The Rejected Elemental

[15]

That night, I ran back into the castle, brushed past all the excited werewolves, and rushed up to the empty towers, shut myself in my bedroom and cried.

And Mia never cries.

• • •

"Mia?" Jamie tentatively called. I did not react, just rolled over and pulled the duvet over myself. I heard a sigh from behind me, but did not turn back.

"I've put some soup here, drink it before it cold. You need to get something in your stomach," she told me sternly, coming to sit in a chair in front of me. I shut my eyes tightly, refusing to look at her or the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the white curtains.

There was a tense silence, and then she spoke up quietly, "Alpha hasn't made an appearance yet, either. Cyril told me that he locked himself up in his study yesterday night after he revealed it to you."

"I don't care."

Jamie looked startled. It was the first time I had spoken after last night, when I sobbed out to Hayley all that had happened. Regaining her composure, she said gently, "I'm sure you don't, but atleast eat something, you don't want to starve because somebody said something hurtful-"

"Somebody?" I gave a bitter laugh, sitting up in bed and looking at her through my puffy golden eyes that were now rimmed with red because of all the crying. "In case you didn't already know, Jamie, that somebody is my mate! How would you feel if Cyril pushed you away and told you he didn't want you, immediately after the happiest moment of your life?"

Jamie fell silent.

I closed my mouth, breathing heavily, and then felt bad. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for-"

"It's okay, I know how you'd feel," she said quietly. "My werewolf starts howling if I'm away from Cyril for a day, I can't imagine how you would feel if your mate hurts you."

I curled up on the bed, hugging the duvet up to my chin.

"Have your soup, please," she told me, patting my head lightly as she stood up. "And try to feel better. I'm sorry if I sound insensitive, but we need you. Our Elemental. The rest of the pack members are slowly beginning to ask why you weren't at the celebrations yesterday, when you were the hero who saved us. Unless you want them to suspicious and begin questioning why you rushed upstairs after being alone out there with the Alpha, you'll have to remain composed and happy. You don't want anybody knowing that you and Alpha are mates, right?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Then get up, and make yourself presentable. I don't mean to be harsh, but you should move on and focus. At least he hasn't rejected you. That's a plus."

She slowly smiled at me, a glint in her eyes. "Make him want you." She winked and left, leaving me brooding.

I went down for breakfast the next day, much to the surprise of Jamie, Hayley and Nina, who were the only ones who knew what had happened between Alpha and me. The rest of the pack only knew that I had gotten power over fire, and had gotten my werewolf: silver with supernatural gold eyes.

Jason moved over to make space for me, giving me a bright smile, "Hi Mia!"

"Hey," I smiled back at him, forking some bacon onto my plate and sitting down, though I didn't have my usual appetite. The conversation at our table immediately resumed, Cyril and Jamie in their own world while Nina and Hayley discussed some pack matters. Jason turned to me and asked casually, "So, Mia, where were you yesterday night? We were all looking for you!"

I froze midway through eating, shooting a quick look at the girls, who had fallen silent and were now giving me panicked looks. Even Cyril and Jamie turned to look.

I covered up smoothly, however. "Oh... I just wasn't feeling too well. It was overwhelming, you know, getting my werewolf and discovering fire; I just needed some me time."

I gave him a tight smile. Jason looked mildly concerned, but then shrugged it off and resumed conversation with Hayley. Nina shot me a relieved smile.

I avoided Cole like the plague for the next week, darting into empty rooms and other corridors and into crowds whenever I caught sight of him. He didn't seem too eager to be with me either, mainly hanging around his part of the castle and going about pack matters as usual.

My wolf was a totally different matter. She kept howling miserably whenever I dared to think of him or actually caught a glimpse of his handsome face. It was quite the internal struggle, especially during training in the Academy, when I had to transform and my werewolf was strongest. During those times, when my wolf held full sway over my mind, I had to fight myself to stop from bounding over to wherever the Alpha was and pouncing on him.

Life in the pack continued as normal, or however normal it could, with pack issues and raids popping up every other day. The rogues and enemy packs were getting more reckless and daring, and Black Ice had to go to great lengths to ensure that we were still the strongest pack in the country. I continued playing a major role in the pack defense, training with Cyril as much as I could and often helping in the initiation of the newbies.

Work helped me take my mind off emotional matters.