ashamed of me. Leyton rejected me. My whole life is a fricking mess. Maybe I should just give up and move…” Carly was interrupted by my step father kissing her passionately.

I quickly averted my eyes. I did not need that image in my mind forever.

‘Too late.’ Jade complained.

‘I think I might need to scratch my own eyes out.’ Scarlett said.

‘What good is that going to do now it is in our brain.’ Jade said, giggling. At least the experience hadn’t killed my wolf’s sense of humour.

After a few extremely uncomfortable minutes Carly stopped sucking on my step father’s face and things returned to some semblance of normality.

We sat down at the dining table. My step father served us all food before joining us at the table. He had made us a feast of roast meat, potatoes and lots of different kinds of vegetables. It was much better than the meals he used to cook for me and Ezra when I used to live here.

In his defence he was kind of doing two jobs. Working as the pack’s beta as well as holding an important position in the pack’s largest company. He only had the second of those two jobs now and it looked as though the change was doing him a lot of good.

“This is so much better than what passes for food on campus.” June said.

“I am sure some of it should come with a safety warning.” I agreed.

Me and June went on to reminisce about college life. Mostly focusing on all the things we wouldn’t miss about staying on campus this week. The rest of them just listened intently as we told our stories.

“I fail to see the attraction of college.” Carly said.

“You are the smartest person I know, I was sure that you would be going to some super college to learn to be a doctor or something.” I said.

“No way, it seems like far too much work.” She said.

“That is good because it means you can stay here with me.” My step father said.

Carly blushed.

“Is everyone ready for dessert?” Carly asked.

She stood up and started clearing the plates from the table. My stepfather helped her to pick up the remaining plates and took them into the kitchen.

Ezra let out a sigh.

“If she is staying here tonight can I stay with you?” He asked June.

“Nope.” June said.

“Wait what?” Ezra asked.

“I know a ploy to get into my underwear when I hear one.” She said. She was smiling at him. I knew that smile, she was teasing him. She was going to let him stay with her but she wanted him to beg.

“So you are going to make me stay here and listen to the two of them together all night.” Ezra said, pouting.

“Yes I am. Unless…” She said.

“Unless what?” Ezra said, eagerly.

She leaned forward and whispered something very quietly in Ezra’s ear. I tried my best not to hear what she was telling him but I did notice how quickly Ezra agreed to her terms. At least Grayson’s house has good soundproofing.

“These deserts are taking a while.” Grayson said.

“I am absolutely not going to go in that room to check on them.” I said.

I cringed at the thought of what I might see if I did that. I couldn’t hear any noises from the kitchen. If they were preparing food I would have expected to hear plates clinking and other noises. They were totally kissing.

I was about to make some kind of joke when I felt a feeling of loss wash over me. I glanced over at Grayson, there was the same concern in his eyes as there must have been in mine.

“What was that?” I asked.

I hoped that he understood what I was referring to and didn’t just think I was having a breakdown.

“Someone in the pack has just been killed.” Grayson said.