Rejection

Chapter 36 - Déjà Vu

---Kyle's POV---

Morning came and it took me a moment to fully realize where I was. The warm, soft fabric against my skin, light filtering through the windows and soft flutter of snow...

Very different from the freezing chill I had grown accustomed to, the wind that howled around and through the house, wood creaking at the slightest movement.

A soft sigh escaped me as I sat up, rubbing a hand over my eyes to get rid of any build up gunk. Right... I was back at Drake's pack...

Our pack...

The idea brought a smile to my face as I slowly relaxed, letting my hands fall in my lap after a good stretch.

It wasn't hard to point out the differences between Max's pack and Drake's. There was no suspicion in their gazes whenever they spotted me.

Drake's pack was accepting with open arms, understanding that sometimes the past was better left unspoken, too painful to mention.

They didn't look at me to compare me against the poor unfortunate souls that lost their humanity, wolf running rampant.

For Drake's pack, I wasn't just another rogue. I was... me. Even if I hadn't gone through some pompous ceremony, I was part of the pack. A valued member that deserved love and respect.

Nothing like what I was used to from Max's pack. The only genuine love and respect I remembered earning there, was from the pups.

Nobody is born a racist, you're turned into one.

I snorted at my wolf before stepping out of bed, feeling muscles and joints tense after been forced to strain to get back here.

Another long soak in a hot bath sounded really attractive, especially when I felt like an old man, trying to perform simple tasks.

Though I assumed that part of the trembles and shakes that were going through my system was due to the added stress. Knowing Max was lurking just outside the pack, planning who knows whatever plot to do whatever he's intending to do...

I huffed, dressing myself with some difficulty before I slowly walked out the room. There wasn't anything I could do about my ex-mate skulking around, besides going outside the pack to confront the bastard.

Muscles tensing and hands quivering slightly, I managed to make my way to the living room, not feeling the urge to eat anything for breakfast.

Possibly due to the fact that Drake's mother and grandmother had seen to it that I ate my weight in food, and then some.

The memory made me chuckle slightly, stomach still bloated from the several servings stuffed down my throat.

"Morning." Jake grumbled as he looked up from his bowl of cereal. I blinked, giving a slight nod before realizing Alaric wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Judging from the healing mark on Jake's neck and the blush that rose up on his cheeks while he drew his shirt over the bite mark, they had seemed to finally resolved their ... issues.

"Congratulations? You don't look too happy..." I paused as Jake shuffled in his seat with a huff.

He made an exasperated motion with his hand, scoffing "We've spent months, nearly a year arguing with one another because neither of us wanted to submit to the other... And now I'm the sub in this mess."

I blinked again, cocking my head before huffing, "Has it occurred to you two that maybe, perhaps, you could switch? There doesn't need to be a defined top or bottom in any relationship."