Page 51 of Half Wolf Mate

“What happened?” Macy asked.

“The night was perfect, magical even, but in the morning, my fantasy was shattered by the cold dawn of reality. Cole has been avoiding me since, and he gets all awkward when we have brief encounters. I think he regrets crossing the line with me.” Resting my chin on the pillow, I released a dejected sigh. “It hurts.”

“Oh, Sydney.” She rubbed my arm comfortingly. “It’ll get easier, eventually.”

I gave her a dubious look. I doubted I’d ever get over Cole’s rejection, especially after getting a taste of what we were like together. “Yeah, maybe,” I muttered, hoping lying to myself would soothe my broken heart a little.

I watched Macy from my periphery, wanting to ask more about her and Damian. However, it hurt to talk about Cole, and I didn’t want to dredge up any hurt for her. There was no point in both of us being utterly miserable.

Chapter 22 Sydney

Three months later

I watched Alex walk through the door, heart thumping. Anxiously, I waited for him to close it. He paused and turned back to pin me with a hard stare.

“What?” I asked, legs folded, as I sat on the sofa with a book in hand. I had to ensure I was the picture of innocence.

“I’ll be back in two hours, tops.” Pointing a finger, he ordered, “Do not leave this apartment. No, you know what? Do not move from that couch.”

Rolling my eyes with dramatic flair, I sighed. “Jesus, Alex, where would I even go? Just go to your Alpha already. He needs you more than I do.”

Alex received a call from Damian five minutes ago. Apparently, there was a scuffle—Alex’s words—with members of Adam Blackwell’s pack. Things got out of hand. Cole wanted his most trusted pack members with him. I’d learned that Cole’s inner circle consisted of Damian, Violet, Alex, Dominic, and Stephan. They were completely loyal to him and only him, which was why they were the only ones from the pack who knew about me. I hadn’t seen much of Stephan because he was the one who always stayed on the pack’s compound to oversee things.

Tonight, with all my bodyguards and Cole occupied, I’d get a little time alone. Being watched twenty-four-seven had me ready to tear my hair out. And being stuck in one place drove me up the wall. I couldn’t wait for Alex to leave. But he stood in the doorway, eyebrows furrowed, still watching me.

“I don’t know, Syd. I don’t like the idea of you being here alone. I’m going to call Cole. If I tell him I’m not comfortable leaving you, he’ll allow me to stay—”

“Alex, I’m not five. I’ll be fine on my own for a couple of hours. I’ll be right here when you get back.”

He gazed at me for a moment longer before nodding. Finally, he left.

“Yes!” I jumped from the sofa and hurried to the window. From there, I’d be able to see him drive out. I waited until I saw his car move out of the parking lot and speed off down the street. “Freedom at last.”

Within two minutes, I had on jeans and a t-shirt, comfortable boots, and a hoodie to hide my face. If any of the guys found out I went for a little walk, I’d never hear the end of it. That’s why I’d be back in thirty minutes before Alex or any of them got here. They’d never know I left. I just needed fresh air and to see something other than this apartment or Cole’s office, which I visited a few times so I could get out of the house.

Although staying inside was for my safety, I was starting to feel like a prisoner. The fact that I was Cole’s dirty secret from his pack made me feel worse. With the exception of his few trusted friends, no one from the pack knew he was helping to keep me safe from hunters. If they knew he spent time and energy protecting the half-breed mate he rejected, the elders would be upset.

From what I heard, they thought he should be putting his effort into finding a suitable mate to be Luna and to produce the next Alpha. The continuation of a true alpha bloodline was a big thing for most packs. I guess they didn’t want a nobody half-breed like me sullying Cole’s pure, mighty bloodline.

Sometimes, I wondered if Cole got tired of keeping me safe. Just because he and I slept together a few times over the last three months didn’t mean he was all that interested in me. I was probably just a convenient sex buddy who was living in his apartment. Maybe he wanted to do as the elders said—forget about his fated mate and find a more suitable woman from the pack to marry. I imagined he wanted to start working on producing the next Alpha to eventually take his place.

The thought of him with another woman had me gritting my teeth and shutting the apartment door with unnecessary force. “Stupid pack rules,” I grumbled as I stomped to the elevator. “Stupid pack. Who needs them anyway?”

I sighed. Who was I kidding? I still longed to be a part of the pack. Though I considered a few of the Moon Guardians my friends, I felt like they only accepted me because they were loyal to Cole. When I stepped into the elevator, I decided I’d push all negative thoughts aside and enjoy my walk. I bet a change in environment would help me clear my mind.

In the lobby, I shoved my cell into my pocket and hurried through the exit. The night breeze caressed my face, and I inhaled deeply and smiled. There was a park a block from Cole’s building that I often admired from his top-floor apartment. I could head over there and enjoy the scenery for a few minutes.

“God, how long has it been since I had a stroll down a sidewalk like a normal person?” The further I got from the building, the more I let my guard down. I didn’t know why the guys made such a fuss about me staying inside. No way did the hunters know where I was hiding out. My location was top-secret. Tomorrow, I’d plead with all of them to at least allow me to walk around the neighborhood—accompanied, of course.

Titling my face up, I enjoyed more of the breeze and the picture of the night sky. The park was in sight, and I hurried toward it. There were still a few people out, which was good. Hunters or shifters would probably think twice before attacking with witnesses. As I readied to cross the street, someone grabbed me from behind.

“Where do you think you’re going?” A male voice asked.

I gasped. The question made me initially think it was a pissed-off Alex who had caught me in my act of rebellion. But it quickly registered that it wasn’t his voice and that he’d never lay a hand on me like this. Most males were reluctant to touch a female they knew was mated to another. Panic clawed its way up my chest to come out as a scream, but a hand clamped over my mouth.

Immediately, I regretted leaving the safety of Cole’s apartment. The hunters must have known where I was all along, but they couldn’t get to me. I foolishly left the apartment and made it easy for them. As I was dragged away from the street and to a darker area, I thrashed and kicked. Someone else grabbed my feet.

“Just do it, Sebastian. Kill her already,” the one holding my feet said.

---