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*Adira*

S tepping out of the cab, I am at last thankful to be home.

It's been a year since we all found out that I was Travis' fated mate, but instead of us completing the bonding ceremony, the Elder Council insisted we wait a year until I'd completed the Luna training at Luna camp.

We were not allowed to touch or it would have sparked the bonding process, and in a way, I'm thankful for that because it's meant I don't have many issues with the lack of being around Travis.

Blue, my wolf, is yipping in the back of my mind with excitement at being home, too. She wants her mate, and she has been patient all year, growing in her skills with hunting being her favorite. Blue has a temper and can fly off the handle at times, but she is loving and loyal.

'Home, at last. I can't wait to see Travis and Cloud.'

"I know, Blue. But let's meet everyone first. Moma and Papa will be reserved as usual, but I hope our time away hasn't broadened that gap."

'Joliee is the problem. They stopped caring when she was born. She is a spoiled brat who needs to be put in her place.'

"I don't want to make a fuss about Joliee, Blue. She is my younger sister and I know she takes priority. But let's get inside, drop off our suitcase, and say hello to everyone."

Pulling my suitcase behind me, I walk to the front door and open it to find total silence in the house.

Then I hear talking, and leaving my suitcase next to the front door, I walk through to the kitchen and look out the window to see the pack in the large garden.

But what shocks and takes my attention is the seating, carpeted walkway, and flowered arch that has Joliee and Travis standing underneath.

'Grrrrrrr'

Now, I'm not sure what I'm seeing, but Blue sure doesn't like it. She's growling furiously in the back of my mind. Hackles up and her entire body is rigid with anger.

My eyes flick around the garden, and I see Moma and Papa sitting in the front row, with huge smiles on their faces. Alpha Benedict is holding the ceremony, and I have no doubt this is a bonding ceremony, a ceremony that should have been mine.

If this is exactly what I'm thinking, then Travis should have rejected me first. If he bites into Joliee's neck to mark her while we still have this link, although it's only small at this stage, it will hurt me badly. No matter what they all think of me, I do not deserve that.

'We need to show ourselves. Come on Adira, I'm here with you. No matter what happens, I will always be with you.'

Stepping outside, I quietly walk down the red-carpeted walkway towards my mate and sister.

Two people that should never hurt me in this way.

Pack members are noticing me but I ignore them and slowly walk toward where my Alpha is holding this ceremony.

A ceremony he knows should never be happening.

I wonder if the Elder Council knows what is being done here, because this goes against everything the Moon Goddess has put into place.

Alpha Benedict notices me but doesn’t falter in his prayer to the Goddess. “Hear us, Goddess, as we deliver these two as a chosen pair. Mates for forever. You may mark your mate, future Alpha Travis Blackbird.”

I have reached my mate and before I can speak, Travis takes Joliee's chin, turning her face and biting into her neck, marking her for all time.

Joliee's eyes open and show her delight in what has happened, but widen as she sees me standing watching this disgusting ceremony.

She gives me a sick smile and turns, repeating the process on Travis' neck when Alpha Benedict states, “You may mark your mate, Joliee Stormwalker.”

I am holding my heart with my hands and bending forward, but remain on my feet. The pain has ripped through me, but I hold back the scream and only allow a gasp to leave my lips.

The pack stands to applaud the bonding, but when they see Travis looking at me with horror in his eyes, they look at me and realize that I was his true mate, and the impact of what Travis, Joliee, Alpha Benedict, and my parents have done is irreparable.

Each and everyone here knew I was at Luna camp, training to be the best Luna for them all. What did they all think I was doing there if I was anything but the rightful mate of their future alpha?

My parents at last notice me standing here, and Travis takes a step towards me but is stopped by Joliee, grabbing hold of his arm. She whispers something to him; he looks down at her, then at me. The look on his face is of regret, sorrow, and something else I don’t recognize.

Turning, I walk slowly toward the house, ignoring the shouts of my parents, and not looking any of the pack members in the eye. I don’t want to see pity on their faces.

‘They will pay for this.’

I can feel Blue vibrating in the back of my mind. She is snarling and ready to attack. But I do my best to calm my emotions, so she cools down enough for me to talk sensibly with her.

“We will leave here Blue, make a fresh start somewhere else. I don’t want to stay here in this pack.”

‘We need to reject mate, so no residual pain comes to us. The pains we had were betrayal pains, but I didn’t want to believe it. I’m sorry Adira, I failed you.’

“You did not fail me. He did. They all did.”

“Adira, wait. I need to speak to you,” I hear my Papa say, but I continue walking. He is as complicit in this as the rest of them. I always thought my Papa felt more for me than all the others, but that has proven wrong. He had no true feelings for me, or he would never have allowed this to happen.

Placing a hand on my shoulder to stop me from walking and turning me to look at him, my Papa steps back when he sees the look on my face. The fact he broke my heart is written clearly and the disgust for the deceit he was complicit with.

“Nobody meant to hurt you. They just fell in love. It all happened so quickly that it was like a whirlwind. You are home early from camp…”

“Stop! Nothing you can say will make what you have all done right. You have stolen a fated mate, which the Moon Goddess chose for me, and you gave my mate to another. You will all pay for this because the Moon Goddess will punish you all.” Before I can say more my Moma steps up beside Papa.

