It was a long agonizing 5 days in the pack hospital. It was where she had woken up, woken to a drain coming from out of her left chest, and breathing still hurt like a bitch. Thankfully, she was in pain everywhere. There was no part of her that didn’t hurt, her entire body was black and blue, she had 4 broken ribs to go with her punctured lung.
Heard from the pack doctor that they had lost her once and brought her back to life. Wondered why they bothered at all, that it was touch and go there for a few days after that, she’d been unconscious for three days. It was at least quiet in her room, there was no one in it with her.
No wolf would share a room with the wolf-less, though that was not the reason the pack doctor told her she was alone, he’d told her it was because she was basically just a human and prone to infection. In fact, she had one when she woke up and was on some sort of infusion for it.
He’d ordered no visitors, so there would be no germs brought into the room. She asked only one question. Why he’d bothered to save her? He’d looked at her and stated "you’re a pack member Tamala, and it’s my job to provide the care that is required, regardless of you being wolf-less." He was the only one coming and going from the room. No nurses would come in here, it seemed.
Mala didn’t really care, was happy with the peace and quiet. This had been the plan, to stay in the pack hospital away from and safe from the pack’s future Alpha. Laughed sometimes into her empty room, once that drain came out, she felt better, though not by much, but could breathe properly, still hurt like a bitch, but that was to be expected.
She must look so weak and pathetic to him now. Which is what she wanted to look like. He would never accept one as fragile and useless as her. No, he would want a good strong she-wolf for a Mate. Likely end up having to choose one, snorted fully amused with that. Even that would weaken the pack if he chose incorrectly. He was useless. If Jet didn’t pick the she-wolf, it would definitely weaken the pack.
Snorted with amusement, being his Goddess Gifted Mate and rejecting her for being wolf-less, the goddess might never grant him another. Mala found that highly amusing to think about. She herself was not bothered to never have another Mate, the one she had now was cruel and likely, so were many others out there, reject them all she would.
Mala was going to live her life as she so chose to, would fuck whoever she wanted to from now on. She was Mala Luca and a law unto herself until she got to The Rejected Pack and there, she was going to be the lead warrior, would show them what she could do and earn it, rank up till she was the top of the pack, she was going to stand strong and tall, protect those that could not protect themselves. earn the elite warrior rank had always dreamed of being.
Would relish in being a part of the rejected, become the protector of all those rejected wolves, that came to the pack. At least she had somewhere to go and would be going there in a matter of days.
Walked herself right out of that hospital room, out of the hospital itself, headed right for the front gates to the pack. She was not yet fully recovered the pack doctor had told her she would need two weeks minimum inside the hospital before he would clear her for leaving, was not going to spend a minute longer inside this pack than she had to.
Didn’t bother with discharging herself, no-one cared, the nurses looked at her and turned and walked away as she walked down the hall, to leave. They wouldn’t tell anyone. They all knew she was free to leave today, was supposed to be banished today in fact, and they all knew it, wanted it.
She was still bruised all over, though now she was more green yellow than black and blue, had seen what she looked like in the mirror, still looked absolutely horrid, one whole side of her face was green and purple speckled from that last hit, to bring her down.
She was still wearing the hospital gown and could see that her arms were mottled yellow green, still had patches of purple as well where the hits had landed and deep tissue bruising was in place. It was the same down her legs. She’d seen the state of her chest and back they were the same. Ninety percent of her body was bruised and battered.
The afternoon sky was starting to darken, and she could feel Suki getting restless, the full moon was upon them, she was free to go. To reject this pack and leave, stepped across the pack border through the front gate. The guard had seen her coming and opened it for her, wanted her gone like everyone else here did. Happy to get rid of the wolf-less, no-one was going to stop her, it seemed.
“Tamala.” Closed her eyes for a moment at the sound of Hudson’s voice.
Tamala didn’t exist anymore, was dead and apparently had literally died inside the pack’s hospital from her injuries. Wondered how Hudson had handled that. Had it hurt him or not? She hoped it had ripped through him like a severing with a serrated knife, hoped it brough him low and made him howl in pain.
Could feel it as the moon set, her jaw tightened as there it was, the moment he wanted, to make her suffer even more than he already had, was here to banish her and reject her and Suki.
Could feel a massive amount of pain pulling at her wolf as Suki struggled not to emerge in front of him. It was horrible to feel her own wolf deny her natural instincts, but this was what needed to happen, to save themselves from him.
