Chasing back his Rejected Mate

A strong, deep pain that seemed like fire running through my veins was the first thing I felt as I woke up.

The type of agony that seemed to drag me back down was present, but I battled it, struggling to regain awareness. 

The world around me was a swirl of faint light and shadows when my eyelids fluttered open. I'm not sure where I am. I tried to concentrate by blinking, but the pain in my body was too great. I shifted slightly, the smooth fabric beneath me providing little comfort as every muscle cried out in pain. 

It was not that hard, chilly earth to which I had become used in the last few days. No, things weren't the same here. This seemed secure.

My mouth fell silent in a little moan as I made myself sit up. My hand automatically went to my side, the area most painful for me. I could tell someone had taken care of my wounds because of the tight bandages covering my torso.

But whom? And why? At last, my eyes adapted to the dim light, and I surveyed my surroundings. I was in a small room with just one lantern in the corner providing light. The air was heavy with the smell of earth and herbs. The stone that made up the walls wasn't that icy, inhospitable variety. This area felt oddly cosy, even protective, despite its rough exterior.

I winced at the stinging agony shooting up my back, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. The last thing I recall is the sound of my pack's howls approaching me. 

Next up was Alpha Neon Wayne. His unfathomable, dark eyes watched me while I made my decision. Why had I chosen to remain with him?

Before I could collect my thoughts, the door creaked open and there he was. Alpha Neon, whose energy I couldn't quite put my finger on, filled the tiny room with his presence. As soon as he entered, his eyes locked with mine.

He replied, "You're awake," in a low, smooth voice that had a hint of sharpness. "Well done."

He was powerful and dangerous, but here I was, alive and healing, in his care. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, so I swallowed hard, the weight of his stare keeping me in place. 

"I...I don't understand," I managed, my voice raspy from disuse. "Why did you save me?" 

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he crossed the room, his movements slow and deliberate, stopping a few feet away, his gaze never leaving mine. For a moment, I thought he might ignore my question entirely, but then he spoke.

"Because you needed saving," he stated in a straightforward tone.

I squinted, dissatisfied with his response. "That is insufficient. You might have abandoned me to perish. Hell, I believed you were against my death.

That's what you rogues do, isn't it? Destroy the pack and get what you desire. Although his lips quivered, it wasn't quite a smile. "I differ from the others." I sneered, squinting at the sharp ache in my chest. "You think I'll believe that?"

He leaned in a little, his voice becoming almost whispery as his eyes grew gloomy. "You ought to. Nixie, you wouldn't be sitting here right now if I wanted you dead.

That frightening intensity and his definite way of speaking were back. Even though it gave me the chills, there was something about him that caused me to hesitate. Anything more profound. Something I was unable to describe.

"Why?" I repeated my question, softly this time, almost in a plea. "Why should I be saved?" 

For a brief while, his eyes softened as though he was having an internal conflict or wasn't sure he wanted to share it. His eyes darkened and his jaw tightened, displaying intense passion that he was trying not to show.

He said softly, almost too low for me to hear, "Because, Nixie, there's more to you than you realise." 

I shivered at what he said, but before I could find out, he turned abruptly and went for the door. His sudden movement gave me the impression that I had been cut off and that there was a barrier separating us. 

"Neon!" Even after I called after him, he continued. "What topic are you discussing? To me, more? How even meaningful is that?

His back was still to me, his shoulders stiff, his hand paused on the door handle. "Relax," he murmured, his tone once more detached and devoid of any hint of weakness. "You'll soon need to use your strength."

And with that, he was gone, leaving me in the stifling solitude of the room as the door closed softly behind him. I was so frustrated that my heart was thumping in my chest. What was his meaning? What was up with his crypticism? And what was this ability he appeared to believe I possessed?

I scooted back onto the bed, squinting as my side began to hurt once more. I had a million questions racing through my head, and I didn't know the answers. However, one thing was certain: I was being misled by Alpha Neon Wayne. Something significant. And I had the unsettling impression that it concerned more than just my survival, whatever it was.

I tried to ignore the questions as I closed my eyes, but it was difficult to fall asleep. The cries of my former pack hunting me down, whispering in the dark, and Alpha Neon's icy stare all plagued my dreams.

