Roxy sat with her mouth agape and eyes wide in the back seat of the chauffer vehicle. She scrambled to the other side of the car as it drove around a bend that carved around the mountainside. At the bottom of the steep descent was a large lake so still and clear it reflected the sky and treetops above it like a mirror in a picture of natural and untouched beauty. In the distance, greenery sprawled as far as the eye could see in forms of trees covering the magnificent mountains. The sky above was a perfect blue with fluffy white clouds floating along. Roxy loved the country of Saltwater Woods, when she'd walk along the beach in both her forms feeling the sand between her toes, duck below rolling waves in the ocean as she swam and got up at the crack of dawn to watch the sun rise above the vast blue. Nothing could ever compare to the land she called home. But the Mountainous Region was already lodging themselves deep into her heart.
Remembering the unopened envelope sitting in her bag, she begrudgingly sat back against the leather seat and pulled it out. With the screen dividing her and the driver, who'd barely said a word to her anyway, she gently peeled the envelope open to reveal a letter folded up inside. She sucked in the smell of Cleo on the paper, wishing she had her sister by her side. Together, it could've been an adventure of a lifetime. But Roxy understood that Cleo's priorities had been made to shift the day she'd been crowned Luna. She had to stay by Trent's side and look after their pack.
Roxy unfolded the letter and began to read Cleo's cursive handwriting.
To my dearest sister,
First of all, I want to tell you just how much I love you. Being apart from you with our reunion unknown is hard on me just as much as it is on you. We have been through so much together; from having our dad walk out on us just when we were children and losing our mother in a lot of ways from heartbreak. We have always been each other's support, and although I can never say these words out loud, I'm terrified without you by my side.
Sending you away and entrusting your protection to someone else was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But I know Moonlight Ridge will protect you like you've always been one of their own. Isaac Winters is one of the most ruthless but fair Alphas. Trent has met him at many meetings. If Trent trusts him, then so do I.
Isaac is also your soulmate, Roxy.
Roxy's breathing became shallow as she reread the words over and over. The paper crinkled in her clenched fists. Soulmate? The soulmate who rejected her? She thought of herself buried beneath her blankets for days, the wolf inside of her constantly whining. Their heart had felt like it'd been torn from their chest. Cleo had been the one to hold her and soothe her. The one to get her out of bed to shower and dress her. Betrayal flared like a raging fire inside of her. Cleo had seen how much pain his rejection had put her through and now she was sending her straight to him. With tears blurring her vision, she struggled to read on, hoping that there was some kind of explanation as to why her sister would do such a thing.
I'm sorry I had to keep this from you. I'm sorry that you had to find out this way. I wanted to tell you but Trent swore me to secrecy. He knew that if we told you the truth, you'd never agree to go to Moonlight Ridge. Please understand that I did this for you. With no other family, the options I had for your safety were slim. I know with Moonlight Ridge you will be safe. As for Isaac, I hope in the two years since the rejection he's had second thoughts about his decision. I'm sure he would never have agreed to such a thing if he hadn't.
You are a strong and beautiful person, Roxy. I have total faith that you will find an inner strength in yourself to overcome the obstacles in your way.
Please forgive me. I love you with all my heart.
Cleo x
Tears had soaked the paper, turning the handwriting into black blotches. With a fierce anger surging through her, Roxy clenched the paper into a ball and tossed it to the other side of the car. Raking her fingers through her hair, she brought her knees to her chest and cried into them uncontrollably. The wolf inside her burned to explode. Her body shook with the threat of transitioning. The desire to let her wolf burst free and tear the car she sat in with her large claws was intoxicating. Then she would run, run as far away as she could from this hellish nightmare. How could her sister do this to her? How could she send her away when they'd never been apart, into the arms of the soulmate who'd destroyed her? Her mind threw her back to the night of the White Moon Ball; a tattoo of mountains and pines against olive skin, fairy lights, the sound of Isaac's voice and his glowing green eyes as he'd spat out the words,
'I don't need someone else. I don't want someone else.'
The anger coursing through her body shifted from her sister to her apparent soulmate. If he was so against having her as a soulmate then why would he agree to letting her hide out in his pack? Was it to torture her further, to rub more salt into the wounds that would never heal? Nausea rose in her stomach and she clasped a hand over her mouth. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the headrest, breathing deep breaths until the sickening feeling had passed. Had Trent and Cleo paid him a significant amount of money? Was that what she was to him? A decent paycheque?
The dividing window suddenly wound down making Roxy gasp.
'We have arrived, Miss Thorn,' announced the driver.
In a matter of seconds the screen was back up, leaving her staring at her distorted reflection. With a deep breath to try calm herself she wiped at her tear-stained face and blew the snot from her nose into a tissue. Using her fingers, she tried to rake her unruly waves into some kind of submission. With her heart sinking fast in her chest, she wound down the window, allowing the warm summer air to blow around her hair she'd just managed to tame. The sunlight above had completely disappeared as they drove along a winding road. The bountiful trees reached up to where the sky would be, the tops of their branches bending over to create an arch. Despite the anger and betrayal still burning within her, Roxy couldn't help but admire the fantasy-like scenery.
