Alpha’s Rejected Human Mate

CHAPTER 3

THOMAS’S POV

I knew I should not have answered Jacob when he came to my pack two years ago. Not only had he seen my ordeal with Annabel but he had been the one to suggest she goes off on this dangerous mission.

Saying he trusts her capability, says the seer that said I would have a mate in five years but here I am still mateless.

I impatiently tapped my foot as I sat in my luxurious chair, glancing at my watch now and then and peering out of the window to see if she had returned.

I would be able to tell when she arrived by her scent, and she usually chirped wherever she went, but it had been almost two weeks and there was still no sign of her. It was only supposed to take a few days, and here I was.

"Master, would you like some water?" A maid offered me, but I shook my head.

"No thank you, I'm not thirsty." Anxiety laced my voice and I noticed her frowning.

"There's food on the table, you haven't eaten anything since last night." The maid stated matter-of-factly and I heaved an exasperated sigh.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry." I refused again and it seemed she was going to stop trying. She left me and not long after, I heard someone call my name.

"Thomas, this is reckless. You're not eating or drinking and you expect everyone to be fine here," Lombard announced his presence with nagging and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Lombard, please give me a break—" I wasn't allowed to finish before he barked at me again.

"I think I should be saying that to you because your reckless behavior is causing everyone to worry and it's all because of her." Lombard was irritated and the last thing I wanted was for him to blame Annabel for it. I heaved a heavy sigh and stood up.

"Fine, what's on the dining table?" I followed him to a separate room.

"I had them make your favorite, Annabel requested to go on that mission, you can't starve yourself because of her." He rolled his eyes at me. He had never liked Annabel since she came here, they were always fighting and he was always fault-finding, but Annabel thought of him as her elder brother, and I wondered when he would do the same to her.

"It's been two weeks, the mission was meant to take three days, max a week. What if something has happened to her?" It had been three years since I started training Annabel and I'll be honest, she is the best student I have ever had. During the time we spent together, I had fallen in love with her and I also discovered she was my mate, but I had no idea how I would tell her.

"You know how missions can be, sometimes they go south. She is your student, she would be able to handle herself." Lombard dismissed it rather quickly and forced me to eat, but my mind was on Annabel. And so was my heart.

Hours had passed and there was still no sign of Annabel, and the situation was getting me down. Lombard had seen me and he was not liking my aura one bit.

"Alpha Thomas, I'm going to address you as a brother now. This is not right." His arms folded in front of his chest, Lombard was a fine man who had dedicated himself to me, and I would forever be grateful to him for his services. He was not just my Beta, he was also my half-brother and I would do anything for him.

But I couldn't stop myself from worrying about Annabel. I was already in love with her. I heaved another heavy sigh, I knew he was going to start nagging me again.

"You don't eat, sleep, or even train anymore. You're showing nothing but apathy towards living and it's bothersome." He moved closer to me and put his hands on my shoulders, making me sit up straight. "Your posture is even lacking now. What do you want me to do?" He was getting mad, but I couldn't tell him that I didn't see her as a student anymore. She was more to me now.

"But..." I started, my energy levels low.

"But what?" Another voice mixed with Lombard's, a voice I knew all too well. Her scent filled my nostrils and my brain released a shot of dopamine.

Lombard growled and we both turned to see Annabel standing at the entrance. She didn't look too pleased.

"Annabel..." I got off my chair and went around Lombard to meet her. I was much taller than her and she crossed her arms. "What happened? I was so worried about you."

"So worried that you started behaving like this? I appreciate your concern, master, but I'm not happy with your recent behavior. I was gone for two weeks and look at what you've become." She placed her hands on my shoulders and lifted me. "Your posture is even worse now."

I laughed heartily, Lombard had said that too. "I'm just so glad you're back. The mission was meant to take three days." I walked her into my mansion and I saw Lombard roll his eyes at me. He was jealous, but he had to deal with it.

"Yes, master. It was meant to until the alpha started pulling pranks. I had to threaten him to get him to cooperate." She heaved a heavy sigh before dumping her body on the couch and I sat very close to her. Lombard could see what I was doing and his irritation was clear.

"It all went well, but I don't like what I'm hearing."

"It's been three years since I started training you and I know you're more than capable, but a master would always worry about his student." I cupped her cheeks and she smiled at me. Lombard scoffed and it ruined the moment. "Oh, and Lombard missed you too." I teased and she laughed with her eyes closed.

I loved it when she laughed, she looked so beautiful.

