Disclaimer: This chapter deals with bullying and its effects. I am not condoning or attempting to make light of such a serious issue. If you are a victim of bullying, please let someone know, and do seek help.

What was I thinking? What on earth possessed me to agree to talk with Darric much less go back to BloodRose Pack with him? Why? Because if I want to move forward I must confront the past that is holding me back. Alpha Darric is holding me back and I need to confront him and make a final decision about us. If there really is an 'us'.

We didn't speak, not a word. We drove the almost ninety minutes in complete silence. We got to the pack entrance and the soldiers emerged from there hideouts and bow to Darric as he drives through and up the driveway to the main house. I see some weird looks thrown my way, but I ignore all of that. That's the least of my worries.

We get out of the car and the wolves around call out greetings to Darric. He replies and I notice a difference in their exchanges. The wolves sound freer than before. We walk into the main hallway and make our way past the den. I look in surprise at all werewolves lounging in the den. The den was never this occupied before and the only ones who entered or even dared to sit in the den were the high ranking officers and their families.

"Looks full," I mention to Darric

"What?"

"The Den."

"Oh that, it's just a minor change, it's now a relaxing place for everyone."

We continue down to a familiar area, his office. We enter and he motions for me to sit down.

"Want something to drink? You must be parched. After the 'freezing' thing?"

"That was so scary, right? I still can't believe I have a power. And some Elder is my father?"

"Elder Sorenson."

"How do you know that?"

"I found out from your stepfather."

"Stepfather, unh? Sounds strange but I guess that's who he is."

"He told me what happened back then."

"What happened?"

"I think he should be the one to tell you all that he knows."

"You're right." There's a naturally flowing mellow mood between us. I think we could've been good friends if we didn't have all the Alpha/Omega mate crap.

"Cal, I brought you here to talk one on one without our other mate's interference."

"Right, our mate, Rafe. That is the weirdest thing I ever thought I'll hear you say."

"Tell me....

The door flings open with such force and hits the wall with a bang, that I jerk up in my seat. In walks his parents, Alpha Kodan and Luna Rowena, they glance at me and ignore me. Some things never change.

"I hear you brought him back, why?" Luna Rowena doesn't beat around the bush. "Son, I've told you to find another mate."

"That is not an option, Cal is my mate and that's the way it's destined and the way I want it."

"Why are you back here, stay the hell away from my son? An omega has nothing to offer a strong Alpha like him," says Luna Rowena who finally turns to me and yelling in my face.

"You will not talk to my mate like that, mother."

"Darric, he is beneath you, you need a strong Luna like me to help move this pack forward."

"You are still singing the same old song mother and let me tell you that it is wearing thin. Cal is my mate, Cal will be my Luna and by the way, we have another mate."

"Another mate? Is she an Alpha, Beta or even a gamma? I knew the Moon goddess will fix this mistake, I told you Kodan, didn't I?" she gushes in excitement.

"Yes, you did dear." First time Alpha Kodan has said a word since his entrance, as usual, indifferent to all.

Darric looks at me and winks, knowing what he was about to tell his parents, I found myself winking back.

"Our mate is High Lord Rafe Klyne."

I tell myself, wait for it, wait for it, wait for...

"Goddess NOOOO!!!!!!!!" screams Luna, even Alpha Kodan stood up straighter. "He's a vampire, how can you be mated to a vampire? The pack will not accept it. Your father and I will not accept it, I will never accept it."

"Luna Grey," I've never heard Darric call his mother Luna before, "a few weeks ago, I told the whole pack including you that things are going to change around here and anyone who's not willing to change and improve things in this pack can leave. And that includes the both of you," he says in a quiet, chilling voice.

"You will send your parents away because of an omega and a vampire?"

"In a heartbeat."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me, and mother, the omegas are not at your beck and call anymore. The next time you hit an omega, you will be disciplined."

"Disciplined, me, the Luna of BloodRose Pack?"

"Better believe it."

"Kodan, let's go." She marches out the room.

"Father," Darric stops his dad, "talk to her, I am deadly serious. Any more disobedience to our new ways or mistreatment of any wolf will not be tolerated. I will not hesitate to banish both of you."

Alpha Kodan straightens up, looks into his son's eyes for a few minutes, and nods his head. He turns and walks out the door without a word.

