Alpha Tate’s POV
Lowering my eyes to look at Colin, who looks utterly bemused as he pulls his eyes away from the balcony, I give him a pointed look, then walk past him towards the packhouse.
I don’t care what he says about her, she is strange, and always was strange.
And there is no way that she turned hot in the seven years since I last saw her. I don’t believe him.
She was frumpy. Pale. Greasy hair. Always scowling and looking miserable.
I don’t need a frumpy, depressed mate.
And I don’t need some freak who rolls around on the balcony…
My lips twitch upward at the memory of her feet, toes pointed upward, rolling away, like being rolled up in a carpet.
So freaking weird.
Even if she does have that amazing scent…I rejected her.
But she didn’t reject you.
Minor detail.
I can easily rectify that whenever I want.
I’m an Alpha. I need to be with someone like Sarah…
Damn it.
The memory makes my hands curl into fists at my side.
How could she leave me for a freaking human after I rejected my mate for her?
He was balding for god’s sakes!
Rubbing the side of my face, I turn around to look at Colin, who instantly drops his phone.
“She doesn’t have to go to training.”
He nods and lifts his phone up again, his fingers moving quickly as he types.
For some reason, the fact that he has her phone number and is currently texting her irks me.
But that’s ridiculous.
Residual mate bond crap that will go away when I have the girl reject me back.
Colin lowers the phone, looking distant.
“Hey, do you mind if I skip training as well?”
I raise my eyebrows at him, crossing my arms over my chest.
“It’s just…it can’t be easy for Kit to be back here. Especially…” He trails off.
I stare at him.
Why is everyone around me going soft?
This girl is nothing to us. She abandoned the pack.
The only reason I even allowed her to come back was because I could feel how happy her sister made my Beta.
Stupidly happy.
A happiness like I have never felt before.
But honestly, his mate is gorgeous, so I get it.
He got lucky. Unlike me.
I sure as hell didn’t feel the same way when I mated with…that girl.
I mean, yeah, I felt a pull…I felt an attraction even though she wasn’t attractive…
Shifting my weight, I jerk my chin at Colin and turn on my heel.
Whatever. One missed practice won’t hurt.
“Just this one.”
“Got it!”
“But then she has to get over it. She can’t just mope around if she stays. She gets treated the same way as everyone else. You can’t feel sorry for her.”
Colin hesitates behind me.
“Okay. I won’t feel sorry for her. But if I were interested in her…”
I swivel back around.
He has got to be kidding me.
“You have better taste than that!”
“I keep telling you, she looks good now! Let me show you-”
I block him out.
I don’t want to see her.
I don’t care too.
“Whatever. If you want to go for it, go for it.”
Colin looks unsure.
“I feel like you should see her before you make that decision.”
My lips curl into a snarl.
He throws up his hands in surrender and takes a step back.
“Sorry! Got it. You aren’t interested.”
“The whole pack can fuck her for all I care. I have standards.”
I turn around.
“Thought you did to.”
Colin remains quiet.
After taking a few steps, I realize that he isn’t behind me.
“Oh, um…since I’m not going to training, I was going to go on up and check on Kit. Help her get…settled.”
This shouldn’t bother me.
It doesn’t bother me.
But ten minutes later, standing in front of the training center with my arms crossed, I take my mood out on my pack as I bark orders for them to push harder.
It doesn’t help that they are all thinking about Jody and Cami…and her.
Everyone is wondering if now that Sarah is gone, if I will go after my mate.
My rejected mate.
The fools.
I’m an Alpha.
I don’t go back on my word.
What I say, is final.
I will never change my mind.
“Drop and give me another hundred!”
I will work them until they are too tired to even think about her or me or my ex anymore.
Kit’s POVWhere did these clothes come from?Like, whose job is it to run to the mall and pick out clothes for random people?Shuffling through the closet full of brand-new, expensive clothes, tags still on, I can’t help but be impressed.These are so much better than my clothes.They can just throw my stuff in the dumpster after I’ve seen these.Smiling, I pull out a simple black sundress.Not sure there is a reason to dress up, but might as well, right?I’m pulling the straps over my shoulder when there is a knock on the door.I’m halfway across the room to answer it when I notice the towel still wrapped around my head.Yanking it off, I run my fingers through it as I pull open the door.“Hey.”“Hey, Colin.”Colin’s eyes dart down to take in my dress.“That looks nice.”“Thanks.”Still running my fingers through my damp hair, I step further into the room, he follows, closing the door behind him.“So…”I grin and shrug.“Yeah.”He returns the grin.“At least it was entertaining.”I l
Alpha Tate’s POVWatching Colin kissing her from the window of my office, I go through an assortment of emotions.Pushing the anger and resentment aside, I try to feel happy for him.He needs some action.I don’t care if it’s with her.Good for him.I try to turn away, but instead, I step closer to the window, my face nearly pressed against the glass as I try to see what she looks like, but Colin is blocking her from view.The only reason that I know it is her in the first place is because of her scent.It almost smells different though…almost…lighter. Oddly enough, happier.Is this because of Colin?He deepens the kiss, pulling her against his body.Fuck!My fist pounds the wall by the window without me realizing and I extract it from the large hole it created, glancing at the figures on the lawn to see if they heard the noise.Apparently, they didn’t.Maybe I need to get laid.There hasn’t been anyone since Sarah…and even when she was here…Sighing, I rub my forehead.Even when she