Turned and looked right at him, saw him actually flinch at her appearance, could scent him now. The moon goddess was so very cruel, she had died, why couldn’t the bond have gone with it? ‘it hurts’ Suki whined in pain as she desperately refused her first shift, was fighting with all she had not to respond to the moon goddess’s gift herself. ‘I know Suki, hang in there.’
Hudson was standing there staring right at her, his Mate a wolf-less worthless piece of garbage, “Reject me.” She stated, her voice devoid of all emotions, “Or I will do it myself.”
“I can’t have a weak Luna, that could give me wolf-less heirs.” He was shaking his head, even sounded a little like there was sadness and regret in his words.
“I don’t care for your half-assed stupid reasons, Hudson. State the rejection and banish me as you said you would.” The bond had him, it seemed.
Looked almost like he was struggling with the words, laughed right at him, a cold emotionless laugh “I won’t feel it, should I state it first.”
Saw his jaw tighten at her words of not feeling it. “I Hudson Black, reject you Tamala Lucas, as my Mate and Future Luna, for being a weak useless, wolf-less girl.”
“I Tamala Lucas, accept your rejection as your Mate and I would never want to be your Luna to this shitty pack.” Heard Suki howl in pain inside her, she was already struggling with the pain of refusing to shift, it was all too much to be doubled up by the pain of rejection as well ‘I can’t.’ Suki whined, inside her mine as their Mate was ripped from them on top of everything else she was feeling.
‘Shift Suki, we are done here, it’s completed.’ Looked at him standing before her, she could see he was in pain . She would show him nothing, they could hide pain better than anyone.
Heard the first cracking of their first shift and saw his eyes widen at the realisation that she was not wolf-less after all. Laughed right at him and relinquished all control to her wolf, to their first ever shift. Let Suki rip right out of her. Till she stood there before him.
Her wolf she had seen in her mind’s eye many times. She was a red timber wolf, mostly black with brilliant Red flecks that would highlight in the moons glow or under the full light of the sun, and would shine with blood-red aspects to all of her. She was beautiful to look at.
Suki stood before him, their rejected Mate, saw him take a staggered step towards her, his hand was outstretched as though he wanted to touch her, bared her teeth right at him, a low grow emitting from her, she did not belong to him anymore. Though to her it looked as though he was already wanting to rescind his rejection and claim them for himself.
It was not going to happen, he had hated them for two long years, and only now that he saw Suki standing before him, was she of any value to him. “I reject the Glimmering Moon Pack and am a rogue now.” She yelled at him down the mind link with all her anger aimed right at him, it would be the last time he would ever hear her voice and the last time she would ever have to have him inside her mind.
Saw him stagger as her rejection of the pack compounded on their acceptance of his rejection of their mate bond. Watched it hit him full force, a full rejection like this could well kill an Alpha wolf if he wasn’t strong enough to handle it. He didn’t even know her wolf's name. No-one here did, watched him clutch at his chest and looked right at her wolf, “Wait.” He gasped “you can’t, we need to.”
‘Go Suki, we belong somewhere else.’ Mala ignored his words, for only now could he see the error of his ways. What he had truly lost, a Mate that was good and strong, would likely breed him perfect heirs. Would make this pack stronger, for being his Goddess Gifted Mate, a Warrior Luna is what he would have had, and he’d just tossed her aside. It was too late for him.
Suki turned and sprinted with all her wolf speed down the road and away from their pack, away from him, never would they come back. Heard a massive howl rip through the night sky. Knew it was his wolf in pain at the loss of his wolf Mate, they no longer cared, could hear the pain and loss in that howl, but they were a rogue now, and did not have to respond to him or his wolf ever again.
They were racing away, letting all their own pain finally consume them, used it to run for hours, didn’t stop. Was shifted back to her human form somewhere in the middle of the woods, hours later, sank down on to her knees and cried. Finally, let it all out, just this once. There would be no more tears for them after this. They, she and Suki, were saying their final goodbye to Tamala Lucas. She was finally freed from this cruel world that they’d been born into.
Picked themselves up as the moon was passing down in the sky now, the morning was coming, soon the sun would rise, and she was here in the middle of the woods and completely naked. “You’ll have to help take us to The Rejected Pack Suki, or the nearest town or city limits. Where I can get some clothes from.”