Shit what the fuck just happened, did I fall down the rabbit hole or something? What is happening in BloodRose Pack? Really I don't care. That's not why I'm here.

So..., I start to talk, and he interrupts me.

"One minute please," he links someone. "I just want my soldiers to keep everyone away while we talk."

"Do you really think we can ever be mates, much less good mates," I ask Darric.

"Yes."

"You so sound sure."

"Yes because I realize too late that you're here to make me a better person, a better man, better Alpha."

"I cannot make you be anything, no one can make anyone be anything."

"I used the wrong word, 'make' sounds authoritarian, I meant help me be better."

"Why should I? Do you know what you put me through since I met you? Over the last thirteen years."

"I know..."

I jump up from my seat and slam my hands on his table, interrupting him. "No, you don't! When I was five years old, you cornered me on my way home and kicked me for no reason. I was way smaller then you and my young brain was asking myself what could I have done to the Alpha's son for him to kick me hard enough to leave deep bruises."

"I'm so..."

"No, you will not interrupt me, and you will listen." My voice loud and trembling, as I march around his office.

"When I was seven, you used me as a punching bag in front of your friends, why? Maybe you can tell me because I don't know why you did that till today. When I was 10, on my way back to pack from school, you came behind me and shoved me so hard, I hit my head on that school slab with a deep painful cut that didn't heal for days. When I was thirteen, I dared or rather had the audacity to ask you, the Alpha's golden son and his slut girlfriend, to pretty please move from the front of my locker so I can get my books and you slapped me in front of everyone. The pain and humiliation from that experience made me hate you and myself so much that..."

"I'm so sorry, Cal, please I'm so sorry."

"My favorite was when I was fifteen, I can honestly say that year you tripped me every other day, why? I don't know. I termed that year 'my tripping year' because every other day, I find myself face down courtesy of soon to be Alpha Darric Grey. And the weird thing was you'll help me up, only to repeat the process every other day for a year or so. Those were just some of your physical bullying, I cannot even begin to list the verbal abuse from your friends, parents and the rest of the pack who followed your lead."

"And now I'm 18, and the Moon goddess decides to have one more go at me. And what did she do? Mates me with you! The face in my nightmares. The one whose name gives me the shakes. You!!!"

As I listed some of the things he did to me, I see the impact of my words on Darric and goddess help me, it feels good. He looks beaten, tears were rolling down his face. It feels good to hurt him half as much as he's hurt me.

"Stop, Cal, you must stop." My wolf begs me. "I feel Titan withdrawing from his human."

"Good."

"No not good, he needs his wolf. An Alpha without his wolf is just a shell of a person. Stop! I know he hurt us, but we can't hurt him back, not like this."

"Why not, you were hurt too, or have you forgotten."

"No, I haven't. Cal, I went through it all with you, and I'm asking you to stop before it's too late."

"Fine."

I shut my wolf off. Then Darric speaks and everything changes. His voice trembles in sorrow, "I've fought liking you, wanting you, needing to see you every day, as long as I can remember."

"And that excuses your bullying me? Hurting me?"

"No, there is never an excuse for bullying. I realize that now. Making any type of excuses diminishes what you went through. I must be truthful also and let you know that when I was five years old, I saw you with Esme in the woods. Anyone looking could see the instant connection between the two of you and I was livid. You laughed, you played as I watched the both of you. Now I realize I was jealous."

"When I was seven, I saw you and your omega friends having your own party when you were forbidden to come to mine. The four of you looked like you were having more fun than we were having and I got jealous."

"When I was ten, you stayed every day after school for a whole week to hang out with Sam Jenkins, the human and I got jealous. When I was thirteen, the first time you spoke to me of your own volition, all you said was to move from your locker, I was incensed. When I was fifteen, I don't know why I needed and wanted to touch you every time. It was confusing and infuriating at the same time. So, I tripped you so I can touch you when I helped you up, messed up I know."

"Now at eighteen, I screwed up royally with you, I am still grateful that you are my mate. If it takes the rest of my life, I will let you know how much I love you, need you. I will work to pay for all that I did to you."

He stands up and walks over to where I am against the wall, he lifts my face and I look into his sad eyes, and he kisses me gently.

He pulls me close and kisses me. I feel the kiss all over my body. Even after the emotional purging of my pain, my body betrays me and responses. I grab his head and kiss him back. A few seconds later, I push him away, breathing heavily.

