Rejected

• TWENTY TWO •

"Sounds intense."

I shook my head, "No different from what we've already done, and the presenting is just a glorified party so everyone in the pack gets to meet her and acknowledge that they accept her as our Luna."

"What if the pack doesn't accept her?" She questioned.

This time I shrugged, "it's never been done before...you see as Weres we entrust our Alpha with every decision when it comes to the pack, so by extension we know he wouldn't bring in a Luna who wished to harm the pack."

She nodded and I continued on.

"Anyways another job the Alpha and Luna have is to provide the pack with a future leader, an heir so to speak...so if Brax and Harper don't have a kid then the power shifts to the next Ocklan in line, the oldest Ocklan family member...which technically would be Richard and then his daughter Elise and then her children...but, if for some reason Richard can't take Alpha or if Elise never has kids (and Braxton never has kids) then, it would go to Richard's sister...so if she takes it and doesn't have kids then that would be the end of the Ocklan family bloodline."

"But there has to be an Alpha and Luna." I said.

He nodded, "...yes, so the council would look into any other family members...now Victor only had three kids, Uncle Benjamin, Richard, and Margo...but they have significant others...so Richard's wife Rebecca is an only child, and again I don't know anything about Margo Ocklan so I don't know if she's still alive, if she has a mate, or if she has kids...but if she doesn't have mate then the next family member would be the old Luna's only sibling, My mother...and only then I would become the Alpha since I am family through marriage...meaning I'd be basically the last resort at keeping the alpha title 'in the family' so to speak...of course that would in turn change the Alpha lines familial name and set off a while new line of inheritants."

"So there is a slim chance you'd be Alpha and I'd have to be the Luna?" She asked a little worried.

I nodded, "it's highly unlikely...there would have to be so many factors to take place in order for me to get the title and it's not something I would want either."

"You wouldn't?"

"Hell no," I admitted. "I'd have to be responsible for everyone and honestly I don't know if I could put the needs of everyone else before you, my mom, or myself."

"Well at least you're honest." She smiled before kissing me. "So how's Braxton so cool with it?"

Once again I just shrugged, "it's how he was raised, he was groomed to be an Alpha so in turn it's all he knows, of course he loves his mate, but he knows his pack comes first...for the rest of us it's kinda encoded in us to put our mates before anything else."

We talked a little more, both of us laying in the bed on our sides, facing each other. Occasionally she'd reach out to hold my hand, every so often I'd move to touch her face, push her hair behind her ear, or kiss her.

"So I've done a lot of talking." I said, she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah it's getting you to shut up that's the real feat." She smiled brightly at her own teasing.

I kissed her, "tell me about yourself."

"I don't know what to say." She giggled a little shyly.

I stroked her exposed cheek with my thumb gently, "you can tell me anything Duchess, hopes, dreams...I know, why don't we start off with our biggest fears."

"Well then let's hear yours." She replied.

I shook my head, "it's your turn remember...plus, ladies first."

She took in a deep breath and let out a loud sigh as she rolled onto her back, only I caught the distinct sound of her shaky breath at the tail end of it...she wasn't facing me any longer, I could see she was now focused on the ceiling.

"The truth is I'm scared."

"Of me?" I asked worried.

"Let me finish." She sounded as I watched her wipe away a stray tear...tears seems to spill from the corners of her eyes now, she sniffled a little before continuing. "I'm scared to be alone...it's my biggest fear, and sadly because of that, as much as I liked you I tried to keep you at arms length because I'm terrified of getting too close, letting you in only for you to suddenly leave."

I didn't know what to say.

"When I was little my Mom and Dad got a divorce...and after that we moved here, Mom never really dated a lot, as a result I never really connected with a man on that fatherly level with the exception of Frank...but of course he lived with Dad, so  it was just me and mom, I met H and Ellie and they helped me cope with the fact that my mom was always working...but when she got sick I freaked out...the one constant thing in my life was being ripped away from me right before my eyes, and when she died..."

I remained silent but I pulled her into me as I hugged her against my chest now, she didn't protest and I let her get it all out, I had a feeling that she had been holding this all in.

She cried a little harder now and I rubbed her back.

"...I was surround by so many people who offered their condolences and their apologies to the point that it was almost smothering...and yet I felt the loneliest I've ever felt in my entire life."

"I won't leave you, ever...at least if I have a say in the matter." I finally spoke up. "Mates are forever Mariah, even more so now that I've marked you...I'm all yours Duchess, and I understand if it takes you a while to get there...just know I'm going to be right here for you when and if you need me."

Her crying slowed and when she finally stopped she let out an embarrassed chuckle, "I'm such a mess."

I couldn't help but smirk at her, she was being vulnerable with me.

I hooked my finger under her chin and looked into her large eyes, "I never did tell you what my biggest fear is."

"Oh yeah." She smiled, "let me guess...your car being totaled or never having sex again."

I laughed a little but shook my head, "I'm not that materialistic or sex driven Duchess."

Once again she rolled her eyes.

I kissed her beautiful lips before confessing "my biggest fear is losing you for good."