Chapter 13: Would You Reject Me?

"Huh? I don't know you; get your body off me," Shayanne yelled, desperately attempting to shove his developed body away from her. Devyn tightened his grip.

"I know you're mad at me, forgive me, Arianna," he blurted out. Shayanne's eyes widened when she heard the name 'Arianna.'

"I'm not Arianna; you probably mistook me for someone," she cursed.

Devyn pulled away from the hug and examined her intently, looking for concerns, "Are you attempting to pull pranks on me? Your name is Arianna, and I am your brother, Devyn," Devyn continued, hoping she would know him.

Shayanne shifted back in terror; was this another catastrophe?

"Arianna, please say something," he said, "I still don't know you, who are you, please?" She asked quietly, but her voice was broken with dread and anxiety. Devyn had a curious thought: perhaps the lady in front of him was his sister. So, is she experiencing memory loss?

"I am your brother, and you are the Little Princess of Red Moon Pack. But, when you were nine years old, I sent you and Beta Eric to North America to live with humans. Can you recall vividly, Arianna?"

Shayanne lifted her eyebrows in surprise, oblivious to his words; "If you were my brother, what about my father? He never says I have a sibling; I've known him as a parent my entire life. What proof can you offer to that, huh? Am I still your sister?" Shayanne asked, surprising Devyn, and his voice abruptly stopped in his throat for a few minutes.

"I think you knew I'm not your sister, but I didn't mean to sadden you," she concluded and turned to leave, but Devyn grabbed her wrist, "Don't punish me in the harshest way, Arianna; I deserve your wrath," he muttered, and Shayanne firmly wrenched her hand away from him. She soon vanished from his sight.

_______

Weeks later, Arianna and Devyn are spotted sitting at the river's edge. Many things happened during that time, including Shayanne realizing Devyn was her brother and recalling buried memories from 10 years ago in North America.

"Are you certain you truly want to see him? Would he welcome you?" Devyn inquired with a worried expression. River and his Pack were sworn enemies, but Arianna wanted to visit him after her unexpected escape from the Silver Blood Pack.

"Yes, River would certainly welcome me. He doesn't have a choice," Arianna joked, and Devyn frowned, "Do you still think he'd look at you like that nine-year-old girl?"

"Yes, River will never change his attitude toward me, are you afraid he will hurt me? But what exactly happened, Devyn?" Arianna inquired, facing him, "Well, he isn't the sixteen-year-old lad you're looking for again. He has changed a lot," Devyn murmured in response.

"Really? But I will be pleased to see it myself. I'm not that nine-year-old girl anymore; quit being overprotective. I can protect myself," Arianna mumbled, realizing her brother was looking after her.

"You don't have your wolf yet, to me you're still not matured, "You don't have to be concerned; River will not hurt me, and if he does, I will hit him in the nose. Remember my practice from then?" Arianna giggled, and Devyn grinned briefly.

"You're not a match for him. To clear my consciousness, we'll go together," he said, "Alright. I can't wait to shift tomorrow, so please stop pampering me," Arianna blurted out.

"I'll keep on pampering you the more, if you have a wolf," Then, I'll remain wolfless, "You dare not," Devyn growled sternly, and Arianna burst out laughing in defeat.

_______

Thiem approached Alpha River in his office and apologized for the ruckus, "A lady is outside, claiming to be Arianna; should I let her in or push her away?" he inquired.

River dropped his pen on the book in front of him when he heard the name, "Arianna? Allow her in," he urged. Thiem bowed and went outside to tell her. Then Arianna strolled in.

She wasn't packing her hair, so it looked unkempt, and it was across her shoulders. Arianna thought she was in the wrong office when she met her Master, but when she thinks back to their childhood, he still has the same beautiful, adorable, and handsome face.

River was likewise astonished; seeing her, she was strolling with a sense of enthusiasm, and she quickly pranced her steps. And within minutes, she was clutching him tightly, causing his eyes to widen– he hadn't expected that from her!

"I miss you, River. How have you been doing?" Arianna murmured in between the hug, but River remained silent for a few seconds, "Doing great, have you been doing well, Little Lamb?" he questioned in a whisper.

