Chapter 20: Rejection

Leon POV

Rejection was never something I dealt with the best.
It was incomprehendable to think someone didn't want me. Completely and utterly absurd.
It had been over a year since I had seen her beauty stricken face.
And exactly a year since I got out of prison.

Magdalene Raelene Suarez was my world.
My everything.
And without her, I have nothing.

I had made a mistake. But so what? Everyone made mistakes.
And everyone learnt from their mistakes.
This time, I won't miss, and it won't be the wrong person.

If I couldn't have Maggie, no one could.

Maggie POV

"Get off me!" I squealed.
Paul's muddy paw prints were all over my dress, my arms and he'd smeared it right across my face. I was nudged forward by a big furry head.
Turning around, i saw Jake's tongue flop out his mouth and a toothy grin spread across his face. Embry's tail brushed my face and Jarred huffed a laughed on my right flank.
"Don't you dare gang up on me!" I laughed eyeing them all, "You'll regret it."
Embry flopped onto the lush green grass and rolled on his back, laughing at my attempt to threaten four massively large wolves.

Grabbing the hose, I turned it on full blast and squirted them all. Their faces shied away at the water and I took this chance as my get away.
Dropping the hose I broke out into my longest stride, impressed at my amazing speed already. No sooner had I dropped the hose, a nose peeped out from between my legs and hoisted me up into the air. I screamed as I was thrown into mid air, but soft silver fur broke my fall, as somehow, I landed gently on Paul's stomach. I looked around, disoriented, and focused on Paul's onyx eyes. His eyes were dancing with joy but mine looked the opposite. I noted Embry, Jake and Jarred laughing at me in the background, and silenced them with a single glare.

"Don't you ever do that again," I said to Paul, pushing myself off his stomach. His face turned serious as he rolled over and jumped up front he grass. I looked at my muddy clothes.
"It's gonna take me ages to get this out!" I groaned. Walking away, a whine escaped Jakes snout. I turned around to face them, and couldn't hold my grudge any longer. They stood in a row, shoulder to shoulder, head bowed down apologetically. Their tails were down, not wagging sporadically as usual, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What the hell?" Collin asked walking down the porch steps. A devilish grin spread across his face as the wolves recovered their apologetic stance and puffed their chests out at Collin.
"Please tell me what you did!" Collin laughed, "Oh god I gotta go tell everyone!"
Collin phased about five feet from me and a second later, Jake and Paul angrily pounced on him. The three wolves spun into a death roll and I gasped as Collin whined in pain.
"Stop it! You're hurting him!" I shouted, running toward them, but Jarred bit my jacket hood and pulled me back.
I watched in shock as Paul bit Collin, horrified that Collin did nothing to fight back and Jake and the others just stood there and let it happen. I unzipped my hoddie to be free of Jarred's jaw lock, and ran towards Paul.

It was too late for Jake to stop me, as I grabbed a hunk of Paul's fur and yanked it hard. He whined slightly but instead of stopping like I assumed, he turned and snapped at me, growling right into my face. My heart was beating a thousand times a second and for a moment I couldn't move. Paul's eyes widened as he realised just who he'd snapped at, and just like me, he froze rock solid. Deep down, I had never been so afraid of Paul, but right at this moment, my face showed more anger.

"Get away from him NOW!" I shouted venomously.
Paul backed away instantly; head down and his tail between his legs.

I turned my back on him and crouched down to Colin's limp wolven body. His eyes rested on me and I felt so frightened that he was seriously hurt. He whimpered when I touched the bloody puncture marks on his face.

"Stay there." I whispered gently, standing up and jogging towards the house. I froze for a moment, and turned coldly back to the four wolves. "Don't any of you go near him."
I turned to leaved as they each nodded their understanding, and grabbed a dressing gown from my fathers room. Dashing back out the house, I covered the wolf's lower body.
Collin cocked his head to the side confused, and I laughed at innocence.
"I want you to phase back. I know you guys are...naked when you shift back."
Collin nodded instantly, but hesitated looking behind me. I felt a nudge in my back.

Jake was a inch behind me, gesturing for me to stand back. I huffed with annoyance and moved back slightly, refusing go any further. Collin phased, and his howling whimpers turned into human grunts of pain. Bruises had already began to purple on his skin. I wrapped him up in the towel, and winced as he struggled to get up.
"Don't be mad at them, Magz. I was in the wrong." Collin gasped between breathes. He was clearly still winded, "Man the pain was better as a wolf." He half smiled at me.
"I am not hearing a word of it Collin." I warned.

