Breaking the Bond that Binds.

Chapter 5 - Rejected

  I apologise again for any typos, no amount of staring at the writing makes me see them straight away.

With my birthday a day away I'm feeling increasingly uneasy. Now that I live outside the Lycan community I have no support, no one to ask for advice at a time like this. I'm unsure what will happen when I come of age. I know my senses will become sharper and the bond with my wolf will strengthen. As I have already found and lost my mate, the rest is a mystery. My connection with Damien, these days is a rare flash of an image. Sometimes a room, or a snippet of conversation. Other times I see his reflection in a mirror...nothing substantial. It doesn't hurt anymore. Perhaps with turning 18, even those glimpses of him will disappear. Whatever happens, my main concern is that the important people in my life, my humans, aren't affected by it. I live with two humans and I've carefully kept my past hidden from them for almost a year and a half. I don't want to spoil things between us.

Kevin Wilson is my Saviour. I would do anything to protect him. My wolf would shred anyone who even looked at him the wrong way. He found me living on the streets and took me in. Gave me a job, a room in his home, and gave me purpose, with no questions asked. He did it all against all the well-meaning advice he got from friends and family. Kevin accepted me at face value and I will never let him down. He is worth a hundred of my kind.

One of those people who distrusted me the most and complained the loudest at first was his son James. Ironically, he ended up being my first lover and is now my closest friend, something I thought I would never have. Kevin doesn't know about us and that's for the best. Neither James nor I want to complicate things. The three of us work at Kevin's artisan bakery and we live in a huge house together. Kevin out the back in a separate flat and us in the main house. Which I have to say is very convenient when either of us gets a little twitchy. We have sex because it's convenient. It's also very good. We are friends most of the time, and lovers occasionally. We realised early on that we could say anything to each other and it grew into mutual trust and respect. Of course, I have one secret I have to keep.

How funny, I'm a Lycan apprentice baker, with a human best friend, and human lovers. They say I'm beautiful, desirable and no one calls me a freak anymore.

....

Damien PoV Past

All the details have been worked out and settled, well between everyone except Virgil. He is beyond normal conversation. The moment he awoke he immediately started to feel the effects of being on heat and became frenzied again. The physician told me nothing but mating with him would calm him, but that wasn't happening. I had no choice but to have him sedated again. I felt everything he did and I was at my wit's end trying to control myself. For him, it would have been torture. As his mate, I should have protected him. Instead, like a coward I turned him into a halfdead thing, so I could save myself from feeling his longing and pain. He whimpered in his sleep, sometimes calling out my name. I only trusted myself once to touch him, his feverish skin burned my fingertips. The kiss I placed on his hand held the lifetime of love we were meant to have. We had at least one kiss before it all ended.

A representative for The Pure spoke to Virgil's parents and explained the situation. There was no problem there. They assumed he would be rejected. They were given an annuity, not to silence them but as the parents of the intended mate of the Alpha, rejected or not. Our pack was wealthy and money meant little to us. They were ordered to be present when he was rejected and then he could return home to go on with his life.

I also insisted that money was to be set aside for Virgil's personal use when he came of age. It was doubtful that he would see any of the money given to his parents. I wanted him to at least be financially secure. He was smart and it would pay for University and set him up for the future. It was the least I could do for him. I wonder when I have a new mate, when she and I have a house full of Purebloods to raise, will I be able to forget him? Is it possible to wipe him, along with the regret and shame from my memory?

....

I am to reject Virgil in the Chapel before all our ancestors. The Pure are all here, along with the head of each of the High Ranked families. Looking conspicuous amongst this Pureblood Royalty are Vigil's parents. The Alpha and Luna lead the procession into the Chapel. I follow and behind me is Virgil assisted by attendants. He is in a daze from the drugs he's been given but at least able to walk. He is aware of his surroundings and what he needs to do. Mother has been kind and gentle with him. Explaining everything to Virgil carefully as she patted his cheek. Mother held his hand until she was sure he understood.

The Chapel itself is small and very austere. It has dark grey marble walls and a small altar facing the entrance. There are no windows and only one large spherical light hangs in the centre of the room. To one side of the altar is a heavy door with a large iron bolt. It leads to the sacred area below. The Chapel we are standing in is only the tip of the iceberg, the main area is below, hidden away.

Standing and waiting for everyone to take their place is nerve-racking. I can feel Virgil's eyes on me. I want to look at him, hold him and tell him this is for his own good, but I don't look at him. I won't acknowledge his existence until I have to. Instead, I keep telling myself I have no choice. We will both be able to breathe again once this is done. My father calls me forward to stand at the altar. Then he calls Virgil to take his place, the attendants help him stand in front of me.

It is the first time we have looked at each other properly, eye to eye. He is beautiful beyond belief. Virgil has amazing green eyes. I cringe to see them full of tears, and his lush sweet mouth trembling. He is barely holding himself together. We are so close, the pull is overwhelming.

I take a deep breath and brace myself "I, Damien Costas, Alpha of the Pure Blood pack reject you as my mate. Our bond is broken with the blessing of the Goddess." There was silence for a minute.

I jumped back in shock when Virgil howled in agony, rearing back and throwing off the attendants like rag dolls. Everyone stood back in surprise. He stared at me for a moment, his beautiful face made ugly and defiant by the pain he was feeling. His wolf suddenly leapt forward to protect him. It was so close I could feel its breath. Its red eyes blazed hatred at me and its lips were drawn back to bare its jagged teeth. Just as quickly as it appeared, it retreated. Virgil looked at me without a speck of emotion on his face and said...

"I accept. Our bond is broken with the blessing of the Goddess.' Virgil tried and failed to hold back another howl. In the end, he let loose a loud heartbreaking cry. It felt like a dagger to my heart. Then fell back hitting the hard Chapel floor with a thud.

There is a rush for the door, and a feeling of panic fills the room. None of us had seen a rejected mate react that way. It is painful but it isn't normal for the mate to retaliate...his wolf was ready to attack....unheard of. The attendants and Virgil are the last to leave the Chapel. I go with them back to the car where the physician is waiting.

....

The car has left the compound and I'm alone. I'm trying to work out how I feel. I wait and wait...then I realise...I feel nothing. The bond, the heat are gone but so has everything else. I feel empty.

.