Roxy gasped in awe when the shaded road opened up to reveal a ranch in the distance. She hung out of the window further, her wide eyes locked onto the view before her as the car turned into a long driveway, flanked by weeping willow trees. White fences which looked freshly painted divided the land into paddocks on either side of the driveway. In them horses grazed, a few of them looking up to glance at the vehicle, their jaws chomping away at grass that hung out from the mouths before dropping their heads back down. Past the paddocks the smell of citrus filled Roxy's nose and she breathed in the refreshing scent deeply, her eyes finding fields of orchards.
From the orchards her eyes roamed upwards which felt like they'd rolled from their sockets. A magnificent house sat behind a roundabout driveway which the car was pulling into. Grand mountains provided a jaw-dropping backdrop. She scrambled across the seat to gaze up at the three story house which put Saltwater Woods' quaint packhouse to shame. The bottom half was built with dark stone, multiple large windows letting the afternoon sun pour inside. Porch swings swung gently in the breeze along with plants in hanging baskets. Thick beams stood around the perimeter to hold up a wrap-around veranda. The upper part of the house was made with timber, which also had a balcony. There were three sets of doors each with large glass panes. Sunbeds and chairs sat in front of them and Roxy could imagine the tenants soaking in the sunrays. At the top, in the third story were more windows, a bay window looking out to the front of the property. It looked to be some kind of penthouse. Maybe that's where the Alpha lived.
Roxy almost fell onto the gravel when the chauffer opened the door she leant against. With a blushing face she managed to step from the car with some sort of grace, her jaw still swinging from its hinges at the house before her. Well, it was barely a house, more of a mansion. Beyond the mansion and down a slight slope she frowned at a collection of cabins built from the same timber, hundreds of them sitting next door to one another. Like a village. It was then she realised that they were the pack members' houses. Her eyebrows shot up. Saltwater Woods' Omegas had lived all around town, only the hierarchy lived in the house amongst the woods. This hadn't been too much of a problem until the rogue visits had increased. Here, if there was some kind of emergency, the pack was altogether. In Saltwater Woods it would be at least ten minutes.
The front doors of the mansion opened up to reveal a female figure who looked miniscule in the impressive doorway. Roxy's heart began hammering in her chest. Her wolf became antsy. She sniffed at the air, trying to find the same alluring scent which had led her to Isaac in the gazebo of the White Moon Ball, only to come up with nothing. A flame of anger ignited inside of her. He wasn't even here for her arrival? She turned to look at the ball of paper in the footwell of the car.
So much for a fresh start.
The sound of approaching footsteps made her turn around to face the woman who'd been in the doorway, now walking towards her. Roxy swallowed roughly at the sight of her. It was like looking at Isaac... as the opposite sex. The girl, who wore a bright smile on her face, had a long mane of jet black hair which swished against her back in a ponytail. Her large green eyes though were a lot friendlier than the icy ones Roxy had looked into two years ago. The girl's slim and petite figure which was showed off by the singlet and pleated skirt she wore.
'Roxy!' The girl's voice was high with excitement. Roxy didn't have time to react before slim arms were around her in a crushing hug. 'Welcome to Moonlight Ridge! It's so nice to meet you!' She stood back and did a dance on the spot while clasping her hands. 'I finally have a sister!'
Sweat broke out across Roxy's skin and she gave a faint smile, feeling like she would pass out any second. 'Thank you... for having me.'
'Sorry! I'm known to be a bit full-on sometimes. I can only imagine how much of a change this is for you.' Realisation dawned on the girl's face and she took a large step back. 'I'm Kayla, Isaac's younger sister. My brother sends his apologies for not being here but he'll be back at sunset when the patrol returns.'
'Oh. Um. Right.' Roxy forced a smile even though she was beginning to feel overwhelmed.
Cleo had said barely anyone knew about the rejection. Anyone who did reject their soulmate brought shame and ridicule to their pack. Omegas were often terminated from their packs, Alphas not wanting their pack's legacy dragged through the mud. When an Alpha was behind the rejection however... the entire pack could be brought to its knees. It was no wonder as to why rejections were kept hush-hush. As she gazed at Kayla's excited face, Roxy wondered if she knew of the rejection. If she did, she was doing a tremendous job of acting like there wasn't a ginormous rift between her brother and Roxy.
'You look exhausted. Come on, I'll settle you in.' Kayla picked up Roxy's bag and suitcase with ease, leaving her to follow awkwardly towards the house. 'The pack are so excited to meet you. Finally! We've been waiting years for our Luna!'
Roxy stumbled across the threshold. 'L-Luna?'
