Chapter 3: Disappiontment

Glancing at the clock, Aria didn’t know whether she wanted the time to speed up or slow down. Sapphire and Aria are confident they'll be rejected now, both desperately wanted to get out of sight. They knew it’d happen during lunch and they getting so distraught, Aria constantly had trouble breathing. She rubbed her rubbed the area where her ribs ached and tried to get her erratic heartbeat under control.

‘Ari,’ Sapphire whimpered.

‘I know, I’m scared too,’ she replied. Her hands started to shake, and her legs bounced with anxious energy. She tried focusing on what the idiot teacher said, but her body heat rose, and a fine layer of sweat coated her skin.

‘I don’t want him to reject us,’ Sapphire whispered.

‘Neither do I, Saph. I’ve loved the man since I was eight.’

‘I know, I just wish I got to know Levi before our parents died.’

‘I wish you did too,’ Aria sighed softly, jumping when the bell rang, and students rushed to the doors. She grabbed her books and quickly dumped them into her locker, heading towards the cafeteria as quietly and undetectable as possible. Somehow, she made it there, but when she spied Andrew at his usual table with the rest of the crew, her mood deflates, and her worry grew tenfold. Justin caught her staring and glared. He made a move to stand, but Aria ducked, grabbed her food and immediately left. She stuck to the shadows as she rushed through the maze of halls, intending to travel to the boiler. She froze, however, when Andrew opened their link.

‘Go straight to the construction site; I’ll be there shortly. I need to come up with a good lie to get out of this one; the crew is relentless today.’

‘Yeah, you’re definitely not the best of liars. I’ll meet you in the art room.’

‘Hey! I resent that notion, and I’ll see you shortly,’ Andrew promised, and Aria breathed a sigh of relief. She changed directions, taking the roundabout route to the construction site. Arriving at the wired fences, Aria doubled backed that no one had followed her. Upon spotting no one, she slipped in between a narrow gap. She entered the nearest building and headed straight up to the second floor. She went to the third door on the left, smiling as the tables were still covered in dirty fabric. Aria wasted no time hiding underneath one, loving the security the simple piece of cloth gave her.

‘It’s going to happen before lunch ends, Ari,’ Sapphire said. Aria’s breathing hitched.

‘That soon?’

‘Yes, I can feel it getting closer.’

‘How?

‘I don’t know.’

‘We’ll just have to hope for the best then…and pray,’ Aria said. Sapphire didn’t reply, and Aria tried eating her lunch, but she was far too anxious. When she couldn’t handle another bite, she left it aside and waited for Andrew to arrive. Five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen, and soon the warning bell would ring.

‘He must have gotten caught up,’ Sapphire said.

‘Well, I did say he was a bad lair,’ Aria replied, and she snorted. Aria waited for a few more minutes, and when she couldn’t any longer, she crawled out and brushed off her pants. She pocketed her trash and checked to see if the hallway was clear before stepping out. Aria made it ten steps before she heard footsteps echoing off walls. She couldn’t pinpoint where they were coming from or where they were headed. Taking an educated guess, she turned away from the stairs only to slam into something warm and solid. Fireworks danced across her skin, the momentum forcing them off their feet. At the last second, Chase managed to rotate himself, and Aria gasped at the impact. She stood on her hands and knees, wanting to run, but she froze as her eyes met his. Aria was vaguely aware of Sapphire shouting ‘mate, mate!’, but it was like nothing else existed. All that mattered to her was him and the emotions swirling within his eyes. They could see relief, elation and love in them; it made her believe that everything might be okay. Yet, the second he opened his mouth, her fear returned, and the spell broke. Aria scrambled up and bowed her head, her body now shivering with apprehension.

‘I’m sorry, young alpha,’ she whispered. She quickly glanced up to see fear reflecting at her, but it quickly turned into anger. A growl escaped Chase, and she whimpered. He stood and Aria shuffled away, both she and Sapphire feeling small under him.

