Her Loving Alpha's Strange Rejection

No More...

Addison

Owen says, “Alpha, I watched her pack. She only packed her things. Are you really going to let these men dig through her underwear?”

Normally my mate would be appalled by that idea, but I see Seth just raise an eyebrow at Owen daring to question him.

Aubrey snorts, “You’re her friend she might have convinced you to look the other way. She looks like a sneaky female.”

I feel embarrassed as I watch one of the warriors poking among my underwear. He seems just as uncomfortable to be going through his former Luna’s things. When they pull out the few pieces of jewelry I packed, Aubrey snatches a gold bracelet that has a ruby stone. “This one is mine to keep.”

I fume slightly remembering why I sent Owen ahead with the main bulk of it to hide in his car.

“Satisfied Aubrey?” She nods but narrows her eyes at me.

“Let her leave then.” Seth finally says dismissively.

I watch his face wondering what went wrong and how this could be happening for the millionth time. He c***s one eyebrow above emotionless eyes but says nothing as I wordlessly follow Owen outside my head held high.

The ride is silent, and I don’t even look up until he stops the car in front of a small yellow cottage. I recognize this place. It’s next door to his grandmother on the outskirts of the pack. We silently haul my belongings inside. No sooner than the door closes the tears freely fall.

Owen hugs me letting me cry. “Addi I will figure this out, ok? There is no way Seth lost his mate bond to you like it never existed. That makes no sense.”

I shake my head sadly, “He proved it to me at the hospital. No sparks or tingles when he touched me. No sign of anything from Jagger. Nothing from his emotions. I just…” I pause to take a deep breath. “Feel emptiness. Like I lost him. Nessa is gone for now and cannot help me figure this out or talk to Jagger to see what the hell really happened.”

Owen frowns, but then I see his eyes change. He snarls, “He’s calling me back. He has some problems. I’ll get Grams to come by later and check on you. Talk to you tomorrow, Addi.”

I watch him leave and debate unpacking. Instead, the desire for a hot bath and long cry wins out.

Memories flitter through me as I soak in the steamy water. I push most of them aside. I brush my hand over my still flat stomach.

“Guess it’s just you and me, little one.” I whisper out tearfully thinking of how my Seth would be over the moon right now. He wanted to be a dad so badly. His words from two months ago when we decided to try to flow through my ears again as the memory plays vividly behind my eyes.

“We’re going to do this, right?” His bright green eyes had been filled with excitement. I nodded, but he shook his head wanting me to say it.

“Yes, we’re going to try. Can you imagine me huge with a pup belly?” I joke smiling at him.

His eyes soften and he comes over to kneel in front of me. “Oh angel, I have imagined it so many times. You will be even more beautiful than you are now. And I will rub your feet and legs every night. Run my hands over your belly so our baby can kick my hand. I’ll read them stories and sing to them every day.”

“Are you even real? You are going to be the best dad you know that?” I ask as he pulls me into his lap, and I twine my fingers through his thick black locks. I mean who says that kind of sweet stuff and means it?

He grins and I trace his tan jawline. He always has just a bit of a five o’clock shadow making him even more sexy in my opinion.

“I hope so. Maybe we’ll have a little girl, and she’ll be your miniature carbon copy. Black wavy hair and these gray eyes racing around calling me Daddy. I will not even know what hit me. And I’ll never be able to tell her no.” Chuckling he thinks for a minute. “Hmm, maybe scratch that. I’ll have to kill lots of teenagers in this pack when she starts coming of age. Or command them all not to look at her until she’s of age to find her mate.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “And will you do the same for all the female ones if we have a boy that looks like a copy of your hotness?”

He gives me a cocky little smirk, “Yep, I will. He’ll be taught to keep his hands to himself until he can find his mate too. Because when I tell him how worth the wait it is, he won’t want to betray that. Nothing like knowing your perfect lady is out there and then meeting her, sharing your life with her, learning each other’s hearts and souls… and bodies.” With that devilish look in his eye, he starts kissing me before growling and taking me to bed. “Let’s go start on expanding our family angel.”

Sobbing as the memory fades in my mind, I cling to the side of the tub. Hearing Seth be grateful we had no pups today cut like a silver blade straight through my heart. And he said “anklebiters” with such venom. Were all of my memories of him a lie, a show?

