The Broken Bonds

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Cedar Pine Pack...

Erik threw the last of the Clorox wipes in the trash after wiping down every surface in his office. He had asked his Beta and former professor turned step grandmother to meet him in his office. Reaching the pack house later than intended he accidentally walked in on his grandfather and Talia having sex on top of his poor desk. He was definitely refurbishing his workplace as soon as possible because the image was now stuck in his brain.

Talia and her new mate thankfully left immediately to finish off elsewhere. A thought that Erik refused to think about.

"So what did you need?" Talia asked breezing into his now sanitized office as if nothing had happened.

Erik rolled his eyes and pulled out some files regarding their business venture in brewing. Ever since the first batch of "Alpha Down" was completed four years before. They have been bombarded with orders and money. Erik was now thinking about expanding the business. The only place that made sense for expansion was the South Bend Pack. A shrewd businessman, Alpha Gingham was very interested in providing land and workers for a small fee of course but it was reasonable.

The only problem with the South Bend Pack, it was where his grandmother currently lived. Alpha Gingham agreed not to press charges against Cathy as long as she gave him all the information he needed and not cause anymore trouble. Always concerned with number one, herself, she quickly gave him David Rameeta's name as the dealer. She had seen him in a cafe after he had just sold some to another wolf. He gave her an extra bottle for her silence. She had no idea who made it.

Steve Hampton was still apparently enamored with her and wanted a unification bond. Erik had no idea if they went through with it or not but that wasn't his problem.

Talia was indifferent to Cathy. She had known her mate since she was sixteen and had fallen in love right away. She thought it would be forever but she didn't have the resources to help the then broke Tommy keep his father's land intact. So a few short years later, her mate offered her choice either she could live as his mistress while he unified a rich heiress or she could accept his rejection.

"Are you rejecting me?" the young Talia asked.

"Of course." Tommy said, refusing to look her in the eye.

Talia pulled the pieces of her broken heart together and hardened them. "Then say the words." she demanded.

Tommy forced the words out though his wolf howled and begged not to let this happen. Talia knew she could end the pain quickly by accepting but she forced herself to wait. "The moment you mark another is the moment that we accept your rejection."

The unification ceremony, a few months later, was a huge celebration. Talia watched from the shadows. Her wolf, Tammy, begged her to stop it. Talia refused and watched as her love kissed another. The couple walked to Tommy's bedroom in the pack house. The father of the she wolf, Tommy's parents, and a few others would bear witness to the marking. Talia stood behind everyone quietly.

The pain was unbearable and she must have made a sound because everyone turned to her. Straightening her shoulders, she looked into the regretful blood stained face of her mate and said, "I, Talia Imogen Taff, accept your rejection."

She left that night after the Alpha said that she was no longer welcomed at the Red Moon Pack since Tommy's unification would bring a huge windfall for everyone. Her "disgusting performance" was an embarrassment. Talia left and never returned. Throughout the years, Tommy tried to contact her. Harassing, stalking, and even threatening but living with her sassy grandmother gave her the steel in her spine that she needed. She had always been strong and nothing was going to keep her down, especially not a puny wolf male pup who couldn't be strong enough to love her.