Page 24 of Rejection to the Alpha King's Daughter

We reach finally reach what will be my new pack house, a three-story Victorian styled building with a large, updated kitchen, offices and a large library on the second floor, and bedrooms for guests on the third. I stare in awe at the magnificent building, the white brick covered in ivy but all the chimneys seem to be clear as smoke puffs from them. This will be my home for another year. Then I will have to pass the title on to someone else once I take back the Royal Pack.

“You made it!” A voice calls out as I exit the vehicle and see Geminie rushing towards me, giving me a hug.

“Yeah. We had a bit of a situation before reaching the boundary.” I answer, Alice scurrying over to me with a smile on her face.

“Hi, Gemmy!” She squeals excitedly.

“Hi, Ally-cat!” I chuckle as Alice launches herself into the future Moon Goddess’ arms. These two grew close as Geminie figured out Alice can see auras during our first visit to Silver Crystal Crecent, Geminie taking my pup under her wing to train her powers.

“Is Destiny here?” She asks, looking around just in time to see Destiny toddling out of the house hand in hand with Brent while Amberle’s twins chase the two toddlers.

“I think that answered your question. Why don’t you go play?” I laugh, seeing Alice nod and bolt towards her friends, a smile on her face as if what happened earlier never happened at all.

“So, Rogues?” Dominic asks, walking towards me with Albot and Ariven.

“Soulless, actually. It seems Coro is trying to keep tabs on her.” Albot answers instead. I sigh, walking into his open arms and taking in Albot’s scent, letting my body relax in his touch.

“Finally! Took you long enough to get here Crysta!” An all too familiar voice calls out, making me pull away from Albot to see a grinning Matrix leaning against a tree not to fare away. It looks like he has just gotten back from a run.

Without a second thought, I bolt towards him, taking a running start to jump into his open arms and wrapping my legs around his waist. A phone call every once in a while for the past two years could never replace feeling my best friend’s hug.

I smile, burying my face into the crook of his neck and taking in his scent, tears filling my eyes. I missed him, missed the man that trained me and guarded me my whole life. Missed my best friend who knew all my secrets.

“Welcome home, Crystalline.” He whispers, holding me tight to the amusement of our on lockers. But something felt off. There is something that has changed about Matrix that I can’t pin point. A change in his scent.

“Get your hands off my mate, you whore!” A shrill voice calls out. Looking around, I notice a she-wolf stalking towards Matrix and I, anger and hatred on her face as she storms towards us. Albot is already by my side, blocking this wolf’s attempt to tear me away from Matrix, ruining our reunion. Climbing off of Matrix, I stand in front of my friend protectively, eyeing this wolf before me who is fuming, her eyes glaring daggers at me.

“Maya, this is my friend I told you about. The Alpha we will be following.” Matrix explains impatiently, a look of exasperation on his face.

“Even if she is Crystalline, that doesn’t mean she canhang off of you when you have a mate you have yet to mark!” Maya screams back, anger clearly filling each word.

[Explain.] I order my friend through our link, our close proximity making it possible to link each other once more.

[Don't trust her, Crystalline. We met a few months ago while I was training and this mate bond snapped into place. But the thing is this bond seems off. Like it’s not supposed to be there.] Matrix explains. My guard rises as I stare at this she-wolf, relaying the information to the rest of the wolves. We all eye her suspiciously as she turns to face me, I can already see she wants to tear me apart and I refuse to allow this disrespect any further.

“Listen, you little bitch.” I growl out, allowing the power of a Royal wolf to pulsate in my blood and target this weak wolf. I watch as she freezes, her body unable to resist the power of an Alpha Queen.

“I will be your Alpha starting today. I will not take your disrespect nor your unwanted anger, do I make myself clear?” I ask. She does her best to resist, letting out a feral growl towards me. With a growl of my own, the force shaking the trees behind her, I walk over and grab Maya by the throat, slowly choking her. She fights me, her face slowly turning blue as I increase the pressure. I can hear Albot holding back Matrix, the bond making my friend act rashly to protect this so-called mate of his, reassuring Matrix that I will release Maya as soon a she submits.

“Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?” I ask again, slowly pronouncing each word. Finally, she nods and I release her, watching the annoying she-wolf crumble to the ground as she gasps for much-needed air. The strange thing is, Matrix did not plead for forgiveness for her. He did not beg for me to release her. I could feel my friend tense when I held Maya by the throat, but that was it. With a final look of disdain to thewolf, I turn and walk away from Maya and towards my friends, Albot hot on my heels after reminding Matrix to take care of Maya.

“Now, that’s an Alpha!” Amberle exclaims, handing her pup Brent to Dominic before rushing forward and wrapping me in a hug.

“Thanks, I learned from the two best she-wolves I know.” With a chuckle, I hug the she-wolf back as Geminie walks towards me with a woman whose hair is as red as blood and eyes as blue as the sky. Something inside me tells me I know this woman, that I have met her before. But I cannot pinpoint where.

“Is… Is this her?” She asks Geminie, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

“This is Crystalline, Cassandra.” Geminie confirms. The woman walks towards me and I can feel the magic pulsate off of her—she is a Witch, and a strong one at that. She stops just before me, her eyes scanning my body from head to toe, landing on the moonstone necklace hanging from my neck.

“You look like Luna. And you have the moonstone still.” She croaks, tears falling from her eyes.

“You knew my mother?” I ask in disbelief.

“Little pup, I helped her birth you.” Cassandra chuckles, her hands pulling me into her arms in a hug. Shocked, I stay still, unable to comprehend what is happening. This Witch was my mother’s handmaiden, she helped to birth me and my sister.

“I spent days chanting protection spells onto you and Selene. Days praying to Morai to protect you from Coro. Now here you are, grown up into a beautiful young lady.” She continues. Her warmth brings tears to my eyes as a distant lullaby plays in my mind. Without thinking, I wrap my arms around her, closing my eyes and smelling sage and ash on theWitch, a scent that comforted me in my dreams.

“Thank you. You are the reason Coro couldn’t kill me as a pup.” I whisper. I allow the Witch to hold me, feeling a motherly comfort wrapped in her embrace and realize the words she says is true. The hug ends too soon as she holds me at arms length to take in my appearance once more, her eyes always ending on the moonstone around my neck.

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