The Failed Rejection
Chapter 36

Brad pov

Brad was packing his bags to leave his home pack from his weeks leave. While he felt pain the first several days after accepting the rejection, the pain was finally fading. He felt like he could start his life. Brad had been dealing with this for years.

Brad finally wanted to move on with his life, he just wasn’t sure what that meant for him. Brad thought about Alpha Brooks, maybe she would have something for him. Brad could always stay in the B***d Howlers pack, he had family here. However, there just wasn’t a challenge for him that he and his wolf craved. Brad was packing his small duffel bag when he got a mindlink.

“Brad I’d like to speak to you in my office before you leave,” Alpha Killian mind linked him

“Yes sir, I’ll be there shortly,” Brad responded. Brad went ahead and headed up to the floor of the alpha’s office. The walk was short, the pack house was five floors, the top floor was strictly limited to alpha family and friends. The alpha’s office was moved to the third floor to keep the alpha’s family life private.

Lili didn’t even allow anyone on the floor to clean the house. She was insanely protective of her kids. Brad didn’t think his sister was doing anything wrong. There had been so many times he had been called in because alpha’s took their status for granted, and people kidnapped their kids. Brad quickly approached the alphas office and knocked on the door.

“Enter,” Killian said from the other side. Brad opened the door and revealed Killian sitting at his desk. Brad quickly accessed the room, he only saw the alpha. Brad walked to the desk and sat down in a chair.

“You wanted to see me Alpha Killian?”

“Well Brad I’ll get right to the point, you know my son Callum is special. There have already been a few attacks on the pack. One you have been there for.” Killian started.

“There have been more?” Brad asked concerned. Killian nodded,

“Several when he was a baby, and we are always target for rogues who are drawn to his aura,” Killian stated. Brad nodded,

“Well what?” Brad started.

“What does that have to do with you? Well Jackson has told me you excel in your weapons training correct?” Killian asked. Brad nodded,

“I excel in all areas of training, but I do prefer working with guns as well as crossbows. The one you got me for Christmas is a beauty.” He gushed. Killian smiled,

“Good Lili was worried about it.” Brad couldn’t help but laugh at that.

“So what can I do alpha?” Brad asked.

“Well I want you to build the packs armory, and train my warriors,” Killian stated plainly. Brad was shocked,

“What?” Killian nodded,

“Most packs rely on old school techniques of fighting. With what’s coming we have to strategize and think of a new way to a leg up on the enemy. We need your help on this Brad. I also don’t want you to train just the warriors. I’d eventually want the elderly to be able to know how to use at least a gun. I really think this is key. Please think about it.” Killian offered him. Brad nodded,

“Thank you for the offer alpha. I will consider it,” Brad said and both men stood shaking hands. Brad exited the room. He walked out and went back up to the Alpha floors. Callum just got up from his nap. It was so odd to see a boy who seemed to be ten years old taking naps. In reality the boy was only five years old. Brad watched as Callum interacted with his mother. He was a sweet little boy, he loved his mother very much.

“Protect family,” his wolf rumbled out. Brad was shocked his wolf hadn’t talked to him in at least a year, not since the rejection. Brad could still shift, but he was completely cut off from his wolf. That was the true reason he was so into weapons, he was afraid one day that he would loose his wolf forever. Brad had always like weapons skills that they had taught, but his wolf had cried out for his mate and family. Cried out for a connection. Brad couldn’t give it to his wolf, cause his mate didn’t want him. His family wanted him, Brad could give him this.

“Okay bud, I will go back and cancel my contact as soon as possible.”

“Want family, stay.”

“We will come back.”

“Alpha I accept your offer, I have to go back and finish out my contract with the council. But I’ll come back.” Brad could feel the relief through the mindlink,

“Thanks Brad.” Brads wolf didn’t say anything, but he did feel a connection with his wolf that didn’t feel for years.

.

Braxton pov

Since returning to his pack in Alaska Braxton’s life has been a series of activity. Braxton left his father in charge of the pack for the time being. He was too busy with his brothers taking care of this unknown threat.

Braxton wanted to call Penelope every day, but it just didn’t feel right. His heart was still broken and aching from the loss of his mate and pup. It took a month for Brax to work up the courage to go visit their grave. While most shifters honor their ancestors and burn the bodies in a ceremonial pyre Brax could do that to his mate.

Brax just worked up the courage to go to the burial spot this morning. Brax walked up to his mates headstone. Braxton didn’t bury his mate and cub in the graveyard, he had them laid to rest together where the two of them spent all of their most important memories together. The forest. There was a little creek where Brax and his mate would hunt fish and play for hours. Brax and Mariana would sneak off, and play in this creek all day. Hiding from their parents and siblings. It’s where they shared their first k**s, lost their virginity together.

Mari brought him here hours before the Ceremony to tell him that she was expecting their first cub. It was the only place that made sense when she died. The pack doctor tried to save the cub when Mariana died, but it was too late. The cub went too long without oxygen. His poor cub suffocated.

Brax was not the same after. He was full of anger and hatred. It was not uncommon for shifters to go feral after their mates die. But this was something different. Braxton’s anger was focused on wolves, as well as other supernatural creatures that use bear shifters simply for muscle, and it’s his mate that paid the price. So he has to make them pay, but first he has to grieve their loss, and to do that he needs to see them.

Braxton walked the familiar path to the small creek by himself. His brothers offered to go with him, but he turned them down. Brax needed to do this by himself. Soon the heavily wooded area cleared and the creek came into view. As did the headstone. Braxton approached it slowly, as if it was something that would attack him. In a way it would. Braxton looked at the headstone.

Mariana and Talia

Mate and Daughter

Taken too soon

April 12 2021

Braxton made it to the gravestone and cried his eyes out. Brax fell to his knees bowing his head. He hated that this seemed like yesterday to him. In reality he knew that he had never really grieved for them. Braxton held the hate so much that he couldn’t grieve. Now. Now he had something he wanted to move toward. Braxton would never forget these two people he loved more than life itself. When he thought of Penelope, Braxton knew within his very being that she was worth healing for.

Braxton just had to hope Penelope felt the same about him. The two of them both had to heal. Braxton couldn’t stop thinking of her words for the past several months.

It’s why he always stopped short when he reached out to call or texted her. Braxton wasn’t done healing, and neither was she. Goddess he missed her. Braxton looked at the headstone of his mate, he missed all of his girls.

When Braxton finally returned back to the packhouse it was in an uproar. His brothers were running around yelling, some were clapping.

“Denali what’s going on?” Braxton asked.

“We did it! We finally did it!” Dakota yelled excitedly.

“What?” Brax asked.

“We managed to get an invite to an auction in two weeks,” Knox told him and gave him a hug. Braxton was shocked. How was that possible.

“How?”

“Alpha Thorn,” Dakota stated.

“That son of a b***h! What does he have to do with it?” That old disgusting wolf alpha, he had territory a few hours from here.

“Dad!” One of his brother said.

“Dad?” He asked confused.

“Dad knew he had a ticket and blackmailed him. He told him he had a few months to get his pack in order or he was calling the council.” Denali told him. Braxton was conflicted. While he was glad he got the tickets for the auction, he was upset because obviously there was something going on at that pack that was Illegal.

“First the auctions son, then we will deal with the wolf pack son,” his father came into the room. Braxton looked at his father and nodded.

“Thanks dad,” Braxton said.

“You are right son, we need to fight this fight. We are white bears, it’s time to show everyone what we are made of.” His fathers words filled him with confidence he didn’t know he needed.

“Where?”

“Boston.”