Chapter 13

Elena

The sun is about to disappear between a line of trees, and there is so much to be done before me and my team can return home. But all I can think about is Vladimir telling Mia his wolf is feral. No wonder he is full of welts and cuts. His wolf should have been able to heal them.

The tip of my fingers touches his chest. Beneath all the dry blood that covers Vladamir's body, I can tell he has many scars. Max has abused my mate for a long time and subjected him to torture, and that is unacceptable! When I get my hands on Max, I will show him what torture really means!

Vladimir gazes at me with pained eyes, and I know rejecting him will hurt like a motherfucker, but as a vampire huntress having a weakness can result in many people dying.

Mia huffs her disagreement. 'Vladimir is not a weakness!'

'Think about it! His wolf is feral and he can't rely on him! What will happen when Mihnea finds out that I have found my mate? Have you stopped to think that Mihnea can use Vladimir to get to me? I have to put the safety of the pack first!' I snap at her.

Mia paces in my head, clearly upset. 'Mihnea is your mistake! Why must I suffer the consequences of your stupidity? I want my mate and pups!'

I know Mia is right; my actions got me to the point where I must reject my soulmate. Mia will have to say goodbye to her dream of being a mother because even if I choose to be with a companion, there is no guarantee we can have pups. Companions rarely have children.

The mating bond draws me to Vladimir and urges me to claim him as my own, but if I do that, there is no turning back.

While I rely more on logic, my wolf is pure instinct. And I know her instinct tells her to claim her mate. 'And there is the problem with the crime he had been accused of! I think Max said Vladimir killed his sister,' I say to my wolf.

'Each time we have visited the Silver Pack, you have seen how arrogant Max has been. He barely noticed you. No wonder he did not recognize you the moment you stepped into his office. And yet you believe what he tells you!' Mia says sarcastically.

The last time I was in this pack was around six years ago when I was fifteen. I must admit that I wasn't interested in meeting new werewolves or what my father had to talk about with the former Alpha of this pack, and I preferred to remain in the car, studying. Max and his father, Alpha Andrei, were waiting for my father in the parking lot. Max glanced at me for a moment, and I hid my face behind my textbook because, up to that point, I had met many Alpha's sons, most of whom were arrogant and stupid. Max was no exception. The other times I have been in the pack, he never once spoke to me because I was a girl, whatever that meant. While reading, I felt his eyes on me, so I peeked at him, and I could see him grinning like an idiot, probably thinking I was blushing like a virgin in front of a cock. My eyes rolled so hard in the back of my head that they could have been mistaken for slot machines. I turned my back on him and kept reading.

Once my father, Max and Alpha Andrei entered the Pack House, I took a stroll around the parking lot. I never saw Vladimir, and there were no whispers about him in or around the pack, and I wonder what he was doing during those hours when Max and his father had visitors.

'Even if Max is lying, and Vladimir is innocent, it changes nothing!' I say with determination. 'As long as Mihnea is out there, Vladimir is not safe!'

'If you reject Vladimir, we will have to live without a mate for the rest of our lives!' Mia growls. 'And not to mention that I will hate you forever!'

'You will get over it!' I snap. I turn my attention to Vladimir; he has patiently waited for me to say something. "You had your moment with Mia, but I am afraid it is time to cut out our bond," I say in a cold tone. Vladimir doesn't say anything; he just looks at me with those green eyes of his. I wish my life were different, but I had promised myself never to love again. " I, Elena Albu, a vampire huntress and member of the Black Moon Pack, reject you, Vladimir—" I stop talking and frown. "What is your full name?"

Vladimir opens his mouth when I hear Mark's angry voice coming from the kitchen. "What the fuck are you doing?" he yells at me as soon as he gets out of the Pack House.

Vladimir still had his arms around my back, and my palms rest on his chest. I should have put a few meters of distance between Vladimir and me as soon as Mia gave me back the control, but call me stupid for wanting to feel his warm skin under my hands for a little longer. I push Vladimir away, but I have the urge to touch him again. I know it is my hormones speaking, so I ignore them, turn my head, and look at Mark. "Nothing!" I snap at him. "Did you find Max?"

Mark lets out a scoff of disbelief. "Nothing? Rejecting your mate is not nothing!" I don't think I have seen Mark as angry as he is right now.

"You should stop eavesdropping on me! It would make your life easier!" I say sarcastically.

"I wasn't listening on purpose! I was looking for you when I heard you talking to Vladimir!" Mark said.

Vladimir tries to intervene. "I-I al-also w-want t-to re-r-reject—"

"Shut the fuck up!" I snap at Vladimir, and he looks baffled.

Mark rolls his eyes. "Can you stop being a bitch for a few minutes?”

I arch an eyebrow. "I could, but why should I?"

Mark frowns. "Do you have any fucking idea how much it hurts to get rejected?"

Mark has been my friend for a long time, and I love him to pieces, but he needs to stay out of my life. My eyes go to his white hair. "Just because you still mope after that bitch doesn't mean I get to be stuck with Vladimir!" I snarl at Mark. I know I am being cruel, and neither Vladimir nor Mark deserve the things I am about to say.

"I am not moping after anyone!" Mark growls.

I fold my arms. "Please! Since you found her and she rejected you, you have been a mess! It is time to male up! As for Vladimir, did you take a good look at him? He is pathetic!" Vladimir flinches, and I wish I could take back my words, but I keep spewing more venom, hurting my mate. Mia snarls at me. "Imagine going home and telling everyone he is my soulmate! Everyone will mock me! All he is good at is washing the floors. And I bet he is doing a lousy job at that too! Not to mention that he stutters like a fucking idiot!"

Vladimir looks at me as if I have slapped him. Even I am shocked by what I said about him. Pain flashed in his eyes, and I wish I could take back my words. I don't mind the way he talks.

'How dare you hurt our mate this way! Tell him you are sorry and you didn't mean to say all those awful things about him!' Mia growls at me.

Vladimir opens his mouth, wanting to say something, but changes his mind and goes inside the Pack House.

'No! It is better this way!' I say.

Before Mia blocks me, she tells me, 'I always liked your strong character, but this time you have gone too far. The way you choose to talk about Vladimir makes me sick!'

When our connection disappears, I panic. 'Mia!' I wait for a few seconds. 'Fine! I will wait until you are not upset anymore!'

Mark shakes his head. "I never thought you were this cruel. That male has been a slave for many years, and you treat him like he is not worthy of you!'

"He is not!"

Mark tsks. "You might think you are superior because you are Elena Albu, but the Moon Goddess would not have paired you with Vladimir for nothing. I hope the day you realize it, it is not too late! Another thing, reject your mate, and I am out of your team!" Mark says before going after Vladimir.