Once Rejected, Twice Denied.

Chapter Eleven

TESSA POV:

Ray hasn't said anything to me for the past twenty minutes of us walking through the forest and back to the pack house. It's a beautiful walk, but it is stiff and confusing. The doctor let me go from the hospital at Brett's orders and I was told to sit in a wheelchair, but that all felt too similar to things with Aimee, so I insisted for them to let me walk. Ray has been cussing under her breath and I can tell she is mind linking someone like crazy. She keeps peeping to the side to look at me, but otherwise nothing. Not even the guards accompanying us dare to look at me. Now I am standing at the end of a very isolated and long hallway in the pack house and staring at a dark wooden door. His room. Everyone looks at me expectantly and I gulp down knowing that I have no choice. We all heard Brett in the hospital. I was to be brought to his room. No questions asked. With a shaky hand, I open the door and step into what feels like my next prison cell. When I turn around, I see Ray looking at me with an expression I cannot quite understand. Humour, anxiety, hope, fear...

"I am sorry, Tessa."

Ray says it in almost a whisper and then the door is shut.

Without even turning, I can tell this is Brett's room by the earthiness of his scent lingering on every item. It vibrates through me and pushes my body to turn around and face the space. It is a large and warm room, draped with dark wood and clean edges of modern elegance. He has chosen shades of grey and black and he has kept the decor down to a minimum. There is only one surprisingly interesting touch and that is a large bouquet of yellow sunflowers on a table in the middle of the room. Written on the pot is a little quote, "Your favorite" and my brow lifts. Sunflowers aren't my favorite, so they must be his. My feet wonder over the plush, gray carpets and I run my fingers over every edge. He is super clean and orderly, but then after being a maid in an Alpha house, I know he probably has people picking up after him left, right and centre. The window boasts a beautiful view of the back garden, a swimming pool and some forest and there is a patch of sunshine that beams down onto a section of the couch in the room. I smile at this. My eyes look back at the enormous bed and I quickly shift my gaze. There are two doors other than the one that takes someone out the room. I open the first and see his bathroom. It smells like musk and a shiver runs through me as I take in the dimmed lighting of a rain shower, Jacuzzi bath and vanity area. There is a damp, black towel that I run my fingers over and when I look in the mirror I notice I am biting my bottom lip. I quickly move from this space and open the second door. My eyes widen at the sight of a fully-decked out walk-in closet. The room is embellished with mirrors and enough cupboard space for a whole family. Goddess, this closet is bigger than my room back at Full Moon! I can't help but run my fingers over all of his suit jackets, admiring the quality and smiling at how simple, yet chic his style is. Goddess, he has a lot of clothes and when I turn and see a whole other side of cupboards I huff. What more could he have? I start rolling open the cupboard and I see nothing, nothing, nothing and then my eyes widen as a shimmering, red dress in a see-through bag comes into view. It is the most stunning dress I have ever laid eyes on. As quickly as the girly moment sweeps me up, so my feelings of doubt and jealousy start to wash in. Whose dress is this and why is it in Brett's closet? My fingers bring the bag with the dress in closer and I see there is a little receipt clipped onto it saying "Clean and ready for our future Luna" which makes me feel jittery inside. Is this dress for me? My eyes notice a date on the receipt and it is for three years back. This is even more confusing. Has Brett been keeping a dress for the day he meets his mate? I know some mates do, but then I feel it's a little presumptuous of him to assume my size. The dress is two sizes smaller than I am, which just annoys me. Is that what he wants from a mate? I am by zero means fat, especially considering I hardly ate, but my bone structure and curves are a little more prominent. I close the door quickly, trying to breathe through how annoying that find was. He likes petite women and I just can't...

"Making yourself at home, Tessa?"

My whole body stills at his voice. He is lying on the bed now, his fingers flipping through a newspaper and he is wearing some glasses. Goddess, he looks amazing. I shake my head as I feel the pull taking over. How long has he been there? He chuckles now and puts the newspaper down.

"I have only been here for the past five minutes. I figured you would explore the minute you were left alone in here."

He hardly looks at me, which annoys me even more. Why does he avoid my gaze so much? A painful reminder plummets through my mind of the amount of times I was called ugly by Keith, Xanthi and so many others. Goddess, Brett probably cannot stand how I look. I quickly look down and head to the couch, lifting my knees to my chin as I look out the window. A few moments go by as I stare out at the cold air outside. The skies look like they are threatening to rain or such. All the while, I hear his footsteps approaching and he eventually sits on the second sofa. He still doesn't look at me.

