The Failed Rejection
Chapter 15

Penelope hung up with her sister. Her father was dead. He was killed by that bastard who called himself the rogue king. That f.ucker was no king, just a killer. Penelope couldn’t help but cry, and she hated herself for it. So many thoughts were running through her head.

‘I should have been there.’

‘I’m not as sad as I should be.’

‘I wish I had more time with him.’

‘What about mom.’

Poor mom Penelope had always judged her harshly for letting dad walk all over her. Turns out she was r.aped and she just wanted her mate to stay with her. Goddess why can’t our life’s ever be easy? Why can’t I shake the feeling that we are just cursed.

Penelope sat in her room crying trying to look up flights back home. The earliest flight wasn’t for a couple of days. Penelope talked to Jackson and he would pick her up. Lili was dealing with too much right now. Penelope felt grateful that the pack was holding off the funeral until she got home.

There had been several other pack members killed as well. The one that hit Penelope the hardest was Doctor Campbell. Penelope had worked with him for several years. The man had spent his whole career dedicated to the pack and keeping them healthy. She didn’t understand why this man would kill them.

Penelope knew the warriors, but not that well. Every warrior had come into the infirmary at some point or another for an injury. Penelope knew Josh better than Juan because Juan was a pack transfer. If Penelope remembered right he transferred here to live with his aunt after his parents died in a rogue attack. Josh she knew more because he was in her class in school. He also had a crush on her. Of course Penelope never felt the same about him, the man was a jerk. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t grieve for him, and the rest of the people who died.

Penelope was worried about her mother. Jackson had told her when her mother felt the bond break she collapsed. Barb had been in the infirmary ever since. Lili had tried going in there to calm their mother down, but it only made things worse. Penelope let out a sigh. Things back at the pack were such a disaster.

The days lulled by, and Penelope felt like she was in a some kind of purgatory. Just waiting, constantly waiting. Her wolf was in pain for the loss of her father. Even though the man had never bonded with her wolf. Her wolf still whined for him at night.

Penelope couldn’t sleep the night before she left. Her mind just wouldn’t shut off. Finally at three am Penelope just got out of bed. She tried to read some books, but after reading the same paragraph for the tenth time she just gave up. Penelope went on Hulu and clicked on an old tv show she liked to watch. Lie to me. She loved Tim Roth. Such a handsome older male. She would lie to him any day Of the week.

Penelope hung up with her sister right before her flight. Goddess damn Luna command. Sh.it she didn’t mean to say those horrible things to her sister. Apparently Lili went to go visit their mother in the infirmary after their father died. The visits went badly. Mom would have panic attacks and mom had to be sedated. Lili went to her to tell her it was okay to visit mom, when the truth was it wasn’t. Her presence was causing our mother distress. Lili didn’t want to hear it.

“They were the truth,” Koko said.

“Yes they were true, but I could have said it nicer. You know some bedside manner.” Penelope thought and finished packing. She checked the time and ran out the door.

Penelope had to pay freaking two hundred dollars for a four hours flight. Then drive three hours to Chicago. She was glad Jackson was willing to come and pick her up. Penelope got into the Philly airport and by the time she got in her seat, she swore she would never fly again.

She’s glad she decided to only bring a carry on, it was worth the extra fifty dollars. She didn’t have to wait an hour at the line, or worse have it be lost. Penelope got into Chicago luckily there was only an hour delay in her flight. Jackson was there waiting for her right when she got past security. Jackson gave her a comforting hug, and Penelope couldn’t help but cry a little.

“Everything will be okay Penne.” The comfort Jackson oozed out. It was everything. Penelope took some deep calming breaths and then she pulled away. Jackson gave her a big smile,

“Let’s head on back all right?” Penelope nodded, and they made way to his truck. Th drive back to the pack was long, but as always Jackson made it fun. Well as fun as it could be in this situation.

When I entered the pack house I saw Lili waiting for me.

“I’m sorry,” the sisters said to each other at the same time. They let out a little chuckle,

“Lili I’m sorry I said those awful things to you, I feel awful.” Lili shook her head,

“No I’m sorry. You were right, I was visiting mom even though she didn’t want to see me. It’s not about me, it’s about her.” The girls stood there awkwardly for a minute,

“Do you hate me?” Lili asked. Penelope scrunched her brow,

“Why would I hate you?”

