"I, Amelie Ashwood, Reject you, Tate Cozad, as my mate. I REJECT YOU!" is what I screamed right before I took the silver blade that I just dipped in a bowl of my own blood to my mate mark. 
Amelie only ever wanted to live a simple life out of the spotlight of her Alpha bloodline. She felt she had that when she found her first mate. After years together, her mate was not the man he claimed to be. Amelie is forced to perform the Rejection Ritual to set herself feel. Her freedom comes at a price, one of which is an ugly black scar.
"Nothing! There's nothing! Bring her back!" I scream with every part of my being. I knew before he said anything. I felt her in my heart say goodbye and let go. At that moment, an unimaginable pain radiated to my core. 
Alpha Gideon Alios loses his mate, on which should be the happiest day of his life, the birth of his twins. Gideon doesn't have time to grieve, left mateless, alone, and a newly single father of two infant daughters.
Amelie Ashwood and Gideon Alios are two broken werewolves that fate has twisted together. This is their second chance at love, or is it their first? As these two fated mates come together, sinister plots come to life all around them. How will they come unite to keep what they deem the most precious safe?

Scars.

　　After I finish getting dressed, I slowly clean up the cave floor. I had knocked over the bowl of blood when I passed out along with a candle. I blow out all the candles except one. I put the bowl and daggers back in the box. I'll clean them when I get home. I leave the candles. I'll have to come back for them later. The wax is still hot. I put everything back in my bag and stagger to get out of the cave. Right as I am getting to the cave entries, I see the two guards. I must have taken too long. "I'm here. I'm fine." I trip and fall to my knees. One of the guards picks me up, puts my arm around his neck, and helps me walk.


　　"You know I hate to admit this, but it might be easier to carry me. I'm quite a bit shorter than you, and I don't think you want to walk back crouched like that." I give him my best smile, but I know it's filled with pain.


CHAPTER 20: The After