"Snow is predicted for this evening. I can get appropriate clothes delivered to the room for you."

I remember the small dress in the cupboard. What if he orders the wrong size for me, like that dress? What if nothing fits me? If I don't fit in the clothes then he will think I am fat.

"I would prefer it if I could buy the clothes myself."

"You don't trust me?"

I want to scoff at his remark. How do I begin to explain how that small dress triggered my emotions? I can never be the woman he wants. Besides, why can I not choose my own clothes? I decide to throw it back at him.

"YOU don't trust me?"

My question makes him still. Now he looks at me and Goddess, I could melt on the spot.

"Can I trust you, Tessa?"

His voice is calm. I won't give into him, though.

"Can I trust you, Brett?"

I echo his question. To my absolute surprise, he smirks now and then looks back outside. What is going on? I want to smile at his reaction. I want to leap into his arms and claim his smirk with my own. I want to feel those tingles again, but then I also have this undeniable hollowness. I am wolfless, abused, worthless, weak and ugly. I wouldn't be a good Luna and I am sure he knows this. This is why he was disappointed in the hospital before. Brett must pick up the shift in my energy, because he clears his throat now and his smile disappears. He still doesn't look at me much. It is so weird, considering I cannot keep my eyes off of him.

"For how long were you abused in your old pack?"

Is all he asks and it takes me a little off guard. I snap my eyes back to the sky as the memories flood in. Goddess, how do I tell him this without absolutely destroying him?

"Since I was 16 and didn't shift."

He starts to fidget now with his hands. He doesn't say anything though and I appreciate that.

"I remember it like it were yesterday. One minute, everybody was excited to see me shift and finally run with the pack. The next I had stones being thrown at me. I ran through the forest for at least thirty minutes with kids behind me calling me a runt. By the time I got home, my mother was nowhere to be found. The story was that she was ashamed, so she left the pack as a result."

I laugh bitterly now at the tragedy of my memory.

"I think they were all being kind with their description. My mother loved me so much, but who wants a weak and wolfless child, right?"

Brett takes an uneasy breath in.

"And your father?"

"Died when my mother was pregnant. They were mates."

Brett shifts now in his seat uncomfortably and then clears his throat. His hands are in fists, so I know this must have upset him.

"The, uhm, the bruises on you now?"

His voice sounds a little emotional and this surprises me. I suppose growing up in a peaceful way can make my pack and history seem tragic. I let it go and focus on his question.

"There was a party. Ugh, to cut a long story very short, the alpha's daughter got caught making out with someone and I was the easy target to frame. Usually my punishments are to be locked in this shed..."

I trail off at this part. I hate that shed.

"How does a shed give you bruises, Tessa?"

His prying is making me uncomfortable, but I also know that I should speak to him. He is my mate. I sigh.

"Well, there is this dark hole in the shed that they sometimes locked me in and I was trying to get out when..."

He growls and looks at me now.

"WHO ARE THEY?"

I wince at his alpha tone.

"TESSA, PLEASE..."

I close my eyes now and take deep breaths. I hate that he is angry, but I also get it. If I found out that someone hurt him, I would also react this way. Alpha wolves are pocessive and he is probably just feeling protective over me. My brows knit together. Does this mean he cares? I don't get it though. I am nothing and I am nobody.

"Full Moon."

Brett shoots up and gets his coat. He moves so fast that I hardly have time to see his expression. He is mumbling to himself and I can tell by the intense emotions soaring through him that he is completely angered by this news.

"What are you going to do?"

He doesn't say anything as he starts to put socks on. Why won't he look at me?

"Brett. Please don't be rash. I just..."

"I will let Ray take you shopping in town tomorrow. With the guards, of course. Nick can go along too, as I have assigned him to be your head guard for now."

Thats it? He finishes tying his shoes and I feel my own irritation bubbling up as he walks to the door.

"I am not a baby, you know?"

Brett takes a deep breath and I hold my hand over my mouth. It slipped out.

"No, you aren't."

He looks at me again with a neutral expression.

"But whether I like it or not, you are my problem now and I have no choice but to DEAL WITH IT."

He doesn't wait for my response. He walks out and slams the door, leaving me alone once again in his room and caught up in sour emotions. His words ring over and over again. I am a problem. He has no choice. He has to deal with me now, even if he doesn't like it. I run to the door and try open it, but it is locked and no matter how many times I bang on it, nobody answers. It all becomes starkingly clear to me. He feels like he is a prisoner in this mate bond. Trapped by fate with no choice.

And I am a prisoner to his bedroom. Trapped by him with no choice.