I climb out as the water cools and dress quickly, knowing Owen’s grandmother, Edie, will be by soon.

I need to sit down and make plans. I cannot stay in this pack, especially since I am pregnant. Who knows what he’ll do to my baby if he finds out? Trisha was right, and they were both way too concerned I might be pregnant. Hearing him call our child a bastard had me wanting to go stab him right now. I will have to call Lucas too. He’ll be reachable in two days.

The knock on the door stops my planning.

The delightful scent of cookies and fresh bread hits my nose before I even turn the doorknob.

“Grams you didn’t need to bring me anything.” I say the second I see her holding her big basket which always contains enough food to feed ten.

“Like I ever believe that nonsense? Get inside Luna and let me set this heavy thing down.”

I hurry to back away and try to take it from her. She gives me a look to freeze me in place before setting it on the kitchen counter. She pulls out muffins, cookies, a pie, fresh bread, a carton of some heavenly smelling soup, a casserole of some sort and another large container. She chuckles at my face.

“I cook for a houseful dearie, comes with the territory of having begun mated to a Beta and then our two extra large Beta sons.”

“It all smells delicious.” My stomach rumbles as I realize I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday.

I voice that and Grams gives me a stern look. “That won’t do little lady. That pup needs nourishment and so will you. A true Alpha pup is strong and draining.”

She nods sadly at the surprise on my face. “I can tell dearie, I was a midwife for a long time. And it’s an old woman’s sixth sense. How long?”

“Two maybe three weeks is Trisha’s estimation.” I look down at my plate as she puts bread and a bowl of soup on it. I dig in and she joins me. After two bowls and more bread, I push my plate away. “Grams, you are a delightful cook.”

“Thank you, dearie. Now let’s talk about what happened. Owen only gave me the basics. I almost stormed the pack office to knock Seth on his Alpha ass, but he warned me off.” She pressed a mug of hot chocolate in my hands, and I began to tell her the whole story. Her face is bewildered at the end. “I have never heard of such… I’ll reach out to my sister. She knows a lot about witchcraft. I’d like to take my wooden spoon to Seth right now, like when he was younger.”

I nod, almost laughing at her threat.

“One thing is certain. You cannot stay here, Addi. That female will kill you or this pup if she finds out about it. The pack isn’t going to accept her easily either, and it will make her hate you more. Jealous females are dangerous, especially if desperation strikes. You are a loved Luna and she’ll pick up on it quickly. Rumors have already started. Do you know where you’ll go? Lucas?”

“He’s on a family vacation and gets back to the States in two days. I’ll call him and hope he doesn’t declare war first. If he stays calm, I’ll get him to pick me up. But I can’t stay there, too many people interact here. I’ll go to Pale Moon probably.”

Grams stays a few more hours before she needs to go back to her mate.

An hour after she leaves, I hear a knock. I walk to the door and see him. He’s standing there, and his hair looks messy. Like he’s been raking his hands through it stressed out. My heart starts pounding.

“Seth?” I ask softly.

It takes him a minute to look up at me, but he slowly does, and I see pity there. Nothing else. I had hoped for something else, of course……

“Addison, may I come in?” He asks quietly.

I open the door and let him pass. He stops not far in and says quietly, “I wanted to talk to you about the rejection. Also, in public you will need to address me as Alpha. Right now is fine due to our… history.”

I swallow hard as each word hits me like bullets.

The rejection…

“Instead of doing it formally now, I thought it would be easier to allow it to occur naturally. For example, when I mark Aubrey, it should break it. If you need pain meds for it, I have instructed Trisha to give you whatever you might require.”

“I… see.” I finally found my voice.

He looks up at me slowly, and there is actual regret in his eyes for a second. But then it vanishes. “I truly wish this didn’t have to happen. Goodbye Addison. I will think of you no more.”

I stand tall and expressionless until I hear his car drive away. My legs begin to tremble as I slide down the wall to rest my arms on my knees and let the tears come.

How was it so easy for him to throw us away?

I feel like I cannot breathe most of the time. Will I be able to move on like him one day? Be so casual about all we share.

“I will think of you no more.” I whisper out brokenly repeating his words. But I know that’s not possible for me. Not only because I truly loved the man but because I was carrying a piece of him inside me. I let myself sob until I have nothing left.