‘You’re not my mate. You’re weak, you’re pathetic, and you’re ugly. I need a mate that is strong and beautiful, not you,’ he sneered. Aria breathing hitched, tears swelling and heartbreaking as her wolf whined. The strengthening bond paused before beginning to shiver; Sapphire rushed over to Levi to salvage their mateship.

‘I, Chase Evans, reject you, Aria Knight as my mate,’ he growled. Aria gasped as the bond arched and twisted painfully, clutching at her chest as Sapphire was flung back into their haven.

‘G-Get Andrew,’ she stuttered as the tears fell. Sapphire howled mournfully before travelling to James’ haven. Aria lifted her head, determined to change his mind when he suddenly grabbed her arm, dragging her towards the stairs. Her eyes widened in realisation and began struggling against him.

‘Chase, no. Don’t do it. Please, Chase, don’t!’

Aria screamed as he tossed her over the first step, landing painfully on her right shoulder. She cried out as it popped, shouting and moaning as she rolled down the rest of the stairs until she came to a stop. She laid there for a moment, all the years of cowering, crying and submitting raced in her mind. Something inside her quivered and snapped; it sounded like a crack of a whip in her mind. All her anger, frustration and despair boiled into a righteous fury. She stood with a growl, her good arm shook with the effort, but she didn’t stop until she stood with confidence and conviction. Aria turned that fury at Chase, baring her canines into a snarl. His eyes widened, taking a startled step back. Fear and uncertainty filled him as Aria’s flashed a crimson gold. He glanced at Andrew and Justin as they entered the building, schooling his emotions and his neutral expression returning.

Justin and Andrew first spotted Aria, Justin growling his dislike while Andrew’s eyes widened in horror. Aria didn’t spare them so much as a glance, her glare burning into Chase as he descended the stairs. He longer gazed at her, merely dismissing her as if she was a minor inconvenience. Neither Aria nor Sapphire appreciated that.

‘Do it,’ Sapphire growled.

‘Fuck you, Chase,’ Aria said. For the first time in her life, her voice carried the strength and power of an alpha. It reverberated in her chest, her fists shaking with the effort to contain it only to realise she no longer had too. Aria released her aura like relaxing her hands; it radiated supremacy, courage and self-respect. Everything that her ex-mate and brother do not have. It was enough to make them pause, the weight of it almost crushing. They stared at her with growing confusion as Andrew admired her with awe. Chase trembled as he forced himself to move, coming to stand next to Justin. Aria could have sworn she saw guilt as he passed her, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. She rolled her eyes, looking away from them and grabbing her limp arm. Screaming, Aria rotated it back with another terrible pop. It was enough to snap Justin out of reverie.

‘What the fuck did you just say?’ he growled.

‘I, Aria Wolfe Knight, accept your rejection, Chase Evans,’ Aria said. She knew there was something wrong with the phrase, but she couldn’t figure it out especially since the bond arched and broke with a resounding snap. Both Chase and Aria cried out, leaning against whatever support they could find.

‘She’s your mate?’ Justin said as Chase straightened up again.

‘Andrew, get this piece of trash out of my sight,’ Chase said. His voice quivering a fraction, but otherwise, he appeared unaffected. Aria watched with growing frustration as his posture remained perfect, barely answering Justin with a nod. Her brother glared at her, looking ready to beat at the mere idea of it. Aria stopped him in his tracks with a growl, causing him to stumble back into Chase’s chest. It was a struggle to maintain it, her broken ribs protesting with the vibration.

‘Perfect, just what we need,’ Sapphire said. Chase and Justin to leave in shock as Andrew took her elbow to lead her in the opposite direction.

‘Drew, get her back to the clinic, make sure the doctor fixes her up. The pack is going on a run this afternoon, and someone needs to cook dinner,’ Chase said over his shoulder. The twins tensed, neither acknowledge his order. He didn’t seem to mind as they left. Aria waited until they were truly gone before collapsing in Andrew’s arms. Her twin growled, his body trembling with unadulterated rage.