"No, I didn't miss you. I'm happy that I got to spend some days without you in my life. I don't care what Thomas thinks of you, but I detest you and you should never forget it." Lombard was always harsh with his words and I had tried, but nothing could change his mind once it was made up.

"I brought a gift for you." Annabel sang before digging into her bag and bringing out a small dagger with fine imprints on it. Lombard's eyes widened, but he wanted to remain strong. "It was the best in the market, and it was used by the most powerful Beta over three hundred years ago. It's a relic." She admired it before tossing it into the air and he caught it with finesse. "Now it's yours."

Lombard was speechless while I smiled caustically at him. He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "This won't make me automatically like you. I'm not as easy as Alpha Thomas is." He remembered and went to a secluded place to marvel at his gift.

I chuckled when he said that and I returned my gaze to Annabel. "I'm so glad you're alright, Annabel. I missed you." Words from my heart always made her blush a bright pink and this time was no different. She giggled a little and her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Well I missed you too Master, I knew you must have been worried about me but it was all for the best." I noticed she squeezed my hand in affirmation and my heart went into a flurry. I parted my lips to say something but quickly closed them, I wasn't too sure if I should confess, after all, she wasn't looking for a romantic relationship, "is something wrong?" She could see my distorted expression and she got anxious.

"Nothing is wrong, go freshen up and come to my room later, I would love to spend some time with you In private." I coughed out before rising to my feet, she looked at me with so much respect and I could only smile.

I left her to rest but I was mixed with so many different emotions, the last thing I wanted to do was say something wrong and push her away from me. I would rather die than have that happen. Days passed and I was myself again, Annabel and I would train from afternoon to evening and I was impressed at how much she had grown.

She twirled the staff with expertise as she approached me for another duel. I was sweaty and shirtless while she only wore a sports bra and some shorts. I admired her physique. She was such a beautiful woman and she was dripping with elegance, I wanted to touch her body more satisfyingly.

"Are you ready for me?" She asked me and my mind shifted miles away from the answer I was meant to give. I was ready to take her, put her legs on my shoulder, and go all night. But that wasn't the exact answer to her question,

"Yes, I'm ready for you." I grabbed my stuff and got Into a stance and just as we were about to start our eighth round, Lombard rushed in, and he was dispositioned

"Beta Lombard!" She was the first one to rush to him, "What is going on?" Lombard was visibly upset and I knew he was waiting for me to speak,

"Go on. Speak." I lowered the staff and my body posture to understand better,

"Opposition. They're planning on ambushing us tonight, I thought it was a rumor until my source confirmed it." He was irked and Annabel's face squeezed in annoyance, "We have very limited time to plan for a strategy and we do not know how they will attack."

"Shit." I cursed and dropped the staff and my Betas followed right behind me, "get the defenses running, they would attack the people first before coming into the main house."

"Defenses are up but what about our formation?" Lombard asked as he got down the map of our pack and started throwing darts at it, "they could attack anywhere from these four regions." He was right,

"But if we station defenses here then they will have an opening from the middle, but I don't think they will come from the middle, it would be too easy." Annabel imputed and she rushed to grab a pen, drawing up lines that didn't make any sense till she marked out a small passage that would lead to the heart of the two and wad the fastest route to the main house, "this is where they will take and we would only have about 20 minutes to prepare."

"We have to stop them before they get there," Lombard murmured.

"Lombard handles defenses, I'll prepare an attack but we need to make sure they don't come down this route, we need to distract them." My mind was moving so fast as I processed everything, the opposition was one thing that got my blood boiling but I would never allow them to take over my pack.

I was a man short, if I didn't have someone to take over that spot they may breach into my territory.

"I'll do it." A delicate voice spoke up; I turned to see Annabel, her hair pulled into a high ponytail.

“You?!” Lombard laughed, “Aren't you being a little cocky?”

Annabel grinned, spinning the staff skillfully. "Want to see how cocky I can get?" She challenged him.

My expression hardened. "Enough. We don't have time for this." I and Annabel locked eyes, a silent exchange that seemed to stretch time. Then, unexpectedly, I smiled. "Annabel will do it. I trust her."

Annabel grinned, looking at Lombard. "Thanks, my lovely alpha." The words hung in the air, shocking both me and everyone present.

I am sure they would have a shock, I can already see the rumors spreading about how I may be sleeping with her.

I couldn't help but shake my head, the lady I have created…I chuckled.

I looked at her as she swayed her hips away, maybe just maybe tonight I would fully claim her as mine.