Page 8 of Because You Rejected Me

“First of all,” Sam replied, his tone much harsher now. “I don’t let things like that happen in my hotel. And I don’t like you insinuating that I put you in danger.”

“You heard that fucking asshole downstairs!”

“You’re right, I did. And you have every right to be upset with him. But I think you need to take a good hard look at your reaction here.”

“Why the hell should I?”

“Because,” Sam said calmly. “He called you his mate. He didn’t touch you without your permission, or try to kidnap you, or anything like that. In fact, he didn’t even say it in a threatening tone.” I opened my mouth to retort, but Sam held up his hand to silence me. “I’ve known Ace for over a decade. The man wouldn’t hurt a fly. I understand that you’re going through the hardest time of your life right now, and your emotions are all over the place. That’s valid, and I get it. But one idiot saying something stupid to you shouldn’t be the reason you end up on the street.”

“Why not?!” I cried, tears forming much quicker than I could stop them. “That’s what got me here in the first place!”

My hands fell to my sides and my shoulders began to shake. I was crying again. I fucking hated that. I tried to wipe them away, but they wouldn’t stop coming. A flash of movement in my periphery sent me into an immediate panic. Without thinking, I lashed out with the pocket knife, the blade sinking into something hard.

I looked up, my hands going to my lips as I realized I’d driven the pocket knife to the hilt in Sam’s deltoid. But he didn’t flinch. Instead, he just wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in close.

“I understand now,” he said softly, patting the back of my head. “You poor boy.”

And that was the final straw. The floodgates burst open as I leaned into Sam, sobbing against his chest. It wasn’t one of those sorts of cries that let people know you’re hurt or upset. This was the kind of unhinged sobbing that made people wonder if you’d survive. Everything I’d been holding back for the past week suddenly rushed out of me all at once. My body shook and ached while Sam held onto me tightly. At one point, he led me over to the bed, continuing to hug me as my body emptied itself of every single emotion I had.

How long it lasted, I wasn’t sure. I just knew by the time I could finally breathe normally again, the sun outside definitely looked a bit lower in the sky. That and the knife in Sam’s shoulder was gone. There was a small bloodstain on his shirt, but the wound had already closed up.

“I’m… I’m so sorry,” I said, wiping my eyes as I pulled away from Sam. “I shouldn’t have–”

“Stabbed me?” he asked, cutting me off. “No, you probably didn’t need to do that. But you obviously needed to get all those emotions out. You’ve been holding that in for a while, haven’t you?”

I nodded silently.

“It’s important to get that stuff out. Especially when you’ve gone through so much so quickly.” He got up from the bed and went into the bathroom. The water turned on for a moment, and when he came back, he was holding a small plastic cup. “Drink this, or you’re gonna get dehydrated.”

“Are you always this nice to your guests?” I asked, taking the cup.

“Yep,” he replied nonchalantly. “Had to turn more than a few of them down too. People in situations like what you and I have been through tend to mistake nurturing for romance.” He gave me a pointed look. “So don’t get any ideas.”

I shook my head. “I won’t. I’m never dating again.”

“Because that’s what got you into this mess?”

“We… We weren’t even dating…” I sighed, feeling the familiar pang of heartache in my chest. “It was just a one-time thing.”

“Can I ask who it was?”

I shrank down into myself, feeling the heat of shame rush to my cheeks. “It was… the Alpha’s son.”

“Ah.” Sam nodded. “He got what he wanted and turned you in, didn’t he?”

I shook my head. “No. His dad caught us. And he… well, he said I forced him into it.”

“And did you?”

My brows furrowed as I looked up at Sam. “Do you think I could?!” I gestured at all five foot five of me and my massive hundred and thirty pounds of pure skin and bone. “Besides, he was the one that fucked me.”

“You aren’t the first person that’s told me a story like that,” Sam replied. “In fact, Ace had one similar.”

“I don’t want to hear about him,” I scoffed. “I don’t ever want to see him again either.”

Sam’s voice took on a parental tone. “Well, then I would suggest you avoid the kitchen on Tuesdays. Ace is my friend. He’s also the reason I can help wolves like you and feed them. Without his produce, I wouldn’t be able to offer as many meals as I do.”

I hung my head. “Sorry.”

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