Chapter 18

Blair walked downstairs around three, "Mrs. Smith, where's my father?" She asked. "He's in the office, dear," she answered with a smile. "Thank you," Blair replied and headed to the office. She walked in and sat down in one of the chairs, her eyes emotionless. "What's the matter?" Kaspar asked. She took a deep breath, "I'll reject James," she told him. Kaspar was a little surprised, after how close Blair seemed to have gotten with James. "Are you sure about this?" her father asked. "No, but I can't just leave the pack after everything that's happened, and James deserves someone less complicated," she answered. "I thought, you weren't going to decide anything until?" Her father began. "It's not fair to him or his pack," Blair interrupted. "Can I tell you something?" He asked. Blair looked up at him, "You sound like a luna and an alpha," he offered with a smile, she half smiled.

There was a knock on the door, Blair took a shaky breath in as her father called, "Come in." James entered the room with his beta Ryan. Blair looked James in the eyes, her heart breaking, her wolf howling in her head. Blair stood up and face James, "I, Blair Alexandra Brenner, of the Cold Moon Pack, reject you James Caleb Gregor of the Ever-Green Pack, as my mate," she had gotten it all out without crying, though her voice cracked. Ryan and James stood there in shock; James's bright green eyes were glassy with tears. The silence was deafening, Blair's wolf had gone silent. "Alpha James?" Kaspar began but was interrupted. "I do not except," James said sternly. Part of Blair wanted to hug him and apologize for doing this and say it would never happen again, but she stayed where she was. Kaspar looked at Blair, who stood stoic, "You are refusing?" Kaspar asked looking back at James. "Yes Mr. Brenner, Blair is my mate and I intend on keeping her as such," James stated coldly, not taking his eyes off of Blair. Blair walked out heading to the back door, she put on her coat and went outside.

Back in the office, Kaspar didn't know what to do. "I'm sorry, Alpha James, she," he began but was once again interrupted by James's walking out after Blair. Ryan and Kaspar were left in an awkward silence. Blair stuffed her hands into the pocket of her black pea coat and huffed out towards the garden. The path had been shoveled but there was still a little snow covering the trail. With winter all the trees and plants were bare, but she enjoyed sitting on the benches and watching the cardinals fly about in the birch trees. "Blair," James called getting close to her. She kept walking past the bench, "Go away James," she called back.

He grabbed her arm and whipped her around, "Why are you doing this," he asked staring into her blue green eyes. "Why won't you just let me go?" she asked. "Why do you want me too?" he questioned back. "You don't get it James," she scolded. He released her arm, "Then make me understand," he pleaded. "You deserve someone less complicated" she told him tears stinging her eyes. "And what do you think will happen to you by rejecting me?" James asked. "I don't know, but," she began. "I don't think you'll be able to handle it, Blair. Not after the losses you've suffered already," he interrupted. "James, I can't ask you to keep waiting," she cried. "Wait for what? Ben or You?" James asked, he knew he shouldn't have said it after it came out. Blair closed her eyes in pain as tears rolled down her cheeks, "Blair, I would gladly wait a thousand lifetimes for you," he told her, as he wiped her tears away. "It's not fair to your pack, you are putting them at risk not being there," Blair told him, she shifted and took off into the woods. She let out a mournful howl as her wolf took over. Blair let go and sprinted through the trees banking off the side of the mountain, through the snow. Defeated James walked back into the house and waited, maybe she just needed a few moments to cool off. He went to his room to call and check in on his pack.

Kaspar and James came down for dinner, "Evening, Mrs. Smith," Kaspar greeted sitting down. "Good evening, Mr. Brenner," she replied carrying a tray. Mrs. Smith walked up to Blair's room and opened the door, she set the dinner tray on the desk, the bed was made. Kaspar, James, and Ryan made awkward small talk over dinner, "Alpha James, I trust everything is safe and sound in the ever-green pack," Kaspar said letting him in. "It as good as it can be right now," he replied.

Upstairs, Mrs. Smith frowned at the made bed and walked over to open the curtains, she turned and notice the bathroom door was open, "Alpha Blair," she called, but there was no answer. She hurried over to the bathroom, "Blair," she called a little louder. She went to Blair's closet, "Blair," she called again getting a little panicked. Mrs. Smith ran downstairs and into Blair's office, "Blair," she yelled opening the door. The men came down the hall behind her, "Mrs. Smith, what's going on?" James asked. "I don't think Blair has come back," she replied. "She left hours ago, she should've come back by now," James said worried. The men began searching the house, to no avail. "We need to get the pack out looking for her," Kaspar said walking over to the phone. James grabbed the phone from him, "You don't know how far the corruption runs," he told him. "We can't just sit here," Kaspar snapped. James grabbed his cell phone to his Delta Erik, "Blair is missing, we need a recon mission, use drones, everything you have to find anything you can, and send my dad and all warriors we have," James ordered.