Reject him!

Adelia's Pov

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"You are what?"

My father's eyes were always red so it was difficult to know when he was angry but this time, they were redder. This showed that he was now very furious. He was also fuming angrily. His hands were balled into a fist and his chest was heaving.

 I knew this stance very well and my heart began to race as I took a step back — my father could be very violent sometimes. He would grab my hair and pull at it when he was extremely angry and right now, he was, so it was safer I stayed as far as possible from him.

I looked from my brother to my mother who had both rushed into the room too. It was obvious they had all been eavesdropping on our conversation. 

My mother had her mouth opened wide, her big hazel eyes filled with shock. I got my hazel eyes from her, only that hers was much prettier with those rings of green flecks in them. But that wasn't the point now. The point was my parents looked angry.

"Don't tell me it's that weakling?" My father's red eyes twitched and I took another step backwards.

"What's going on? What weakling?" Alpha Rio looked confused but no one had the time to explain it to him. All eyes were on me instead.

"What did I tell you, Adelia?" My father roared, rushing to where I stood but I was quick to run to the other side of the room where my mother stood. I hid behind her, knowing fully well that my father couldn't get me there. No matter how angry my father was, he always calmed down with my mother. 

"I'm disappointed in you, Adelia. I can't believe you got marked to that good for nothing wolf." It was my brother's annoying voice. His grey eyes were clouded with anger but I couldn't care less about what he thought. 

"Aiden isn't good for nothing. Yes, he hasn't shifted to his wolf yet but he will. He's my mate. He was given to me by the moon goddess so I have every right to be with him!" I yelled from behind my mother's back. 

"Just listen to yourself, Adelia." My father shook his head. "It's been seven years now. Seven years, yet nothing. If he had a wolf, he would have shifted a long time ago. That boy is completely useless. I don't know what he is. He doesn't belong here."

"The alpha is right." My mother nodded and I squeaked.

"Mum!" I finally left her back so I could stare right into her face

"Yes, he is, Addy. I wonder why the moon goddess will mate you with such an entity. You deserve better."

"Can someone explain to me what is going on?" Alpha Rio was now red in the face. His beta stood behind him. I didn't even know when the blonde walked in to stand behind his alpha.

"You have to go now, Alpha Rio. This is only a misunderstanding. Adelia is insane. We will talk to her and bring her to you. You don't have to worry." My father said and I frowned.

"I'm not insane," I told him, before turning to look at Rio who had his eyebrow raised. 

"I have a mate, Rio so I can't be mated to you. As I said, you must be mistaken."

"Bullshit." Alpha Rio stormed out of the room with his beta towering behind. It was clear the young alpha was furious but he needed to know the truth. I already had a mate. It was impossible to be with him. I didn't even feel any connection of any sort. The only wolf I wanted was Aiden and I was gonna be with him regardless of what anybody thought.

Immediately after Alpha Rio left with his beta, my father looked at me with pure fury in his eyes. 

"Look what you've done?"

"I don't see what I've done," I said quietly and my father yelled.

"Signing a peace treaty with the Blood moon pack is what I need! Not this."

"We are stronger than them, dad. We don't need any peace treaty. If they attack us, we'll kill them all." I tried to explain to my father but he shook his head.

"You don't understand anything. That's not how it works. The Blood moon pack is a powerful pack and being in alliance with them will be of great benefit to us."

"Well, too bad. I can't be with him." I turned to walk away but my father's thunderous voice stopped me in my track.

"You will reject Aiden and be with Rio." 

"What?" I turned around slowly. "Reject who?"

"You heard me right." My father began to walk toward me and my heart pounded in my chest. The urge to back away was great but I refused to do so, instead, I stood my ground. 

"You will reject Aiden and be with Rio." He repeated.

"That's impossible. I will do no such thing." Tears were already welling up in my eyes. Tears of anger. How could he say such a thing to me?

"Oh, yes you will. Unless you want your so-called mate dead. The pack wouldn't miss him anyway. He is of no use to us."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If you don't reject him, I'll have to declare him a rogue and banish him from this pack. We don't need him here."

"You can't do that father. He is your subject! You can't maltreat your pack members for no reason! That will be outrageous!" I yelled. I couldn't believe my ears. 

Being declared a rogue was the worst thing that could happen to a werewolf — aside from being rejected. A rogue was an outlaw, one without a pack. He was sent out of his home to roam about the deadly forest alone. Rogues were helpless wolves without the protection of an alpha and they were open to any attack whatsoever

Numerous stories about rogues being killed for no reason just because they had no pack to run to for help were rampant and I would never wish such for my Aiden.

"Mum, tell him." I turned to my mother but my mother looked like she was in full support of her husband. That was the problem I had with my mother. She was always in support of whatever decision my father made. It was sickening.

"You won't tell me what to do, Adelia! I'll not have my pup be with that . . .that thing!" My father looked like he couldn't find a good word to classify Aiden. It made my heart sink at how low they thought of him.

"I'll banish him if you don't reject him, Adelia. I'm serious."

"Or you could even kill him. You have that power, father." Jared, who had been quiet since finally spoke. "He's of no use, father. He's the only liability. Kill him if she refuses to reject him, father."

"That's a good idea, Jared." My father nodded.

"Are you out of your mind, Jared?" 

"No. It's you who is out of your mind." He replied smoothly with a smirk on his face. He plopped to one of the sofas in the sitting room and crossed his legs, lifting a glass of unfinished juice they had been drinking and taking a sip.

"I always knew you were stupid but I didn't expect your stupidity to get to this level." I couldn't help but say and my brother's face screwed up into a frown.

"Hey! Watch your mouth!"

"No, you watch your mouth!" I yelled back.

"You both should shut up." My father roared and I turned to him.

"You can't listen to him, father. You can't do that to Aiden. He has done nothing wrong!" 

Tears were dripping profusely from my eyes as I looked from my father to my mother, pleading for help. My mother would not even meet my eyes, instead, she fixated her gaze on the wall.

"It's up to you, Adelia. It's up to you if he lives or dies. It's your decision to make. Reject him and he'll live. It is that simple." My father shrugged and I felt hatred welling up in me.

My father had done so much to me in the past but I didn't know he could go this far to hurt me. He had once ruined my friendship with an omega wolf and now he was doing this?

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked. "Why are you giving me out to an enemy alpha when I've been marked already?"

"Because I will rather have you with an enemy alpha than with a friendly nobody!" Alpha Lundamous lashed out. "A piece of garbage. That's who your mate is, Adelia."

My vision blurred with tears as I stared at those who I called my family. I could not believe my family had ganged up against me. They were all sitting comfortably on the sofa, looking like they had planned this out before now. My breath hitched as I tried to control my sob.

"I've been marked." I reminded them in case they had forgotten. "You don't tell a marked wolf to reject their mate. You don't know the excruciating pain that comes with it. I'll die if I reject Aiden."

"Oh, come on, Addy. You won't!" Jared groaned. "Sure, you will feel pain but it won't be that bad. You'll get over it the moment you're with Rio. Rio is a much better choice. Don't you wanna be a Luna? You know, rule your pack? With Rio, you stand that chance but with Aiden. . .I don't know what you stand to gain." Jared concluded and my father nodded.

"Jared's right. You'll feel pain but you won't die. Rio is the best choice for you. Aiden will only hold you down and that's not what you need. You're Alpha Lundamous's daughter. You don't — "

I couldn't listen to them anymore so I dashed out of the room and out of the packhouse as I shifted into my crimson-coloured wolf. I couldn't do this.