Kayla turned to look at her with a puzzled look. 'Well, yeah. Isaac is the Alpha... which makes you the Luna.'
Roxy wheezed out an anxious laugh. So she didn't know about the rejection. 'Yes, of course. I am your Luna. Because I am Isaac's soulmate... who is the Alpha of one of the original packs.'
Kayla gave her another strange look before ascending up a staircase by the front door. Roxy's mind was still reeling as she followed, glancing absent-mindedly at the wolf artwork on the walls. Luna. She'd been so caught up in just trying to process being face to face with Isaac again the minor details of her relationship with him had slipped her mind. Luna. How on earth could she be a Luna when Isaac had rejected her? How long did he think he could lie to his very own pack? And how would they react when they discovered such a bombshell? Did he honestly expect her to cover for his lying arse?
It was a very nice arse from what I remember though.
Roxy shook herself and forced her legs to work as she followed Kayla along a hallway. The Moonlight Ridge tattoo peaked between the parts of her long hair, causing a shiver to run down Roxy's spine. Needing a distraction, she looked around at the décor. It was every bit of what one would expect to be inside a ranch house; exposed timber beams, shiny timber floorboards covered with cowskin rugs. Amongst pictures of cowboys, cattle and horses, the paintings of wolves were perhaps the only things not to match the décor specifications. A specific oil painting in a golden frame caught Roxy's attention and she paused to look at it closely. The black wolf which was prowling towards her had her entranced with its green eyes. She continued to stare into them, leaning until her nose almost pressed against the canvas. Her wolf barked and howled with excitement. That's when Roxy realised...
'I see you've found the picture of our Alpha.' Kayla was beside her, giving her a playful nudge. 'Or should I say your soulmate. Our grandma is an artist, her favourite thing to paint is the pack.'
Roxy reeled away from the painting, wrapping her arms tightly around herself and giving a nervous smile. 'So which one's my room?'
Kayla looked surprised by the change of conversation before skipping to where Roxy's bags sat in front of a door. 'Isaac told me you'd probably prefer your own room before the two of you... get acquainted.' She giggled. 'I'm just next door. But don't worry, I won't say anything if I hear you creep upstairs some nights.'
Heat flamed Roxy's cheeks. 'Upstairs?'
'Yep.' Kayla pointed to the roof. 'Isaac has the attic, but don't worry, it's not your typical dusty heirlooms and cobwebs attic. No one's allowed up there mind you.' She pulled a face. 'Anyway, I'll leave you to get settled in. I'll swing by in an hour to give you a tour and introduce you to some of the pack. Isaac should be back by then.'
Roxy gave a silent nod and stepped into her room. With a warm smile, Kayla left her alone, leaving her to rest her forehead against the closed door. With a shaky breath she turned around to face the room, letting out an incredulous laugh when it was just as impressive as the rest of the house. A large bed which looked to be handmade from logs sat against the left wall with matching bedside tables on either side. In front of her was a set of the double doors she'd looked up at when she'd first arrived, giving a breathtaking view of the orchards and paddocks of horses then the rolling mountains beyond. To the right the black screen of a TV hung from the wall above a coffee table. She frowned at the doors on either side of it and made her way over to the one on the right.
'Holy crap.' Roxy spun in a circle, her eyebrows risen at the walk-in-wardrobe which would only be half-filled by her small amount of clothes. She made her way to the other door, impressed by the large ensuite she walked into. A large shower big enough to fit ten people was against the furthest wall. 'Doesn't seem that I'll be a sharing a shower with anyone in the near future.'
As much as she was tempted to have a shower and try wash away her worries, she gravitated towards the balcony. The warm air whooshed into the room when she flung the doors open and stepped onto the balcony. A deck chair and table sat by the railing and she assigned it to be the perfect spot to read her collection of books. The short plane ride and picturesque drive hadn't allowed much time for her to even turn a page.
The scents of the orchards, trees, dirt and horses lingered around her. A sudden homesickness filled her with the absent smell of sea salt and sand. Instead of looking out to woodland and beaches she looked out to acres of paddocks and mountains. Waves crashing and squawks of seagulls were replaced by snorts of horses. She leant against the railing heavily, her eyes automatically scanning the scenery for a certain black wolf. Not that she was sure why. It was clear he hadn't changed his mind about her.
A strong wave of emotions crashed through her, sending steady streams of tears rolling down her face. In the blurry distance she could make out the trees which lined the road she'd come in on. If only she could be heading back down it, back to everything she knew. A painful sob racked her body and she rocked against the railing, her hands covering her face. Her wolf whined with fear. She'd never felt so alone in her life – so afraid. Normally when she felt like this the first thing she'd do is run to her big sister. But now she couldn't, not just because of the distance between them but because she was the reason why she was in this position. Roxy slid down to the floor, her face resting against the cool iron bars. Then she cried.
Just like she had in the gazebo two years ago.