‘Next time I see them, I swear I’ll—’

‘Can we just get out of here, please?’ Aria asked, and he nodded. He picked her up bridal style, being careful of her injuries as he walked to his car. Andrew rushed to get on the road and back to the packhouse, Aria hissing or growling as her ribs throbbing along with each turn and pothole.

‘Nearly there,’ he said.

‘One wish, if I could have one wish…’ she seethed, and Andrew flinched.

‘I know,’ he said as parked the car. Aria gasped in relief as Andrew rushed her into the house and onto the couch. He left briefly, calling for the doctor and returning with him.

‘What have you done now?’ Dr Luke Jamison asked as he knelt beside her. Through the link, Aria could hear James’ growl. Neither of the twins liked the doctor because he was a narcissistic prig and a self-righteous bastard.

‘I got pushed down some stairs, Doctor.’

‘Well, you need to be more careful, lass,’ he replied. Aria gritted her teeth as he probed at her ribs.

‘Prick.’

‘I bet he only heard ‘down some stairs’,’ Sapphire said.

‘She dislocated her shoulder too,’ Andrew added.

‘It’s not dislocated now, and you should get back to school, mister.’

‘That’s because I put it back in,’ Aria grumbled.

‘How long is it until she is healed, Doc?’ Andrew asked.

‘Her shoulder in about an hour, your ribs another hour or two after that,’ Dr Jamison said. ‘You should get back to school, young delta. The alpha will get angry if you don’t return.’ The threat was evident as he left; return to school or she gets hurt. Andrew gave him the finger and turned to Aria.

‘If he thinks Alpha Jack will be angry when I don’t show up at school, I wonder what his reaction would be when he finds us gone.’

‘I’ll admit, it’ll be interesting to see,’ she replied as he helped her upstairs and into his room. ‘Where did you put the bag?’

‘Right here,’ he said and dragged said bag from under his bed. ‘Let’s get out of here.’ Aria turned to leave but paused when she potted a folded piece of paper on his bed. Confused and curious, she read it and her eyebrows rose with each passing word.

‘Oh, that,’ Andrew said.

‘Explain.’

‘…It didn’t feel right, just leaving. I wanted to leave something behind, something that would hurt them. So…stick and stones,’ he replied. Glancing back to the note, she placed it down and walked to her room. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Stealing your idea,’ she said as she sat down at her desk. ‘You think you’re the only one who wants them hurt?’

‘Sure, but I thought you wanted to get out of here asap?’

‘I did.’

‘Then, why?’

‘…For a fraction of a second, I could have sworn I saw guilt in Chase’s eyes.’

‘Are you sure of that? It wasn’t your imagination?’

‘I don’t know, but it can’t hurt. The worst-case scenario is they throw the letters out.’

‘True.’

‘What do you think?’ Aria asked, and Andrew whistled after a minute of reading.

‘If Chase and Justin don’t feel bad when they realise we are gone, they will when they read that,’ he said. She folded the letter and placed it on her bed.

‘Let’s get out of here,’ she whispered. Andrew handed her the map, and she ducked it under her shirt, never relaxing until they were outside and into the safety of woods. Andrew doubled checked they were alone before removing his clothing to shift, but Aria still watched their surroundings. The air pulsed behind her; she couldn’t help but turn to watch him change. It was a flawless and painless transition. The air shimmered with each pulse, distorting the background like the shimmering heat of the desert.

Sapphire whined in envy, upset that she hasn’t been in control since they were fourteen. Aria cursed her frail body, but even if her body were healthier, her lack of shifting the past three years, it would be as painful as her first shift. Not only will she have to build up muscle mass, but she’ll also have to train until her body was able to handle it. For Sapphire, that could be years before Aria’s body could be ready to shift again.