“Adira…”

“Don’t worry about me, Moma, you have never done so since the day Joliee was born, so why start now?

I need you both to fetch Travis to the office, where I can reject him and he can reject me.

I don’t want to risk the bond not being broken.

I have felt the betrayal pains your precious daughter has caused me, and one day I know she will pay for what she has done. You all will.”

Moma’s mouth is opening and closing like a fish out of water, but she closes it, knowing nothing she can say will make this right. “I will fetch him.”

Turning, I walk to Papa’s office and step inside, stopping in front of his desk, but turning with my back to it so I can watch Travis walk in and reject him quickly. My time here is done. I’ll not stay in a pack that treats members and bonds as they have.

Travis walks into the office and looks at me with a blank face. I don’t wait for any bullshit to be said, so I blurt out my piece.

“I, Adira Stormwalker, reject you future Alpha Travis Blackbird of the Blackbird Pack.” I’m surprised how firmly and clearly I say it until I realize that Blue has said it along with me, making it doubly sure that Cloud, Travis’ wolf knows we will never take the rejection back.

Travis rubs his heart and closes his eyes a moment, and just before he can return the rejection that is needed, Joliee, my parents and Alpha Benedict step into the office. Joliee throws her arms around Travis, but I notice Travis doesn’t react to her at all.

“I, future Alpha Travis Blackbird of the Blackbird Pack, accept your rejection, Adira Stormwalker.”

I feel nothing, and that is a blessing. But it also tells me something because Travis has bent slightly in pain with the rejection, but I’m feeling no pain this time. Closing my eyes, I speak quickly to Blue.

“Blue, why are we not feeling pain at his acceptance, yet he is feeling it?”

Watching Blue in my mind, she is sitting with her head on one side, trying to work out this puzzle, I’m sure.

‘Parents, not ours. We are not a Stormwalker.’

Now, that would explain a lot about why Joliee was treated as special, and why I was always wrong when it came to any disruption between us. But why was I with them if I was not theirs?

Opening my eyes, I look at who I’d thought of as my Papa. “Who am I? Why was I told I was your daughter? Where did I come from?”

I notice Moma cringe but she says nothing. She looks at Papa and then at Joliee. It’s something I never realized before, but she always looks at them both before she speaks to me.

Holding up my hand to stop them all before they tell me bullshit, I turn and look my Papa in the eye. “Answer me. At least be honest for once in your life.”

“You were handed to Alpha Benedict when you were around a year old. You had come from the Strongbow Pack lands. The Blue River Pack decimated the Strongbow Pack after a dispute over the border. Alpha Benedict couldn’t put you out.

He asked if any pack member would rear you and we agreed.

” Papa looks embarrassed, and now I’m sure there is more to come.

I lift an eyebrow and wait, and seeing I intend he finish; he continues, “We have been given the financial backing to bring you up, and extra for doing it. But, we…”

“No need to say more. I was a job. You accrued an income and now that job has ended. You made sure your ‘ real ’ daughter,” said with air quotes, “became the Luna, even by taking my mate. Well, I’m glad, because I wouldn’t want a family like you, and I wouldn’t want a mate like him.”

I turn to look at Alpha Benedict, who so far hasn’t spoken a word. He doesn’t look interested enough to say anything, but I’ll say what I have to.

“I thank you Alpha Benedict for taking me into the pack up to this time. I will, however, move along and not slur your pack name any longer. It explains why I was treated differently, by my family and the pack. It’s a shame that nobody had the guts to tell me before the Luna camp fiasco.”

‘I’m ready, Adira. We do this together.’

That is exactly what we do. Blue’s voice can be heard along with my own.

“I, Adira Strongbow, reject future Alpha Travis Blackbird as my mate. I’m just saying that to be sure you are rejected.

I also reject the Stormwalker family as my family and reject Alpha Benedict Blackbird as my Alpha and the Blackbird Pack as my pack.

From this moment forward, I live as a rogue. ”

The gasps from everyone as I make the last rejection, I ignore, and I breathe through the pain the pack bond breaking brings. The pack howls when they feel the loss of a pack member, but I don’t return it. I don’t acknowledge any of it.

Stepping past everyone, I grasp the handle of my suitcase where it is still sitting at the side of the front door and walk outside the house. Starting the walk to Goddess knows where, but stop walking when I hear Joliee speak.

“You’re a loser, and will always be a loser. I have your family and your mate, and you have nothing.”

Turning, I allow Blue to come to the surface. My eyes turn blue, and it’s the deepest color that shines beyond any that they’ve seen before. I’ve always kept it hidden because I’ve never seen a pack member's eyes shine like Blue’s.

Alpha Benedict rushes forward and reaches for me, but I step back and glare, with Blue growling fiercely, warning him not to touch us.

“You can’t leave. You have…”

“I’ve already left your pack. You heard me reject it and you felt the pack bond break.

As for you, Joliee, good luck. Any wolf that rejects his true mate for a chosen one like you is a sorry mate to have.

I feel sorry for the pack having you as Luna, as you are selfish and lazy. Goddess help you all.”