by Bianca Griso
I start to strip my clothes and put on a fresh pair of pajama pants. I pace back and forth in my room, trying to figure out how to fix this. I wish I could fix all of this; there is very little I can do. I knew that I decided to head over to Daniel’s room. I can at least try to convince him not to do anything drastic.
I knock on his door, and he opens it up. He looks like shit, but I don’t say that to him. That would make him feel worse. “How are you doing?” I ask Daniel. The answer is obvious. “Honesty crappy, Alpha Mason,” Daniel answers bluntly. He motions us to sit on his bed. “Do you think Marisa will change her mind?” I ask him. Daniel shakes his head and says, “No. Marisa told me years ago that if her mate is an omega, she was going to reject them. Her rank is essential to her.” I sigh, not sure what else to say. “She hasn’t said the words yet,” Daniel comments. When someone wants to reject their mate, they have to say, “Their mate’s first and last name, I reject you as my mate.” It’s rare when someone rejects their mate, and it’s even rarer when they end up accepting them after they been rejected. The only way for it to be undone is if the one who said “the words” marks the rejected mate.
“Before you do anything drastic, talk to her first, do it tonight. Do it before she does something drastic,” I advise him. Daniel nods his head in response, and I have gotten off the bed. “I will let you do what you want to do in the end; I wish I could tell you it will be okay and that we can fix this. I don’t know what you’re going through, but before you do it, at least try to fight for her. You are cared about by me and everyone else,” I remind Daniel before I leave. Before I close the door, I tell him, “You’re my best friend Daniel.”
I saunter back to my room and try to sleep. Once the dust clears, we will bring it up a notch for Cassandra’s search. Everything thing seems to spiral out of control lately, and I can’t do anything to stop it or help fix something. If there’s anything I do to help Esme and Chelsea, it is to find Cassandra, Chelsea’s twin sister and one of Esme’s best friends.
“Mason, it’s Esme. Can I come in?” Esme said behind my bedroom. I’m so in my thought, I had realized I’m sitting on my bed in my room, and that Esme, my mate, is at my bedroom door. “Yeah, come in,” I tell her. As she opens the door, I tell her, “I’m sorry I wasn’t ignoring you; I was very stuck in my thoughts.” Esme gives me a sad smile and hugs me. “There isn’t anything to forgive you for,” she tells me.
Chapter Ten
Esme
I didn’t know how badly I wanted to be with Mason until I was standing in front of his door. I didn’t want to be alone tonight. I’m losing people again, and I don’t know what to do about it. I wasn’t standing there long when he answered me. He seems a little preoccupied at the moment, but he is snapping out of it.
When he lets me in, the first thing I do is run in his arms. I don’t know how long we have been like this; I don’t want to let go. “I’m sorry I wasn’t ignoring you; I was very stuck in my thoughts,” Mason tells me.
“There isn’t anything to forgive you for,” I said. I smiled sadly at him. “I’m losing everyone I care about,” I said breaking the silence.
“Not everyone,” Mason responses as he holds me closer, and kisses the top of my head. We head over to bed and laid down next to each other. Cuddling with one another talking about everything all night. We talked about us, and what’s happening in this war. We talked about everything.
We must have fallen asleep I open my eyes, and the sun is bright, shining through the windows. Waking us up is someone knocking on the door. Mason quickly looks at us to see if we are still clothed. I am still wearing clothes I worn all day yesterday, and so is Mason. “Come in!” Mason shouts through the door. Tyler Blackwood stands on the threshold. “Alpha Mason, Luna Esme, a maid found three notes in Marisa’s room,” Tyler announces. Mason and I glance at one another. “Did they see Marisa at all?” Mason asked. Tyler looks grim, and now my stomach falls. “No, sir, it looks like Marisa ran away. She left a note for Luna Esme, Chelsea, and Daniel, the head Omega,” Tyler replies. Tyler hands me my note from Marisa. “Go and give Chelsea and Daniel their notes if not already. Also, tell Daniel he has a week off, and I want you, Aaron, and Kyle to meet me in my office in about a half-hour. You’re dismissed,” Mason orders Tyler. Tyler nods in response and follows his orders.
