Rejected by One Loved by the Other

23

Chapter 23

Charley starts to speak, "I was in California when Melody asks me for a ride in the truck. I don't know why, but I had a feeling about her, so I let her come with me. She looked scared and she had been crying. I couldn't just leave her there. While traveling together she kept looking over her shoulder like she had been running from something. We had a long talk and she told me what happened."

Anthony asks concerned, "Did somebody hurt her?"

His father sighs, "What I'm going to tell you isn't good. It could have been worse, but it isn't good. I don't want to get into details that would be up to her to tell you. With that being said, Charley, you tell him what happened to her."

"I will make this as simple as I can. Her mom left when she was ten, her brother and father turned against her. They said she was like her mother and was no good. Most of the pack turned against her as well for no reason. I think they followed her father's lead; he was the beta."

"All that because her mother left them."

"Anthony, it gets worse. She turned eighteen, found out the Alpha's son was her mate. He told her he wanted her, and they mated. The next day he informed her that he wanted to reject her, she had to accept it. He also told her that she was to stay on pack lands in a house and just give him pups. Then he would raise them with his chosen Luna. If she didn't agree they would put her in a dungeon and make her do it anyway. She lied and said she would do it, then snuck out and started running."

"There is a lot you should know about her. First do not repeat this to anyone." His father gives him a stern glare. "There is no easy way to say this, she's a gifted wolf."

Anthony agrees, "The way she plays the piano, yes, she is very gifted."

"No, son. When she shifts, she is light silver and glows. That's not her gift though, she can heal with the touch of her hand. She saved Kody's life." Anthony rubs the back of his head as he is trying to absorb everything he has been told.

"Do you know what pack she is talking about?"

Charley shakes his head, "No. She won't tell us. When we were in San Antonio, TX they almost caught her. Your dad came there and made her a member of our pack to keep her safe. This next part might be the hardest part for you to accept. Your father has raised you to be a kind and understanding man, that's what she needs right now. From mating that one time she is now pregnant. We didn't find out until yesterday."

Anthony looks like someone has kicked him in the gut. "She's pregnant!"

His father comes around the desk leaning on the front of it looking at his son. "I talked with the werewolf council. He has no rights to the pup because he rejected her, and she got pregnant before the rejection. If you were to mate with her before they are born, by werewolf law they would be your pups." Taking a deep breath Cameron continues, "She's having twins. Son, this is totally up to you. I know this is a lot to handle."

Charley interjects, "I know it is your decision to make, but she has been hurt by a lot of people over these last eight years. I would like you to meet her, talk to her. If you do not see what your father and I see in her then reject her. You would be her second chance mate. I think the moon goddess sent you to her because she needs a strong mate to help take care of her and to protect her."

Anthony looks from his father to his uncle, "Could you love someone else's child?"

"I already do." Charley says, "I love her as if she was my own. There isn't one wolf out there that can tell me she doesn't belong with me."

"Well, I guess I should meet her and talk to her. Then I can decide from there. "What will happen to her if I reject her?"

"I don't know that either son."

"I do." Charley says standing up. "I will take her with me and we will make it on our own. She couldn't and wouldn't survive being here seeing you every day. I don't even know if she could survive another rejection."

"Tell her to come back and we can talk."

Charley mind links Melody to come back to the pack house, but there is no answer. "She may be resting. Why don't we go to my house to talk to her?"

It doesn't take long to get to the house. When they enter the house it's quiet. Charley goes up to her room thinking she is sleeping and finds a note on her pillow.

'Dear Papa Charley,

I have done nothing but give you problems. I didn't mean too I'm sorry. You have done everything to take care of me and to love me. Something I needed. I cannot stay here and hurt my mate, by watching me have another man's child. I can't take you from your pack. You love this pack, and they love you. It's a special place, they took me in and loved me as much as I loved them.

That is why I am leaving. I will not hurt them, and I will not hurt you. As for my mate he can just reject me, that's fine. I lived through it once I'll live through it again. I have two little lives counting on me.

Charley is getting angry as he reads the letter. "How can she think this way, I told her I would go with her."

Please forgive me and don't worry, I am strong. I will take care of me and the pups. The only regret is that they lost their Pop-pop.

Love Always,

Little one'

Charley is mad as he comes down the stairs, "She's gone!" He reads them the letter.

"She couldn't have crossed the border yet. I would have known it." Cameron says, "I'm mind linking the guards. We'll find her."

"Dad, since she is my mate, wouldn't it be easy for me to track her?"

"Yes. It would be easiest for you to find her." Anthony strips off his clothes and shifts into his wolf. Picking up his clothes in his teeth he runs out the door in search of Melody.

Charley is pale like a white sheet. "He'll find her Charley don't worry."

"I can't lose another one Cameron. My heart won't take it."

Anthony smells the way she went and runs off after her. When he finally catches up to her, she is at the border. He jumps in front of her and growls at her. Angry that she didn't even give him a chance to decide for himself.

"This is for the best let me go." Anthony growls louder, pushing her toward the pack house with his head. She smacks his nose, "I've been pushed around enough. This is my decision. Let me go!" He bites her shirt and starts to drag her back to her house. Realizing he dropped his clothes when he grabbed her shirt he stops, shifts back, and quickly dresses. Melody turns her head away at the sight of his naked body in front of her. "Why don't you understand that it is better if I leave? All I cause are problems."

Anthony grabs her arm and pulls her towards him, "We need to talk before any decisions are made. You have no right to tell me how I do or do not feel. And how can you hurt the people who love you by leaving?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone. If I stay, then it will only hurt you more the bigger I get or when the pups are born you will hate them. I know how Alphas are, they're not always understanding and caring. So let me go now."

"How dare you! How dare you judge me when you don't even know me! You judge all Alphas according to the one you know. What about my father? Is he like that? You didn't even give me a chance."

Melody starts to cry, "No matter what I do it's wrong. I'm a coward. I guess I'm running because I don't want to get hurt anymore. I don't know how much more I can take."

Anthony pulls her into his arms and holds her close as she cries, "Let's go back to the house. If you're still not happy with me after we talk, I'll take you wherever you want to go." They are both silent as they walk back to Charley's house.

Charley runs out, "Don't you ever do that to me again! Do you know how scared I was that I lost you?" He pulls her into his arms and holds her tight.

She starts crying again, "I'm sorry, I love you Papa Charley. I just don't want to hurt anybody."

Charley picks her chin up, "You leaving would hurt me more than anything you could ever believe possible."