Cora, A Sidelines Story from Clayton

From Sunday into Monday

The Characters of Clayton, Rya, Kennedy, Dallas, and the Valentines belong to Rachelle. The character of Cora is expanded on with Permission from Rachelle, and is written for the pleasure of the International Wildflower Pack, the WhiskeyQueenn fandom. #WildflowersUnited #iwp

:: Clayton for Wattys 2016 -  We did, it won! :::

Congrats Rachelle !

CLAYTON time frame chapters Sunday and Somebody

From Sunday into Monday

Mark's POV

It's Sunday afternoon and I didn't want to leave Cora and Corina alone, she was still weak from the Alpha Command being removed, but she begged me to watch over Rya today. I went, but I didn't see the point. I knew the female was damaged goods, maybe even delusional. Like everything else here, none of it made sense to me. Rya was rejected, but Moon blessed. Still, I couldn't get over her eyes, the color of the blue moon, but so filled with emptiness and pain she failed to hide. It was grievin' to look in them, the more I thought about it the more it was like she was Moon cursed, but I owed her. She had delivered our pup and Cora had survived, no thanks to that doctor. He knew Cora was suffering double and did nothing, but play on his laptop the whole night. Finally after Corina was born, he gave Cora a shot for the pain. For Cora's sake, I played nice. 

Before he left, Matt had begged me to help her, but more, to be patient with her. They were just alike, willing to give their last drop of blood to the pack, whether it was appreciated or not. So here I was, talking to Charlie and Beau about pack training while watching for her friend. He and Charlie had both found their mates with Vanguard and wanted to leave. And the three of us had decided Alpha Clayton was crazy to give up his mate, but then there were so many rumors going around as to something being wrong with Rya and that is why she was rejected. It made us all wonder. She was beautiful but there was just something off about her. Like the way she answered simple questions, as if her whole demeanor was a carefully practiced lie and just when I thought things could get any stranger, they did.

"There she is," Charlie said as he tipped his beer in her direction.

She was carrying a box of vegetables from the garden Cora had helped Gretchen plant. Dr Dallas was carrying one too. They were smiling. She seemed shy, even as she set the box down. Timid like deer stepping into a meadow. Suddenly, she stiffened.

"Clayton just saw her," Beau pointed out quietly.

Suddenly, Dr Dallas practically dragged her over to the Alpha. There was a small discussion. Luna Catherine's face flushed with anger. We could barely hear what was being said. I shook my head as Alpha Adams lied about Rya's punishment only supposed to last the week. Rya startled, her eyes and voice accusing, then the Alpha bent on a knee and ask her forgiveness and like some martyr from a movie. 

She placed her hand on his head, saying, "I forgive you."

She bowed her head and turned away, only to come face to face with Clayton for the first time. Then things got even weirder. He said her name, only it sounded more like a plea and she collapsed to the ground. We all stood frozen like deer scenting a wolf, silent. Even the birds and wind stilled. The whole world watched the horror of this broken, sobbing she-wolf pawing at the ground at the feet of the mate who rejected her. I was glad Cora wasn't here to see this. She would have killed Clayton or tried. 

Rya stood up shaking so hard she fell down again, making Clayton reach for her. The whole while, Kennedy, his choice mate, clawed at his arm, trying to pull him away from her, pleading for him to stop, to not go to her. In him, everyone could see the war going on between the man and wolf.