Rejection

Chapter 26 - A fragile future

---Kyle's POV---

"What do you want to do, in the future?"

I glanced to the side, smiling softly and snuggled closer to Max, sighing contently. His heart was still racing underneath my ear, our skins damp after our last loving as we laid in a tangled heap.

His fingers danced over my back in a soft, gentle caress, a smile on his lips as he looked down at me.

My shoulder dipped lazily as I let my fingers travel over his skin. "I don't know, not really. As a nomadic wolf, I've never put any real thought to it. Nomadic life isn't a life for small and vulnerable pups."

Max grinned, eyes flashing with his wolf as I could tell his shift was all too eager at the thought of pups. "You seemed to have come out just right though, love."

A smirk slipped on my lips as I chuckled, "Yeah, with a lot of early gray hairs in the fur of my parents coats, undoubtedly." Sighing, I softly, almost hesitantly, voiced my thoughts.

"As a little pup, I've always dreamed of pack life. Whatever happened to my parents had tainted their view of packs, but they had spoken in earnest about the good times they had as well." I shook my head against Max's chest, sighing as his hold tightened.

"For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be wanted. To feel loved by my mate and pack, to have a job that involves taking care of the pack's pups..." A sigh escaped my lips before I pushed through.

"I don't want anything because I already have more than I wanted ; an amazing mate that loves me, and a pack that for the first time since I've matured, accepted me amongst them, as one of their own."

I grinned and looked up, expecting to see Max smiling down at me. Instead suddenly we were back in the forest, his teeth bared and fur bristled before he turned his back on me.

Panic and shock combined with pain as I attempted to step forwards, nearly collapsing through my paw. The paw he bit, the bones he broke.

Then it was all a blur of instinct taking over, heavy thudding of paws and the air filling with venomous snarls and barks. Teeth digging in my throat and shaking, flinging me through the air and releasing, only to grab me again and again and-

I lurched forwards in the bed, gasping for air with my hands on my throat. That awful moment before I woke up was filled with the horrendous feeling of feeling the skin of my throat give way, to slowly tear as the pack's Enforcer had stepped on my chest to secure my head and pulled.

A small touch against my cheek made me jolt heavily in surprise. The little bundle of fur whined as Ellie tumbled on her back in submission, tail quivering between her hind legs before she hesitantly rightened herself.

Once again her muzzle pressed against the corner of my mouth, tongue lapping, tracing the salty lines left behind by my tears.

For a moment I couldn't react, muscles still quivering and body locked in the after effects of the nightmare.

The memory.

My fingers grabbed at a handful of my hair, yanking in frustration. How long would these memories torment me? How often would I have to wake up to memories of my mate, soured by the aftermath of my banishment?

Why was I the only one of us being punished by the Fates?

Little paws wobbled against my sternum before I chuckled weakly when Ellie lapped at my face. Cold sweat drenched my shirt as I slowly picked Ellie's little form up, making sure I didn't trip over my legs as I got out of the bed.