Page 96 of The Alpha's Protective Mate

“There was no misunderstanding,” I say, my voice quiet. “If you did write me letters, they were never given to me. If you ever sent me anything, I never received it. And you never received anything I tried to send to you. That’s all there is to it.”

Terrence’s lips press together into a thin line. “I was told you were doing well. I always asked Beruth about you when we spoke. My own father assured me you were fine. It was only two months ago, when I decided to come back, that they told me you had left the clan. They were so convincing. Even your sister told me the same story…” His eyes are devastated. “If I had known—If I had heard a whisper of the truth, I would have come back, Charlotte, and I would have brought you to Europe with me.”

I want to believe him. He sounds sincere.

“It doesn’t matter,” I murmur, unable to meet his gaze, my heart aching. “It was eight years ago, and I’m doing well for myself. I just want to be left alone. You and I are different people now.”

“It does matter, Charlotte!” Terrence looks furious. “I was lied to. I don’t care what you’ve been up to all these years; I’m just glad you survived. But now it’s time to come back. That’s why I’m here. You’re not human, Charlotte. You’re a vampire. You belong with your own kind.”

“My own kind?” My lips twist in a sneer. “My kind thinks I’m worthless and that I should kill myself. They want me dead. Arabella tried to kill me last week! I’m not going back to that hellhole. And to be clear, Terrence, the clan is no longer my home. I was deregistered. Charlotte Sanguinite no longer exists. She was never born.”

His eyes widen, and I feel guilty for causing the shock in them.

“Things have changed,” I say, trying to calm myself down. “I have a life among the humans. I have dreams. I have struggled a lot to reach some level of peace and tranquility. Don’t mess that up for me. If you’re truly not here to kill me, then just stay away from me.”

Seeing Terrence’s face fall makes me feel like a cruel monster.

“Why would you ever think I would try to kill you?” His voice is a dismayed whisper. “You keep saying that.”

“Because my father respects you. He trusts you, doesn’t he? Now that you’re back, you’re probably going to be assigned to a good position in the clan, a powerful one—”

“Which is why I’m saying come back with me!” Terrence insists, his eyes pleading. “I can protect you. Nobody will be able to touch you, Charlotte!”

“Your ties to the clan make you an enemy,” I say bluntly. “I will never return to that place or to people who have wanted to kill me. Not for anyone. And your association with them, necessary as it may be for you, makes you somebody I can never trust. I’m sorry, Terrence.”

My whole body feels cold. To warm myself up, I pick up the hot chocolate with my free hand and take a sip.

Terrence is watching me, his gaze heavy on my soul.

“There is no place for you in this society,” he says sadly. “Humans will never accept you, nor will anyone else. The clan is your home. I can fix things now that I’m back.”

“I don’t need you to fix anything, Terrence.” I keep my voice steady even though my insides are shaking. I take another sip of the hot chocolate. “I’m not that eight-year-old girl who needs protecting anymore. I can take care of myself. And I know I will never be accepted by anyone, not the humans, not the wolves, and especially not my own kind. But I can live without acceptance. I keep my life busy so that I don’t worry about things that will never be mine.”

“But they can be yours.” Terrence reaches out and touches my arm. “I can give you everything you never thought you could have. I’ll give you my name. That will offer you a lot of protection. I have always cared for you, Charlotte. I never once stopped thinking about you. I—”

His words pierce my brain, and I narrow my eyes. “Are you—Are you proposing to me?”

“If you’ll have me, yes!” he bursts out. “You’ve never had a real family, Charlotte. I saw how they treated you. I can give you the family you’ve always wanted. You know you will never want for anything with me. You’ll never be an outcast like you will be if you stay here.”

His words are like a punch in the gut. Even more so because of how things are with Robert right now. Despite Robert’s words and promises, I know I will never be the woman to stand by his side. At some point, we will have to part ways because his pack will come first and I simply don’t belong.

I can’t stop my eyes from burning as I look down into my cup.

Robert and I will never have a future together.

Even if he cares for me now, eventually duty will have to come first, and say what he may, he will never truly be able to choose his happiness. Or maybe he’ll end up finding his fated mate.

And I’ll be left alone once again.

This is the heartbreak I wanted to avoid all this time. I never believed the saying that it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. I don’t know how I’ll pick myself up once Robert has to walk away from me, whenever that may be. But I also don’t have the strength to leave now.

“Charlotte—” Terrence has hope in his eyes when I look at him, but before I can say anything to dissuade him, my stomach churns; I cover my mouth, nausea rearing its head.

The cup of hot chocolate is jostled as I try to get out of the booth, and it shatters on the floor. As I stumble to my feet, clutching the side of the table, the phone slips off my lap. My bag and gun fall to the floor right next to it. I’ve never felt like this before—this nausea, this burning sensation as if every nerve inside my body has been set on fire.

Terrence jumps up, looking worried, “Charlotte!”

I shove him backward. “I have to—”

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