As I walked out of the office, Liam abruptly grabbed my hand and began dragging me quickly outside. He was probably in a hurry to get rid of me. My hand felt warm, and although his grip was a little too tight for comfort, the warmth felt nice.

We reached his SUV, parked in front of the pack house. He pulled me to the passenger side, opened the door, lifted me into the seat, and slammed the door shut. He circled the car, got into the driver's seat, and tossed a bag into the back. I kept my eyes on the floor, not wanting to anger him.

We drove for a while before I dared to look at him. The human territory was about 1.5 hours away. Liam seemed tense; his knuckles were white on the steering wheel. I didn't know if I should say anything.

The car ride made me nauseous, so I turned to look out the window. As I watched, I realized I was about to be homeless, jobless, penniless, and not yet seventeen. Dread overwhelmed me. I didn't know what to do.

"Um, Alpha Liam, could you… um… stop?" I asked. He didn't seem to hear me; the car continued speeding down the highway.

"Um, excuse me, Alpha Liam?" I said louder. This time, he looked at me.

"You don't look good," he said, his eyes suddenly wide. He slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road. As soon as he stopped, I flung open the door and barely made it out before vomiting the small lunch I'd eaten at school.

"Are you okay?" I heard Liam ask. I felt his large hand on my back and flinched away, trying to straighten up. I nodded, though I was fairly sure I'd vomit again if I got back in the car.

"Look, Azalea, this is for your own good. I just hope you aren't mad," he began.

Confusion struck me for a moment before I understood. "No. I was too much trouble. Alpha Robert and Luna Lyssa had every right to send me away," I said, shaking my head. Maybe he'd let me stand there for a minute before we got back in the car.

Liam gave me an unreadable look—a mixture of anger and sadness, perhaps. He turned away. "Take your time. We'll go when you feel better. I'll wait in the car," he said, returning to the vehicle.

I walked a few feet into the grass, crouching down and clutching my knees. The nausea subsided, but tears streamed down my face. I had only two months and two days until my eighteenth birthday, and now I had nothing.

Liam:

This is killing me. To make matters worse, I was so preoccupied I didn't notice the car was making her carsick. I'm the worst.

She returned to the car after about fifteen minutes. Tear stains marked her cheeks. My heart clenched. I'd told my dad I'd drop her at the diner in the human territory—only twenty minutes away.

I reached into the back and grabbed a bottle of water. I offered it to her, but she shook her head.

"Just drink it!" I snapped, immediately regretting it as she flinched. "Please," I said gently, placing the water in the cup holder.

She nodded and shakily took a small sip. This literal torture would soon end. This only reinforced the need to keep her far away from me. Moving her to the human town, away from most wolves, seemed the safest option. Of course, I didn't tell my parents my real reason for getting rid of her.

I pulled into the small town on the edge of the human territory. I knew of a small inn and planned to pay for a room for her for a couple of weeks so she could find a job. I may be rejecting her, but I'm not a monster.

I got out of the car, opened her door, and offered my hand. She took it hesitantly, and I helped her out. I grabbed the bag I'd packed for her from the back seat.

I led her inside to the counter, rented her a room for two weeks, and slipped the innkeeper a note with my phone number, telling him to call me if she needed more time. He nodded and gave me the key. She stood behind me, eyes on the floor.

"Come on," I said, taking her hand again. I led her to her third-floor room, unlocked the door, and set her bag on the bed. It was now or never. She stood there, arms wrapped around herself, shivering slightly.

"Look, I got you this room so you can get a job and make some money. I didn't want to just leave you here. I have this too," I said, pulling out a small envelope of cash. I held it out to her.

She grabbed it hesitantly and looked inside. Her eyes widened.

"I—I can't—" she started.

"You know Gwen took your money. Think of this as repayment. What we did wasn't okay. You'll be safe here," I interrupted. I sighed. Here goes nothing.

"There's one more thing. Please don't freak out. I promise I'm doing this for your safety." I paused, and she looked at me curiously. She didn't know yet. "I, Liam Blackfur, future Alpha of the Blood Eclipse Pack, reject you, Azalea Simmons, as my mate and future Luna."

Her eyes widened further. She clutched her chest and started breathing heavily. Please say it. Accept the rejection. I don't deserve it, but make this easy.

