Page 5

Azura

F our weeks have passed since his rejection. That night has shaken me far more than anything Judah has ever done to me. I still remember grabbing my clothes before I stumbled out of the penthouse. I had nothing, not my phone, not my bike. I had managed to beg someone for a phone, and I rang Liam as the rain began falling, washing away the scent of my so-called mate, but it couldn’t wash away what he did to me. My mark burned with agony, the healing slowing due to the rejection.

When Liam showed up, I had been silent. When he saw the state I was in, the anger in his eyes made me succumb to tears. I had never seen him so enraged, and if I didn’t grab onto him and reassure him that it was consensual, he was ready to kill. I had managed to tell him that my mate had marked and rejected me. If it was anyone else but Leo, I wouldn’t have cared, but I couldn’t tell anyone because it would ruin things. Alejandro would lose it, and Marcel, Leo’s dad, would feel guilty over it. This involved my entire family, not just me. I just couldn’t. I now clutch at my neck, where his mark stains it. It had taken a full week for it to heal.

Frustration and anger fill me as I stare at the message on my phone. Judah. He is a problem that still won’t go away, and he, like the rest of my pack, had found out I had been marked and rejected. His anger had been clear in his messages, and he had begun to ring me, too, calls I refuse to answer, which only makes his threats worsen.

The Blood Moon and its sister pack, the Blue Moon, combined are over four thousand members. We literally share the same territory, although the residency homes are separate. Years ago, we were like this pack of people living in the woods. Weird, right? Yeah, tell me about it, but now, we have a mini town here; shops, a restaurant, cafés, even a school, and, of course, a huge hospital. Somehow, word of me being marked had still travelled like wildfire, even though I had tried to keep it a secret.

My mark… a crescent, shimmering, midnight blue moon, with stars and a lotus, set against a background of blue flames. A beautiful mark with an opposing ugly story. A reminder of the painful memories I want to remove.

I still remember the look on Dad’s face when Liam had brought me home, the way he had hugged me, the way his heart was thumping… Mama’s pain and the worry and anger in her blazing eyes. I had to stay quiet for everyone’s benefit, but they only got angry at me for refusing to share his name. I still haven’t said the words to accept his rejection… I know we don’t need to be face-to-face to do so, but still, it is daunting.

Two nights after what had happened, Liam had reinitiated me back into the pack. Only Mama and Raven had been there for it. When Leo had marked me, being of Alpha blood, his mark had the power to break my pack link to the Blood Moon, by default tying me to a prospective new pack, yet I was pretty much pack less now and rejected, and so had re-joined the Blood Moon.

Everything has made me sick; I have lost my appetite, and I am unable to focus on anything. I need a break from it all. I want to run away… and although Liam told me it wasn’t the answer, I still want to.

A light knock on my bedroom door makes my head jerk up.

“Hey, Zu,” Liam’s voice calls, concern clear in his magnetic blue eyes.

“Hey,” I reply, picking up my jacket and slipping it on.

“Are you going out?” He asks.

I nod as he steps into the room, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I close my eyes, hugging him back, his familiar scent reminding me of home. I want to cry and throw a tantrum for him to fix, but I’m not a child anymore, and this isn’t his problem to deal with. He has enough to handle with six kids and a pack to take care of.

“Talk to me, Zu,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head. I don’t reply, simply hugging him tighter.

“Am I your favourite sister, Liam?” I ask, looking up at him and using my best doe eyes on him, trying to sound cute. He smirks, amused, and cups my face, kissing my forehead.

“Without a doubt.” He gives me a wink, and I smile.

“You’re my favourite, too,” I say quietly, taking a deep breath as I step back. “Do you know where my old collection of voodoo dolls is that I didn’t want to throw away?” He looks at me worriedly.

“Umm, are you really going down that path?”

“I am tempted to learn some dark magic… I think I wouldn’t mind causing a few people some pain.” I’m sure I have a Leo Voodoo doll somewhere.

Leo Rossi. A man who is known to be ruthless, cutthroat, and dangerous. A man whose heart is frozen in ice. A man who cares for no one… I have heard the stories, but what he did just makes them all seem very real.

“I’m going to head out for a bit,” I tell Liam before I grab my bike keys and leave the house.

I ride through the streets of our small town. Maybe some pastries from Granny June’s will cheer me up. Luckily for me, today is her day off. She hates me, and I dislike going there if she is around. I park my bike, ignoring the looks that a group of girls who are sitting at the outside table give me, and enter the bakery. All five of those Barbie dolls had gone to school with me, and, well, I can’t deny that I did prank them once. Okay, maybe twice? Let’s just say we no longer get on. It was a harmless prank, I swear.

“We’re closed,” a grumpy voice comes.

Just my luck. Granny June is here.

I look around the bakery. It is definitely not closed. Three of the old crones who hate me are here, too. Perfect. I wish I had checked with Justin before coming here.

“Leave. You’re dirtying my floors,” she growls.

