Rejected My Alpha Mate

Rachel POV

Panic caused me to sit up as soon as I came back to consciousness. Everything was white and bright and confusing. I tossed the blankets off my body and swung my legs over the side of the bed. "What? Where am 1? Hello?"

White curtains parted before me as a woman in a nurse's uniform came rushing to my side.

"Hey, there," she soothed, "No need to worry! You're here at Saint Mary's Hospital. A good Samaritan saw you on the ground in the park. He called 9-1-1. How do you feel?"

She rubbed my back as she comforted me. Her voice was friendly, calm, and so truly kind I never wanted her to go away. Kindness wasn't something I received often.

"I feel dizzy. What's wrong with me?"

I had been a lot of things in my life, but physically I had always been in good health. I was a strong wolf even if I was mostly long limbs and lean muscle. I was rarely sick even as a child.

"Well, Rachel, can I call you Rachel? We got your name off the ID you had with you in your bag. I'm Nurse Betty. Do you feel okay to talk?"

Nodding, I raised a hand to my face where I felt the fading bruise from my father's hand. I winced as I realized she probably thought I was an abused woman. What else should she think?

"Rachel is fine, Nurse Betty. Can you fill me in on---whatever I've missed?"

Nurse Betty sat beside me on the bed and patted my thigh before turning to face me. I started to feel nervous at how serious she looked. Was I really sick? Had something been building up inside me without my knowledge?

Cancer affected werewolves very rarely, but it did happen. What kind of irony would it be if I escaped my horrible mating only to die soon after?

"Don't look so grim! We initially treated you as a Jane Doe until your purse went through the nursing aides for cataloguing. You've been here since yesterday afternoon. Do you remember yesterday?"

"I had an altercation. With my father. I went to the park. I remember being in the park, but I don't remember an ambulance or being brought here."

Betty smiled apologetically, "You were very out of it when you came in. Your blood pressure and blood sugar levels were all over the place. I took over your care at 7 AM this morning. This is the first time you've been awake since your arrival.”

That was somehow comforting. I didn't have gaps in my memory because I remembered everything until I'd lost consciousness, but why had I fainted?

"Why did I faint? Did my father hit me that hard?"

"No," the nurse shook her head, "We did a head CT to clear you of any brain damage. It was purely your blood levels. You're going to need to be much more careful in the future or you and your baby are not going to make it through this pregnancy. Do you understand?"

"Baby? What baby?"

"I was afraid of that. You're pregnant, Rachel. Probably not more than a few weeks. Honey, are you being abused? We can offer you help.”

A cold chill washed over me from my scalp all the way down to my toes. I flexed my feet as I realized I was barefoot. I hoped they'd kept my shoes because I only had the one pair suitable for work.

"Rachel?"

Shock.

I was in shock.

"What?" I asked, my lips numb and tingling.

Tyler and I had last had sex a few weeks ago. We used protection every time. I had wanted children as soon as I realized I was with my fated mate. I'd wanted a big family.

"Is someone hurting you? The father of this baby maybe? You have options. You may not think you do, but there's help available if you need it."

Tyler had never wanted children because he believed children in Alpha households were only used as bartering chips. Starting a family was one of the only things he'd ever discussed with me in depth.

"No, I'm separated from the father. Wait! Wait! What time is it? I've been here overnight?"

Panic shocked me back into motion. I was supposed to meet Tyler at the Moon Goddess shrine in the garden of Our Blessed Goddess.

The tile was cold under my feet. I flung the curtains back from around the hospital bed and stared at the bright sun coming through the window with horror. There was no way I wasn't late.

"It's a little after noon. Rachel, you need to sit back down.”

"No, I do not! I need to leave. I need to use a phone first and then I need to leave. Where is my phone? My shoes? Please bring me my things."

Nurse Betty wasn't to blame for my predicament. I didn't want to snap at her. I only wanted to get out of this hospital as fast as possible so I could meet up with Tyler to sever our mate bond before he learned of my pregnancy.

I wasn't sure how I felt about the idea of carrying his baby. All I knew was I didn't want to give him any further reason to delay our separation.

I was not spending any more time being mated to him! I was going to be free!

"I'll get your things. First let me do a quick checkup, okay? I'll help you get out of here if you need to leave. I just want to make sure you're leaving because you want to leave and not because you're afraid.”

"I am not afraid of anything except rescheduling the meeting I missed this morning,” I admitted, "Other than being pregnant, I'm fine, right?”

"Yes," Nurse Betty agreed, looking concerned as she made her way out to the hall, "You're fit as a fiddle."

"Then get my belongings. I need to leave. Now."

Leaving the hospital took almost an hour in total. I'd been worn down into agreeing to meet with a high-risk OB/GYN for a full physical later in the day because of my blood levels.

By the time I was wheeled to the entrance to meet my rideshare, I was a complete emotional wreck. I waited only until the car door was closed to pull out my phone to call Tyler.

"Oh, Rachel. So good of you to call,” Jenny said as she answered Tyler's phone.

I stared straight ahead with a million thoughts going through my mind at once. I had to be careful. I couldn't let her get to me. Tyler had to think nothing was wrong so he would meet me to complete the rejection ceremony.

"Jenny, lovely to hear your voice! Is Tyler available?”

"He was available this morning!” Jenny cooed, laughter coloring her tone, "He's not available now.” I hung up before she could say anything else.

Jenny could make me angry. I knew she could. I wasn't afraid of her. I wasn't even angry Tyler had sought out her company after I missed our rejection ceremony. Tyler could have his other women. He just needed to reject me!

"Hello, driver, could you please take me to this address instead?"

I gave the rideshare driver Bella's apartment address rather than the garden. I knew I would wind up waiting alone at the shrine until I could get Tyler to agree to meet me again.

All the hospital staff had been adamant I understand I needed to take care of myself while pregnant. I hadn't eaten anything. I would go back to Bella, eat something, drink some water, and hopefully have my best friend help me figure out what to do next.

I gave the driver some cash from my wallet. I didn't count it. I hoped it was a decent tip, but at least the rideshare app paid them automatically.

"Rachel?" Bella called as I opened the door with my key.

"Bella! Oh Goddess, I'm so glad to see you!"

"What happened to you? Tyler called and I didn't know what to tell him. I said you would call him back."

"I passed out at the park yesterday. They brought me to the hospital via ambulance and I just woke up today a little after noon. It took forever to get them to let me go. You'd never believe all the---" "Rachel! What happened? Why were you in the hospital?”

Bella rushed to me and placed her hand on my forehead before gently touching my cheek. I knew the bruise there was almost gone -werewolves heal faster than humans- but it was an ugly color without any makeup to cover it.

"I'm not sick. The bruise is from Patrick. He wanted money from Tyler. I told him he couldn't have any. I told Tyler's beta to let the police have him. Then he hit me. Patrick. Not Adam.”

Bella scrunched up her face in confusion as she took my hands to lead me to the couch.

"You passed out after you got hit? Why did you pass out?"

I sat beside Bella on the couch and faced her. She looked so worried I couldn't help smiling.

"Oh, it's not a big deal. I'm just pregnant!"