Page 12 of Alpha's Rejected Mate

“I can deny everything. You gave me that right and I will never trust you. I never want to be with you and you’re wasting your time with me. I need you to leave.”

Mateo didn’t move. Nor did he say a word.

“I’ll leave for tonight, but I’m not going anywhere, Harper. You’re my mate, and this is only going to end with you by my side, and coming back to our pack.”

Mateo spun on his heel and left her shop. She rushed toward it, quickly closing it up and drawing the blinds, giving her the privacy she needed to allow the tears to fall. She thought she had done all her crying. Harper had vowed to herself that no matter what, Mateo wouldn’t cause her to cry another tear, but that must have been a lie, because here she was again, crying over him, and it sucked.

****

Mateo sat up in bed the following morning and listened to the bustle of the house. Silver had more than Franny, he also had two sons, but they tended to go out to work quite early. He heard Franny trying to argue with her father in getting him out of the way. Then he heard Silver, as well as Silver’s mate, Lemon.

Climbing out of bed, he made his way into the bathroom, splashed some water on his face, and then stared at his reflection. He had fucked up big time, and he knew this. He didn’t have the first clue how to fix this. All he could see was Harper’s sadness. She didn’t want him.

He’d driven her to that point last night. The temptation to call his father was strong, but he didn’t need to keep asking him for advice. He knew what he had to do, and he was going to fix this.

Peter and Damon had already headed back to the pack. He told them if he needed them, he’d call. This was something he had to do on his own. He didn’t like it.

He had half a mind to kidnap Harper, take her back to their pack, and then he’d be able to win her trust. It would be a lot easier if he was in his own territory. He’d have the pack for backup. So far, he had nothing. Certainly not her friend on his side.

This was not the best start and he hadn’t even come here with the intention of taking her back. Seeing her in that bar, all grown up, had changed something inside him.

He completed his bathroom break and then proceeded to make his way downstairs, where he found Franny, along with her parents, waiting.

“Good morning, Mateo. Can I interest you in any coffee?” Lemon asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

This was hard, being in another alpha’s territory, but he was learning to deal with it. He didn’t exactly have a choice.

Franny was standing beside the kitchen counter, eating her cereal, firing death stares at him, which he accepted. It was good Harper had gotten close to someone. Her parents had told him, a little too late, that she hadn’t found it easy to make friends with people. Again, he’d felt like a total prick for sending her away, but he hadn’t stopped believing it was the right thing to do.

“Are you plotting and planning on how to ruin Harper’s life even further?” Franny asked.

“Franny!” Her mother’s voice was high-pitched, whereas her father’s was a lot deeper.

“What? You think he deserves our pity?” She snorted. “Do any of you remember what Harper was like when she first arrived?”

There was silence around the table and where Lemon had been offering him a smile just moments ago, now she didn’t. He looked toward Franny, but she wasn’t gloating. She didn’t consider any of this a win. All she did was shake her head.

“I’m not here to hurt Harper.”

“No? Funny, because all your presence seems to do is harm her.”

He gripped the back of his neck, knowing he deserved her anger. Technically, he deserved Harper’s anger, but it would seem Franny had offered herself up as Harper’s protector, and in doing so, he was not the best friend right now.

“I’ve got to go,” Silver said. “Will everything be okay?”

“Yes, yes, it’s all fine. You go. I know those young kids cannot help themselves, and your sons will have them swinging from the trees if you’re not careful.”

Mateo frowned. “I thought your sons were at work.”

“Not on a Sunday. The pack doesn’t work today.”

He looked toward Franny. “What does Harper do today?”

Franny simply stared at him as if he didn’t exist, and it was starting to piss him off.

“Franny!” her father said.

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