CHAPTER 9


    MELISSA.


    "What is it?" I ask one of the warrior wolves as he runs up to me.


    "We found some blood stains on rocks on the other side of the river, as well as this," he says as he


    holds up a dirty and bloodied piece of cloth.


    "This looks familiar," I mutter as I take it.


    "It should. It was torn from that she-wolf''s dress."


    "I see. Where did you say you found this? Where exactly?"


    "It was up some rocks. It looked like she tumbled down into theke."


    "Tumbled?"


    "Thrown. I believe she was thrown off or shoved. Either way, no one would willingly go that far into


    the crags."


    "Very well. Go back to the pack and get a canoe, we will need it to paddle across."


    "Yes, ma''am."


    I take a short stroll across the river bank as the man runs back for the canoe.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I know in my gut that this is the skylight pack''s doing. I just know it.


    The amount of corpses that have washed up from the mud river bank is just downright disgusting.


    What kind of pack kills its people?


    I don''t realize the passing by, so lost in my thoughts that it takes another warrior tapping on my


    shoulder to realize that the canoe is ready.


    Without any fuss, the five of us pile ourselves into and row upstream,ing to a slow stop at the


    base of the crags.


    We begin the slow but steady climb as we use the bloodied piece of clothing to track the scent.


    Wee to a narrow path that leads to a small quaint clearing, just outside of the Skylight pack.


    In the middle of the clearing are thorn pieces of clothes as well as arge dried stain of blood.


    The monsters.


    BLACKWATER PACK.


    CATHERINE.


    "Don''t worry about this, they will have it fixed within a day," Diana, Damon''s mother, assures me as


    we take a stroll around the mansion.


    "Thank you. For everything. Everyone has been so wonderful to me since I got here."


    "Don''t mention it. It is a tragedy that you were found like that. Beaten and left for dead. I can''t


    believe people can be such monsters."


    I can. I lived with them.


    "Why don''t you tell me about this mate that you had? The one who rejected you," she says as we


    take a seat on the balcony chairs.


    "What do you want to know?" I ask.


    "What is his name?"


    "I can''t tell you that," I say.


    "Why not? Do you still want him?"


    "Oh no. That is not it. I just- I guess I don''t want people to link me with him. He rejected me and that


    is that."


    "Hmm, if that is what you want. It doesn''t matter anyway, you have a more wonderful mate,


    Damon."


    "I suppose."


    "Hmm? That didn''t sound very enthusiastic. Why?"


    "I don''t know. Damon says he is my mate, you say he is my mate. My wolf urges me to ept him,


    but- but I don''t feel it. The mate bond. I felt it with V-, my other mate, but I don''t feel it with him."


    "I see. Did you ept the rejection?"


    I snort at her question.


    "I did. I didn''t have any choice but to," I answer.


    "What do you mean?" she asks.


    "Well, when he rejected me, I walked away. But then I was osted by… some people, who beat


    me until I was forced to ept it."


    "So, what you are saying is that you were coerced?"


    Huh.


    "Yes, I suppose so."


    "Well, that doesn''t count!" she exims.


    "It doesn''t?"


    "No. It doesn''t. The rejection was not coerced, was it? He rejected you willingly?"


    "Yes."


    "Then your eptance must be willing too. You have to be willing in your heart to let go of the mate


    bond. Only then, will you truly be free to move on."


    "Oh, I didn''t know."


    "Yes, I suppose so. It is not a thing that is usually discussed. You will rarely see wolves rejecting


    their mates. In this case, it worked out well for you."


    "Hmm."


    "What? You don''t want to let him go?"


    "I-, I don''t know. I don''t know what I want," I confess.


    "Cat. May I call you Cat? Catherine is a mouthful."


    "Of course."


    "This mate that you had, was he ever kind to you? Did he care for you? Did he even offer a reason


    for his rejection?"


    "No, no, and no."


    "Then, the way I see it, you owe him nothing. He has moved on with his life, so should you. It is the


    best thing you can do for yourself. And I am not just saying this so you can feel the mate bond, I am


    saying this because you deserve a life on your terms."


    "I am scared," I whimper.


    "I know. It must be hard, choosing to let go of your dreams and past. But you will grow stronger for


    it. And then we will all have the opportunity to discover who Catherine Thames is. Without her past


    holding her down."


    Later, in my room with the new door installed, I stand in the shower as the hot water runs down my


    body.


    The bruises have all but faded and they don''t even hurt anymore.


    Who is Catherine Thames? I wonder.


    Without the stigma, the attacks, and the fear, who am I?


    I want to meet her.


    To know her.


    I deserve to see who and what I am capable of.


    I towel off and step out of the bathroom and head to the dressing mirror.


    I take my time, staring at my reflection.


    And with a deep breath, "I, Catherine Thames, ept the rejection of my mate, Vance Sky."


    ***********


    SKYLIGHT PACK.


    VANCE.


    "Aargh."


    I wake up with the most vicious and gut-wrenching pain in my heart.


    My wolf is going crazy in my head, howling and wailing like it is the end of the world.


    "What? What is it?"


    "She epted it. Catherine epted your rejection."


    Oh.


    What have I done?