Noctis

Today is the day I am heading to the base for the award ceremony. Dad, Amara and Callum are coming with me. I don't have my ceremonial uniform with me, but I got word from Sergeant Major Jones that he can bring it.

We pull up to the parking lot and head inside. Dan meets me in the hallway and we share a short hug.

"Who are these people?" Dan asks as he looks at my friends and family.

"This is Amara, Callum and my Dad, Riggs," I introduce.

Dan's eyes widen as he realizes who my dad is and he bows his head, "Nice to meet you Alpha Riggs."

"Pleasure is mine Sergeant Major, I heard you have helped out my daughter a lot these past couple years."

"It was my pleasure. Here Noctis, you should go get changed," Dan hands me my clothes.

I head to the bathroom to change while Dan takes my family to their seats. After I get changed into my uniform with my five metals I have earned on the breast. I walk into the ceremony room and find my seat. I am sitting between two soldiers I don't recognize and the director takes a stand at the stage.

There are vampires in the army? Dad asks shocked.

Yes Dad, all the ones I have met are really nice.

I'm not judging, just shocked, Dad defensively says.

"Thank you all for coming here today for this awarding ceremony. Let's get started. First we have Dax Wilson, he is receiving a metal for his courage and leadership. He stepped up when his lieutenant was captured and continued to look for her while fighting off the enemies."

Dax looks happy and I look at him proud. When he sees me, his smile widens. I guess he didn't know I was coming here today. After he receives his metal, a few more soldiers are called up before it is my turn.

"Lastly, I would like to call up Lieutenant Noctis Kilo," I walk up beside the director, "She  lead the best Special Ops Platoon that the army has ever seen. She was captured by the enemy for two years and took them down single handedly to escape. She is one of the best soldiers that the army has ever seen and I am honoured to be awarding the Purple Heart to her today," he pins the metal to my uniform and I go to salute him, but he continues talking. "Today we are also awarding Lieutenant Kilo the Metal of Honour for her courage and bravery."

To say I am surprised is an understatement. That is the highest award you can be given in the military. He pins it to my uniform and salutes me. I salute him and then make my way back to my seat, still in shock.

"Thank you all for coming today, there will be a gathering held in the hall across from here," Dan says.

We all stand up and file out of the room to enter to large room across the hallway. I don't get far before I am embraced in a tight hug. I sniff the person and I realize it is Xander. I hug him and back then we break away from each other.

"You look like you are doing better," he comments.

"I feel a lot better. How are you? How's Uncle Chris?"

"He's good, congratulations on the metals!" He smiles widely.

"Thanks. It was a big shock to me as well," I tell him.

"Noctis!" A man exclaims and embraces me in a hug. Tobias.

"Tobias, congratulations on your metal," I smile as I hug him.

He pulls back, "You as well. You seem better."

"I am."

"Tobias, Xander!" I hear Mara shout as she runs up and tackles them in a hug.

Mara really bonded with their wolves which means she isn't thinking that they won't recognize her right away.

"Who are you?" Tobias asks.

I face palm myself, "Amara, let them go."

"Right, sorry. I was just so excited to see you both again."

"Have we met before?" Xander wonders.

"Well, technically yes...you see..." Amara trails off.

"You are Noctis' wolf," Tobias states.

"How did you know that?" I ask Tobias.

"You smell different and she smells a lot like you. She also looks like she could be your twin," Tobias answers.

"Is it really that obvious?" I ask.

"No, I just know you really well. I assume there is a story behind this."

"There is, but now isn't the time."

"Is your dad around? I would love to introduce myself," Xander asks.

"Yeah, follow me."

I take them across the room where Dad is talking with Dan. "Hey Dad. I would like to introduce you to some people."

"Of course Noctis, who are they?"

"This is Tobias Branch. He was one of the best soldiers in my first platoon."

"It's nice to meet you sir," Tobias says with a small bow of his head in respect.

"I am glad to meet you as well," Dad smiles and holds out his hand to shake Tobias'.

"And this is my friend Xander Roberts. His dad is Uncle Chris," I tell Dad.

Dad smiles and pulls Xander into a tight hug, "It is so nice to meet you. I miss your dad, but I am glad he has met his mate. You don't look like him, do you look more like your mom?"

"I was adopted when I was three by them," Xander responds.

"That's amazing. I am glad to see that he raised you right."

"I will let you guys talk, I am going to go find my old platoon," I tell them.

They nod and I walk away. I see the three is them huddled in the corner. I walk up to them and they turn to me with smiles.

"Hey guys," I greet.

"Noctis, we are so glad that you are alright," Kai smiles.

"Yeah, we were so worried when we found you," Silas adds and I nod.

"Sorry about that. A lot happened in those two years and I wasn't in a good mindset."

"We understand," Kai replies.

"Can I talk with you in private Noctis?" Dax wonders.

"Of course," I know exactly what he wants to talk about and he deserves the truth.

We walk out the back of the hall and into a vacant hallway. He takes a few deep breaths before asking his question.

"What the hell happened Noctis. A few days after we found you, we found the massacre."

I look at my shoes feeling ashamed, "As you can probably guess, they didn't treat me well." He nods, "They would rape me and one day, I got pregnant."

"What?" Dax asks.

"You heard me right. Anyway, after I gave birth, they would threaten Brayden to make me fight and kill for them. They were recruiting other rogues and if they refused I would have to kill them."

"Oh Noctis," Dax sympathetically says and I nod.

"So, right before you found me...they...they k-killed..." tears run down my face and Dax gasps and puts a hand over his mouth.

"I am so sorry. I can believe they would..." he cuts himself off.

"After that, something inside me snapped and I blacked out. When I came to, I was covered in blood and they were all dead. Soon after, you found me."

I wait for him to say something but he stays quiet. Instead, Dax hugs me tight and I cry silently on his shoulder.

"Thanks Dax," I smile as I pull away and wipe my cheeks.

"Anytime. Let's go find Ash, I want to talk with him," Dax grins.

"Um...he isn't here," I quietly say.

"What do you mean he isn't here? I would have thought for sure that he would come to support..." I cut him off.

"He rejected me," I tell Dax who gets stunned into silence.

"What?! He...how...why?"

"The Moon Goddess spoke to him. She said that he had to reject me to be with his second chance mate."

"Why would she say that?" Dax asks.

"I don't..." I am cut off by a loud blaring noise in my head. I fall to the ground in pain while holding the sides of my head.

Noctis, I hear an angelic voice say.

Who are you? I strain myself to ask.

I am the Moon Goddess and I need to tell you that I was not the one to tell Ash to reject you, she says.

Then who did?

The witch, then she was gone and my ears were only left with a slight ringing.

The witch? The one that broke into my room and tried to kill me? Why would she do that? Then it clicks, if I wasn't a True Alpha then I would have been empty inside and I wouldn't have even tried to fight her off. She made Ash reject me so she could easily kill me.

"We need to find Ash," I tell Dax.

"What? Why?"

"Because the Moon Goddess just spoke to me."