Page 37 of Rejected Sold Mate
Rhie looked at me with a mixture of humor and disbelief. “Are you seriously offering to buy me my choice of takeout after I broke one of your men’s ulnas?”
“Yes. In fact,” I lowered my voice, sliding my hand up her shapely calf. “That’s one of my secret turn-ons.”
She screeched, offended, pushing my hand away. I persisted, and her complaints dissolved into laughter when I crawled over her and wrapped her in my arms so tightly, she couldn’t escape. I didn’t kiss her mouth like I was dying to, but settled for pressing my lips against her pulse point until she sighed, going limp beneath me.
“Okay, pervert. Let’s get Indian food. But only if I can get extra naan.”
“Anything for you, my little bone-breaking Omega.”
***
By the time the food arrived and we started the first of many movies we’d end up watching, Rhie had abandoned the couch corner and was curled against me instead. Her hair smelled like the forest, pine needles and fresh berries, and when she laughed at some stupid joke on the TV screen, it was genuine and stress-free once more.
We both ate our fill, and it brought me satisfaction to be able to feed her and care for her. Having Rhie in the house and being able to provide for her seemed to be the final thing that turned my Crystal Creek house into a home. I paid attention to any of the movies, so wrapped up in her that it was borderline ridiculous.
I’d never planned on having a mate, but now that I had Rhie, I understood why the other Alphas were so protective of theirs. I could pretend it was just the mate bond, or my Alpha instinct to care for my Omega. Hell, I could even try to convince myself I was seducing her so I’d be able to make use of her magic when the pack needed it. But none of those things was the truth.
I thought that even without the bond, I would have been drawn to Rhie. She fit me like nothing ever had. I had carried an emptiness I didn’t even know about, but my mate filled it. It wasn’t just lust, or her heat cycle, or the fact that the sex was amazing.
I simply liked spending time with Rhie. Her sharp tongue, her stubborn comments, and her vulnerability drew me in, and her sweetness kept me close.
It didn’t hurt that she was beautiful, of course. And God, was she beautiful, even with a fleck of curry on the front of her shirt.
She was mine. My Omega. My mate. Which was exactly why, even with her well-fed and mostly asleep in my arms, I couldn’t relax. My mind kept drifting to what I had been doing when Rhie was out berry picking and defending herself against asshole wolves. I’d been checking the territory perimeteragain,frustrated as well to find yet another trip wire tripped with no tracks to follow. Something was fucking with me, but what?
The rogue shifters had been too quiet for too long. There was a chance they’d been satisfied with the money I gave them and left the area, but the open-ended favor I’d offered in order to escape hung heavy on my mind. I hadn’t regretted it in the moment, but the thought of what they might ask for haunted me.
They hadn’t taken Rhie the first time on a whim. If they came back, which I was sure they would, they’d seek her out. Icouldn’t let them near her, but what could I do to protect her when they were setting off my traps and leaving like ghosts?
As she dozed off on my shoulder, I held her tighter, soaking in the warmth of her body.They won’t touch you, mate. Not while I’m breathing.
Chapter 19 - Rhie
After one hell of a week, all I wanted was an oat milk latte before I tackled a huge painting I’d been putting off. Scott owned two cafes downtown, and Gwen worked sporadic shifts at both when motherhood gave her the extra time. I figured if my friend was working, it would be a good excuse to catch up and get a drink at the same time.
But then a single offhanded comment from Gwen threw my entire day into a spiral.
“So, I heard you’re putting your magic to good use.”
I froze, narrowing my eyes at her. “What do you mean?”
Gwen grinned over her shoulder, “Well,myAlpha mate happened to tell me thatyourAlpha mate was bragging that you broke some dude's arm who was messing with you. Jayce was so proud, apparently.”
My stomach rolled, but I didn’t want Gwen to see how much the incident with Brian had shaken me up. I wasn’t thrilled that Jayce had told the other Alphas about it, but hearing that he was bragging about me took some of the sting out of it.
“He put his hands on me when everyone was out berry picking,” I explained. “The other wolf. Brian. I had no choice.”
“Oof. What a stupid move. No wonder Jayce is throwing him out of the pack today.”
The world skidded to a halt while I tried to make sense of her words. “What did you say?”
My friend put the lid on my latte and handed it over. I plucked it from her grasp with nearly numb fingers, using both hands to make sure I didn’t dump the coffee all over the ground.
“Scott said they had to have their Alpha alliance meeting a day early because Jayce was having an emergency council hearing about the wolf that was harassing you. Touching an Alpha’s mate is usually like…automatic banishment.” She shrugged, seeming totally unbothered by the whole thing. It briefly made me wonder how much chaos she’d caused in her own pack when her magic manifested.
“Shit.” I’d just recovered from the guilt of breaking Brian’s arm, and while I’d have done the same thing if put in the same situation, I stillhatedthat it had to happen. Jayce had made sure I wasn’t ashamed about defending myself, but getting the single wolf that had complained about me kicked out of the pack surely wasn’t going to help my reputation with anyone else who was on the fence about me. “Scott said Jayce is having the meetingtoday?”
“Mmhm,” Gwen turned to look at the clock on the wall. “Like, around now, I think.”