A chaotic, nightmare-like tangle of images that repeatedly made me wake up in a cold sweat. Each image blended into the next. 

When I woke up again, the morning light was dim, just showing through a little window. Though my physical pain had decreased, my perplexity and worry weighed more than before. I could not continue to sit around idly for the answers I needed.

Resolved, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and got up gradually, the ache in my side having subsided to a dull throb. Even if I hadn't completely recovered, I could still move. I moved to the door, my bare feet padding softly across the stone floor. I was unable to hide in this room any longer. I had to face Neon and ask for the truth. I wasn't some weak, defenceless wolf that he could protect and subdue. I'd battled too hard and suffered too much to allow him to blindly decide how I would live.

The hallway outside my room had the same muted lighting and a lingering earthy smell. I moved carefully, my senses keen, my body tingling with anticipation at every creak of the old wooden floors under me. I heard faint but distinct voices as I rounded the corner. Neon possessed one of them. Although I couldn't understand what he was saying, I could tell by the desperation in his tone. It was serious business, to whomever he was speaking.

I ducked up on it, leaning against the chilly stone wall as I got closer to a doorway that was just barely open. My heart was racing as I looked through the opening and saw Neon standing with Kaya, the person who had brought me food the previous evening.

Neon said in a low, passionate voice, "She doesn't know yet."

With a concerned gaze, Kaya crossed her arms. When are you going to tell her? Neon, she has a right to know. Things will only become worse if you don't tell her.

"I am aware of that," Neon angrily said, stroking his dark hair. But this isn't the right moment. She's not prepared. 

"Not prepared?" Kaya spoke up, her words laced with frustration. She is more powerful than you realise. Someone else will find out if you don't tell her soon. 

Neon's back tensed as his jaw tightened. "I'll let her know when it's secure." 

Secure? Safe from what, exactly? From whom? My heartbeat became faster. They were discussing me and how secrets were being withheld from me. Anger flared up in my chest like wildfire, twisting my gut. I was correct all along. Neon wasn't trying to be nice by saving me. They were keeping it from me, but there was something even more sinister at work.

I pushed the door open and entered the room before I could stop myself. Neon and Kaya both turned, their surprised eyes going wide. 

"What do you not tell me?" My voice was harsh and icy as I ordered, shocking even myself with how serious I was. 

Kaya stepped back as Neon's eyes darkened, her gaze darting uncomfortably between the two of us.

"Nixie-" Neon started, but I interrupted. "No more games, Neon," I said, making my way across the room with a few decisive steps. 

"I've had enough of secrets. What is happening? What do you withhold from me?

His eyes softened, yet there was something uncomfortable about the guardedness behind them. He looked at Kaya and paused, as though he was considering in silence whether to tell me the truth. 

"Tell me!" I made another demand, my annoyance exploding. 

With a heavy sigh, Neon's shoulders drooped as though the world was pressing down on him. "You're correct," he mutely said as he eventually met my direct stare. There's something you should be aware of. Something specific to you. 

I held my breath, waiting for him to say anything more, while the tension in the air between us seemed to grow.

"He said, "You're not just an ordinary wolf, Nixie," in a calm, deep voice. "You may not realise it, but you hold the key to something far bigger. An event that occurred long before you were even born. 

Fear and confusion were swirling inside of me as my heartbeat was in my chest. "What are you discussing?" Barely able to form words, I whispered. 

Neon stepped forward, his eyes full of an odd mix of resolve and sadness, and his expression solemn. With a voice full of meaning, he said, "Nixie, you're the last of the bloodline." "And as a result, you're in greater danger than you realise."

The floor underneath us gave way to a low rumble that rattled the room's walls before I could reply. The sensations intensified till my heart leapt into my throat. Kaya's terrified eyes became larger. "They have located us." 

Neon's gaze hardened into one of ferocious determination as his face grew darker. He took hold of my arm, firmly but not painfully. With a strong and urgent tone, he stated, "There's no time to explain." "We must go now. Right now. 

The world as I knew it vanished in an instant, leaving me to follow Neon into the unknown with nothing but more questions and a mounting sense of dread.