She fell to her knees. Tears streamed down her face. Now the pain was in my chest. I had to leave. I couldn't wait for her to accept it.

"I'm sorry, Azalea," I whispered and left as quickly as possible. She'll be okay; she has to be.

"Pretty brave young man. But don't be so sure you know what's best for her. Seems you never asked her how she felt about having a mate," a voice said behind me.

I turned to see the innkeeper staring at me. He's a wolf.

"I'll look after her. But don't expect the Moon Goddess to let you off so easily. Rejecting your mate goes against her plan. Seems she doesn't even know you're her mate yet," he continued. I nodded and left.

The entire ride back, a terrible ache was in my chest. Once she accepts this, the pain should go away. I hope.

Azalea:

Since Liam left, my heart has ached. My body feels heavy. I didn't even know I had a mate, let alone the future Alpha. And he rejected me. No wonder he was so angry his father made him bring me.

Everything hurt so badly last night that I didn't unpack or shower. After a couple of hours of restless sleep, I got out of bed, showered, and wrapped myself in a towel. In the mirror, I saw a mess.

My face was red and puffy from crying. Dark circles ringed my eyes.

I can't believe he saw me cry. He took everything—my home, my education, my dignity, and apparently my mate. I couldn't hate him, though. It hurt too much. I opened the envelope of money, counted it, and wrote down the amount. I would repay him, even if it took ten years.

I unpacked my small bag. At the bottom, I found five enormous t-shirts—clearly for a large male wolf. Underneath was a note and a sweater.

Azalea,

I'm sorry I had to do this for your safety. The Moon Goddess made a mistake. You could never be Luna, but you also won't be safe in this pack. Please stay in the human towns. You don't have much, so here are a few of my shirts and a sweatshirt. It will be getting cold soon, and you don't have a wolf to keep you warm. The room is paid for until you can get a job and find a new home. I am also truly sorry for hurting you all these years. I will regret my behavior. Please don't hate me. Good luck.

Liam.

I looked at the sweater—his favorite. He wore it so often I'd wait until he was training to wash it. I smelled the forest on it. Oh, Goddess. All this time, I'd been sleeping on his old pillows, comforted by his scent. I was still a week away from my seventeenth birthday when I would have found him as my mate.

I guess this is best. He rejected me so I can be free. I can be alone and not worry about a mate. He can find happiness with a strong and beautiful she-wolf. I'm not strong or beautiful; I'm not even sure I have a wolf.

I got dressed in a nice outfit—black jeans and a grey scoop-neck t-shirt—dried and combed my dull copper hair, and went downstairs. I needed a newspaper to find a job.

As I reached the landing, I saw an older man at the counter.

"Um, excuse me," I asked.

"Speak up, girl. What can I do for you?" he said gruffly.

"Um, where can I get a newspaper? I need to find a job," I said louder.

"Girl, speak up! I'm old!" he said. "Can you clean?" I nodded. "What about cooking?" I nodded again.

"Good. Job found. I need a housekeeper and my cook is on vacation. Can you handle it? Start today?"

I beamed. Maybe this will be better.

After accepting the job, Mr. Greyback took me to his office to fill out paperwork. He explained the inn's operations and my duties—five and a half days a week, with one and a half days off. He'd pay a salary, and my meals would be provided. I assured him I didn't need much food, but he insisted I needed to gain weight.

After a tour and a list of duties, Mr. Greyback told me to get some work clothes and a jacket. I found a thrift store and bought work clothes, pajamas, a jacket, shoes, and a nice outfit for a small amount of Liam's money.

I also got a library card and some study books. I would finish school. I took the clothes and books back to the inn.

Today was good, but when I closed my room door, I faced reality again. Liam rejected me. I felt a hole where my heart should be. I sat on the bed, arms wrapped around myself. I felt cold.

There was a knock. Mr. Greyback stood there with a tray—a peanut butter sandwich, an apple, and milk.

"Here, girly. Eat something. Breakfast is at 8 a.m.," he said.

I smiled. "Thank you."

I ate gratefully, changed into pajamas, and got into bed. This bed was bigger and more comfortable. But I still felt cold and achy. After thirty minutes, I got up and touched the sweatshirt. It was warm and soft. Liam's scent surrounded me. The ache lessened. I drifted off to a dreamless sleep. Maybe this won't be so bad.