Page 6 of Pregnant Rejected Mate

The worst part of it all is that my father hasn’t changed. His work comes first, and his underhanded deals are more important.

He’s much worse than he was before, and now my life is in danger because of it.

Chapter 3 - Felix

“Wow, Felix!” Kairo, my sister, marvels when she enters the guest bedroom. “You’ve really outdone yourself.”

Chuckling nervously, I turn my face away when a blush starts to creep in. I shouldn’t be as excited as I am, my heart doing strange flips inside my chest while butterflies flatter their wings in the pit of my belly.

It could just be anxiety rearing its ugly head, knowing that after today, I’ll never be able to revisit my past. It’s something I’ve been toiling with all night, waking up to put the final touches on the guest bedroom walls. Painting the last memories of the woman I love on the walls seems fitting.

Perhaps the woman I’m to mate with will fit into those memories and forge a future that fits us both. I never thought it would be possible to see anyone else’s face between the fields of flowers. Now, I’m forced to do just that.

“I want her to feel welcomed,” I admit. It’s only partially true. The flowers I’d painted on the ivory walls were an ode to the secret I’d kept for so long.

“You’re already doing much better than Aragon and Draco,” Kairo giggles as she saunters around the room. “At least you’re not kidnapping her and bringing her here by force.”

I blow out a scornful breath. “I could never do that. They’re just lucky the women they abducted fell for them.”

Kairo comes over to the balcony, crouching to help me gather the paintbrushes. “Your mate will too, Felix.”

I lift my head, brushing aside her comment with a gentle shake of my head. “I don’t wish to take that kind of responsibility.”

Kairo frowns, following me to her feet. “What does that mean? Do you not want to be loved by the woman who will bear children for you?”

I smile sheepishly, lugging the crate of paint supplies out of the bedroom. Kairo follows me quietly into the hallway, awaiting my response.

Sighing heavily, I turn to my sister and realize that she’s mediating between me and the human I have yet to meet. The way I was the voice of reason for my brothers who’d been chosen in the human mating process before me.

Except, my case is a little different.

“It’s not a requirement, Kai,” I sigh. “If the human has agreed to come here, it’s enough for me. She doesn’t need to love me.”

“Oh, but she will,” Kairo insists as her lips lift in a wide smile. “You’re the kindest dragon shifter I know. She won’t have a choice but to fall in love with you.”

“I hope not…” I mumble under my breath but put a smile on my face for my sister’s sake. The last time a human fell in love with me, I left her without saying goodbye. The pain I’ve endured because of my own actions leaves me unwilling to break another heart.

The bell sounding out signals that the elevator has reached the tenth floor. Draco appears and throws me a smile.

“You ready, Brother?” he asks as he nears us.

I nod before taking a deep breath, fists curling at my sides to strengthen my resolve. Once I’ve made the journey to Louisa in North America, I’ll be closing the book on the past and opening a new one.

The human woman—the private investigator’s daughter—comes with a new slate. One that’s clean, which I refuse to taint by the complications of love.

“Yes, I’m ready,” I relent.

Draco pats my shoulder with encouragement. “Are you sure you don’t want us to accompany you?”

“It’s unnecessary,” I say as the three of us approach the elevator. “Have you taken care of things with Violet?”

Draco clicks his tongue. “Lily and I are flying her out to Italy for her birthday. We’ll meet her in the house we purchased there, show her a good time. It’ll be fun.”

I purse my lips. “She won’t be suspicious?” I can’t help but wonder if Lily’s sister will accept that they live in Italy. The story with Lily’s family goes that way, but her sister still felt the need to hire a private investigator to locate them. She doesn’t seem to trust the story, and that’s why we’re here now—making a deal with the private investigator.

“She probably will be. The others have agreed to stop by occasionally to make her believe that we live there.” Draco turns to me when we’re inside the lift. “You should come by too.”

“I will once my mate makes herself at home,” I concede, recalling the past yet again.

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