Unrejected Mates (Black Moon Book Two)

Chapter 1: "The storm is yet to come"

Hank, the Beta of Black Moon above

Celia POV

Kathy is eating her supper as I try to organize a little in our tiny one-room apartment I currently rent. Money is always a struggle. Since I can't afford daycare or a babysitter, I work night shifts in a factory. My manager allowed Kathy to sleep in the break room during my work hours when she was a toddler; now, she can stay alone at home.

She eats a lot for such a tiny girl; maybe it has something to do with her being half-werewolf; she is also stronger than other kids her age. Thank God she resembles me more than HIM, except for the eyes.

I sigh, thinking about another long shift in a factory, but I need money. Money to raise her, money to provide for her, money to keep us safe.

I limp towards the closet; I've been limping since the day I had to leave my home, or more likely since I was forced to run for my life. I have nightmares about that time too, and they give me bigger panic attacks than memories of HIM.

I've always known that my clan was cruel, that my grandfather was cruel. After all, he was in charge of my brother and me after our parents' death when I was 11 and Terry was 15. I remember what he was teaching my brother and my cousins. He wanted them to go in his footsteps and dedicate their lives to the clan and killing werewolves; he favored Terry but paid not much attention to me. I didn't mind because I was always afraid of grandad, and when it turned out that I was pregnant, it also turned out that I had every reason to be afraid.

He accused me of treason, tainting the bloodline, and trying to humiliate him in front of other clan members. The funny thing is I wasn't trying to hide my pregnancy. I didn't want to think about what had happened to me and what HE had done to me, so I rejected all signs of my pregnancy, and for a very long time, I didn't accept the fact that I am with a child. And my grandfather decided that since I hid my pregnancy for sure, I wanted to give birth, and that meant I betrayed my people. My limping is just one of many things I have carried on my body since the time they left me to die.

It was uncle David; my mother's brother, my grandad's youngest son, who saved me and helped me start over in this city where I have already been for seven years. He calls from time to time and from time to time also sends me some money but they are very rare occasions; he has to be extremely careful. They think I'm dead, but if they ever catch me again, this time they will kill us, Kathy and me, without any mercy; this time, they will make sure I'm dead.

A sudden knock on my door makes me jump; I sharply take my breath. I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't heard any steps on the stairs, and this place is quite old, so you always hear when somebody goes up the stairs. Probably it's Mrs. Lambert from flat 18 to borrow some sugar, I think, as Kathy stands up and goes in the direction of the door to open it.

But it's not Mrs. Lambert; on my doorstep stands my uncle David pressing one of his hands to the wound in his stomach and resting himself on the arm of a young boy, who I recognize immediately. His name is Danny; he's Nina's boy.

Even though I'm shocked and scared, I manage to get in their direction and help them into the flat; I place uncle David on my only armchair and check on his wounds. It looks awful, but thankfully it's not fatal. One good thing the clan taught me was to take care of wounds and not panic at the sight of blood. My uncle gives me a tiny smile when I'm taking care of him, and Danny is looking at me with tears in his eyes, scared and tired.

Kathy watches me; she's a smart girl and is used to not asking too many questions. When my uncle is wrapped up perfectly, Danny is fed, and I managed to call my work saying that I will not be coming without getting fired, I finally can ask all the questions I'm dying to ask.