Rejected My Alpha Mate

Rachel's POV

"Magda! Please meet me in the kitchen,” I called as I entered the house.

I was going to make sure the housekeeper knew how to make the hangover cure as well as I could so this never happened again. Tyler was not going to turn me into a maid because he couldn't force me to continue being his mate.

I lined up all the fresh ingredients on the counter with my mortar and pestle. I would grind everything by hand. I would delay seeing Tyler as long as I could using the hangover tea as my excuse along the way.

I'd been smart enough to stop by a fresh market on the way over in order to ensure I had all the fresh ingredients to hand. The last thing I needed was to get to the house only to have to turn around to run to the store.

Magda asked questions quietly as I crushed the leaves and ground the fresh herbs. She handed me a strainer ball which I packed with the ingredients before closing tightly.

"Now we need to make sure the water is just under boiling. If it is still at a rolling boil, it will be too hot and will scorch the ingredients so the cure won't work as well.”

I poured the water over the strainer ball and set a timer on my phone for five minutes.

"Five minutes to steep seems to be perfect for Master Tyler. It can be longer if the ingredients aren't fresh. When winter comes, you'll want to let it sit longer.”

Magda made notes in a pad she carried with her. She claimed writing things down by hand was easier for her than trying to use a device; I didn't press the issue because of her grandmotherly demeanor.

"You really should start using a smartphone, Magda. There are apps for everything these days."

I hated to think I was adding more to her workload, but I had to leave Tyler. I'd barely survived the last three years with him. I wouldn't even be a shadow of myself after any more years passed.

"You worry too much, Madam Rachel.”

"No," I murmured, "I don't worry nearly enough. I'll take this up to Tyler. Feel free to get on with your chores, Magda."

I had stalled long enough making the remedy.

Squaring my shoulders, I settled everything onto a bed tray and walked it to Tyler personally. It was as if I had gone back in time; every action was the same I had made before.

I firmed my jaw as I realized I didn't have to step back into the role he wanted me in.

I would deliver his tea, but I wouldn't pretend I was doing it out of anything other than obligation. "Your tea, Sir."

I placed the tray over his lap and stepped back, offering him a short nod before I made to leave. "That's it?"

I paused and asked, "Excuse me, Sir?"

"A single cup of tea and you're leaving? You know I might need more.”

His tone was cold enough to freeze the scalding hot tea I had brewed for him.

"I know I was asked to come here to make a hangover cure. I made it. I went so far as to teach your maid how to make it. If you need more, you can call Magda or your mistress. I don't care either way."

I realized I was telling the truth as the words left my mouth: I really did not care if Tyler Wright called his maid or his mistress to comfort him.

I had made my choice when I had rejected my alpha mate.

"You're a very understanding mate if you don't care if I call another woman.”

"I rejected you, remember? Who you call is no longer my business.”

"I haven't accepted your rejection,” Tyler insisted, taking a sip of his tea, "That means everything I do remains “your business’ until I reject you, too."

No one had ever warned me it would be hard to reject my mate.

Most wolves were overjoyed to find their other half. I doubted any wolf would want to reject their mate without very serious reasons.

Grinding my teeth together, I gritted out, "So hurry up and reject me, why don't you? You have to want to end this as much as I do!"

"I want you to get in this bed right now and see to my needs! Why don't you?"

"Seriously?" I was stunned by his outburst.

Tyler never yelled at me when he had a headache. I must be angering him very much for him to shout.

"No," I stated firmly, taking my phone out, "I'm going to call up Jenny. I'm sure she'll come here to brew you more tea or get into your bed to see to any needs you have, Sir!"

I was scrolling through my contacts when my phone was jerked out of my hands.

I hadn't even heard Tyler get out of bed!

I always forgot how imposing he was until he towered over me, all muscles and raw power barely held in check by his iron will. Tyler was an Alpha among Alphas. I wished I didn't find him attractive. "Stop this!" he shouted, shaking my phone at me before tossing it toward the door, "I'm sick of this game you're playing. What do you want?"

Tyler thought I was playing a game with him? What could I possibly have to gain from a game? He wasn't the kind of male who would let a woman beat him in a game.

"I'm not playing any game."

"Don't test me, Rachel! I am not a patient man. Tell me what you want so we can get on with our lives."

I reeled in my feelings as I realized I was the calmer of the two of us.

Searching Tyler's face, I pushed him with a smile, "Well, if this is a game, how about you give me what I said I wanted? Everything you have. Sign over Moonrise Entertainment to me."

I knew John Wright, Tyler's father, had expressed more than once his worst nightmare was to lose their family business to me.

My father-in-law called me a "gold digger" even though I had asked for nothing for myself since mating with Tyler.

"Very funny,” Tyler snapped, "Be serious. What do you really want?"

"I want you to reject me. Sever the mate bond. Finish the ceremony.”

"Reject, reject, reject! Can you say anything else?”

Tyler grabbed my arm above my elbow and shook me. In the past, I would have been afraid he might try to get more physical with me.

I was a stronger woman now though. I wasn't going to be pushed back into his shadow.

Twisting free of his grip, I snapped, "I've said plenty! You just don't listen! What about you, Tyler? Do you really want me back here in your bed? You couldn't have been too satisfied if your mistress is having your lovechild. Or is that what you want? To humiliate me? Make me raise another woman's baby?"

Tyler walked away from me to sit back on the bed. He rubbed his temples with his fingers, looking pained. I almost pitied him for the tortured expression on his face.

"I have to go out of town. I have business to do with my father. You will meet me back here when I return and we will talk about this then. Understand?"

I understood I was being given a reprieve. I would take all the space I could get from Tyler. Even if I only got a few days out of his business trip, those days would give me time to settle into my life away from him.

"Yes, Sir."

I saluted him with a grin though my efforts were wasted as he didn't look up at me.

I turned to leave and he asked something too quietly for me to be certain I understood.

"What?"

Turning to face him, Tyler's eyes met mine as he asked again, "Do you want me to bring you chocolates? You ate them the last time I brought them back for you."

What a bizarre turn his mind had taken---1 shook my head no and said, "No, thank you."

He nodded and got himself back into bed while I collected my phone from the floor where he'd tossed it.

Luckily it wasn't damaged. I might not have left so peacefully if he had broken my phone.

I left the house quickly as my phone began to ring with my father's number showing. I answered it only when I was far enough away Magda wouldn't be able to overhear.

"Patrick, how can I help you?"

Had my father heard about me rejecting Tyler? Patrick tended to always be in-the-know when it came to gossip.

"I need money for Ethan's college tuition. Send me a check. A hundred grand should cover it."

I was sick of men telling me what to do.

"First, Ethan hasn't chosen a college yet so he has no way of knowing how much his tuition will cost. Second, he’s applied for scholarships everywhere he has applied. I helped him with them. There is no way he will need $100,000 for a school year. Third, if Ethan needs money, I will give it to him directly. Do you understand?”

Patrick roared from his side of the line, "You ungrateful bitch! You think because you mated an Alpha you can push your old omega father aside? You can't get rid of me just like that. I'm your father! I'll always be your father! You owe me---"

"I don't owe you anything. Don't call me again.”

I cut off the call and turned off my ringer because I was done for the day.

I was going to go to my first day of work with my head held high. All these men in my life could just go somewhere else for their needs. I was done catering to them.