Chapter 4 - Rejection

Julia POV

                  “I, Alpha Eric Montgomery, reject you, Julia Kent,” he says softly.  I see his face crumble as he bends over grabbing his chest.  I take a moment to pause before I burst out laughing.  “What the hell does that even mean?  You reject me?” I reply as I am now doubled over laughing.

                  “If you do not want to go out with me, a simple not interested would suffice,” I say as the humour starts to leave my body and anger takes over.  “For that matter, you did not need to drag me out here, to simply “reject me”,” I say using air quotes.  Men.  Just when you think you have found a decent man, he shows you his crazy in the first five minutes of meeting him.

                  “Accept it,” he says angrily.  I look at him incredulously.  “Absolutely not; I will not entertain your crazy,” I say turning away from him.  He grabs my arm, and my body betrays me with that bizarre warm feeling when he touches my skin.  I shrug his arm off, “I do not know what game you are playing pal, but do not touch me again,” I say as I turn to the door and pull it open wide.

                  “Accept my rejection,” he says once again coldly.  I look back to him, with a fire in my eyes, “No!” I reply before walking back into the kitchens and moving quickly to my station.  I arrived in time to check the final trays.  I see the mess had been cleaned up and the man was nowhere in sight.  I sighed in relief.  This part was over, and it had gone fabulously.  Except for the asshole I had just met.  Imagine.  I reject you.  What the hell was he on.  I knew the rich and famous had lots of money and access to lots of drugs, but this guy took the cake.

                  I stiffened as I felt Eric move back through the kitchens avoiding me.  Some were staring but I ignored them.  I was embarrassed by the weird display and wanted to forget about it.  Cami walked in, “Can you help us on the floor?  They have started the dancing, and we are getting swarmed out there,” she begs of me.

                  I quickly nod and remove my chef’s jacket.  Grabbing a tray of drinks, I move to the door and walk into the Gala.  My step falters as I see the beautiful colors of gowns and the gorgeous men and women laughing and talking.  All enjoying the evening’s festivities.  I start to move slowly through the mass crowd and indulge them as they accept their refreshments from me.

                  I turn to return to the kitchen to get more drinks, when movement catches my eye.  I look and see Eric with some woman draped over his arm, her hand on his shoulder.  They look very intimate and clearly know each other very well.  I cannot help the pain in my chest as I see him with her.

                  He turns and catches my eye.  When he sees me, I see a flash of anger cross his face, before his hand slips around the woman’s waist resting on the top of her ass.  The woman takes this as a sign to move closer to Eric, slipping her lips up to kiss his jaw.  He smirks at me, as I quickly turn away and return to the kitchen trying to catch my breath.

                  What was wrong with me?  Why was a man I barely knew bothering me so much?  I shook off the feeling, restocked my tray and returned to the hall avoiding the area I had seen Eric and his woman.  The night went quickly.  The dancing was beautiful, and you could feel the excitement and love in the air. 

                  “Makes you wish you were one of them, doesn’t it?” Cami asks as we meet in the kitchen after the last of the drinks had been delivered.  There was a full bar also operating in the hall that would stay open until the wee hours of the morning when the celebrating finally wrapped up.

                  “Not at all,” I say crisply as I turn to start helping with the clean-up.  “How can you say that?  Those men are hot.  The women stunning.  I can only imagine how perfect their babies are,” she says wistfully.  I indulge her, smiling at her silliness, “Do not worry.  One day your Prince will come,” I promise her as I reflect on my encounter with the mysterious Eric.

Eric POV

                  I could smell Louisa’s arousal as we danced the remainder of the evening.  I would lose myself in her this evening, forget about my fated mate and consider taking a chosen mate.  I could not entertain a human for a mate.  Our species were top secret and indulging myself in having a human woman would be selfish and disrespectful to our people.

                  I had caught glimpses of Elizabeth and Carter.  The happiness on Elizabeth’s face was worth a thousand words.  Her event had been a huge success.  Many had found their fated mate.  Many were partying the night away while others stole away to mark their fated ones chosen by the Moon Goddess.

                  I felt a sense of bitterness towards the Moon Goddess.  Why?  Why would she have chosen a human woman for me?  The Prince of the Kingdom?  How was that possible?  And how was it fair?  I had heard of the rare times when a wolf had accepted a human mate; however, they had failed miserably at making the transition into our world.  This was for the best; I knew but could not help the feeling of loss.

                  “Let’s get out of here,” I hear Louisa murmur.  While I had not wanted to bother with her earlier, she would serve as a distraction this evening when I needed it most.  I take her hand roughly and tug her behind me.  I knew what she liked, and I heard her giggle at the promise of what was to come.

Julia POV

                  Cami and I make our way out of the kitchens and into the fresh air.  The night was chilly, and I pulled my coat tighter around my body wanting to avoid getting too cold.  Cami and I hurried to the vehicle when I felt my footstep falter.  I went down on one knee as the pain in my abdomen burned viciously.

                  I cried out in pain, as Cami came to my side, “What is it? What is wrong?” she demands as she looks to see if I have hurt myself.  “I do not know,” I whisper.  “It is like I am being stabbed in my stomach,” I share with her as tears fill my eyes.  She looks around and sees a couple walking towards us.

                  “Please help us.  My friend is injured,” Cami calls out to them.  They quickly come over as I am now doubled over in pain.  The couple look to one another when another couple quickly arrives.  “Let’s get her to the hospital,” the woman says as the man moves forward and picks me up in his arms.

                  The pain is starting to subside, and I am feeling a little foolish at my response to the pain when another wave builds up inside me.  This time it feels like fire is raging through my body.  I am clutching at my abdomen once again.  “If I did not know better, I would think she had been rejected tonight,” the woman murmurs with concern.