Page 36 of Rejected Sold Mate
When one of the nurses came out and took my statement, I was forced to admit what I’d done. The nurse looked at me withsharp eyes once I was done, leaving me without another word. I lowered myself into the nearest chair and put my head in my hands, fighting back a wave of miserable tears.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed before the office door opened, and someone stepped in. I didn’t bother looking up, but then a hand landed on my shoulder, and I almost sobbed when Jayce asked, “What happened?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but one of the pack healers had stepped out to meet their Alpha, wiping their hands off as they did so. “She told my nurse that she used her magic to push him back. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a magic-induced bone break, and—”
“Rhie,” Jayce tried again, kneeling so we were face to face, “What happened?”
“She’s right,” I whispered, wishing the rest of the world would fade away so I only had to talk to Jayce, who was looking at me with soft, understanding eyes.He really is the chillest Alpha on the planet,I thought, almost smiling at the thought before I forced myself back to reality. “He cornered me when we were berry picking. We argued, he grabbed my arm, and my magic sort of…exploded out of me. He hit a tree and shattered his arm. That’s what happened.”
Jayce nodded slowly before he stood, taking the healer by the shoulder and walking into the back with him as they quietly spoke. A few minutes later, Jayce returned, offering me his hand. “Come on, Omega. You’ve had a long day.”
Confused, I looked up at his hand, but didn’t take it, “Jayce…if you’re going to tell me I messed up, I know. I know I lost control and hurt someone. I know I’m just like my father—”
“No.”Jayce’s voice was firm, layered with Alpha power, and my mouth snapped shut from surprise. “You defendedyourself against someone physically stronger than you when he crossed a line, and you stayed to make sure he was taken care of when he deserved nothing from you.”
“I should have been able to control it.”
“He’s still alive, isn’t he? That’s control enough for me. Look,” he put two fingers under my chin and tilted my face up so I was looking at him. “You’ve been afraid of your power your entire life, but that time is over now. Brian didn’t respect you, so youmadehim. I would have done the same…except with my fists.”
Finally, I took his hand, and he pulled me to my feet. “So, you’re not…mad at me?”
“Fuck no.” Jayce tugged me forward, into his embrace. “You’re still learning. And yeah, it’s dangerous, but everything we do as shifters is. If your magic hadn’t taught him a lesson, I would have done it myself. You’re not broken. You’re not your father. You’re someone who is stepping into a power that has always belonged to you, and that’s hard. But you’re not alone.”
Shoulders shaking, uncaring of anyone else who could have been watching, I melted against Jayce and let the tears—and the guilt—flow away.
Chapter 18 - Jayce
My sweet mate said very little on the drive home, choosing instead to look out the window at the passing scenery, a sad and unsettled energy pouring off her and down our bond. My instinct was to push and make her talk to me, to get to the bottom of why she was so bothered by what happened, but I gave her space instead.
Before we had left the healers, he had reassured us that Brian would be able to leave the following day. He gave Rhie one uneasy look before I fixed him with a glare, and he wilted beneath my power. I didn’t care how anyone else felt about her newfound magic; they weren’t going to shame her for it if I was around.
Shifters healed fast. Brian’s bones would stitch together before the weekend. But Rhie knew that, and it hadn’t assuaged her guilt. So I let her sit in silence until we got home, and I helped her out of the car.
“Go sit down,” I told her, motioning towards the couch. “I’ll bring you some tea.”
When I returned with her drink, she was curled up in the corner of the couch like she was trying to disappear. I handed her the hot mug and dropped into the seat beside her, rubbing her calves absentmindedly as she drank.
After some time, I asked, “You know, that broken arm wasn’t even in the top ten worst injuries I’ve seen a wolf get…and most of them weren’t even during a fight.”
She turned her face towards me, curious. “Oh?”
“Yeah. One time, during a pack hunt, one of my wolves named Jax took a wrong turn chasing a squirrel and ran off acliffside. Broke two of his legs and dislocated his shoulder. You should have heard him scream when he had to shift back to human form.”
She winced, but then her mouth quirked up, just slightly. “And I’m sure you let him live that down easily, huh?”
“Oh yeah. We only mention it about a dozen times a year.”
Rhie laughed softly into her cup, and it encouraged me to continue.
“There’ve also been plenty of times where they got messed up in the middle of a fight. Next time you hang out with Mara, ask her about the time she got gored by a boar trying to chase it away from her sister and her sister’s pups. It was impressive, but man, that was a lot of blood.”
Rhie didn’t laugh that time, but her eyes were wide. “I guess I’ve lived a pretty sheltered life for a shifter.”
I didn’t point out that her father’s use of dark magic was plenty of trauma for one shifter’s life, choosing to squeeze her leg affectionately instead. “Maybe so. Do you want to hear some more?”
She nodded, and I continued. Between the time my grandfather ruled the pack and when I took over, there was an endless supply of dumb hunting injuries, friendly brawls that got out of hand, and heroic acts of protection. I left out the real, bloody fights that my father had dragged us into. That wasn’t what Rhie needed to hear. She needed to hear that injuries like the one she gave Brian weren’t rare, and that her guilt was unfounded.
Eventually, my mate relaxed, not completely, but enough that I didn’t feel like she was going to shatter if I touched her too firmly. When she set her tea mug aside, I checked the time on myphone and offered, “You want to get something to eat? We can order in. Whatever you want.”
