The Failed Rejection
Chapter 51

Braxton pov

The past week has been nothing but chaos for everyone in the midnight howlers pack. Brad went back to the council to try and see who is behind the human experiments. Killian and Seth are researching the supernaturals who showed up at the auction, specifically the beta Killian mindlinked with. Brad was able to give them names which helped, but it only gave them more research. Holden was MIA. Nathan had to return to his pack or pride for an emergency. Which caused Lili and Killian to be more anxious.

Braxton was beyond frustrated with everything going on around him that he simply had to take a run through the woods. When he was running through the woods he couldn’t help but think of his mate.

When it came time to leave for Axel’s pack Brax couldn’t help but second guess leaving. This pack needed him and his brothers. Killian pushed him out the door.

“Go, I’m sure Axel could use your help too,” Killian commented and that reminded him that Axel had a rogue attack right before the alpha returned home.

When they arrived at the White Claw pack things were off to say the least. Axel was no where to be found, and Heath had to greet them at the pack house.

“Is this them?” Heath asked the cubs and Brax decided not to be a smartass as it was clear Heath was under a lot of stress.

“What happened?” Denali asked straightforwardly. Heath looked at the cubs,

“Wayne!” And a smaller bearshifter came up. The man was still large by human standards, but not by beard. “Hey little cubs this is Wayne he’s going to see you get settled okay?” Heath asked and the little cubs nodded but looked back at Braxton.

“I’ll be around don’t worry.” The second the cubs got out of earshot Braxton asked, “what’s going on?” Heath sighed,

“It’s been a disaster.” Heath started walking and we followed him. They walked to the alpha’s office where Heath only allowed him inside. Heath had some one show them to their rooms before showing them inside.

“There was a rogue attack,” Heath said as he plopped down on a chair.

“What happened?” He asked.

“They distracted us while other rogues went into our dungeons and specifically targeted detainees for escape. Svetlana is here trying to get information on those left behind, but those who came were professional.” Heath told him and Braxton was on high alert.

“Where’s Alpha Axel?” Heath sighed heavily.

“One of those escaped was his ex-mate. She had betrayed Axel, the pack demanded her death.” Heath paused, “Axel just couldn’t kill her when the time came and she’s been in the dungeons ever since. When Axel came back to the pack and heard the news he’s been trying to hunt her down.”

“Where’s Svetlana?” Braxton asked and suddenly a voice popped up from behind him.

“Here!” Braxton was shocked by her sudden appearance, not used to being around witches.

“Hello Svetlana, it’s good to see you again,” Braxton said with a smile. Svetlana responded in kind,

“It’s nice to see you as well, and congratulations on your mating, Penelope is a wonderful woman.” Braxton smiled,

“She truly is, can you please tell me what you have found?” He asked.

“I looked through the minds of the people in the dungeons and it seems to be a professional job, one may have been a low level witch to bust the locks.” Professional? That had his bear stirring in his mind.

“Can you show me what you saw?” Svetlana nodded and placed her hand on his head. The images Svetlana collected from the other detainees shocked Braxton. The gear was identical from the men who ran the auction. Brax didn’t think it was a coincidence. The timing alone suggested they knew Axel was away and his pack was vulnerable. If it wasn’t the werewolf council it was men the council hired. He had to get ahold of Killian.

“We need to get Axel back here so he knows what’s going on in his own pack.” Braxton went to the phone to call Killian.

“I mindlinked him, but he’s blocked me off.” LB gave Killian a quick run down of what had happened and what he believed to be going on.

“What do we do?” Brax asked.

“What does your instincts tell you?” Killian asked and Axel just arrived into the office.

“They got what they wanted and they won’t be coming back, the best we can do is figure out who they took. Maybe Brad will be able to get some information on the rogues,” Brax explained. The bearshifters didn’t have an council like the wolf’s did, we believed it would lead to corruption. While it’s clear the bears were right, the council had a lot of benefit such as a database of rogues. That way if one crossed your territory you could check to see if they were violent or not. This tool also could be manipulated as well by bad alphas, but it did have its uses.

“Sounds good, otherwise stick to your plan and head out to Philadelphia to get your answers.” Braxton agreed then hung up.

.

Liliana pov

Oh Goddess she was a terrible Luna. Killian told her everything that was going on with Holden and Lili couldn’t believe she had been so self-absorbed with her kids that she wasn’t aware what was going on with her pack. Poor Holden, he had been such a good Gamma the last several years, he truly deserved the title. He didn’t deserve the way Kara was treating him.

However, what didn’t make sense was Kara’s anger at not only Penelope but her as well. Lili was still on bed rest so she had Helen and Lola go talk to the omegas. The omegas knew everything and Lili couldn’t help but feel there was something deeper at play here.

