Chasing My Rejected Luna
Chapter 99

TEGAN'S

P.O.V

The room was deadly silent.

"He is the one?" I asked, walking to her side.

Thinking back on when I first arrived. When Imagen found out who my pack was, she looked absolutely terrified. I never pushed for answers, maybe I should have. But everyone is entitled to their secrets.

Her eyes cut over to me before cutting back over to Fredrick as he neared.

"Fredrick, stop walking this direction." I said sticking my hand up. "Can't you see she is fucking terrified of you!?" I yelled at my idiot brother.

"She hasn't let me explain anything. She has taken every opportunity to avoid me." He said, reminding me of myself for a moment. But this was different, I didn't blame her for this.

I looked around the room at the peering eyes.

"Let's go somewhere more private."

"I just want to explain... -"

"I SAID SOMEWHERE PRIVATE." I yelled at my pestering brother. "Ezra, we will be in the office. Enjoy the rest of the gathering. I have to get this corrected before it festers any more."

He shook his head before diverting everyone back to their own business. I put my hand on the small of Imagen's back leading her out first, while remaining between them. I knew Fredrick wouldn't hurt her, but she was absolutely terrified, and I promised her I wouldn't let her mate hurt her. I meant every word, physically or emotionally. I wouldn't allow it. Not that I could guard her emotions, but I damn sure would try.

"Sit here." I said to Fredrick pulling out a chair before guiding Imagen to the very end of the long table, giving her plenty of space to breathe.

"Imagen, please hear me out before you do what I know you're going to do." Fredrick pleaded.

Her eyes cut to me as if asking me to speak for her but I only shook my head.

'Explain then, go on.' She signed.

Freedrick's eyes then shot to me before coming back to Imagen.

"You can't talk... She can't talk." Fredrick said more to himself than to us. "Was she born like you?" He asked, looking at me.

I looked at Imagen and signed if she wanted me to tell him or not, she looked unsure for a moment before finally agreeing.

"She lost her voice when I came to the pack. She had her throat slashed open and it initially killed her."

His eyes bulged out his skull as he jumped up from his seat looking more terrified than I had ever seen before.

"The Moon Goddess allowed her to come back but her vocal cords were cut, and could not be repaired. So she can hear, but she no longer can talk." I said finishing my sentence. Fredrick's eyes scanned her before looking back at me.

"Who did this?" He asked, anger rolling off his tongue.

"I'm not even sure she is alive anymore." I said with a shrug.

"Who was it, Tegan?" He asked, impatiently.

'L' Imagen signed the letter.

"L" Fredrick repeated after.

They went on signing and saying the letters until she fully signed out her name.

"Now put all the letters together." I said to Fredrick as they got to the last letter.

"L-Y-D-I-A, It was, LYDIA!?" He raged, making Imagen jump in fright.

"And here I am wanting to take over her pack. The pack that may or may not be just like the damn cunt." He said in disbelief moreso to himself as he sat down in a huff. "Fredrick, explain what you need to. She is waiting."

His eyes cut up to us as they filled with fear.

"Okay, but please listen to it all before you make any judgment calls." He said, Imagen nodding her head, but her hand tightened in mine.

"What happened wasn't supposed to go down. We were on a mission to extract someone. Apparently someone that father really needed or wanted. When we were there, we were on strict orders to get in and get out. It was a stupid ass mission when you're sent in with only one person knowing the target. I remember walking through the lands and Darion yelling out. 'I found the bitch, let's go!' None of us questioned him, we turned to get out of there as quickly as we would. When we reached the border a wind howled so loudly I thought we would be swept away by the earth. Dirt flew everywhere, it was like we were blindly walking through a sand storm. Howls sounded out and our men started getting pulled into the sand storm, quickly disappearing.

I was no more than 14 or 15 years old, scared and just trying to stay alive. Darion hollered we needed to make it out, but she didn't need to. He sliced the woman's throat, the sand storm slowly began to dwindle down. He then grabbed my arm darting for the treeline. Very few of us remained as we tried to escape. I could hear feet pounding behind us before this lady appeared. A witch, saying she could help. I didn't even know what it meant to take her help at the time but we were desperate. When we took her hand, she snapped her fingers, everyone running at us, dropping dead in an instant. She then brought us home. Upon arrival she told father, "You owe me now, one tribal wolf for another." and that was it."

"Who was the target?" I asked, connecting the dots.

"Some woman. I never understood why he wanted to trade her. The witch said if he brought her that one, his wolf could live. We had no idea what she even meant by Tribal wolf, but we failed none-the-less. We didn't extract her. So father owed a debt. Then when you left for the Kingdom the witch came back, more angry than ever. He apparently crossed her. The debt he owed, he didn't pay." Fredrick said, looking at me.

"Me." I said, closing my eyes at the realization.

"She told him he now worked for her, and his debt will be paid in one way or another."

"But father hated me, why wouldn't he just give me to her?"

"Because the Kingdom offered money. The witch didn't offer a thing, only demanded. Plus he was so sure you weren't a Tribal wolf."

"Who was the lady Fred, the one yall were sent to extract?"

"Her name was Emilia. That's all I know." He replied before looking at Imagen. "If your family was among the wolves, I am so sorry. It wasn't supposed to go down like that, nobody was supposed to die."

Her eyes were full of unshed tears. She watched him, looking to see if he was telling the truth. His face never wavering.

"I didn't kill anyone." He then said in a begging voice.

'No you signed their death certificates.' She signed, his face contorting to confusion.

"He had no way of knowing she would do that." I said looking at her, hoping she understood that. "Imagen, who was Emilia?" I finally asked.

'My mother. She signed as tears flooded down her face.