“They’re here. They were already on their way because of Grayson.” Her lips thinned into a line. “Wren, they’re not happy.”
I pushed my shoulders back and took a deep breath. “It’s okay. I can do this.”
We walked down the hall from my room and into the kitchen, where both Alpha and Luna Haven sat at the table with cups of hot tea in their hands.
Their gaze landed on me, and I bristled before bowing my head in respect. “Good evening, Alpha and Luna Haven.”
“You rejected our son.” Luna stood up and placed her hands on her hips. “The Fates granted you a gift, and you threw it in their faces.”
The air was so thick. It was difficult to breathe, but I picked my head up to meet her piercing gaze. “Grayson rejected me first.”
“You could’ve accepted his rejection instead of rejecting him back,” she said, snubbing her nose at me.
“It would’ve given him a chance to rescind the rejection,” Alpha Haven said, standing up next to his mate. “Now he’s going to be mateless unless he meets an unmated she-wolf like himself. Your decision affects the entire pack. Without his Fate-chosen Luna, we will all suffer.”
Surprise rippled through me, and the resentment that’d been building up through the years finally exploded. I balled my fists at my sides. “If Grayson had wanted me as a mate, he would’ve accepted the bond. He didn’t. Why should I have to accept his rejection and wait around for him to change his mind? If he was a true Alpha, he would’ve thought about that before rejecting—”
Slap!
My cheek stung from the force of Luna's smack, but my head stayed forward to face her. Anger spread through my veins like a disease, and my body heated.
The Alpha let out a low warning growl, and I took a step back, not bowing my head for respect as I had before.
“I have been marked for Fate Hollow Academy,” I said, and they whipped their heads toward Alice, who bowed her head meekly.
“That’s what I was going to tell you when you arrived, but it didn’t seem like the right time because of the rejection.”
“She doesn’t go to the academy,” Alpha Haven said, and to the pack, his word was final.
Alice gasped, placing a trembling hand to her chest. “You cannot stop her from going, Alpha. It’s Kalista law that anyone who gets that mark goes to Fate Hollow. No exceptions. They are expecting her and will come looking if she doesn’t attend.”
My brows shot up. Alice had never spoken out of turn, but she was right, regardless of the disrespect they may have interpreted from it.
He growled, but Luna put her hand on his chest.
“She is right. However, we can banish the fox from the pack, so we no longer have to deal with her. She’s nothing but a burden, and after what she did to our son…”
Alice’s horrified expression turned to me.
Swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat, I shook my head. “I did nothing but respect myself, as my parents taught me to do. I’m leaving for Fate Hollow in the morning, and I’ll never return to this village.”
I could make a home for myself in Fate Hollow or maybe the fae realm.
Luna snarled, and I met her glare with one of my own.
Alpha Haven stepped between us. “No. You leave the village tonight. One hour and then you’re banished. If any of the pack sees you on our land, I will order them to kill you.”
“I’ll be long gone before that happens.”
Alice's sobs faded into the background as the Alpha and Luna joined hands and left.
The cabin turned silent, and the icy tendrils of cold wrapped around me in a mocking embrace.
“We can figure something out. Maybe you can talk to Grayson…” Alice’s voice was weak, and her body trembled.
“No. The Alpha’s word is final, and I don’t want to be here anymore. I’ll miss you, but I—” My words caught in my throat, and Alice stepped forward, wrapping me in her arms.
“Shh. It’s okay. I know. I never told you this, but I’m sure you had a suspicion.” She stroked my hair as she calmed her breathing. “After your parents were killed, the pack blamed your father for what he was. The Alpha carried out hispunishment,” she spat the word out as if it were bitter, “by giving the pack an order to isolate you. Nobody was allowed to speak to you unless it was for business since you were going to work in the pharmacy for me.”