I look at the front of the envelope, and it has my name on it, Esme with Marisa’s girly handwriting. I open the envelope, and a letter is inside—her goodbye letter.
Dear Luna,
This isn’t easy for me to say, so I’ll make it as quick and painless as possible. I hate what the Moon Goddess has done. She made my mate an omega. You guys know where I came from; you know how hard I worked to get where I am in the pack. I was the lowest of the low, Omega. I was made into it because my parents became rogue. So my rank dropped to practically nothing. We used to live in the Pack House, my father being a top rank wolf. Things got dark; they ran, for reasons I have no idea. They left me here, made me an orphan; they are most likely dead. I can’t go back to living here as an omega in the Pack House after growing up as an Omega when I six. If I accept Daniel as my mate, I lose all the hard work I did. It took me thirteen years to get where I am. I can’t have that taken away, so I wrote him a letter, telling him how sorry I was. The Moon Goddess can be mean and cruel. She did this; I had to reject him; it hurts so much. It’s so painful for me to write his letter. I had to take a break writing it, so I started this one. I love you guys so much; thank you for being my friends when no one else would.
Luna Esme, You were my first friend I ever made; we talked about going to each other mating ceremony and throwing each other baby showers, and having bachelorette parties before we got married. Giving each other funny sex toys, (well I was anyway). I am so happy you found Mason; I knew you were special the moment when we were old enough to shift. When I saw your coat, I knew. You’re exceptional, if you like it or not. You were always shy about your fur; promise me you’re going embrace who you are. You are Luna of this pack, one of the most significant packs there is. You are our last hope; we know something terrible is going to happen. This pack will need their Alpha, but their Luna too.
I love you guys so much; we will see each other in another life.
Yours Truly,
Marisa, your sister from another mister.
I don’t realize I’m crying until Mason takes the note out of my hands. It’s a little crumbled. He wraps his arms around me to comfort me. I still can’t stop the tears from falling. I can’t calm down; everything is crumbling down around me. The walls are closing in; I can’t calm down. I didn’t even hear Chelsea come in until she started to rub my back. Her eyes are red too, from crying. Her note is all crumbled up too.
I was hoping the mating bond was going to be strong enough to make her stay. It’s rare when a mate rejects their mate. Once you meet them, it’s like a gravitational pull towards them. You always want to be with them. It very painful for both of them to reject the other. It’s like cutting out apart of yourself.
Tyler comes back into the room, and Mason and Tyler talk quietly; I guess Daniel ended it at some point in the night or after he got his note. “Esme, you and Chelsea can stay in here. We won’t be gone long,” Mason says. Mason kisses the top of my head, and Tyler and Mason leave Mason’s bedroom.
The weird thing is I’m not mad at Marisa. I understand where she came from. Marisa worked very hard to get where she was, and she had to leave, so she didn’t get attached to Daniel. The mating bond is a powerful connection to one another. What she did is something I would never do. Marisa is a whole other person. She was raised in this pack, but she never acted like it. Marisa had multiple boyfriends and didn’t wait to have sex with her mate. She was different. With Daniel committing suicide, Marisa is in a lot of pain and possibly dying right now. It takes a lot of strength to survive a mate’s death; even if they were rejected, it still hurts. “I think we need to find her, Chelsea,” I tell her.
“How do you plan on doing that? Marisa is long gone,” Chelsea comments. I try and think of a plan; if she’s dying out there, then she shouldn’t be alone. She needs her family. “I’m gonna get the best tracker and ambusher to help,” I announce my plan. It isn’t much of a plan, but Aaron and Kyle are good at finding someone.
I head over to the office, hoping I can catch Aaron and Kyle. I run over to Mason’s office, and I swing open the door. Mason, Tyler, Aaron, and Kyle all look over at me. “I want to borrow Aaron and Kyle; it’s important,” I said. They all look shocked that I ran in here. “We are looking for Cassandra. That’s why I’m having this meeting,” Mason explains. I shake my head in response. “I need them to find Marisa, and I’m going with them,” I tell them. Tyler looks a little confused, while Mason understands my motives just fine. He nods his head over to Aaron and Kyle. “Take good care of our Luna, Kyle, and Aaron,” Mason orders.
