Chapter 30: Chapter Thirty

Cassidy had stopped walking, her brows raised and her jaw dropped when the older woman asked about babies. The question had come so far out of left field, Cass never seen it coming. She was momentarily at a loss for words, staring at the woman and wondering just exactly how much the woman knew of what was going on between her and James.

Macy had been all smiles and teasing until she seen Cassidy starting to look distressed over the question any protective werewolf mother would ask of her sons future mate. “Sweetheart.” She said, giving Cass’s harm a squeeze. “Do not look so alarmed dear. I'm sorry. I know full well you will not ruin my son. The only one that will ruin him is his self and his stubborn attitude. Alaric filled James’ father and I in about the relationship between you two when James wouldn't listen to his beta.” She said and offered a friendly smile. “I shouldn't assume about babies yet… Lets get you two properly mated by the sun and the moon first.” She said and started to continue the walk but looked back when Cassidy didn't budge and removed her arm from Macy’s.

There was a hurt and vulnerable look about Cassidy for all of two seconds before it was quickly masked and her honey-golden eyes became stormy with the anger she and her wolf felt. Did James lead his mother and father to believe they were mates? Did Alaric? Why was this woman talking as if she and James were going to just kiss and make up after everything that wolf had done to her? All of these questions flashed through Cassidy’s mind in the time it took her to step back a few feet from Macy. “I… There will be no mating.” She said firmly, wanting to flinch from those words leaving her own mouth. “There will be no pups.” Her heart clenched, knowing without her mate, there would likely never be any for her either way. “And I will not be staying…” she said before she turned and walked away from the alpha’s mother.

It was Macy’s turn to be taken back by the young she-wolf’s words, her brows raising high with the surprised expression on her face. “Wait! Wait!” she said, rushing to catch up with Cassidy. “What do you mean you will not be staying? What are you saying? You will reject my son?” she asked in concern that had Cassidy barking out a laugh.

“Reject him?” Cassi said, stopping and turning to face Macy. “Reject HIM?” she snapped the word with a click of her teeth. “He already rejected me. I am not worthy or good enough for him. I don't care if he wants to be civilized now, I can play along until I get out of here but the damage is done. What he has done to me… Cant be forgiven with flowers and an ‘I'm sorry.’ So no, there will be no babies or mating. Your son can go and torture some other woman for months on end but it wont. Be. ME!” she stated, her voice raising into a yell as her temper rose as well. Her fists were balled at her sides, nails digging into her palms and she turned back around, walking swiftly away and towards the forest where the road led out of the town, not even stopping to see the horrified expression on Macy’s face as she was filled in on just where the relationship stood between Cassidy and James.

Cassidy knew she had made a scene in the town and once she hit the tree line past the road she took off running. Tears she had been refusing to show burned her eyes. Tears from anger,embarrassment and sadness that she just didn't want to acknowledge. Cassidy had never been permitted to really run through the forest by herself. Jett had always stopped her, claiming that without the wolf it was too dangerous. There was no Jett here to hold her back and she ran fast and ran hard blindly into the tall pines, working off the hostile emotions that were clouding her brain. Cassidy found a sort of freedom in running she didn't know existed and her wolf rejoiced in it as the world fell away and it was just her and nature around her.

Macy had watched Cassidy run off after dropping the news that her son had rejected her. She was shocked to hear that bit of information and as it sank in that shock turned to outrage. There was little on this earth that could shock or anger Macy Black but hearing that her eldest who had been in search of his mate for nearly ten years had rejected the one woman who would ease his spirit certainly did the job. It took just over ten minutes of power walking for her to reach the pack house and by the time she had, she was good and mad and sporting a temper she surely passed onto her oldest son. Everyone always assumed it was the Alpha male that had the bad tempers, but the packs retired Luna was an exception to the rule.

James and Julian were both standing over the desk when Macy came in, slamming the door open hard enough it bounced off the wall behind it. Both of the men looked up, Julian looking concerned and an annoyed expression on James’ face. Julian quickly came around to comfort his own mate, but Macy threw a hand up to warn him off before her hands slammed down on the opposite side of the massive desk, she facing her son. “What did you do James Black?” she asked in a barely controlled fury. It was one of the worst insults and cruelty a wolf could do to another by rejecting its own mate… and she raised her sons better than that.

James was annoyed at his mother when she came in on what looked like one of her dramatic displays of anger and he did not have the slightest clue to what she could be angry over now. When she accused him of doing something without explaining further, his jaw clenched and he calmly started putting away papers and maps. “And just what have I done now mother? Has max tattled on me for ordering him to get out of your claws and go train with Hunter? I assure you… he is more capable that you allow him to be.” James said in a cool voice, his words making his mother take in a sharp intake of breath. Maxwell Black was James’ favorite brother if he had to pick one. Max was the youngest and after a difficult delivery coming almost twenty hours after James, Max had been born blind and weak. Macy had fiercely protected max and sheltered him, but now at twenty five James was pushing his brother to be more that what he had grown up as.

Macy growled lowly and she wanted to throw something at her oldest child, or take a switch to his backside. She did not believe in violence against her children but right now she was willing to make an exception. “This is about that girl. Cassidy. Who do you th-” she didn't get to finish her sentence as James let out a powerful growl.

“What about her?” he said, leaning against the desk and glaring at his mother just as she was glaring at him.

“YOU REJECTED HER!” Macy yelled in his face. “We raised you better than that! She is your one chance James and you just threw her away! What in the hell were you thinking?!”

Julian had stood back when his mate came in like an angry firestorm. She and James had butted heads since he was an infant. They were both headstrong and stubborn, each refusing to compromise. When James mentioned Max, Julian was just going to look the other way. He had tried himself to curb Macy from protecting their youngest son like she had, but you never came between a she-wolf and her pups if you wanted a warm place to sleep at night. When Macy said James had rejected Cassidy he looked sharply over to his son who had gone silent and was clenching his jaw in anger. “Answer your mother!” he snapped, his eyes on James now as well. Alaric had told them they were mates, but nothing more than that really.

James glanced up at his father briefly when he was ordered to answer his father. If there was anyone in this pack that had any kind of authority over James still, even after he challenged and fought Julian for the right of alpha, his father still had the alpha blood in him to demand obedience. “At the time… I wasn't thinking. I thought I had turned her. I believed she was human… and my wolf turned her. I only figured out she was my mate when her wolf came forward. Then I rejected her because at the time… I believed she and Jett were with the rogues that had been attacking.” He explained in a calm voice when on the inside he was twisted up with guilt and shame over what he had done.

Macy had gone still, her green eyes chilling cold. “You don't deserve a mate. The sooner she leaves, the better for her.” She hissed between clenched teeth. “Ill even help her pack and give her a ticket to anywhere she wants to go!” Macy had meant her words, no she-wolf should have to stick around through a rejection. Her words triggered James so quickly that Julian had grabbed her and pulled her back away from her son as his temper snapped and in his fury at the mention of someone sending Cassidy away he had swiped his desk clean, sending everything flying off of it.

“SHE IS MINE!”