The Alpha's Rejected Mate

Chapter 4

-Jake's P.O.V-

Her eyes till haunted me. She had the bluest eyes I'd ever seen, and remembering them just made my stomach sink again like it had done when I rejected her. The darknening of her eyes just made me want to punch myself in the face, they alone had almost made me change my mind, but I couldn't take her, she wasn't fit to be my mate, let alone my luna.

I left because I couldn't stand the look of her in the ground, so sad and defeated. I knew that if I kept looking I wouldn't have been able to keep from accepting her, something I couldn't do, she wasn't what I wanted, the bond didn't change that.

I stuck with Ashley throughout the day to keep myself from running to her, she made it easier by avoiding me, yet it also annoyed me to no end as I wanted to see her. No matter what I did or who I was with, I always found myself looking for her in the crowd. When I did see her I had to keep Ashley close to keep her from approaching me and to keep me from approaching her. I never thought the bond would be this strong.

My wolf was restless, he had been whining all day long, begging for his mate. I wasn't able to block him most of the time and he didn't let up once, taking every chance he had to mention his mate and how he wanted her. I was in a constant battle with my own self as I constantly reminded him that I knew what was good for us, and that Claire wasn't it.

In a way to forget about Claire and make a statement to my wolf, I ended up sleeping with Ashley. It didn't help much, Claire was constantly in my mind even when I was with her. I almost felt bad for using Ashley was that, as she was one of my best friends, but I didn't have enough time to feel guilty about it since Claire just became part of my every thought.

I couldn't even sleep, meanwhile Ashley had immediately fallen. It was one of her good nights, she didn't have nightmares. I keep moving around in bed, careful not to wake Ashley, but still, I just had this feeling of being empty, incomplete. Even when holding Ashley, I just felt as if my arms were holding air.

I look up at the ceiling, trying to count sheep in my head, but it was pointless. I even think of waking Ashley at some point to entertain myself but can't get myself to, she rarely sleeps this well, it would be selfish of me to wake her up.

My wolf suddenly stirs, but before he can even get a full sentence out I am there blocking him. The only thing I hear him say is 'mate', which makes me roll my eyes, I thought he was done with that. I try to keep ignoring him but even the block can't keep the emotions he is feeling from slipping through. He is feeling worried, which makes me curious enough to stop blocking him.

'Mate is in trouble'

It takes me a minute to react to what he said, but when I do, I almost jump out of the bed. I grab my pants from the floor and put them on along with my shirt. I check on Ashley and she is still sound asleep, so I leave.

I immediately head to Zack's house, now the worry of my wolf becoming my own, what happened to Claire?

I practically bang on the door with my fist, hearing footsteps and praying to the moon goddess that they were Claire's. No such luck. Zack opens the door looking confused at my sudden appearance in his house but I simply rush past him and let Claire's scent lead me to her room.

Her room is empty, sending dread throughout my body. I search for something that could lead me to where she was, turning her room upside down until finding a note that had dropped under her bed. Reading through the note, I feel my heart sink, this isn't good.

I jumped out the window, landing swiftly on my feet. She couldn't leave me, not now, not ever. Yet you were so willing to leave her?

I follow her scent through the forest, doing my best to focus on her scent alone as it could get lost among the many scents. My wolf is furious at me, but he also helps me as he wants to save his mate.

Her scent eventually ends at a small clearing at the edge of a cliff, and I am left in awe of it. It was incredibly beautiful. I ignore my urge to keep staring and try to find Claire, yet her trail seems to end here. I look around, already ignoring the view as my focus was on finding Claire.

I continue moving closer to the edge, and that is when I smell it, blood.

It had been hidden by the water, as it usually covered up any scent very well. The fact that I could smell it meant that the scent was very strong, meaning there was a lot of blood. I almost didn't feel like looking, my mind already thinking of the worst, but there was no way in hell that I was prepared to see what was down there.

I looked down and for a minute I can't even think, let alone move. My wolf is howling in pain while I am left staring at Claire's body covered in blood, her eyes closed, pale as a sheet. I involuntarily take a step forward, feeling like going to her, but stop myself in time.

I can't keep my wolf's cries blocked as I am trying to keep my own from coming out. Claire's letter spins in my head, resonating with every second that passes by, her last words to me almost make me become undone.

You were the only reason I had to live for Jake, what do I have now?