When the short report came back Lili had a hunch and she had Killian take her down to the Gamma floor.

Lili heard screaming coming from Holden’s room as they were arriving.

“Just accept my rejection already!” Kara was screaming.

“Okay I Holden,” Holden started to say when Killian and Lili busted through the door.

“Holden don’t!” Killian commanded and looked to Kara. “Calm down Kara.” Kara finally calmed down. Lili was able to project some of her Luna aura through out the room and everyone was able to calm down slightly.

“Alpha I think this is personal,” Holden admitted.

“Holden, why don’t we talk in my office and then go from there.”

They found themselves in the alphas office sitting in a tense silence. There was a knock at the door. Luckily their baby was at the pack daycare and had missed the big blowup,

“Enter.” Killian stated and in walked Liliana’s mother, Holden seemed to find that odd but didn’t comment. The silence was deafening and Holden apparently couldn’t take it any longer.

“What’s going on? I’ve tried to stick it out, but I can’t handle Kara’s mood swings and jealousy any longer. I love you Kara, but you just aren’t the same any longer, and you rejected me first.” Holden explained. Kara cried but Lili interjected before Kara did.

“Kara I think it’s time to tell Holden the truth and for you to get the help you need,” Liliana stated in a strong voice. Kara looked at her in a hateful glare.

“This is all your fault, everything was going fine until you became Luna.”

“No Kara it wasn’t,” Barb stated gently but firmly. “You may have been able to hold it together, but we both know you were a mess inside. It all would have fell apart eventually, believe me I know the same thing happened to me,” Barb stated. Holden looked around confused,

“Kara what’s going on? What do you need to tell me?” There was silence for a few minutes and Kara started crying silently.

“Holden do you remember my oldest sister?” Liliana asked and Holden nodded,

“Yeah, Killian put them to death for crimes against the omegas.”

“Those crimes were?”

“He…” Holden trailed off and looked at Kara started crying heavily but silently. Kara’s eyes were firmly on the ground.

“Oh Goddess! I’m going to be sick! Some of the things I said to you.” Holden went and violently threw up in the trash can.

“Why didn’t you come forward?” Killian asked. It seemed Kara didn’t hate Killian as she spoke to Killian with respect.

“I didn’t want anyone to know that what he did to me. What him and his mate had done to me,” Kara said in a weak voice.

“What did she do to you?” Killian asked in a gentle voice.

“She beat me up after finding the two of us together. When he was done with me he laughed. She came around the corner in pain and completely furious. He laughed at her jealously and pain then he simply left and she was furious. She took all of her anger out on me. She beat me unconscious.” Kara told them all and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

“Why do you want to reject Holden?” Killian asked.

“I don’t! I love him! I love the life we have built together, it’s just you! Your family have destroyed everything!” Kara screamed.

“Kara do you want to get better? Do you want to live as the Gamma female in this pack?” Holden asked his mate. “Or do you want to leave this place and never return? What do you want to do? I will do whatever you want, but please don’t reject me. The only thing I ask of you is to please get help, for our child.” Holden begged of his mate. The office was silent for a long period of time while Kara pulled herself together.

“I do want our family Holden, I love you. I will get help, as for the rest of it, I don’t know.” Holden nodded,

“I couldn’t ask for anything else.”

.

“What did you say to her?” Lili asked after the doctors took Kara away. Holden sighed,

“Kara would scream at me when she was pregnant that Penelope and I lost our virginities to each other. She said I ruined everything. I took her rants for a long time, but one day I snapped and said well it’s not like you were a virgin when we mated either.” Holden sighed, “I had no idea she was a victim of SA.”

“Holden that isn’t that bad, when you puked I thought you called her a slut or something,” Liliana stated and Holden sighed.

“How did you find out?” Holden asked.

“I wasn’t for sure to be truthful. I just found out from Lola that Kara worked in the kitchens when she was in school and I talked to my mom about some of her behavior. I knew the kitchen was where Adam prowled for a long time.” Holden smiled at Lili,

“That’s for talking to your mom for me.” Lili and her mothers relationship was still rocky, but her mother was healing from her own SA. Her mother buried it for over twenty years before she finally had a breakdown. There were a lot of emotional triggers before her mother finally just broke, and her mother didn’t want to be around her any longer. Those in the inner circle knew of Lili’s struggle.

“Holden you are an amazing Gamma, you are worth it, Kara too I only wish we could of stopped him sooner.”

“That bastard did a lot of damage, I wish I could kill him all over again,” Killian swore.

“Get in line,” Holden said and then excused himself as he went with his mate to the pack infirmary to get her settled in.