James whined and nudged Aria’s arm. Her smile was dejected and tired; she scratched behind his ears in reassurance. She shook herself free of the negative emotions, gazing her James for the first time in years. His coat was as pure as freshly fallen snow, save for the golden warrior mark on his shoulder. He was taller now; large enough for Aria to lean her head against his neck. His height reminded her a lot of the werewolves in the Twilight Saga. Even though she intensely disliked the movies, she can’t deny the representation of werewolves were scarily accurate. At least where height and strength were concerned.

Aria shook herself again and kissed James’ forehead, picking up Andrew’s clothes and placed them in his bag. She straddled James’ back, gripping the fur at his shoulder. Neither wanted to take Andrew’s car, anticipating the possibility that Chase, Justin or worse, Alpha Jack placed a tracking device somewhere within it.

‘Did you leave your phone and credit cards?’ Aria asked.

‘They’re on my desk,’ Andrew replied. Aria sighed as James began to move, relieved that they can’t be tracked electronically.

‘Which way are we heading?’ she asked.

‘We’ll follow the creek north until we reach Thunderstorm. Hopefully, Caiden can convince his father for us to stay the night,’ James replied. The Thunderstorm pack was a neighbour to Blood Moon. Caiden was the only son of the Alpha Cyril and another childhood friend of the Knight pups, Chase included, but he cut ties with Justin and Chase after they started their abuse. Strangely enough, it was around the same time when Thunderstorm broke their alliance with Blood Moon. Their reasoning? No one was precisely sure, but Alpha Jack and Alpha Cyril were childhood friends themselves, it would have to be something truly awful to break apart as they did. Aria could remember them shouting insults at each other that day.

‘They’ll let us in,’ she replied.

‘I’ll admit, I’m a little worried about Red Peak,’ James said. Red Peak was another neighbour to Thunderstorm and Blood Moon, but they were a rival pack. Both Blood Moon and Thunderstorm have a blood-feud with Red Peak for the past fifty years. Although they haven’t attacked in many years, they’ll attack Aria and Andrew if they cross their territory.

‘Just stick close to Thunderstorms borders, we should be safe from them,’ she said and hissed when James slowly eased himself into the creek.

‘Sorry, I’m trying to go as slowly as possible.’

‘No, run to the border. I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to be.’

‘But your ribs, it’ll hurt like hell.’

‘Get me to the border, and we’ll stop for a bit, deal?’

‘…Deal,’ he grumbled. He picked up the pace, Aria groaning or gritting her teeth at every step. It wasn’t the fastest speed James could go, but not wanting to hurt his sister or attract the Blood Moon’s patrol’s attention, he travelled at a steady trot. Aria regretted her decision immediately but was relieved when they crossed the border, the pack bond shivering with each step. Yet, James continued around the next bend before he settled down behind an embankment.

‘There, no one will see us here. Rest for a few minutes.’

‘Yes, Mother.’

‘Aria.’

She laughed at his warning tone, sliding off his back and leaning against his flank. Closing her eyes, she slowed her breathing and just relaxed.

‘We should break the pack bond,’ she said.

‘That will alert them of our departure.’

‘I wouldn’t think so. Our bond to them has been growing weaker since we transitioned; it’ll be like cutting a single strand of hair.’

‘…Very well,’ James said. Breaking a pack bond was significantly different than a rejection; all they had to do was visualise the pack bond within their mind and imagine a blade cutting the bond connecting them to that pack. Aria shivered as James shook his coat, standing as he did. She rubbed some warmth back into arms before carefully standing, not liking the cold and empty feeling that descended over them as the bond broke.

‘I think I understand rogues better now,’ she said, ‘this feels…?’

‘Lonely,’ James whispered, and Aria nodded. ‘At least we have each other, neither of us is alone.’

‘I don’t think I could have done this without either of you.’

‘We wouldn’t have let you leave without us,’ Andrew and James said together. ‘Shall we continue?’ Aria turned to face the mountains, down where the creek cuts between them. She nodded and straddled his back again.

‘White Warriors, please, help us.’