Another Half

Rex groaned when felt a kick in the back of his head. He was holding his breath and he had closed his eyes to stop the world from spinning after his head hit the pavement. The physical pain in his stomach and head was unbearable, but the pain caused by the rejection was worse.

Rejected.

His mate rejected him!

What’d we do to deserve a rejection?!

Nothing, his wolf Nakon responded with a calm but tense voice. He was taking it far better than Rex had expected. Nakon hadn’t even whimpered.

Lily told me that Caroline had already decided to reject us. The moron with her convinced her years ago. That’s why she came today--to reject us. There was nothing we could have done to prevent it.

Lily? Her wolf? Did you speak with her wolf? Rex tried to get up in a crouch, but his stomach clenched painfully and he fell to his knees.

Yes, it was hard because Lily was locked far away and we couldn’t talk very much, Nakon responded sadly. He had curled up in a tight ball. Lily was nice, but she was very sad. She’s always been locked up.

Rex closed his eyes and quickly found the remains of the shiny silver thread that had been his bond with Caroline. Now it was a splintered stump in the middle of his soul. The emptiness hurt.

Don’t look at it, Nakon said. It’s done and gone forever. Get up. We’re on the ground. This is not us.

Several people had approached Rex, and with them came the mortifying whispers of pity.

“Poor dude.”

“Yeah. I’m glad my mate didn’t--”

“Oh, dear. Another one” said an older woman’s voice. “Help me, dear. Let’s take him to the library with the others.”

“There are others?” a girl asked.

“Yeah. All the other losers that got rejected.”

The humiliation, now apparently public, was too much for Rex to bear.

Get up NOW! Nakon shouted. We don’t want to go wherever the hell they want to take us.

Then help me, Nakon. I can’t—I can’t do this alone.

Fine. But from this moment on, you listen to me. We do things my way from now on.

Rex didn’t feel like arguing and immediately felt a sudden surge of energy. He jumped up, shrugging off the older couple that was trying to help him up.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Rex said, breathing in deeply and clearing his lungs. The physical pain had subsided just enough to allow him to move. He ignored the pain deep in his soul.

Let’s get out of here, Rex.

“No, you’re not, honey. You’re weak, and there’s no shame in that. There are others just like you.”

We are not weak, Rex! Get us out of here now or I’ll take over!

Rex quickly dusted off his new Armani suit coat and smoothed over his black hair. He gritted his teeth, wiped the dribble of blood from his lips with his coat sleeve, and adjusted the knot of his silk tie.

“See?” He shrugged. “I told you. I’m fine.” He stalked off, ignoring the gasps of the small crowd he left behind. He made his way to the garden and lost himself among the tables.

The garden lights flickered on, making it easier for Rex to choose among the many types of drinks on the nearest table.

You can always count on wolves to not skimp on liquor at these kinds of events, he thought. The familiar red bottles of Rojo bourbon on the table caught his eye. Rex laughed bitterly. The irony.

Rex grabbed a couple of unopened bottles and walked toward the nearby tree line. At least he had his favorite bourbon with him. He should send the organizing committee a complimentary case or two of Rojo and maybe one of Azul.

They’ll like that, Nakon responded. That stuff is not cheap. You should stop raising the prices.

We just got royally rejected and you want to talk about product pricing?! Rex asked his wolf.

But maybe Nakon was right. Rex should think about work. To take the edge off the pain. To forget everything that had just happened, if only for a little while. Work never failed him.

Rex walked deep into the forest. He found a giant oak and wondered how many barrels it would produce. Pain shot through his body when sat down against the oak. His head was still pounding, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the rejection, the fall, or the kick. Probably all three.

He opened one of the bottles and took a sip and let the liquor sit on his palate for a bit, enjoying its smoky vanilla and caramel flavors before swallowing slowly. The bourbon’s familiar rich flavors gave him familiar comfort. He managed to smile. Because of their family’s business, one of his father’s most important lessons was how to drink smart, so he started Rex early. At thirteen. In the seven years since then, Rex had gotten drunk only twice and it was with his father and uncles. Alcohol is as dangerous as fire, they’d taught him. Be smart. Respect it. Know why you’re drinking so you won’t overdo it. Rex had always followed their instructions. But tonight was special. It was the third time Rex would get drunk and he was determined to do it alone. He just had to make sure not to drive or do anything utterly stupid, like get into a fight he was sure to lose anyway.

He took another drink from the bottle. There was nothing like the taste of ultra-premium bourbon and, even though it had recently hit the market, Rex’s award-winning Rojo was one of the best. Not that it had mattered today. He started to laugh but he stopped. It made his head hurt more.

