Page 20 of The Alpha King’s Rejected Mate

I just ignored him, not wanting to get into all that with a virtual stranger. He was getting way too personal for me. I figured I was on edge because of my memory coming back in dreams, but I wasn’t going to let it get a rise out of me.

Onyx helped me get the horses settled in their new accommodations, then took off to do something else.

“Do you need help?” I called out after him. I didn’t understand Onyx, but he had helped me when I was in a jam, so I was willing to overlook some of his idiosyncrasies.

He grinned. “You’ve already helped enough.”

Whatever that meant.

14

STERLING

“Snow, I’ve decided.”

Snow was still in bed when I went into her room to talk about something that had been on my mind for a while now. She didn’t seem to mind that I was there. When she pushed the sheet off her, she was wearing a thin camisole and tiny shorts that showed off her long legs. I swallowed hard. I shouldn’t have come here to wake her up. I should have called.

She rubbed her eyes and then looked up at me from the bed. Her green eyes were tired, and I felt bad for a moment. But I couldn’t stay feeling that way for long, not when I was getting to see her like this, soft and freshly awoken. It was a damn good look. The way I felt about Snow didn’t makes any sense. I wanted to get to the bottom of it, and my new plan would keep her close to me so I could figure it out.

“What have you decided, Sterling?” Snow asked finally, combing her hand through her blond hair and standing up. I took her all in, mouth dry and my inner beast ready for her in more ways than one. Never had I felt so strongly about a woman before. I hadn’t even touched her yet, and I felt her control on me.

“I’ve decided that since the ranches are having such a hard time finding trainers, I am going to put you in charge. You will find suitable trainers for each ranch and fill in until you do so. No one can handle a horse like you, Snow. You’re good with animals and people. I can’t think of anyone else to take on this extremely important job.”

Her mouth was open in shock. It would be quite a change, I was sure, but she was the best person for the job.

“What about Pullers and Dutch?” she finally said.

I wasn’t sure what one had to do with the other or why either one of them had anything to do with Snow. “What about them?”

Snow looked away, “I have worked with Dutch for three years. I can’t just pick up and leave like that. He doesn’t have anyone to take my place.”

I didn’t like where this was going. I didn’t want to hear about the two of them or how close they were. Whatever was going on between her and Dutch, I wanted to break it apart. I would never say it out loud or to his face, but she was mine. I had already told Onyx that, and I meant it. I was the alpha, and I was not expected to share. With Snow, I don’t think I would be able to. There was something different about her, and the possessive gene I didn’t even think I had was coming out in full force.

“You’ll only be gone for a couple of days to start off with, and then you’ll be back. I want you to see the other ranches. This is a huge opportunity, and you would be foolhardy to let it pass you by. I know Dutch very well and he would want what is best for you. What’s best for you is to take the new job I am offering.”

She eventually nodded. “Fine, I’ll take it, but I need a little bit of time to get my things together.”

There was a part of me that figured if I just got a couple of days alone Snow, she would be unable to deny me, and I would finally have what I needed. I had never felt this way before, and I wasn’t going to let the feeling slip away.

I waited while she got ready and packed a small back, then walked her out to my truck, trying to get out of there before anyone could stop us. But, of course, Dutch spotted us and stood in front of the truck, blocking us from leaving. He saw Snow in the truck and they had a quiet moment of looking at each other. I didn’t want to know what they were thinking about. The two of them had a connection thatIwanted to have with her. I was so damn sure that she was supposed to be mine.

“What is going on here?” Dutch asked, looking at Snow instead of me.

I was his alpha and didn’t have to tell him shit, but I knew that if I didn’t, there was going to be hell to pay. Dutch was a really easygoing guy, until the moment he wasn’t. I had a feeling he was going to be different when it came Snow. Wasn’t that the reason I wanted her? It wasn’t just because I wanted her, but because everyone else wanted her too. Snow made a person feel a certain way when she was around and I wanted that for myself. I wanted her to be mine. I didn’t just want to be with her and to love her, I wanted to own her. Right or wrong, that’s just how I felt. I had never thought that way before.

I leaned out my window and made sure to pull his attention from Snow and onto me. “I am making Snow lead trainer for all of the ranches. It’s a promotion. She is going to be hiring people and getting the riding lessons underway,” I informed him, even if I didn’t like the fact that he was questioning me to begin with.

“You’re taking Snow away?” He looked gutted.

“I need her for a couple of days,” I explained.

But Dutch was not happy that I was taking her at all. Dutch was more to me than just one of my people. He was my friend, the brother I never had. I didn’t want to mess that up, but he was picking Snow as his reason to go against me.

“I will be back in a couple of days, Dutch, you won’t even know that I’m gone. You have Onyx now and he is really good at pretty much everything. You probably won’t want me back,” Snow joked, trying to ease the mood. It didn’t help.

“There’s no way I would ever not want you back. I will be here waiting for you, Snow. Remember that. This is where you belong,” Dutch said seriously.

I was pretty bothered by what he was saying right in front of me. I knew how Dutch felt about her, but this was the first time that I wondered about how she felt about him.

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