Rejection Accepted

Alternative Ending

    I woke up at 4:30. Stretching slowly, I decide to go to the gym and workout for a bit.Pulling on a sports bra and shorts along with a pair of neon blue shoes, I pull my hair into a ponytail braid and walk out of my room. My body was still a little stiff from lying in the bed for two weeks, but it did feel good to be up and moving. 

    Several of my top fighters were already in the gym. They were surprised to see me, but it only lasted for a few brief seconds. You can't keep a strong wolf down for long.Smiling at them, I start my warm up. After an hour of working with various machines, I glance towards the mat and smile. Glancing over the wolves around me, my eyes land on Rivers. He was a good fighter and he didn't look that busyat the moment. Whistling to catch his attention, I almost laughed when the gymfell silent as a tomb.

  "Rivers, care to dance?" I ask nodding my head towards the mat. It wasn't often that I wentone on one with the men, but when I did it was something to see. Rivers justsmiles and makes his way to the mat. I would tell by the way he walked that hethought he could take me. And right now he probably could. Slipping under themiddle rope, I loosen the muscles in my arms and smile at him. "I'll go easy onya Captain." I growl at him, and step closer. "If this was a real fight, myenemy wouldn't take it easy. If I see that you're taking it easy on me, I'll bein charge of your training for three months. Understand?" He gulps but nods hishead. "Good, now let's start." 

    We raise our fists and softly bump them together before stepping backwards. He starts tocircle me and I do the same to him, looking for any weaknesses. From the corner of my eye, I could see the others slowly making their way to watch.  Patiently, I wait for him to make the first move. Rivers throws a punch and I block it, landing a solid hit in his stomach. The fight was on. 

    Thirty minutes passed, and we were throwing or blocking punches so fast you couldn't see our arms. Tami, where are you? Dean wantsto leave by eight. 

    I'm in the gym having alittle sparing session with Rivers. Well, hurry up. Youstill need to pack and I imagine that by now, you might want to take a shower. I laugh at him and close the link. But I knew that he was right. Sighing softly, I feign an injury and I watch as Rivers hesitates before letting his guard down for a split second.Lunging at him, I flip him over me and pin him on the mat. As the others start cheering for me, I help him up. Patting him on the back, I look Rivers in the eye. "Never hesitate Rivers, you understand. Your enemy will use every trick in the book, and things never are what they appear."

   "Yes ma'am." He rubs the back of his neck and then smiles. "Thanks for the dance." Throwing my head back, I laugh as I climb out of the ring. Before I reach the door, I turn to face him. "Rivers!"

  "Yeah?"

  "The Alpha, Gamma Cooper, and I are leaving for Montana today. A couple of alphas are havinga bit of a tiff. I'd like you to come as my backup, if you'd like. We're leaving at 8." Throwing me a grin, he jumps out of ring and runs out of the gym. Shaking my head, I hurry up to my room. Packing enough clothes for two weeks, I take a quick shower. Slipping into clothes that were a little between casual and business attire, I grab my suitcase and hurry down the stairs.

   I reach the car just as Rivers walks out of the house. Dean looks at them and then at me. "Is he coming?" Putting my bag in the trunk, I answer. "He is Sire. I asked him to come as my backup just in case." Before I knew it, I found myself seated in aplane cruising 36,000 feet above the ground. "Gamma Cooper, what's the reasonbehind their little fight?" He opens his mouth to get on to me for using histitle, but stops when I motion to the warriors and guards around us. Dell nods once as it dawned on him.

    "Well Captain,as far as the council understood it, Alpha Jubal accused Alpha Greg of killing you and Alpha Greg accused Alpha Jubal of kidnapping you. As you know, the Council won't give out the names of those serving in the King's service for their protection." I slowly rub my hand across my face. "And whose pack are we stopping at first?"

   "The Lost River, Alpha Greg's pack, if I remember correctly, first. And then we're off to the Lotus Rock." I let out a low groan, but he still heard. Leaning towards meand dropping his voice to where I could only hear, Dell spoke. "You're not the same person Jubal once knew Tamar. You've changed; you're stronger. You are the Captain of the King's warriors, his best fighter, and you saved his life. On top of that, you're one of his best friends. Neither Dean nor myself will let anything happen to you."

    "What would I do without either of you?" I ask causing him to laugh. Looking out of mywindow, I spent the rest of the flight worrying about how Greg would react whenhe saw me. I knew that he would be hurt that I left without saying goodbye.When we touched down in Helena, it was dark. The guards took turns driving, sowe made good time.

    As we came to a stop in front of their pack house, I noticed that nothing had changed. I let the others get out before me. Taking my place beside Dell, my eyes glance towards the sky. A smile hits my lips when I notice four of our watchers circling high above us. Slowly my eyes turn to the house and landed on Greg talking with Dean. "Before you show us to our rooms, I'd like to introduce a couple of people I brought with me." I heard Dean say as they walked towards us.

   "This is my Gamma, Cordell Cooper." They shook hands slowly. "My Beta stayed behind to keep an eye on things for me. And this," he says walking up to me and laying a hand on my shoulder, "This is my captain. I'm sure you know her." Greg's eyes met mine and surprise filled them. "Tami... You're alive." He engulfed me in a bone crushing hug and I laughed softly. "I am, Greg; alive and well as you can see with your own eyes."

    "Why did you leave?" Greg asked me but I just shook my head. "I'll tell you inside." He nods and quickly leads our group inside the pack house towards his office. I look at Rivers. "I want you to post five warriors and five guards outside the house at all times. And put two outside of the King's room." Rivers nod and I catch up with them just as they reached the front door. I was given my old room, Dean was across the hall from me and Dell had the room beside mine.

   Once we were unpacked, Greg announced that there would be a bonfire in the King's honor. I was currently standing in front of my window watching as my alpha made his way slowly through Greg's pack, talking to the members. It never ceased to amaze me that someone with as much power that he had, Dean had remained down to earth and in tune with the many needs of his people. I stood at that window for a full hour just watching Dean as he mingled with my old pack. Whoever his mate was, she was a lucky wolf, I thought as I felt my lips curling up in a smile as Dean lifted a small pup onto his shoulders and kept walking. Suddenly, my good mood was gone. Lilly's sadness leaked into my own and I felt my shoulders droop. He's out there somewhere Tami; we can't lose hope in finding him. Lilly whispered to me as I turned to leave the room.

   I didn't reply to Lilly, because the truth was that I had already given up hope of finding my second chance mate. As the years passed, I had been more worried about other things than I had been about finding him, whoever he was.The odds that my second was either dead or still with his first mate was extremely high and they were certainly not in my favor. If my mate was still alive and happy with his true mate, then I would hide my heartache and be glad that he had found joy. With a deep sigh, I turn away from the window and slowly made my way down stairs. If someone had walked up to me a year ago and told me that I would one day come to realize that I managed to fall in love with my friend and king, I would have laughed until my face was blue. But, I couldn't deny it now. I knew that I was in love with Dean and the fact that he was searching for his true mate kept my lips silent about it. I would never do that to my future queen.

The second I stepped out of the house, everything about me changed; a smile appeared on my lips, my shoulders were up and squared, and I looked happy. The smile hid most of my feelings. But I knew that if someone looked closely at my eyes, they'd see the truth. And that was something that I had to keep hidden from everyone.