Rejecting the Alpha

Kylie

He transformed and stood before me, his naked body splattered in his brother’s blood and otherwise every bit as physically appealing as he had ever been, although I was unmoved. I stared into his dark blue eyes, and cursed Thedric as the fool who had gotten me back into this situation.

"Mate," he said, simply, his eyes flickering.

I stared at him coldly. If he thought I was going to pretend to care he was going to be very disappointed.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"I left." I was not going to tell him anything.

"You joined another pack."

"I did."

"You fucked someone else."

I hadn't thought about how he might have been able to feel it, but I didn't really care considering how little he had cared about how it hurt me when he had done the same, and after the tragedy his infidelity had caused.

"Yes, I did. Just like you did.”

He growled.

"Did he force you?"

"No. You're the only one who did that."

His released a louder growl, and I rethought my attitude. I didn't want to die, I had people I wanted to live for. I wanted to escape and run back to Vander, and then anywhere else we could escape this monster.

I bowed my head slightly in a show of submission and said, “I don't want to stay here."

"You belong here. You're mine."

"No, I'm mine. I don't belong to you, I never did. You can force me to stay but that doesn't mean anything other than that you're the one in the wrong."

"Come with me."

I thought about running to the woods, but I knew I would only get a few feet before his wolf was upon me without a distraction to slow him down, especially with my own werewolf abilities repressed as they were. At least with Alpha Gavriel he probably wouldn’t keep drugging me.

Whatever Thedric's legitimate grievances, he had been willing to sink as low as my first mate to gain revenge. He hadn't deserved to rule any more than this monster did. He had gotten what he deserved, and I wished the alpha would, too.

Because I had little choice, I soon found myself locked in the same room I had spent so much time in months previously. Although muted, it smelled like him, and I couldn't help but find it pleasant. I hoped it was a sign that my wolf was waking up again. Dealing with him had felt less lonely when my other half had been aware.

It would also be nice to have my wounds heal up at a normal rate rather than this humanly slow pace. A few minutes after I had been left there, Marie came into the alpha's room and helped me shower and dress, before she cleaned and bandaged my injuries better that the rogues with the first aid kit had managed in the car, as well as putting a clean bandage around my neck. There was sympathy in her eyes and I understood that at least one member of Stonemason had wanted to see me escape and live freely somewhere else.

There were probably more people sympathetic to my plight, but they were likely as powerless as Marie.

I looked at her. "What happened while I was gone?"

She smiled a bit wanly. "At first, Alpha Gavriel seemed mostly unconcerned. His wolf was a bit more on edge than usual, but everything seemed to be running normally."

Her voice grew more hesitant. "Then, one night, he snapped and grew violent. A couple of people got caught in his rage at that time, and one of them died."

"I'm sorry that happened," I said, meaning it. How many more would die before he was stopped?

She shook her head. "He really went downhill after that. There were a couple of times when he was struck with pain that we thought might be..."

I didn't want to confirm what she clearly knew so I waited for her to continue.

"His wolf's been pushing at the surface since then. But now that you're back, maybe things will be better?" She did not sound very hopeful.

I wasn't, either.

Shortly after our brief conversation, Marie left me alone, but I was not alone for long. The alpha came to his room and shut the door firmly behind him.

What was he here for? What did he want from me? Possibilities flew through my mind like ghosts, each bringing a new terror with it.

He loomed over me, and leaned in close, breathing in my scent.

"You smell of rogues," he said.

"I'm sure that will pass. It's not like I asked them to hold me hostage." It was one thing when I held myself hostage, another entirely when they had done it.

"I'm going to kill every rogue."

"They're not all bad, I'm sure."

He scoffed at me. "They're rats, not wolves. They'll team up with any scum to make a quick buck. The world will be better off without them."

I decided not to argue, since thinking of rogues was only getting his wolf worked up, if his flashing eyes were anything to judge by. I just waited to see what he would do. He was still close, and my body was reacting to him like it always had. I hated the mate-bond between us, because it forced things I did not want to give. I didn't want to find him attractive. I wanted to stay true to Vander, although the longer I was forced to stay here, the less likely that would be.

Maybe Vander would understand, but it would break my heart to hurt him like that. He didn’t deserve a mate who couldn’t help but want another male.

He could clearly smell my arousal, and he looked into my eyes before bringing his lips to mine. I tried to shove him away, but I was even weaker in comparison to him than I usually was. I wrenched my face away. "No, I don't want this."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't. I'm never giving in to you again."

"You're my mate."

"I don't care. Leave me alone."

He narrowed his eyes as he loomed over me, a threatening wall of muscle and power. "Why should I?"

"Because I hate you. More than rogues, or Thedric for kidnapping me, I hate you more than anyone."

"Mate, be reasonable."

I wanted to claw out his eyes for his ridiculous statement. I'd show him reasonable.

"I'll give you a couple of days to be reasonable, and then we'll talk again."