Rex may only be twenty, but he had always been driven. He graduated from college this past spring with a double degree in business and economics. True, the distillery had been in his family for four generations, but Azul Springs Distillery had produced high-end Azul vodkas for decades. Brian Essa, his father, had produced the lime and lemon-flavored vodkas before becoming their pack's alpha. Uncle Dylan had produced their mint-flavored vodka. But they never experimented with bourbons or brandies like Rex. He would never tell his family this, but he found the taste of vodka utterly boring. Give him a bold and flavorful bourbon any day.

As CEO of the company, Uncle Dylan gave Rex product innovation freedom at fifteen because he wanted to experiment with bourbon recipes. Between his intense schooling and his endless experiments, Rex spent several years without a social life, but it was worth it. With Brian's guidance and Uncle Dylan's support, Rex launched Rojo just a few months ago. His father was beyond proud of him, and Uncle Dylan took Rex’s energy and innovation as the perfect opportunity to retire so Rex would take over the distillery.

And then his mate dumps him for a guy with a bar.

Rex scoffed and drained a quarter of Rojo in one long swig.

*******

Rex woke up in the company of his two empty bourbon bottles and was surrounded all around by green foliage. He couldn’t sit up. Somehow he had crawled under a large and very dense bush and curled up on the dry leaves on the ground. He looked out through the bush’s branches. He had no idea where he was. The oak from last night was nowhere in sight.

Good morning, sunshine, Nakon’s amused gravelly voice said.

Shut up. Rex rubbed his temples. I don’t understand why you’re in such a good mood.

His head hurt, but it was a different pain from last night. This is why he didn’t like to get drunk; there was hell to pay the next day and it was never worth it.

It’s like getting rejected didn’t affect you. What gives? Rex was annoyed at his wolf. Nakon was tougher than anyone he had ever met, man or wolf.

I’ve decided not to dwell on shit I have no control over, Nakon said like it was nothing. Shhh! Hear that? Listen.

Approaching male voices made Rex focus.

“I don’t know, Maverick. We better consult your dad on this. Our pack isn’t ready to take over a playground,” a young man’s voice said, “much less another pack. Expect the Essas to fight back, man. And hard.”

Maverick. Rex frowned. That was the guy that took his mate away from him last night.

“We’re not going to waste this golden opportunity, Rick. I’m telling you, it’s a Christmas and birthday present in one!” Maverick’s familiar voice said, and Rex would have left his place under the bush and fought Maverick if Nakon hadn’t stopped him.

Don’t you dare, Rex! Look at you, hungover and half out of it. You’re in no shape to fight. Nakon hissed in Rex’s head. Listen!

The men’s voices lowered as they walked further away.

“You should’ve seen it. He was a beautiful mess. Caroline had no idea her Fated Mate was the next alpha of the Azul Springs pack, and she single-handedly took him out! Left him on the floor. My delicate little flower doesn’t even know how to fight!”

“Poor sap,” the other voice said. “You took his mate and now you want to take his pack--”

“And I’m going to take everything that comes with it!” Maverick’s smugness was unmistakable.

Mute with fury, Rex remained laying down long after he stopped hearing their voices. What was he supposed to do? Now he had more than one reason to kill Maverick, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

Yes. Fine. But we have to prepare for this, Nakon said. We’re not alpha yet, but we should definitely alert your father when we get home.

And just let his father take care of it?

NO. We prepare. My way because your way sucks.

Rex didn’t like the sound of that.

You have no idea. Our body is not the exquisite fighting machine it can be. Trust me. We can be so much stronger and faster. Deadlier. By the time I’m done with us, that moron is going to wish he had never laid eyes on our mate.

Rex scowled. He knew how to fight and win!

Yeah, but we’re not as good as we can be. We have to prepare for that day, Rex, and the first thing you’re going to do is stop eating all that trash you eat every day. Pizza, brownies, cheeseburgers, cookies, liquor--it all has to stop.

Rex laughed out loud. He owned a distillery!

Forget it, Nakon. A life without brownies or bourbon isn’t worth living.

Nakon growled with frustration. Fine. Keep your occasional stupid brownies and bourbon, but we’re giving up everything else. And I’m putting us on a training regiment as soon as we get home. I’ll get us where we need to get to, but you can’t lock me up like Caroline locks up Lily. Promise me, Rex. Promise me!

Rex promised although he doubted Nakon would let Rex lock him up anyway. And why would Rex want to? Who locks up their best friend?