Unexpected: Forever His (Book 1)

Chapter 2: Living with Rejection

*****Kayla picture above*****

The Redwood Pack is a fairly large pack. I've heard mention that we are probably one of the biggest in North America with our territory roughly spanning between Montana and Minnesota and up into the upper provinces of Canada. Even the other packs around our territories have so much respect for my dad as an Alpha that he is often referred to as the King Alpha.

With our pack being so large, it was difficult to see how the news of Aiden's rejection of me as his mate had traveled so fast, but Ben had told me that Aiden and Ashley were announcing it all over the place.

Ben had been coming and keeping a constant check on me and I was thankful, but the pain was still immeasurable. I hadn't even been out of the pack house since my birthday and that had been a little over a week. I didn't want anyone to see me like this. Especially not Ashley or Aiden. What made it worse was that Aiden seemed to be waltzing around like nothing had ever happened and I was the one who was suffering.

I sniffled back a tear and brought my knees up to my chest in the chair I was sitting in. I looked up at Ben who was looking at me with concern. "I wish he could feel at least some of my pain." I didn't feel bad for saying it. It was true. I could tell, though, that Ben felt slightly uncomfortable.

"I wish you weren't feeling any pain at all, Kayla. I wish Aiden hadn't acted like such a dickhead but he did. I just wish there was a way for you to get around the pain."

Just then, I heard my dad clear his throat. I looked up to see him standing in the doorway of the den and I stood and walked over to him and leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around me. "It hurts so much, dad. I...I don't even know how I can get over this."

He pulled me tighter against him just as I heard my mom step up beside us and felt her hand on the back of my head. It was she who spoke first.

"Kayla, I don't know how to make you feel better, baby, but I do know that some wolves who have been rejected by their mates have survived. You can do this. You are strong. You've been through so much in your short life. I know it might feel like you can't, but you can, honey."

My dad cleared his throat again. "The positive side is that when Ashley turns 18 and finds her mate, she might not feel the same way Aiden does. Maybe you will get a slight justification with that."

I shook my head. "No. No I won't, dad. I don't want justification. I just wan to not hurt anymore. I don't want to die. I just don't want to hurt." I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked back at Ben. "Do you feel like going for a walk with me?"

He looked out the window and back at my dad before he looked back at me. "I really would like to, Kayla, but I...I promised Aiden I would play basketball with him."

Hearing his name for the second time made me gasp for air slightly, but I forced the reaction away. I would train my body to do as I wanted it to. He wouldn't have this pull over me. I refused to go weak in the knees every time I heard his name. He was the Beta's son. Quite possibly the next Alpha. I was bound to hear his name more than I wanted to. He chose Ashley and rejected me, his own mate. It hurt like hell, but I was strong like my mom said. I was going to learn to survive without my mate.

"I...it's okay, Ben." I looked back at my dad. "I still want to go for a walk. Is it okay, dad?"

Ben stepped past us and out the door.

"By yourself?" I could see the concern in my dad's eyes growing with every second that passed.

"Yes. I really want to go for a run. My wolf wants time to heal too. She feels too trapped in her pain right now. I promise I won't go outside of the border. I won't even go close to it, and I'll stay on the east side. I remember what you said about the west and north."