Page 15 of Rejected By Blood (Mated in Silence 2)

Maybe it was because of Shane. Maybe it was because of the strangers all around. Who knew? Either way, I needed some time to think--alone.

“No, I’m not blaming anyone. Let’s just go and talk like we used to. We used to walk all the time. Maybe we can go to the caverns. You love those.”

And there it was. He wanted things back like it used to be. And in that moment, I did, too. When I could walk out of my cabin without explaining it to anyone.

Not what he meant.

Things change.

Gods, I was being mean to him, my mate. I didn’t want to, and it hurt my chest to act like this, but at the same time, he needed to let me go a little. If you hold your mate loosely, there’s more room for love to grow. I thought Magda had told me that.

“I can see that. Jillian. There could be someone out there who might hurt you. Whoever hurt Madga might be after you next. They asked about you. They are close. I don’t know what I would do if someone hurt you.”

Back to my whiteboard where I wrote out something that was even meaner, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.

If they come after me, what are you going to do?

I showed him but then erased it and wrote:Fine.

Giving up, I threw myself onto the nearest chair and blew out a breath. Dean left shortly afterward, asking me to please stay at home. I had no intention to so instead of agreeing, I simply shrugged.

Shane came into the house right after Dean left. Gods, he was a sight. Not that Dean wasn’t, there was just a different attraction there. Dean was my first and would always hold that place in my heart but Shane was something else. He was on the verge of dangerous, or at least, his smile was. He had one dimple on his left cheek and it deepened as he smiled.

The pit of my stomach was sick from having argued with Dean.

“You’re going to go out anyway, aren’t you, sweetheart?” He smirked, and my insides turned to goo. He called me sweetheart. No one ever had. It was endearing and heartfelt, and I just wanted to run to him and let him mate me right then and there.

I nodded. Going outside my cabin and doing what I did every spring wasn’t wrong just because Dean didn’t like it.

“Just be careful, okay? Keep those eyes peeled. He’s not the only one who would miss you. I haven’t even tasted those lips yet.”

Oh, gods above. Give me strength.

I couldn’t have left in that moment if I wanted to. My knees were jelly and all I wanted was to kiss him.

We hadn’t done that yet and it was killing me.

Mating shouldn’t be this hard. It should be easy and lovely and sweet stolen kisses.

Not this tension and denial of what I really wanted just to appease my other mate.

Dean should be supportive of this.

And yet, here we were.

“Come find me if you need me, okay? I’m here for you always.” His smile held more worry than his words.

Okay, Shane clearly took notes from some of those books Dean and I read. I walked over and kissed his cheek before picking up my basket. One last look over my shoulder and I was on my way.

Once I was out with the sun hitting my face and the sweet scent of spring reminding me of my tasks, I was fine. The anger and frustration seemed to seep out of me like dew.

My wolf simultaneously whined for Dean and hungered for Shane. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for this harem thing after all.

Chapter Fifteen

I wasn’t far from the cabin when I began to wonder how right Dean was about my not being out alone. The alpha had suggested--read ordered because no alpha really ever suggested anything--that he accompany me or at least stay close, but I had forced the issue until he’d had to back off. Our relationship was equal with each of us having a say, and if I put my dainty foot down, as I had, I’d left him no choice.

It was a nice day with spring really starting to warm up and dappled sunlight sprinkling through the newly leafed trees, but I couldn’t appreciate the weather. Once, my time in the woods gathering things had been the only peace, the only pleasant elements of my life, but now I had so many more good times. Evenings by the fire with Dean, getting to know Shane, even the women of the pack had started being nicer to me.

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