"Partially. Huh, you didn't miss me?" Arianna inquired after pulling away from the hug, and River rolled his eyes, "I didn't remember saying I do, but I missed you all the way," he forced a response.

Arianna moaned and folded her arms under her breasts, "People says you have changed, you have indeed really changed," She said, perhaps she spotted him not welcoming her as she had expected.

"Huh? We aren't that small kids anymore; as the world rotates around us, we change day by day," he simply said, "Yes, it is totally correct. I want to be a warrior; do you believe I made the correct decision?" Arianna inquired, gazing intently at him.

"If that's what you want, follow your heart….., "I want your opinion on whether I should quit,"

"I don't have an answer to your question, you're old enough to make your own decisions," River said, "I haven't shifted yet; I'm concerned about being wolfless. Tomorrow is going to be a difficult day for me; I'm terrified. You once told me that not all wolves have their own wolves, what if I become a victim?" Arianna whispered with misery, staring at the floor. River senses her dread; she has to be urged not to give up.

"Look at me, Little Lamb," he directed, and she promptly obliged, despite her eyes welling up with tears, "Remember what I told you when you cried out to me for help? Repeat what I said; you should learn from it,"

_______

Little Arianna could be spotted crying as she sat outdoors, reflecting about what her grandparents told her. It stung because she thought she had lost her universe of love after losing her parents.

"Why do people dislike me so much? They keep calling me weak, but I am not. And, I believe in myself," Arianna said proudly, hoping to bolster her motivation, "How sure are you?" 

Arianna turned her head towards the person she assumed it was, grimaced, and then looked aside, "You are now an Alpha, Grandpa says I should always respect the Alphas because they deserve to be respected. But we're friends, so it doesn't matter," she murmured, frantically biting her lips.

River approached her and sat next to her, "Were you scolded by your grandparents again?" he inquired. Arianna nodded gently, "They say I'm too weak and fragile to become a warrior. Furthermore, I'm a princess, and only my mate can say whether he likes it. Unfortunately, I have not reached the age to locate my mate; have you found your Luna?" Arianna inquired, turning to face him.

"No, I don't think I'll ever look for her. "I do not need her," River mumbled; his comments strangely stung her, "Why? Isn't it your mate someone you'd spend your entire life with? Yet you don't want her. But, you wouldn't be able to feel happy; from what I heard, our mates make us happy when we're upset,"

"To break the mate bond, I just have to reject her," River said, "But, why did you hate the mate term so much, River?"

"Mates are merely flaws; having a mate is meaningless to me. I won't even give her a glance before rejecting her," he said, Arianna clutching her dress hem hard. Why was her best friend saying all of this? Would he really reject her?

"Don't worry about it; it's not a new thing in the werewolf community. By the way, I am departing sooner than normal. I….,"

"Please implore my brother on my behalf. He's going to send me away shortly," Arianna begged River to alter his mind as he was about to go, muttering, "I can't, Little Lamb. It will be meaningless because he has already decided to send you away. You should not go against his words,"

"Why? Aren't you an Alpha? You might talk to him 'leader' to 'leader.' He'll undoubtedly accept your requests," she whimpered. River turned to face her, "I might be an Alpha, but have you forgotten I'm only sixteen years old? I believe he wants what is best for you, I believe you are a strong girl. Much more stronger than you ever thought.

I'll look forward to meeting your mate when the time comes, and if he tries to injure you in any way, I pledge to slide his neck for causing my Little Lamb to cry," he stated as he walked away.

"He also wants me to leave, right? But I won't be able to see him again if I leave," Arianna said hurtfully to herself as she slumped on the floor, crying.

______

"Thanks for letting me remember that, but can I ask you a question?" Arianna inquired, and he gently nodded, "Do you still want to reject her? Your mate?"

"I've been living without her for years, and I appear to be alright with it. I'd still reject her," River remarked.

Arianna's eyes welled up with tears, indicating that he had not reconsidered what he told her years ago. Is this solely because he perceives his future mate as a weakness, or is there more to it?

"What if, by accident, I am your destined mate? Will you reject me?" Arianna questioned, tears streaming down her face, rendering River breathless.