Wrapping his arm around me seemed like the right thing to do as he was limping. But his tall frame and heavy body made me think otherwise. His hot skin added to my perspiration as I felt like I was dragging a body in 100 degree heat. The load suddenly got lighter.
"Let us take him Maggie." Jarred lifted him off me. Embry took his other side and together they, in their cut off shorts lifted him effortlessly up the stairs.
I turned to see Jake and Paul standing silently behind me. Their cut off shorts dirty and muddy. Obviously, their clothes were dumped near the side of the house like everyone elses.
"Maggie," Jake began but i silenced him with a finger.
"I cannot believe what I just saw." I began, "I can not comprehend that you just turned on him for no reason."
Paul's eyes shot up at my defence of Collin and his guilty face turned angry.
"He phased so close to you!" Paul shouted,
"I don't care!" I retorted, matching his tone,
"Well you should care!" A vein pulsed out angrily in his neck, "Look at Emily! Sam was too close and now she nor Sam will ever be able to forget it."
"He didn't mean too."
"He should know better."
"Oh shut up!" I cried angrily, "Stop being so freaking bitter and so god damn stubborn! You were in the wrong. You practically butchered his face, and all you can say is he deserved it?"
"He does." Paul shrugged.

I felt like I was about to explode with all the anger I was vibing towards Paul, but it was like it was hitting a brick wall and bouncing right back at me.
I was so consumed with Paul that I almost forgot about Jake.
"And you..." I started towards Jake. He groaned, thinking he had gotten out of it.
"How dare you just stand back and let it happen! He is your brother for Christ sake. How can you condone that?"
"Sorry Yazhi, I'm with Paul on this one." Jake said, watching my posture carefully.
I threw my hands up in the air, "I can't deal with your idiotness right now. I am so freaking mad!"
I stomped up the steps ignoring the pain in my knees as I slammed the screen door shut.
Making my way to the cupbored above the stove, I searched for the medicine kit. I was aware that Paul and Jacob had entered the house, but I was still inconceivably pissed.
I groaned in frustration and I reached up into the cupboard, my hand fumbling around blindly for the alcohol and swabs.
Hot skin pressed into my back and I froze as Paul's aroma assaulted my body. His arm reached over me and easily grabbed the medicine kit, placing it on the counter. He dropped his arm, but didn't move away.

"I'm sorry," He whispered
His lips brushing the exposed skin on my neck. My body shuddered with pleasure, but I was determined not to be weakened by him, i pushed him away, and stepped around him.
"Wrong person Paul." I said, grabbing the medi-kit.
"You're so god damn frustrating." Paul muttered as I walked out the kitchen into the living room.
"I heard that." I shouted to the kitchen.
"I meant you to!" Paul retorted, causing me to chuckle under my breath.

Paul POV

I wasn't a heartless idiot.
I just didn't feel guilty.

I had meant every bite, every snap and every word i has shouted at Collin. The only thing I felt remorse for was when i had snapped at Maggie for pulling my fur. She had yanked so hard i though Jake was biting me. When I saw her face, it wasn't scared, just full of pure rage. But I felt fear.
Pure fear pulsed through me, and not only my own entered my mind. Jake's fears creeped into my mind when his heart stopped as I turned on Maggie.
His thoughts torn between 'I told you he would hurt her sooner or later' and 'No. Paul would never hurt Maggie'.
Thankfully he sided with the latter.

However, I had not expected for Maggie to be so protective towards Collin. She was like a mother protecting her cubs from a predator. She was amazing. The entire time she was ranting, I took note of every time her voice broke from shouting so loud. How her eyes pulsed out her head and her messy hair framed her angry face. Maggie was definitely a woman to be feared. But my heart stuttered on how much she cared, and how much she was hurt but Collin's pain. It was then that I realised just how much the imprinting had effected her.

No matter how irreversible my feelings were, and how permanent she was in my life, I realised that we were now permanently stitched into hers.
She loved me, but she also loved the rest of the pack whole heartedly, and she would do anything to protect them as well.
My heart thumped with pride as my falsely angry words entered my mouth to hide my bursting love and pride for her.

I followed her into the living room where Collin laid on the couch, his bruises almost gone as quickly as they came. I stared at Maggie's concentration, as she cleaned the wound around Collin's face, and shoulders. She winced when he winced, and apologized when he grunted in pain.

My mind drifted back to the day when we were walking back from the forest, after our biggest fight to date. I had casually asked her to marry me, and she had said no.
Granted, she thought i was joking, and in the nature of the conversation I was. But majority of the question was my deepest want.
I wanted her mine, permanently and lawfully. I wanted there to be a law that prevented us from being apart, a law that made her legally mine so that everyone would know it.

Thank the ancestors for whoever made Marriage a law.

