Rejected and Saved by my Alpha

7

LILY

The last thing I felt like doing, that night, was being social and attending a party: I just wanted to lie in bed and sob, thinking about how I should have been dancing the night away with my mate and just-married husband in my wedding dress, just before leaving for our honeymoon.

The honeymoon I’d planned down to the last detail, and that Connor would have surely enjoyed with someone else.

Honestly, sobbing and being angry at the world seemed like a nice plan: instead of doing that, though, I was smiling politely and nodding as a rather unfortunately smelling guy was boring me to death talking about his job.

Dahlia and Damien had dragged me to a housewarming party held by a young couple in the town, Camille and Cora: I tried telling them I didn’t feel like it, that I was afraid I might spoil the mood, but they had been adamant about me going. I needed a night out, a distraction: Dahlia had taken it upon herself to dress me up, and off we’d gone.

I had to admit, the party was rather good: the hostesses were nice, and, to honor their French background, had prepared an incredibly delicious buffet that I had already visited more times than I liked to admit. The air was filled with the mouth-watering smell of a fantastic dinner getting ready in the oven – so good that the thought of eating it was fighting with the one of Connor to see which one would take up as much space in my head.

What have I done to you, Goddess?, I sighed after a while. What could I have possibly done to anger you so much?

“And of course he didn’t want to sell for such a low price, but then I …”

“Lily!”

At that very moment, salvation came in the form of Dahlia, who wasted no time in looping her arm around mine. “I’m sorry, Brad, but I must take her away for a moment” she apologised, shooting a grin to the redhead in front of me. “Cora needs her opinion on the beef bourguignonne”.

My ears perked up at the mention of that dish, and as Dahlia dragged me away, I leaned in and whispered. “Is there really beef bourguignonne tonight?”

She nodded, and I felt an involuntary little grin grow on my face.

Beef bourguignonne was one of my favorite dishes: it was surprising I hadn’t managed to smell it, but there were so many scents in that house it was hard to track one down.

“It was an excuse, though,” she chuckled. “You looked so bored with him, I felt it was a moral duty to save you”.

I sighed, nodding. “I kinda was. Thank you”.

“No worries. So, what do you think of the party?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I can’t complain. You guys were right – maybe some time off and out was what I needed”.

Dahlia nodded knowingly. “I know – I always have great ideas. Now come – I want you to meet some funnier people”.

The dinner party turned out to be one of the best I’d ever attended: the food was incredible, the company was pleasant, and the ambience comforting and soothing. It had also been very useful, because I’d gotten to meet some more people from that town.

Turns out, there were houses for sale and the local preschool was hiring: just all I needed to restart my life.

Sure – it wasn’t the life I’d planned for myself, but … it was a life. It was a nice little town, one I knew I’d enjoy living in; there were other werewolves around I could connect with, woods in which I could shift, and homing and working opportunities: it was almost as good as it could get.

Without Connor, though, those opportunities kind of tasted like ash in my mouth. I couldn’t help it – despite the hurt, the anger … I loved him. I wanted him.

I’d planned my whole life around him, around us, until the day before – those feelings and plans weren’t something you could forget with a snap of your fingers.

Still, I knew what I had to do. I had to try as hard as I could to close my heart and mind to him, mourn our relationship and what it could have been, and focus on myself, on my life.

At least, despite taking all I’d ever wanted from me, life and the Goddess were giving me new opportunities right after.

It almost sounded too good to be true – but beggars can’t be choosers.

I could only hope that throwing myself headfirst into rebuilding my life would help me keep my mind away from Connor and my old pack, my old family.

“It was all incredible, Cora,” I smiled at one of the hostesses: I’d enjoyed that dinner so much I simply could not congratulate them. “You must pass these recipes around”.

Cora laughed heartily, nodding. “I would, but I can’t,” she replied with her thick French accent. “They’re all family recipes, est-ce que tu comprends? My grandmother made me promise I’d keep them safe”.

I raised my hands in defeat. “We cannot argue with a French grandma”.

“Hey, does anyone have news of Marcus?” a man asked at that point. “Wasn’t he supposed to bring the cake?”

As soon as that name was pronounced, the atmosphere around the table changed slightly: it was barely perceptible, but it was as if an air of respect, of solemnity, had filled the room.

“He just texted me,” Damien quickly replied. “He’s coming”.

“Great!” the other men grinned. “I want the cake!”

As the other people resumed chatting, I leaned in towards Dahlia.

“Hey,” I asked. “Who is this Marcus?”

For a moment, it seemed like her eyes had widened – almost in a look that seemed like fear, or respect. I couldn’t really tell – between the dim lights and the candles, not to mention the crowd, it was hard to make out micro-expressions. The second later, though, her face relaxed into an easy-going smile.

“Marcus is a close friend of some of the people at this party – Damien, Camille, and Robert. He’s …”

It was at that moment that the doorbell rang: Camille ran to open the door – and it was when that man, Marcus, walked into the house that the atmosphere shifted for good.

The whole dining room emptied as everyone rushed to meet him, as the whole place gravitated towards him: and when I followed the crowd, I couldn’t help but realize why.

The foyer of the house was filled to the brim with Alpha pheromones, exuding from the man who was so clearly enjoying all of the attention: tall, with dark black hair, light grey eyes, and a charming smile, he was basically shining with his own light.

Suddenly, his eyes lifted up towards me: and it was in that very moment that I felt it.

No.

No way.

Marcus’s eyes widened, and a slow, deeply emotional smile rose on his lips as he moved towards me.

It can’t be.

“I thought I’d never find you, my mate,” he whispered.

He took me in his arms and pressed his lips to mine.