Konstantin: The Heartless Beta

Nikolai

/“She’s here,"/

/“1 know that, Knight, shut up about it already.”/

Jasmine, peppermint and peaches - these springtime scents have been driving me wild all afternoon. I know it's my mate; I know it's the one who I rejected, so why can't I get her out of my head? Didn't I sever the Mate Bond by rejecting her?

My brother only met his mate in his late thirties, and the rest of my brothers, except Viktor, met theirs in their late twenties. I didn’t expect to meet my mate any time soon, which is why I've always played the field. But to know I met her and rejected her without even knowing about it, without my fucking consent!

I've been pissed off ever since Konstantin told me about this, knowing that I can’t do a damn thing about it. I don't remember ever meeting her, yet I rejected the person fated to be mine, and it fucking hurt like Hell.

Wandering around the tented area, I give up looking and make my way outside. I can't be around people right now; the Nikolai, who enjoyed the limelight, died as soon as he was thrown into a darkened dungeon and tortured repeatedly.

And the one who stood here now is filled with resentment.

As soon as I walk out of the tent, I am hit with those Springtime scents yet again. Without even thinking, I start to walk towards a short, curvy looking blonde standing next to the large oak tree in the middle of Volkov Estate. She's wearing a light yellow dress with Converse sneakers; very odd for the cold weather. I see her stiffen as I approach, and when she turns around, I feel it - so does Knight.

Something draws me to her, and the closer I get, the tighter it becomes. Her eyes widen when she sees me, and her heartbeat quickens, just as mine did when I laid my eyes on her.

This is Nova; this is my mate.

“Nikolai,” she says my name softly, and it might as well have been a prayer. Her voice is as sweet as her scent, and I find myself drowning in her.

“Nova,” I breathe out her name as I approach her and loving how it sounds as it rolls off my tongue. She takes a step back and against the oak tree. “What... what are you doing here?” she stutters, her beautiful brown eyes widening even more behind those dark-rimmed glasses. I wonder why she’s wearing them. She's a wolf, right?

“I came out for some air, and your scent drew me to you,” I say, standing so close to her that I can see her pulse racing in that sweet spot in her neck.

Fuck I am dying to claim her; she is mine!

Her breath catches in her throat when I reach out to touch the spot in the crook of her neck, and I start to scent her, letting everyone know that she is mine. “Nikolai, what...” she breathes, her eyes rolling back in her head, and when they open, I notice the change in the colour.

Blue. Rogue Blue.

“You're a Rogue?” I ask, not that it fucking mattered; she will be mine soon.

She nods, and her expression changes from bliss to stone-cold anger. “You called me a wolfless, half-blind Rogue when you rejected me. Don't you remember?” She asks, then pushes me hard before walking away from me.

No, no, I would never fucking do that!

I rush after her and grab her wrist. “Wait, Nova-"

“No,” she says, pulling her wrist from my grasp. “I listened to enough of your insults when we met, and I am not up for any more of your degradation.”

My heart races when she says this, and I shake my head. “No! No, you don't understand; that wasn't me!” I exclaim, but she only raises an eyebrow at me.

"Oh, and who was it? The tooth fairy?” she asks, crossing her arms and looking even fucking sexier as a bit of brat.

“Listen, Nikolai, I expected you to reject me, so don't worry about it. But at least own up to your bullshit. I came to New York to see if you were okay, now you're okay, you've rejected me, and that's that.”

I see the tears form in her eyes as she shakes her head, and my heart shatters. “Don’t fucking build me up like this, just to break me down again. Is that what gets you off? You draw me in just to reject me again?!”

The anger in her delicious scent astounds me, and I realise just how badly I've hurt my mate without even intending to. I need to win her back; I cannot let her slip through my fingers again.

“If I rejected you, truly rejected you, why do I still feel the Mate Bond Pull? You can't tell me you don't feel it, Nova.” I say and grab her wrist again, drawing her closer to me and placing my hand on the small of her back. I groan at the smell of her scent, needing more of it as it's sending me on what I can only describe as a never-ending high.

I push myself against her, and her eyes widen at my hardness. “If I truly rejected you, why do you have this effect on me? Why can't I think about anything else other than ripping your clothes off and claiming you right now?”

“N-no-"

“You're mine, little Rogue, and I'll show you what it means to belong to a Volkov wolf. You might not be ready now, but know that I don’t intend to ever let you go. Not again.” I whisper, then lean down and plant a kiss in the nape of her neck, drawing a fang along the area I am yet to bite.

She gasps, and a small moan escapes her throat - this is where I know what I said earlier is correct - the Mate Bond is still there. The sound of her moan makes me want more of her, makes me want to rip her fucking dress off and bury myself to the hilt inside of her.

I lap up the blood and let out a groan before running my tongue down the graze again and letting it heal. I want so much more of her, but this will have to do for now.

So I let go of her and turned my back to walk inside, already planning ways to win my little Rogue back.