But she had said no, and that had stung more than my pride was willing to admit. I knew she loved me, even know when she was mad at me, I could tell what I did to her, and how much she fights her emotions to stay mad at me. I hear her heart beat faster when I'm near, and when I kiss her, how her body shivers with pleasure. I loved having that power over her, but hated that she had more power over me, and yet I also admired it.
She had changed me so completely, that I hated the person I use to be.
I didn't even recognise him.

I needed her to be mine, in every way possible. So I had to try again. Seriously this time. Not in the middle of conversation, or as a joke.
I would ask her again in a serious and romantic setting.

Maggie? Will you Marry Me?

Jesus Christ.
By the time I work up the courage, we'll be grey and wrinkly. I needed a set time, on a particular day.
I glanced at the calendar, my eye catching words inside a big red circle.
February 14th, Sam and Emily's wedding.
February 14th.
Valentines Day.

That was the day.

Maggie POV

I finished cleaning up Collin, amazed that his healing was so fast. He sat up, this time not grunting and smiled at me.
"Love you Yahzi. Thanks heaps." He blushed, kissing my cheek.
"Anytime sunshine." I laughed, getting up from the floor next to the couch.
"We're sorry Collin." Jake and Jarred said. Embry nodding in agreement.
"And we're sorry you're disappointed in us." Embry told me.
"I'll never be disappointed in you guys." I smiled.

"I'm pretty sure it's your turn Paul," Jarred taunted. Paul answered with a death glare.
"Right well coming to Em's for dinner Yahzi? I'll take it you won't be riding with Paul." Jake asked.
"No you guys go. I'm still covered in mud. You wolves have an excuse to be dirty, but me not so much." I smiled, waving goodbye and walking into the bathroom.
I heard them leave, and I hoped that Paul had gone with them.
This was the longest I had attempted to be mad at him. It was a test to myself to know how far gone I was in regards to my own personal will to be mad at him.
He had this affect on me that disintegrated any angry emotions, and 5 seconds later I was love sick and completely absorbed by him again.

I stepped into the shower, the hot water beginning to warm the ice cold water. I sighed as I let the water run down my body, soak my hair and wash the muddy traces of the day off me. The water became hot and I cowered into the feel of the heat on my skin, but not fully satisfied. I heard what I thought was the door, but I was too comfortable to actually open my eyes and turn around. I felt the water get colder, as the tap squeaked from being turned. My eyes opened, and that intoxicating aroma filled my nostrils again.

Hot hands wrapped around my wet and naked stomach, touching and feeling my torso. The hands pulled me up against his chest, and I said goodbye to my anger as I turned around to face him. Our eyes locked onto each other, and just like I predicted, everything melted away. After almost 2 years, He still took my breath away. The water left thin veiny rivers down his face, his wet black hair shiny and flat against his head. Tiny droplets fell from his nose and his chin.
"I'm not sorry." He said, "But do I love you."
"And I love you." I said in a monotone, "Even though you're an overprotective fool."
He grinned and showed his white teeth, making me match his expression with my own face.

He kissed me so fiercely, I would have slipped in the shower if he hadn't had such a tight grip on my body. He kissed me with such emotion that I could no longer feel the water pouring on our bodies, but only his hand tightly gripping me and roaming my body.
His hands ventured downward and gripped my buttocks as he lifted me up against the wall, and hard against his body. Our painting grew fierce and our kissing quicker, one hand gripping his neck and the other above the shower curtain. He pressed himself against me, and I could feel his eagerness pressing into me. I moaned in pleasure, and Paul took that as a sign to burry himself into me. He groaned at he entered me, a low growl in his throat exciting me even more. My legs pulled him closer towards me and I set a pace Paul was happy with.

I felt like my body was on fire, as amazing sensations rippled through my body, gaining intensity each time. We fastened our rhythm, both of us wanting more and more and more.
I felt like I couldn't be close enough, and I doug my nails into his back.
Our moans, and groans, and name calling became louder and more frequent.
I arched my back against the cold tiled wall, and I kissed Paul so hard and passionately we both lost our breath. We broke apart by our cries of pleasure shouting and I lost control over my voice as a white hot flush of purity and such strong electricity coursed through my body. Paul echoed my pleasure as he flung his head hard into by chest as we climaxed together, more powerful than ever before.

No one moved.
Only our chests rising and falling in a pant, attempting to catch our breaths. Paul withdrew from me and gently pulled me down onto the wet shower floor. My legs were jelly as they buckled at the knees and Paul and I fell in a heap on the tiled floor. Together we sat at the bottom of the shower entwined together, letting the water flush away all previous bitterness.

"You hungry?" I asked him,
"Only for you, baby." He grinned, kissing me again.

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TBC