“Aw, come on, Granny June, my shoes are clean. I’m only here for a few pecan pies, and then I’m out.”

“Leave.”

“You know… the faster you give me those pastries, the faster I’m out of here?” I slip my hand into my jacket pocket and pull out my wallet.

“No, I’ve run out. I don’t serve fr…” She purses her lips, looking me over with barely disguised contempt, knowing if she says those words, it would be direct disobedience of her Alpha.

Freaks of nature.

That is what she always likes to mumble. We may be in a time where we live in peace amongst witches, although most of the pack are absolutely fine with witches and the way I was born, there is still the handful who won’t change and don’t approve of how I was born. Usually where I would snap back at them with everything I have, but lately, I have just had enough.

“Well, then, I will wait here until someone shows up to serve me.” I cross my arms.

The smell of the various baked goods suddenly makes me sick. Maybe I should just leave.

She tenses, and I see her eyes dart to the window as if checking if anyone who may support me is around.

“I have nothing to give you,” she says suddenly, picking up the tray of freshly baked croissants she has brought out and walking into the back kitchen, slamming the door behind her.

“I don’t understand why we have to tolerate her,” one of the hags mutters from behind me. I don’t bother to look in their direction.

I sigh, my smile fading before I turn away, pushing open the bakery door. The urge to find some bugs to infest the bakery tempts me, but I don’t have the time nor the will to do so.

Note to self—make a Granny June voodoo doll.

I step out into the fresh air, my stomach lurching nauseatingly, about to get on my bike.

“No wonder she was rejected. No one would want her. She’s a psychotic freak.” I hear an old woman sitting at the table outside mutter to her mate.

I swear, if it wasn’t for how good Granny June’s bakes are, I would avoid this place. All the same types of people gather here.

Don’t do this now.

My anger is rising, and I know I am on the brink of losing control.

Don’t.

I get onto my bike, trying to ignore them.

“Yeah, definitely a freak,” the old man grumbles.

I freeze, my head snapping towards the couple who had spoken.

“Want to say that again?” I growl menacingly.

“I said nothing, pup. Move along,” he growls, standing up.

“Don’t lie. Say it again.”

“I said I said nothing.”

“I said say it again!” I scream, not caring that two passersby have stopped and are staring at me.

“Azura, come - “

“No! If you want to call me a freak, then say it to my fucking face!” I scream, cutting off whoever had tried to stop me. The older man’s face turns an angry shade of red as he glares at me.

“There’s no such thing as respect around here! I said nothing!” He lies as everyone shakes their heads in disapproval.

My chest heaves, my emotions in turmoil as I look around. These people knew me growing up, and although they were silenced, recently, since my rejection, they are becoming vocal once more. June and one of the other hags come to the door, watching me with contempt, disapproval, and irritation.

“She’s so dramatic,” one of the girls from the Academy mutters.

“I’m not dramatic.”

“You shouldn’t lie, dear,” the elderly woman at the table scolds gently with fake sympathy in her eyes as she stands up, taking her mate’s arm. “It doesn’t look good on your parents.”

Yeah, I get it. I’m a failure and a disappointment to them too.

“I didn’t lie,” I retort defensively; my emotions are getting out of control as I stare at the man whose face holds the tiniest of smirks. “You know exactly what he said.”

“I said nothing. Stop trying to get me in trouble,” he scoffs, walking off.

“Hey!” I shout, getting off my bike. I storm over to the old penis. I am about to grab him when a hand grabs hold of my wrist and stops me. I am ready to lash out when I look into the eyes of one of my thirteen-year-old nephews, Renji.

“Come on, Azura. Let’s go home,” he coaxes gently.

“I don’t want to go home; I have things to do,” I growl.

“Dad won’t let this slide. Don’t worry; no one will get away with this,” he says clearly. I’m about to pull free from his hold, but the look of concern in his soft blue eyes makes me close mine and nod in agreement.

“It’s no big deal. This bunch of wrinkles will never change. Don’t tell Liam,” I say quietly, not wanting to cause him more work. They are already concerned over my mark and rejection. He nods hesitantly, and I give him a small smile. “I’m just going out of the town for a bit. I promise.”

Renji, the sweetest angel of the quintuplets. I know if it was anyone else, I wouldn’t have listened. He believes me and nods.

Don’t let them get to you, one of the two passersby says through the link.

I never do.

I get back on the bike as the woman gives me a warm smile, and I flash her a grin. I cast a deathly glare at the old, wrinkled vaginas before feeling super nauseous. Revving the engine, I suddenly freeze. For the last week or so, I have been feeling like this. As a werewolf, I should have healed from any cold by now…

My heart thunders as I quickly ride out of the pack territory. A sudden and terrifying thought occurs to me, and the fear of the possibility of it envelops me. Please, no.

Thirty minutes later, I am in a public stall at the drugstore. I hold a stick in one hand, my eyes shut as I count the seconds before taking a deep breath and looking at it. My stomach sinks when I see the two clear lines that stain the test.

I am pregnant.