Rejection Denied
Family Reunion

Nix

I am exhausted.

I’ve been up for hours organizing and preparing to host the event. I finally fell asleep early this morning, a little before five. I just laid my head on my keyboard and dozed off. I don’t know what time it was when I was mind linked by border patrol.

“Alpha Nix.” A guard spoke.

“Hmmm.” I groaned back, my head still down.

“We have a guest, he says you know him, but we weren’t expecting him.”

“Tell him to schedule a meeting. I’m busy for the next two months.” I slowly turned my head and tried to fall back asleep. My eyes were slowly drifting when…

“Alpha Nix.” The guard spoke again.

“What the hell do you want now.” I groaned, irritated. “Is there an attack? Are people dying?”

“No, sir, it’s just the guest is insistent—”

“CAY!!” I lazily shouted down the mind-link, “Go see who’s at the door- I mean at the border. If it’s no one important, send them away. If it’s someone we know, send them away.” The last thing I need are more things to do.

“Ok, Nixon.” Cay reluctantly replied, “Just know that it’s a little past eleven. You need to get up.”

“Mhmm, five more minutes.” I relaxed into my makeshift arm pillow, slowly drifting, waiting to embrace my much-needed sleep…

“Nixon.” Cay said.

“I just want to sleep.” I groaned. “Why are you here—”

“Still as lazy as ever, I see.” A deep chuckled sounded. “Cay, I thought I told you to watch after him.” Heavy footsteps approached, and a welcomed scent engulfed the room. “Tsk, look at him, sleeping on the job.” A familiar voice, one I only hear through the phone.

My head shot up, my eyes adjusting from sleep. I couldn’t believe it; I must’ve still been dreaming.

“Wipe your mouth, pretty boy.” Mark, the former Alpha of pack Blood and Moon. The man who was a second father to me, after everything that happened. I quickly stood and pulled him into an embrace. “It’s good to see you to son.” He patted my back.

“Wha-what are you doing here. Is everything ok?” I wondered not that I wasn’t happy to see him, but after what happened to his mate and his wolf, he vowed never to come back.

“Can’t an old man come and visit his two sons without reason.” He pulled both Cay and me into his arms. “I’ve missed you, boys, but I do need your help.”

“Please have a seat. We’ll help however we can.” I offered him the alpha chair, but he declined. Cay and Mark both took a seat in front of me.

“First, how have you both been? How’s the pack?” Mark asked, leaning back in his chair.

“Nixon is doing an amazing job, dad. And he’s doing ok with his temper—”

I scoffed, “Ok? I’ve been doing great up until recently. We have a competition coming up soon, and my champion seems to know what buttons to press to get me out of character, literally.”

“Competition? That seems interesting what kind.” He leaned forward.

Both Cay and I went into detail about the Alpha’s Luna Competition. We mentioned having a hotheaded champion already, and Cay just had to mention my Luna deal with another pack. Obviously trying to get me in trouble, knowing Mark wants us to both replace our destined mates. He’s still pissed that I’m using Aviry just to win. So, for the added drama, he told our dad that bit of info as well. Fucking snitch.

“Well, Nixon, you already know how I feel.” He shook his head. “Just remember that we raised you to have respect for women. They aren’t some pawn in your game, and you need to remember that.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell him.” Cay literally kisses ass at this point.

“Well, now to my problem.” The mood in the room got serious. “I need you boys to help me replace someone. I have a bad feeling that somethings wrong.”

“Who is it. Do, you think it’s a threat—”

“No. Well, she can be a threat. Actually, she’s outright deadly. But I haven’t heard from her for a couple of days, and her apartment has been evicted. She won’t answer my calls or texts, which isn’t that odd. But still, I’m worried.”

He shook his head, “This girl is strong, and over the past few years, I’ve been watching over her.” Mark continued his story about the missing girl, up until the point when she went missing.

“Maybe she skipped town,” I suggested. “With that much cash, she could easily have a fresh start.”

“I thought about that. But she mentioned paying her rent still that night. I can’t stop thinking about that creepy fucker who tried to buy her from me. I knew he was a wolf, even though his scent was drowned out.” His heartbeat was racing.

“I should’ve dealt with him when he first appeared. He was probably a rogue.” Cay stood and placed a hand on our dads’ shoulder, his grey eyes glowing red.

“It’s ok, dad. Try to calm down.” Cay continued to calm our dad with his gift. An ability that allows him to calm the wolves of his family blood related or by a blood oath. The natural version of 'Bane.'

“Thanks, Cay.” Mark laid a hand on Cay’s and looked at me. “If I replace out someone took her, I’m going to kill him and everyone involved. That girl is family, do you hear me, boys.”

“Yes, dad, we’ll help, I promise.” I’d do anything for this man; after everything he did for me, it’s only right.

“Do you have a picture, or maybe something that belongs to her? We can have some trackers sent to her old apartment if not.” Cay sat back down. “Do you know where her last location was?”

“She sent me a photo the night of the fight.” Mark searched his pockets for his phone. “From the background, I could tell it was a bar. Which doesn’t surprise me; She just turned twenty-one.” He found his phone and unlocked it.

“I’m sure she’s fine dad, young people drink, and with that much cash, she’s probably turning the fuck up at some night club every night.” I closed my computer and leaned back in my chair.

“I hope your right, Nix. All these reports of missing girls in the area are worrisome.” Mark said as he swiped through some photos, “This is a name and photo of the bar. And here is the last photo she sent me. I’ll send it to your cells.” Mark leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

Both Cay and my cell phones pinged. We opened up the message, A picture of the outside of the bar first. It looked antique and in need of a paint job. I looked at Cay, and he mind linked Nate to research it and check to see if there were any CCTV systems in that area.

