Page 26 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate

I crunched my face up.I hope he shows up. What if he ditches me again?

Years ago, before Cliff ever disappeared, we had gone hot and heavy during a particularly warm fall. We explored every possible place in the area, including the water tower, where we tagged the side of the bulbous tank. That night, the metal was warm under my fingers. He told me he would meet me there. I waited until dawn for him to show his face, only for the sun to blind me.

That was how I felt right now—like I was about to be blinded by reality.

“Mommy?”

I shook myself out of the funk I put myself in and smiled warmly at my daughter. “Sorry, sweetheart. Why don’t you take a nap?”

“I love you, Mommy.”

I sniffled. “I love you, too, Sydney.”

When I kissed her forehead, I smelled Bill’s scent. Part of me was terrified by it as much as I was repulsed by it. The scent followed me into the hallway and to the top of the stairs, where I heard Bill wishing Roger the best. Frowning, I descended into the living room, where Bill was dismissing Roger at the door. The man barely got to wave goodbye to me before my Alpha shut the door in his face.

“What’s this about?” I stepped toward him without closing the gap between us. “Why did you send him off? You know how much my mother liked him.”

Bill narrowed his eyes to me. “He’s not good for you.”

“Nobody seems to be good for me, according to you.”

“You’re right.” He grinned brightly; the smile was sinister on his lips even though his eyes were their typical piercing green. “I guess I have high standards for my special princess.”

I tried not to cringe visibly. “I’m glad you care about us. That means a lot.”

“Don’t you worry your pretty head.” He waltzed toward me with a casual confidence that made me uncomfortable. When he was close enough, he stroked my arm. “If we can’t find a mate for you, I’ll step up to the plate.”

I gulped.

Cliff had to show up. He justhadto.

***

Jillian shut the curtains with a shudder. “I can’t believe he’s been visiting you every day.”

She meant Bill. “Yeah, it’s been…”

“Overwhelming? Scary?” She rubbed her khaki beige elbow and then rustled her leather black hair that she kept trimmed short in a pixie cut. “Horrifying?”

“Alright, you can stop narrating my nightmare.”

Her sympathetic frown felt lightyears away from where I stood, yet she was just across the living room, just shutting the curtains, just trying to keep the demonic forces out of my home.Little late for that.

I traced my chin. Something about the mindless gesture reminded me of when Cliff kissed me. In the kitchen. In the motel.

I closed my eyes. “Jillian, I think I should take Sydney with me and head south.”

“What?”

“Things are just…” I drummed my cheek lightly as anxiety put my heart in a chokehold—temporarily. I wouldn’t be nervous once Cliff got here. I checked my phone again, noticing how the notification bar was free of notifications. “I don’t think it’s safe.”

She scoffed while crossing her arms over her chest. “What about your family’s estate? Your mother?” She pointed to her sternum and added in a low voice, “What about me?”

A stabbing pain sprouted in my chest. That was the guilt starting up. I knew this would happen, too. I knew it would complicate matters to try talking any of this out with Jillian. As much as I trusted her, I knew she was biased. She was always around for us.

Even when I pushed her away. “I’m sorry, Jill. I just don’t think it’s a good idea for me to inheritanything. I mean, look at me: I can’t even find a good mate.”

She gave me a lopsided grin as she closed the gap between us and took me into her arms. “Shut up, girl. You have so much to offer. You’ll find a guy.”

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