Rejection And Second Chances

Chapter 8

Peggy's POV

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. I let out a groan and roll over. Some idiot forgot to turn off the alarm clock. TURN THE CLOCK OFF, PLEASE. I beg and Leigh laughs. WAKE UP PEGGY. YOU'RE NOT AT HOME GIRL. 

I open my eyes and look at my hand. I see an IV sticking out of it. I sit up slowly and look around. I chuckle dryly at the sense of deju vu all over again. GREAT, JUST FREAKING GREAT. I'M IN ANOTHER HOSPITAL, AGAIN!

WELL, LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE. AT LEAST YOU DIDN'T WAKE UP IN THE MORGUE AFTER THAT LITTLE STUNT YOU PULLED IN THE CLEARING. 

I ONLY DID THAT BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T ANSWERING ME. 

YEAH, YEAH. She says and I chuckle. She always has to have the last word. I DO NOT. 

DO TOO. 

DO NOT. 

DO SO. I laugh as I feel her bite her tonuge. THAT'S SO NO FAIR PEGGY. 

IT IS TOO LEIGH AND YOU KNOW IT. She cuts the link, but I know she's not mad at me. Feeling eyes on me, I look up and right into pair of the deepest green I'd ever seen. His scent reaches me and Leigh sighs softly. He takes a step into the room, and I automatically slip back on the bed. It's not that I don't trust him, he's my mate after all. It's just five years of advoiding guys. I see the hurt in his eyes before he hides it. 

Hating that I hurt him, I cock my head a little and give hime a faint smile. "M...Mate?" I whisper, flinching at the sound of my voice. It's been almost seven years since I've spoken. The man smiles at me, and I feel my heart flutter. He takes another step and looks at me. I smile and pat the bed beside me. He grins and sits down. I don't want to hurt him again, even if I'm not sure that he's accepting me or not. 

"You almost gave us a heartattack sweetheart. You were out for three weeks." His voice washes over me and I close my eyes. I already love this man, my mate, and I would love spening the rest of my life with him. I open my eyes to see him holding a cup of ice water for me. Smiling, I take it and slowly sip on it. I sigh as the cool water slides over my throat soothing it. 

He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. As his fingers brush agaisnt my ear, sparks shoot along my neck. I bit my lip and watch him. He slowly wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a hug. He kisses me softly on my forhead and whispers, "I, Brice Steven Stone, does hereby accept you..." He glances at me and laughs. "You know sweetheart, I don't know your name."

"It's Peggy. Peggy Alexandra McBride." I whisper. "I, Brice Steven Stone, does hereby accept you, Peggy Alexandra McBride, as my mate and beta female." 

"I, Peggy. Alexandra  McBride, hereby accepts. You, Brice Steven Stone, as my mate. Now and forever." I add smiling at him. Brice gives me another kiss and pulls me into his lap. I lay my head against his chest, filling my eyes grow heavy. I curl into him and drift to sleep. 

Brice's POV

I hold her in my arms, watching her sleep. Leaning against the headboard, I closer my eyes. Peggy McBride. McBride, why does that name sound familiar. I link with Ryland. HEY RY. DOES THE NAME MCBRIDE MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?

SURE, WHY?

WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT IT?

I CAN TELL YOU THAT RALPH AND RITA MCBRIDE USED TO LEAD THE BLOOD RIVER PACK UNTIL THEY WERE KILLED PROTECTING THEIR 15 YEAR-OLD-DAUGHTER FROM A ROUGE ATTACK. THEY LEFT BEHIND FOUR CHILDREAN: TRAVIS MCBRIDE, JIM AND WILL MCBRIDE, WHO ARE TWINS, AND PEGGY MCBRIDE. TRAVIS IS THE ALPHA OF THE PACK NOW. THEY SAY THAT SIX YEARS AGO, PEGGY DISAPPEARED AFTER BEING REJECTED BY HER MATE ON THE NIGHT OF HER 16TH BRITHDAY. 

AND THEY SAY THAT SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER CAR AND FLEW INTO A RAVINE. AFTER THAT, THEY'VE RIVALED US FOR STRENGHT, BUT NOT SIZE I CAN TELL YOU. WHY DO YOU ASK?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF I TOLD YOU THAT I KNEW PEGGY MCBRIDE WASN'T DEAD, AND I KNEW WHERE SHE WAS? He was silent for several minutes and I just laid there waiting for him to speak. I WOULD ASK YOU HOW YOU CAME BY SUCH INFORMATION AND IF IT WAS RELIABLE OR NOT?

I  look down at her and smile. Her birthday was coming up soon and I had just the present for her. HEY. ARE YOU CALLING IN ANY PACKS TO HELP WITH OUR ROGUE PROBLEM?

WHY SHOULD I?

BECAUSE IT WOULD HELP KEEP OUT NUMBERS STRONG WITHOUT STRESSING OUR RESERVES AND IT WOULD HELP US BUILD AILLANCES THAT WE MIGHT NEED LATER ON. 

OK, SURE. WHO DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?

THE BLACK OARS, THE BLOOD RIVER, GOLDEN VALLEY, AND THE THUNDER MOUTAINS. IF THOSE WERE TO HELP US, I'M SURE THAT IF ANY ROUGE ATTACK WOULDN'T EVEN DENT ANY OF US. 

I hear him chuckle, and I smile. I knew he would be calling them right now. All i have to do is keep Peggy from finding out now. 

Travis's POV

I was sitting behind my desk. At the moment, I was supposed to be looking over reports from the patrols, but I find myself looking at my safe every ten seconds. Sighing, I stand up and walk over. Opening the safe, I slowly pull Peg's duffle bag out. I pull her shirt out and take a deep breath. Disappointmen flood me when all I get is my scent. 

Six years she's been gone. Her scent didn't last but six months in her room. If it hadn't been for the picutres and videos we had of her, I'm sure we would have forgotten her face, her smile. I place the bag back into the safe and lock it. Skaing my head to clear it of the cobwebs, I sit back in my chair and pick up the reports. 

Then my phone rings. Chuckling, I answer it. "McBride here."

"Ryland D'argento. Sorry to bother you so late McBride. But I have a proposition."

"I'm listening."

"I'm having a bit of a rouge problem, and I heard that you were as well. It got me to thinking, why shouldn't the two strongest packs for an alliance. It would make us stronger in times of war, and it would help keep the peace. Plus we'd have each other's backs. What do you say?"
I was about to say no when I heard a faint laugh in the background. Looking at my computer to see if the video was playing, I paled. My computer was off. 

"I'd rather discuss this in person if you don't mind D'argento."

"That's fine with me. I'll let my men know and they'll meet you at the border whenever you arrive and escourt you here." I agree and hang up shaken. Jim and Will walk in joking with each other until they saw my face. They quickly shut the doo. "Travis, what's wrong? You look like you just seen a ghost." Jim laughs but stops when I glare at him.

"I was talking to Ryland D'argento and I swear I heard Peggy laughing in the background. I thought at first it was a movie playing on my computer, but it's completely off."

"So, what are we goin to do?"

"I told him that we'll be there to discuss some matters." They nod. "When are we leaving?" I look down at my watch. "In fifteen minutes. I tell them as I stand and head to my room. There's a small part of me that's hoping it was Peggy. That she's alive. 

I grab my bag and pack a few clothes and things for the road. I meet Jim and Will by the door and we leave. Shifting behind the trees, we slide the handles of the bags in our mouths and start to run.