Once we get out in the woods, that’s when we shift in our wolf form. We run and track a lot faster as a wolf than being human. I follow Aaron and Kyle as they track a dying Marisa. Giving them some space to do what they do best. I can’t communicate with them because Mason and I aren’t fully mated, and I didn’t do the blood oath. They started to pick up the pace; before, it was a light jog, now it’s running. They must have found something.
We run deeper in the woods following Marisa’s scent. The closer we get to Marisa, the more it smells like death. Marisa isn’t doing good; she doesn’t have much longer. I don’t want her dying alone out in the woods. She deserves a proper burial. Aaron and Kyle, I look past them, and I see an unconscious Marisa in an opening. Marisa is sitting up against a rock; she looks warily. I change smoothly back to a human and run over to her.
“Go and find some water to wake her up,” I order them. I look back at Marisa; I shake her lightly. “Marisa, it’s Esme. Wake up,” I said, trying to waking her up. Marisa wakes up a bit. “Hmm, Esme,” Marisa mumbles. Aaron and Kyle come back in the nude with some water. “I found an old water bottle; I just filled it up with some pond water,” Aaron said, handing me the water. I pour some on Marisa’s head. “Why did you do that for?” Marisa asked, being more awake. I look over at Aaron and Kyle, and they nod their heads to give us some space.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her. Marisa opens her eyes and smiles sadly. She chuckles and says, “I feel like shit. My mate committed suicide because I rejected him. Things need to change, and this had to happen for the first steps to do that.” I give her a questioning look. Marisa just shrugged her shoulders and said, “The Moon Goddess told me this was the way to change, so there was only one thing to do.” The Moon Goddess apologized to me because she had to do what needs to be done. If Marisa told me that four months ago, I would have thought she was crazy. “I’m sorry that this was the cost for change. You and Daniel deserve better than this. If you didn’t have to do this, would you have had to accepted Daniel,” I said, breaking the silence? Marisa did a small smile and said, “Yes.”
Soon after, Marisa told me that her heartbeat stopped. Aaron and Kyle offered to bury my sister. The three of us buried her before leaving to go back home. Now I have to break the news to Chelsea.
Once we made it home, Aaron and Kyle grabbed more supplies and headed to find Cassandra now. We need a win somewhere; this feels like a never-ending losing battle in this war.
Once I got all cleaned up from the search and burying Marisa, I head over to Chelsea’s room. It’s only right for me to be the one to tell her. I take a deep breath and knock on her door. Tears started to form in her eyes when she saw me. She knew what happened when she saw me. Chelsea pulls me in for a tight hug. Quite sobs as we realize we are the last two standing now in our little family. Chelsea and I, holding each, and not daring to let go anytime soon. We are the last two standing in our family. “We are the last two standing now,” Chelsea comments.
Chapter Eleven
Mason
It’s been crazy the past couple of months; lately, it’s been even crazier. Cassandra’s search is is needing a notch up and we started a meeting to do that, but Esme interrupted it before needing them to find Marisa. Esme and Chelsea are hurting a lot. Marisa ran away, and Daniel committed suicide. No one knows what was in his letter other than Daniel himself, but because he passed away, Marisa soon after passed away from the pain. I am hoping we have some kind of win. We are constantly losing these small battles.
We know what is ahead for us; if we can all stay on the same page, we can win. Alpha Crimson seems to have a sudden change of heart, which made some people worried. We are concerned that Crimson is willing to start a civil war while in this current one with the unknown enemy. I am having a meeting with the best Aaron and Kyle, my tracker and ambusher, to get a win. We will find some kind of lead.
“Alpha Mason, what’s going?” Aaron asked. The rank that they are is also a talent. They are my best tracker and ambusher; Aaron knows his shit about attacking someone, by surprise.
Kyle knows how to find people, even though they don’t want to be found. He always does. They get the job done and as quiet as possible. They’re the best chance I have right now to take away some of the girls’ pain. “Your Luna’s friend is missing; she’s also Tyler’s mate’s sister. Chelsea and Cassandra are twins, so we know she’s alive. Tyler give them Chelsea’s address; you guys start your mission in three hours. Please don’t come back without answers; we need a win,” I tell them. I sigh and continue to say, “and who knows, maybe whoever kidnapped Cassandra is connected to everything else, you’re all dismissed.” Once Tyler, Aaron, and Kyle leave, someone else knocks on my door. “Who is it?” I asked.
