Page 41 of Pregnant Rejected Mate

“She will care. That’s her father, after all,” I object. “Family is family; you’ll do anything to protect them.”

“Even after what he did to her?” Father presses.

“Yes,” I concede with a firm nod, grunting under my breath. “I know how important it is to honor family. Even if she doesn’t admit it, she cares about him.”

Father huffs agitatedly, glancing at Draco. “Perhaps it will be better to let him go. After all, we have to ensure her happiness.”

I take a deep breath as I stare at my father with conviction. “That’s why we’ll let them both go.”

“Sierra and her father?” he asks with a frown.

“Yes. I don’t want either of them here on the island. I don’t want a reminder.”

“A reminder of what?”

“A reminder of her,” I say without giving it a second thought. None of the Council elders know I share a past with the human woman who was meant to be my mate. What I’ve just said stirs the room; it’s evident in their confused frowns.

“She is your mate, Felix,” Nimbus reminds me. “She was chosen by the Cube, the only match—”

“It doesn’t matter,” I interject. “I willingly forego the human mating process. It just won’t work for me.”

“Felix…” Father begins, leaning closer. “... You were so eager to find your human mate. What has changed? Is she not willing?”

“No, she’s not,” I relent with a sigh, stepping out of my seat and turning toward the whiteboard at the back of the boardroom. “I only have myself to blame for it. You see, Sierra and I knew each other long ago.”

When silence stretches out behind me, I know I’ve seized the full attention of the Council members. It’s time to come clean.

“Eight years ago, during my travels in the mortal world, I met Sierra, and we fell in love,” I reveal, hanging my head in shame even though they can’t see the humiliation contorting my face. “Back then, we knew nothing about the human mating process, and I left her distraught when I came back to the island. She knew nothing about dragon shifters. When the human mating process was introduced, I wondered if she’d be my match.”

I turned around slowly, and my shoulders slumped despondently. “I was, however, too late to consult the Cube. Then, the incident with Diego occurred, and his daughter was revealed to be my match. I had no idea that it would be her. I was willing to accept that it was someone else.” I sigh heavily, feeling the weight of the eyes that watch me and the ears that pay keen attention to everything I’m saying. “When it turned out to be her—the woman I love—I was met with the consequences of leaving her the first time. She doesn’t love me, and the past prevents her from ever loving me again.”

I hang my head again, clutching the back of the chair until my knuckles pale. It’s Draco who offers a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“It doesn’t matter, Felix,” Father begins. “She is the only human—”

“The only human that I’ve ever loved,” I contest as I look up through hazy eyes, clouded by the tears I refuse to shed in the presence of our Elders. “The one human I hurt the most. I can’t expect her to agree to be my mate simply because it’s our ruling.”

A moment of tense silence stretches around the room. I’ve only ever caused a scene when Draco was forced to kidnap Lily to bring her to the island. It’s what sparked the Elders to change their methods and exercise caution when introducing a proposed mate to the world of the dragons.

It’s why they’d sent Yazmine a personal invitation to Draco’s wedding in Seattle.

Yet, it seems that they don’t understand a thing about humans.

“What about the mating process?” Nimbus asks. “She’s the only candidate suited to your DNA.”

“She’s not a candidate, Nimbus,” I grouch. “Her feelings are important too. You know where I stand when it comes to humans, and I refuse to force her to be with me if she doesn’t love me anymore.”

The weight of that last statement hangs heavy on my shoulders, threatening to push me into the ground to hide from the shame I feel. “I don’t expect any one of you to understand how important this is. All I ask is that you let them go, because she has a choice. And she has made her decision.”

My grim declaration cuts through me like the sharpest knife; all I can do is leave the boardroom with marching steps. I’ve had my say and won’t turn back on my decision.

So when my father follows me out of the boardroom and joins me at the elevator, I stare at the doors and will myself to remain firm in my decision.

I know he’s come out to convince me to change my mind.

“Despite what you may think, I understand you, Son,” he says, much to my surprise.

Turning my face to him, I frown. “You do?”

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