‘Alright.’ Suki agreed and shifted them once more to her wolf form. She was the best of both her parents bloodlines. Her dad was a Timber wolf and her mum was a Red wolf, she had gotten the perfect blend of both of them. Was absolutely beautiful to look at.
Suki trotted on through the woods, until they scented out a human town and tracked that smell to a small town, strolled along just inside the tree line until she found a home with washing on the line, shifted back to Mala, and she hopped the fence to come face to face with a rather large German Shepard. It’s head tilted and its’s ears pricked right up as it stood and looked at her.
Mala smiled at it and hunkered down “Hey buddy,” she said softly, had always liked dogs, reached out a hand to it and let it smell her, gave it a good scratch behind its ears and then a good belly rub. Before getting up and going to take a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt from the clothesline. They were slightly too big but had a drawstring, pulled it tight and then pat the dog once more before hoping the fence again and heading off into the town itself. Needed to find out where they were.
She didn’t have any money to purchase a bus ticket, was going to have to walk, though she didn’t know where the new pack was, she was in Iowa and all she knew was her new home pack was somewhere in Colorado. She was supposed to call and let Alpha Aston know she was out and ready to come to The Rejected Pack, make her way there, from his instructions. But now, had no money to do so.
She would have to put a call into her new Alpha and reverse the charges to him and hope he was okay with that. Found a pay phone and called the number she had memorised long ago. Apologised to him for the inconvenience and explained where she was and that she was on her way.
Had rejected her pack and was free and clear, but due to circumstances beyond her control, she had no money now, didn’t even have her bank card, was several states away still.
Alpha Aston told her to find the nearest train station and find a train to Silverton, Colorado, let him know and he would purchase the ticket online for her to pick up so she could get to his pack.
It took her a whole day of walking to find a train station she could do that from, let Suki hunt for food during the night so that they could eat something. On the bright side, with Suki’s emergence came the werewolf healing ability. Suki had healed up all her wounds, including the broken ribs, and her lung felt much better, she could breathe easily now.
Strolled along and spoke to no one, did not take a lift from anyone, just walked off to the side of the road on the edge of the tree line, saw a patrolling wolf and stopped, as it looked right at her and issued a low growl as a warning. Realised she was nearly encroaching on a pack of unknown origin to her.
Raised both her hands and stepped further away to show she was of no threat, even verbally apologised to the wolf who was tracking her “just passing by, I assure you.” She told him and continued on her way, probably didn’t see many female rogues out and about, he left her alone thankfully. She did not want any trouble.
Got to the train station and on the train, Alpha Aston was rumoured to be rejected himself, had started his own pack after leaving his old pack. Found a piece of old abandoned pack land in a mountainous area, was not large, he accepted all manner of rejected, banished or wolfs that went rogue for one reason or another.
Mala hoped the rumour that he did not hold or attend Mating balls was also true, did not want to find another Mate. Mala had searched for a long time for somewhere she could go. Used the wolfen worlds intranet to search for banished wolf safe havens. Searched for turned rogue safe havens. Searched rejected wolves safe havens. That last one had popped a small Sigil on the bottom of the page. A circle with a wolf head inside it and a red line crossed through it, almost looked like no wolves allowed sign.
It had pricked her curiosity due to the attached wolfen council tick of approval next to it, had clicked on the Sigil out of pure curiosity and there it was The Rejected Pack, it gave only a very brief description of wolves they took in and a phone number, that was it. She’d called the number from a human world pay phone.
Mala just wanted to help defend those that needed it, slept on the train, no-one bothered her, it was nice. Suki slept while Mala was awake, it was a good rest for her wolf after her traumatic entrance to the world. Holding off her first shift and then the pain of rejection on top of it had hurt her to blazes. They still found that there was pain due to the rejection they had suffered. But knew it would take time for that to go away, it could take weeks, months or even longer for the pain to leave them. She was hoping that because they didn’t like or love their Mate, had wanted the rejection, that it would pass quickly and they could stop thinking about it, when their mind was to quiet.
She was glad to get off the train to be honest, and knew it was a good long walk through the forest to get to her new pack, didn’t get there until late afternoon. She stood at the pack gates, it wasn’t much of a gate just a simple wooden farm gate down a long dirt road. Very non-descript and unnoticeable.