"Do I feel a pull towards you, goddess, yes! Do I want to have sex with you, yes, I do! Boy, do I ever."

"But I know and feel a difference. The difference is that when I make love with Rafe, my body, soul, and mind love all of him. I can fuck you, I can screw you but only my body will be involved. You know why? Because I choose to love Rafe beyond the mating pull. I will not allow the Moon goddess to continue to play ping pong with my life and my destiny by sticking me with some brutish and egotistic Alpha."

"There's just so much disrespect I can take from you, Cal." Now that's the Darric I know and loathe.

"Respect Alpha must be earned and not demanded. I choose to love Rafe, I choose to like Rafe, and most importantly I choose to trust Rafe."

"All I'm asking is for you to forgive me and give me a chance, that's it. Can we start over? I can't live without you, Cal. I need you in my life."

"Forgiveness is a process Darric, a process you must allow me to go through."

"Can we at least stay in touch while you're going through the process."

I take a deep breath, for his other mate's sake I say, "Sure." I need a breather so I tell him that I need to see my father or stepfather and will be back in a few hours.

"I can walk over there with you if you want."

"That's okay, I need some time alone. I will be back for dinner; your omegas might need help with preparing dinner for the pack."

"Things have changed Cal, everyone takes turns preparing our meals including yours truly."

When he said that I look at him in shock, and I notice something I had missed in all our emotional beat down. He is changing, maybe not fast enough for me, but he is changing, and I smile genuinely at him for the first time, "I'm very happy to hear that. I'll see you later."

I walk out of his office and make my way through the kitchen bypassing the front hallway out to the backyard. Memories of my walks home from the pack house return in full force. I walk slowly down familiar tracks, now fading and overgrowing with weeds.

I make it to my house and look at it with the eyes of a grown man. The house is well maintained and seats on half an acre land. A bungalow, with grey roof, white pillars, and painted in seafoam green. It has a wraparound porch, with a couple of hanging swings on the front porch.

I see Beta Yorke in his usual place, sitting on the swing on the right and I can see he doesn't look surprised to see me. I take a deep breath and walk up to him. Nothing to fear from this man. He cannot hurt me anymore.

"Evening Beta Yorke," I greet him as I walk up the few steps to where he sits.

"It's Beta Yorke now, is it? All these years, I insisted you call me Beta Yorke, but you found it hard to do always resorting to calling me 'father'. Now, you obey me?"

"Never too late to be an obedient child," I reply as I walk over to the other swing and sit down. We both are seating on both swings, separated in length by the main door and two windows.

"You look and sound different, your mate told you?"

"That you're not my father, I was told, yes. It explains a lot of things," I swing slowly back and forth.

"Like what?"

"Why you never liked me, much less loved me. Why you found it so easy to send me at a young age to live as a slave in the pack house. Why everything Minerva wanted she got but not me. And why you never told me anything about my mother, no matter how many times I asked you."

"Your mother? How will you feel if your mate, the one that should be yours alone returns with another man's child growing in her stomach? How will you feel when the mate refuses to abort the child? How..."

"You asked her to abort me?" I interrupt his speech.

He continues ignoring me, "how will you feel when your mate lived just long enough to have the baby and demands that you raise it or else? How will you feel?"

"Wow! You really must've hated my mother and me."

"I never hated her. I loved her till the day she died. I still love her."

"But you hate me." He didn't respond and that gave me my answer.

I realize there's nothing to gain from this visit, I get up, walk towards the stairs. I stop and without turning to look at him, I say to him, "For what it's worth, I forgive your shortsightedness, I forgive your hatred of me, and most importantly I forgive you because once upon a time, my mother loved you. Take care of yourself, Beta Yorke."

I walk down the stairs and the little devil in me just had to ruffle his feathers so I turn back to him and look in him in his face, I said, 'As the next Luna of BloodRose Pack, you might want to look for a new pack because I will not have my enemy living in my pack. Good day, Beta Yorke."

"What do you mean next Luna?" he screams at me.

I ignore him and make my way to my next stop. A place that to my shame, I have only visited twice in my life: my mother's gravesite.

Author's Note: Cal's rebirth continues next, please enjoy.

Please don't forget to vote and/or comment. Toodles!

Disclaimer: This chapter deals with bullying and its effects. I am not condoning or attempting to make light of such a serious issue. If you are a victim of bullying, please let someone know, and do seek help.