Page 20 of The Alpha's Fated Bond

The corners of Sophia’s lips curl, but once again, the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’m sure we will.”

I have to change the subject because I don’t know what else to do right now. “What I wanted to tell you yesterday, Sophia, is that we cannot let anybody know you’re my fated mate. Or that I’m even considering you as my mate.”

“Ah, I see.”

I’m not doing this right. I’m not getting through to her. She has closed herself off from me, and I don’t know how to break pastthe shields she has built around herself. Even though we are standing mere feet apart, there is a wide chasm between us.

“No, I don’t think you do.” When I take a step toward her, she immediately backs away, her eyes not meeting mine.

“That girl still doesn’t trust you completely. Don’t break what very fragile trust she does have in you.”

“It’s either accept it or accept it, is that what you’re saying? Because she has nowhere else to go?”

The weight of Patrick’s words is finally settling within me, and I realize to my horror what is going through Sophia’s mind. I’ve isolated her from her own people. And now she thinks… Well, I can’t even bear to consider what her thoughts must be consisting of.

“Sophia, I can’t tell anybody else in my pack about you because, even though I trust these people, I cannot take the risk that one of them will let your identity slip.”

“That of the Silver Wolf?” There’s a bitterness in her voice, and I hate it.

“No, that of my mate.” I cover the distance between us and seize her by the shoulders, trying to force her to look at me. “You don’t understand what Karina will do once she finds out who you are to me. She’ll stop at nothing to rip us apart and use you against me. I should have told you everything during our journey, but I was distracted by the whole thing with Lily and trying to help you learn the basics of magic. Nobody can find out about us just yet. It’s for your own safety.”

“Okay.”

That’s all she says. Not a word more.

“Why won’t you look at me?” I plead with her, my heart hurting now.

Her eyes finally lift to mine, and there’s nothing there, just hollowness. “Because I don’t think I should trust you.”

Her words leave me speechless.

“What is it?” She gives me a long look. “You wanted to know, didn’t you? And now you know. I’ll keep my word, Alex. I will try my best to save the children of this pack. But aside from that, I don’t really think…I don’t believe we need to think about anything else.”

She’s rejecting me! My wolf howls in fury and pain. She’s rejecting me because of my behavior. Did I wound her that deeply? If I had known, I would never have walked off with Hilda. I would have brought Sophia to the guest house myself. I would have…

I would have done everything differently.

Patrick was right. Sophia wasn’t ready to trust me completely, and I bulldozed over whatever trust she did have in me.

“Why?” As the word leaves my mouth, I feel her pull away from me. “Sophia, you—”

“You didn’t have to introduce me as your mate,” she states defiantly. “But you didn’t have to introduce me as nobody important. Because now I’m going to keep wondering what you really think of me.”

“Sophia…” I say helplessly.

“Go to Hilda. Go to the girl you claim is like a sister. But don’t come here again.”

I could walk away and do what she says, but if I do, there will be no coming back from that. I created this mess. I knew what Sophia’s past was like. I should have been more careful. I can’t treat her so thoughtlessly.

“I’ll stay away from Hilda.” The words feel torn from me, and Sophia looks surprised.

“Why? I’m not asking you to stay away from her. I’m not asking you to stay away from anybody. I just told you, Alex: I will try my best to save the children of this pack. My powers are at your disposal.”

“But not your heart,” I murmur, my voice heavy. My wolf is wailing inside me now, desperate to salvage the situation.

“Not my heart,” Sophia agrees. She’s not even trying to hide what she feels. She’s just telling me point-blank. There’s no fussing about or dramatics involved.

What do I do? If she were to have a fit and shed some tears, it would be easier to deal with. This steadiness, this calm voice as she looks straight at me, hiding herself from me, has me floundering.

---