“It’s Luke, sir,” Luke answers. Luke is my 3rd commander; he takes over the pack if Tyler and I can not. He runs his hands through his dirty blonde hair, his ocean blue eyes shut. Generally, in my pack, we have brown hair and green eyes, but Luke’s parents couldn’t have a baby. They found Luke abandoned; no one knows where he came from. He’s upset and frustrated, just like the rest of us. “What’s wrong, Luke?” I dare to ask. He walks into my office and closes the double doors. “Daniel died after he read the note. He threw it in the fireplace in your public study. We set up his burial tomorrow morning; I’ve been planning it with Anna, we just need to have signatures as your the Alpha,” Luke states. Luke has a letter in his hand, and he gives it to me. “Daniel wrote you a letter before it happened, sir,” Luke said grimly. After I signed the papers, I thank Luke and dismissed him. Before he closes the door, he says, “Oh sir, I am to remind you of the ball tonight.” He closes the door, and I sigh in response.
Before I read his goodbye letter, I get another knock. I sigh, knowing I shouldn’t yell at this person. “Come in,” I tell them. I look up to see who it is; it’s Esme. “Are you okay?” Esme asked. I shake my head no, and she comes over. She stands me up and hugs me tightly. Everything I think is all settling down, and now I have to accept what’s happening now. One of my good friends that I grew up, just passed away. Over something stupid, over a rank. Things need to change, with this war happening, plus a civil war could happen. We are on the verge of extinction; we don’t need to lose anyone else.
“I’ll be okay, Esme; we can take our minds off of everything tonight,” I assure her. She starts to get a little pink and nervous. Then I realize why, how I said that might have sound sexual. “I didn’t mean it that way. I meant the party is tonight,” I told her. The look on her face tells me she forgot that it’s tonight. “I’m sorry, Mason, I have to go and get ready; I will see you at eight tonight,” Esme said as she heads out the door. I sigh as I need to get ready. It’s about five o’clock; I have to start at least to get ready. I take the letter and go to my bedroom. I’ll go in the shower first, then read the letter. It won’t take long.
After my shower, I put on my tux, I comb my hair, and I’m just about done. I sigh as I sit on my bed, with the note in my hand. I can’t believe I’m about to read Daniel’s suicide note. “Fuc
k,” I said as I open his letter.
Alpha Mason,
I’m sorry it had to happen this way; I thought I should explain myself to you as your not just my alpha, but my friend.
I’m not really mad at her, she explained in the letter as to why she is doing this. She told me if it was under better circumstances, she would have accepted me. Marisa told me, this is what needs to be done. She told me she’s sorry and said, “the words.” That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt like hell. Marisa will be in more pain when it happens. Find her, and if she’s okay, take care of her for me.
I want to thank you for all the things you had done for me. You were kind to me and the other omegas growing up. You told everyone that if anyone made fun of us, you make them omega. No one made fun of us because of you. I hope I did good by you and that you take my recommendation seriously. I want Peter to move up and become the head of omega in my place. He is a good person, who had bad luck, and now he needs to work his way up. Let him do that; he deserves better than being an omega. Thank you for being my friend Mason.
Yours Truly, Daniel
I tear up a little and head to the main floor to find Peter. It takes me a little while to find him. I see Peter in the kitchen preparing and cooking food for tonight. “Peter, I’m sorry to bother you, but I wanted to talk to you,” I tell him. He nods in response, and we step out of the room away from everyone. “Peter, I know this is a bad time, but Daniel wrote me a goodbye letter, and in it, he recommends you as Head of the Omegas. He told me you’re a good person and that you just had terrible luck and deserves a second chance and move up in the ranks. And I completely agree with him. You’re the head of the omegas now, Peter, and if you do well, you can move in my ranks. You start in your in position tonight work with whoever they put in charge,” I tell Peter. He smiles and shakes my hands and says, “Thank you, sir, I won’t let you or Daniel down.”