I scrolled up to the next photo. The photo of the girl my dad, a former alpha, will kill for. The last picture sent to my dad, from the girl who just disappeared, without any communication. The screen swiped up, and I stilled. I literally stopped breathing and looked at Cay as he stared at me wide-eyed.

“We are FUCKING DEAD, NIXON!” Cay shouted to me down the mind link.

I looked at the photo again, zooming in. Hoping that the image was just pixilated wrong. I closed the messaging app and opened it again, trying to refresh the page. But she was still there, taunting me through the phone.

I could already hear her voice, “Ooo Nixon’s in trouble with daddy.” There was no way this is happening to me. I feel like a child, trying to replace a way out of an incoming can of whoop-ass.

Mark sat back up and clapped his hands. “So, where should we start—” The door swung open.

“Hey BITCH NIX, we need to—”

“Aviry?” Mark asked, confused.

“Mark?” Aviry replied equally, fucking confused. Her mouth was full of food and wide open.

For my final wish before I die. Please kill Tanner. And bury him next to me so I can continue to beat the fuck out of him in the afterlife.

Mark shot up from his chair and ran to Aviry. He picked her up and swung her around—the remaining contents of her food, now on my floor.

“Mark, what are you doing here? Don’t tell me they drugged and dragged you here too.” She said. Which translated to- Kill all of these motherfuckers. “Well, they drugged me twice, so I guess you’re lucky.”

Aviry…SHUT THE FUCK UP. If my death certificate wasn’t signed then, it sure as hell is now.

I looked to Cay, who was sickly pale. I’m pretty sure he was summoning his own death to avoid the wrath of our father.

“NIXON! CAY!” My dad’s voice boomed. “Tell me you have excellent trackers.” He slowly turned to us.

“Nix is everything alright—” Tanner appeared at the door.

It felt like the Moon Goddess was dumping a centuries worth of wolf shit on my life.

“YOU!” Mark shouted, charging for Tanner. He picked him up by the throat and growled furiously. “YOU ARE GOING TO DIE TODAY, BOY!!” He launched Tanner through a wall, well into the next two rooms. Both Cay and I shot out from our chairs, my hands were shaking, and my ass clenched.

“AND YOU TWO ARE GOING TO JOIN HIM!” Mark shouted. His alpha aurora still intact, taking over my own. His eyes grew dark as his wolf tried to take over.

Cay fainted and fell on the floor. He took the cowardly path as if that would stop our dad from killing him.

I closed my eyes and prepared myself for death. And it came swiftly. I was raised into the air and tossed away into the abyss. Glass shattering and falling along with me. I landed on the ground with a loud thud. I stayed there and didn’t move an inch, despite the intense pain I was feeling.

I hear a gut wrench scream as Cay landed beside me, groaning.

“Just play dead, Cay. And for the love of the goddess, don’t shift. He’ll rip you to shreds.” I mind linked the pack as I closed my eyes. I told them to steer clear and not to react. The last thing I wanted was a bunch of dead wolves. Primarily because of our mistake of taking Aviry Fucking Mills.

I woke up to water being poured on my face. I tried to sit up but someone sitting on me. And what I thought was water was actually vodka.

“Alpha,” Aviry said sarcastically. “Your daddy said, wake up so he can kill you.” She laughed and stood up. She went over to Cay, who honestly looked dead, and repeated the action. He gasped for air and looked around.

“AVIRY!” Mark's voice boomed, “Are they up yet?”

“Aviry.” Cay gasped. “Please kill me. Don’t let him near me while I’m still alive.” A single tear fell from his eye.

Fucking dramatic.

“Cay, if he was going to kill us. You’d be dead.” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Actually, Cay is safe. You on the other hand are still marked for death.” I looked over at Aviry, who was grinning like a villain. “You see, I defended Cay after you guys took flight. He had nothing to do with this. But Mark was still mad he was involved, so he got thrown out the window with you.”

“Oh, thank you, Aviry.” Cay grabbed her hand and kissed it like she was a queen.

Aviry stood up and squatted beside me. She took a sip of vodka and continued. “You, on the other hand, I had a hard time replaceing talking points for your defense. But I told him we were cool.” She shrugged, and I sighed with relief.

“That was until I mentioned the whole forced luna thing. And he decided he wanted to peel your wolfs pelt with a potato peeler.” She laughed maniacally.

“You aren’t going to be my luna,” I said through clenched teeth. “My luna will be here on Monday.”

“I know, and that’s the best part. Now he thinks you’re gambling my life away for a chance to win the competition. Ah-ha, ha—” She took another sip and wiped her mouth. “So, he’s going to take yours if I end up dying.” She continued laughing. “So, I guess we better win. Because I’ll be damned to hell for sure if I show up to heaven beside you.”

She splashed more of the drink in my face and stepped on my stomach as she walked over me.

“Listen, Nix.” Her voice was deadly serious. “I don’t give a fuck about who your luna is.” She looked back at me. “Just remember who your champion is.” With that, she walked back to the house.

“I guess we should get back inside. I don’t want dad to track us down.” Cay sat up and walked to me.

“You just don’t want to get hurt again, you wuss.” I grabbed his hand and stood up.

“Yeah, your right. And I also don’t want to end up on Grimm’s blacklist, you soon to be minion of the underworld.”

That’s not going to happen, with Aviry Mills as my Champion.