Page 11 of Rejected By the Alpha King

“You’re many things Anna, but I don’t believe for a single second that you’re dumb.”

When he reached the top, he started patting my ass.

“I can get the key,” I said hastily. To my surprise, he removed his hand, and I reached in my pocket. It took a second because I always clipped the key to my belt loop to make sure I didn’t lose it. After some wiggling, I got it free and handed it to him.

When the door was opened, he stepped inside and flipped me onto the bed. Then, he stepped back and stared at me.

My mouth dried. Jax had never been into my small apartment. Even Parker had never come up here. Until Danny muscled his way in, this had always been my space. Small. Quiet.

Relatively safe.

Now, with Jax’s hulking form in the middle of my room, nothing felt safe.

The bed was a twin, which was fine. I often slept curled up and rarely moved in my sleep.

When I’d first been told that it was mine, I immediately rearranged. The bed had been pressed against the wall, and I’d moved it to make sure that I couldn’t be trapped on it. An armchair was now in the corner, catty-corner but right next to the window. There was also a crowbar under the chair in case I needed to smash the window and make a quick getaway.

On one side of the apartment was a small bathroom. It had no windows which allowed for privacy, but I couldn’t relax there. No luxurious baths or long hot showers knowing that there was only one entrance or exit.

On the other side was a kitchenette. It had a small fridge, a kitchen sink, a microwave, an air fryer, and a crock pot. No oven or stove, but there was a Bunsen burner in the cabinet, and Parker told me I could always use the kitchen downstairs if I needed it.

Sometimes, when he was alive and I was certain I was alone, I’d sneak down and make a big heavy meal. I hadn’t done that in a long time.

“It’s certainly cleaner than when Parker lived here,” he commented as he moved and began to inspect everything. “You’re neat.”

I was neat. Almost obsessively. There were few things that were in my control, and what was, I…well, I controlled. I didn’t have much, but I knew where everything was.

Most of it was in a small duffel bag under my bed. The dresser and closets were both empty. There were a few toiletries in the bathroom, but I had clothes, some bottles of water, and snack bars in a bag under my bed.

Just in case I found my chance to escape.

Jax’s gaze moved slowly around my space, and I gripped the comforter. When he looked at my dresser, I held my breath. Maybe he wouldn’t think it was strange that the dresser blocked the closet door.

With one hand, he reached out and moved it in front of the door. It might be empty, but it was heavy wood. It took effort on my part to move it.

Just like that, he’d trapped me in.

Leaping from my bed, I tried desperately to get to the window. As pain shot up my leg, I cried out and crumpled.

“And where the hell do you think you’re going?”

5

Anna

In one swift move, he picked me up and tossed me back on the bed. Wincing at the pain, I dropped my gaze. There was no escape. Choosing a different tactic, I cleared my throat. “I apologize, Alpha. How can I be of service to you?”

With a growl, he settled in the chair on the other side. It was almost comical to watch him fit his large body in the small armchair. With a frown, he picked up the crowbar and studied it before letting it fall back to the floor.

“I am not here to take what’s mine, so relax,” he growled.

Take what was his. I tried not to wince. It was true that I was his mate. That gave him plenty of power over me, power he’d never wielded. If he wanted to bed me, he would have done it before now. That gave me a little bit of peace, so I readjusted myself on the bed so I was more comfortable and tried not to stare at the dresser that was blocking my path.

“For three years, I’ve left you alone. Given you a place to live. Let you do whatever you wanted so long as you didn’t try to escape or cause trouble.”

“Look, what happened tonight…”

“I know exactly what happened tonight,” he cut in sharply. “Don’t interrupt me again.”

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