The man at the gate looked right at her for a long minute and then stated “Tamala Lucas?”
Nodded her head in acknowledgement.
“Alpha Aston is on his way, it won’t be long.”
She just nodded again, and stood waiting, the man wasn’t wrong, took all of ten minutes for Alpha Aston to arrive, he strolled on down the dirt road on foot at a casual pace, was a tall man with broad shoulders and brown curly hair, combed neatly back, had dark blue eyes and a square jaw, handsome like most Alphas were, couldn’t tell how old he was looked to be about thirty but with his genes, he could be well over a hundred for all she knew.
Saw him look her over and then sighed heavily as he came to a halt at the pack Gate, “Tamala Lucas?”
“I will go by my new name Mala Luca, please Alpha.” She inclined her head respectfully.
“Alright, Mala Luca it is…come on…I thought you said you were wolf-less.”
“No, I said my pack calls me wolf-less. I have had my wolf for two years now, but she was unable to emerge and come forth till the full moon after my 18th birthday.”
“Alright, come on young lady. Let’s get you initiated into the pack.”
Mala walked next to him, when he indicated for her to not walk behind him “Are you still interested in the warrior rank?”
“I am, just went through the pack warrior challenge.”
“How’d that go for you? I think it’s a stupid contest. It just allows for pack heirs to see what strength is in other packs and for them to choose a strong chosen Mate instead of accepting their Fated. It’s quite cruel…that being said, where did you rank?”
“Second place.”
Watched Alpha Aston stop and turn to look at her “Second?”
“Yes.” She nodded but said nothing more.
“You’re not happy about that?”
“I am, it was where I planned to be, to be honest. So, I would wind up in my pack hospital.”
Frowned deeply at her now, “Your Mate? You’re old enough.”
“Done and dusted, rejected me for being wolf-less and useless to him.”
“Idiot,” he muttered “What rank was he?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not particularly.” He shook his head “I’m just curious.” Turned and continued on “I’d pit you against my highest warrior, but somehow think you’ll out rank him. Especially as you have your wolf now. I’ll need to see her. What’s her name?”
“Suki.”
“Pretty.” He commented. They walked all the way to the packhouse, a wooden lodge looking building. “It’s not much, but no-one comes here to bother us, we are the rejected, no-one cares about what we do or don’t do.”
“How many train?”
“All of us. We're only 300, if we are attacked Mala. It’ll likely be a slaughter. Those who come here know this.”
“I’ll teach them to fight like me. Give them the skills to fight and survive.”
“Good, I need more like you. Some of those here, just don’t really have it in them, no will to fight anymore. I’d like you to help me fix that.”
“I’ll do my best, Alpha.”
“Good, that is all I can ask from any of my pack members.”
Walked into his office to find a blonde woman sitting on a chair, she turned and then stood up. “Welcome, I’m Luna Roberta, you can call my Bobby.” Offered her hand to Mala.
“Mala Luca.” She inclined her head slightly.
Was initiated into The Rejected Pack and shown to a home, it was small and neat housed two other she-wolves, Netty and Peta. They were a little older than she was by 4 and 5 years. But they smiled at her and were very welcoming. Had dinner with them and then she was shown where to get clothes from, seeing as she didn’t have any.
“Left in a rush, huh!” Netty smiled at her “Most come here like that.”
“I came in wolf form, with nothing on my back.” Peta sighed, and shook her head “You’ll hear that a lot around here. Most of us have similar stories."
Does everyone get along? Mala asked.
"Most do, though we do have a few that are stand-offish, and really quiet. They might take some warming up to you.”
“That’s alright, I understand that. My past was years of silence, shunned.”
“For what?” they both asked.
“Not gaining my wolf at 16. Considered wolf-less.”
Both were staring at her now. “You’re not wolf-less.”
“Nope, Suki only shifted for the first time on the last full moon, but I’ve had her for two years.”
“Packs can be so cruel sometimes.”
“My old pack was the cruellest. They even hate humans.” Shook her head, needed to change the topic. “So, when is training?”
“Every morning at sun up.” Netty smiled at her. “You like to train?”
“I do, I’m the best warrior or was, could even take down the heir to the pack. I have been training since I was five, know three different types of martial arts and the ways of wolfen fighting hand to hand. I’ll be teaching what I know.”
“Good we could use that around here.” Peta nodded.