“Cause I got our dad killed.” Lili confessed.

“Lili that is no one’s fault but that monsters.” Penelope said forcefully.

“How’s my mother doing? I know Lili hasn’t seen her since that second day,” Penelope stated as she walked to the infirmary wit Killian

“Not good from what I can tell, the doctor says from the trauma of both the r**e and loosing her mate. They think she has finally had a mental breakdown.” Killian told her bluntly. Penelope stopped walking,

“Have you told Liliana?” Killian shook his head, she could see the agony on his face.

“No I haven’t yet, I thought maybe you would be able to reach her. That or the doctors were wrong.” Penelope nodded,

“Okay, we will see what happens.” Penelope opened the door and stepped inside.

“Hey mom,” Penelope looked at her mother and barely recognized her. Her mother was from omega b***d. She worked hard in the kitchens for a large pack before she met her mate. While her mom had a hard life she still took care of herself. When she met her mate and became a gamma.

Penelope looked at her mother, her mom who had always been silent but had an inner strength. Even when her father had screamed at her. Barb just bore it all with a strength that Penelope wished she had. Penelope looked at her mom and just seemed broken. Penelope didn’t know how to approach her. Her mother sat in the hospital bed with her hair matted and greasy. Her mother didn’t respond to Penelope’s first beckoning so she tried again.

“Hey momma,” Penelope said a little louder and her mother finally turned around and looked up at her with tears in her eyes.

“My sweet girl, what are you doing home? You should be in school.” Penelope smiled at her mother, Penelope sat down next to her mother and took her hand.

“I heard that you needed me mom, I had to be here.” Her mother nodded and then without warning her mothers grief exploded.

“He’s gone! What am I going to do now?” Her mother sobbed her heart out. Penelope pulled her mother onto her shoulder, and ran her hand soothingly up and down her bath.

“I know mom, it will be okay, everything is going to be ok.” Barb cried for about an hour, and it really seemed to help her. Sometimes that’s all a person needs. Barb finally fell asleep, and Penelope walked out of the door feeling hopeful.

Penelope sat at the front of the wake with her mother clinging to her. It took so much pleading to get her mother to attend the funeral. But here they were, Lili was standing in front with her mates and children. Penelope couldn’t be more proud of her.

“She’s a damn fine Luna,” Penelope muttered. Her mother heard her and she simply nodded in agreement. Penelope decided not to make any comment about her attitude toward Lili.

It was time for the family members to come forward and grab the torches to light the fire. Penelope grabbed a torch, and walked toward their fathers funeral pyre. This would be the first time seeing her father since she learned of his death. Penelope’s tears automatically started to fall when she saw him in the pyre. It was real. Her father was dead.

He could never make it up to her for being a shi.tty father. He would never meet her mate, or kids. Penelope looked at the pyre and saw all the pictures Liliana added. Penelope turned around and saw Lili looking at them with tears in her eyes. Penelope reached for her sister. Lili was family and should be with them. Lili crashed into her, and together they cried for the man who was never a real father.

“One pack!” Killian yelled, and the pack responded.

“One pack! They yelled back. Penelope carefully lit her fathers pyre. Lili was right about one thing, her father would definitely have loved the traditional wood pyre.

Soon Lili and Killian shifted into their beautiful large wolves. Nathan into his majestic puma. Penelope followed suit and transformed into her brown wolf. She nuzzled her mother, and was able to convince her mother to transform as well. Her mother transformed into her small brown colored wolf. She was very small, it was clear she was an omega. Penelope couldn’t talk, she wasn’t much bigger than her mother.

The pack started the run. Penelope kept pace with her mother. She was worried about their mother, but was glad she went on the run. It was good for both the human and the wolf.

When the run was over and the wake was over. It was time to go home. Lili found her mother at her fathers funeral pyre.

“I was wrong. I shouldn’t have let him treat you and Liliana that way. How can you girls ever forgive me?“ Penelope ignored the question and simply urged her mother to home. She went quietly and quickly. Penelope put her mother to bed and she followed her. Penelope was strong all day. Now alone, she could fall apart. Penelope sobbed deeply, and loudly. Only no one came to comfort her.

She fell asleep crying.

Alone.