Alpha Tate’s POVSlamming my bedroom door shut, I slap my palm against it and hang my head.What was that?What the hell was that?I rejected her.I shouldn’t be feeling this way about her.She shouldn’t be so…so beautiful. Sexy. Soft. Enticing.So fucking desirable.Clutching my hand into a fist, I pound the door with it and push off it.Now that I know what her lips taste like, how her touch sets me on fire, I can’t not be with her again.We didn’t even fully explore each other yet.No.I will have her again.But once I have my fun, I will let her reject me back.Even if she is hot now, she still abandoned the pack all those years ago.She abandoned me.She’s too weak to be a Luna.A true Luna would have stayed, even with my rejection.She would have stayed for the pack.My stomach clenches as I remember that day, how hard I worked to hold in the pain from doing the unnatural act of rejecting my mate.How Sarah’s gentle strokes did nothing to soothe me.How my body had ached to go t
Alpha Tate’s POVFeeling smug, I grip my hair as I hurry down the main staircase.It’s nice to know that I can make Kit desire me, to throw herself at me.What isn’t nice, is her obstinance.I can’t have that.I have worked too hard to make this pack strong.Unbeatable.We don’t need another massacre like that one that took out my parents and so many other of my friends, family, and pack members.Yanking open the door to the training center, Colin instantly tries to catch my eye, dodging a high kick, and jogging over to me.“So?”His concerned look gets under my skin.She isn’t his to be concerned over.Feeling annoyed, I recall him asking permission to pursue her yesterday, insisting that I see her before giving it to him…and I refused.Now I will look like an even bigger ass, or a complete fool, if I go back on it.Or even worse than that…weak.“She’s on her way.”Colin looks relieved as he follows me toward the front of the center while I scan the room, watching everyone’s progress
Kit’s POVSniffing, I internally curse that arrogant son of a bitch.To hell with this place!I’m not staying.I don’t care what Cami says.I haven’t even seen her since we got here!She didn’t even care enough to text me since we got here, let alone check on how I’m dealing with being back in the place that I hate so much.Might as well accept the fact that I have lost her forever.That I am completely and utterly alone now.A tiny sob escapes and I cover my mouth with both my hands.No!I won’t give that jackass the satisfaction!“Kit, I’m so sorry…I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”“I do!” I cringe at how wobbly my voice sounds. “He is a complete jerk, always has been, and always will be! He hasn’t changed one bit!”I look over my shoulder at Colin, who opens his mouth, but then closes it in a thin smile and leans the side of his head against mine.“I’m sorry.”“Whatever.”I sniff again and grab my upper arms.“I’m leaving.”“What?”Colin pulls my shoulders back and steps in fro
Kit’s POVFlopping face first onto the bed with a groan of despair, I leave my arms and legs spread exactly where they landed.Seeing Cami and Jody so madly into each other just makes it so much clearer exactly what I missed out with my own mate bond.I can’t ever imagine Alpha Tate standing there all puppy-eyed with a heart-shaped pillow covering his goods…even though the thought of it does make me give a muffled laugh against my comforter.Just replaying that entire scene with Alpha Tate and I versus Cami and Jody is comical.Alpha Tate is too brooding and grumpy to be so enamored. And I can’t ever imagine myself sticking my lower lip out in that pouty fashion that Cami does.Sighing, I roll over onto my back.But at least they are happy.Whereas I am quite miserable.There’s a soft knock on the door and for a moment, I think that it must be Cami, finally dragging herself away from Jody, but that’s not her scent.“Come in.”Grabbing a pillow, I use it to cover my face before the doo
Kit’s POV“Hey…morning sunshine.”Squinting through heavy eyelids, I see Colin grinning at me, holding up a cup of coffee.“When did you get here?”“About three minutes ago.”Struggling upright and leaning against the headboard, I gratefully take the hot coffee from him with both hands.“I thought that you were going to come back after your shift last night?”“You know, you really should check your phone more often.”I grin guiltily as I sip the drink that he brought me.Colin watches me, resting his hand on the bed beside my legs so that his body is laying across mine.“Apparently there was a small pack of rogues in the vicinity and Alpha Tate wanted me to stay on patrol until it was all clear.”I pause, the mug nearly touching my mouth.Uh huh.Sure…Colin lifts his shoulder.“It happens. Especially as the pack’s only healer.”I reach down and put my hand over Colins, who turns his hand over so that he can twist his fingers between mine.“So…are we going to training today?”I nearly
Alpha Tate’s POVColin is my friend.My closest friend since we were old enough to walk and talk.But right now, with my mate sitting in his lap while he fondles her, I want nothing more than to yank him up by his stupid blonde hair and rip his throat out.She needs a little extra attention…He’s giving her that alright.My hands clenched into fists at my side, a low growl escapes and a group of sweaty chicks strolling leisurely away from the training center look back at me curiously.Damn it.I was doing perfectly fine until she came back.Why did Jody have to mate with her sister?Shaking my head, I grab my shirt and pull it over my head, feeling the ladies sudden desire for me as I do so.Jody always said I could have any woman that I wanted in the pack, or in the nearby town.I probably could.But I just can’t bring myself to.None of them are as beautiful as Sarah was.Or stir something unfamiliar inside of me like Kit…Shaking my head again to get rid of that thought, I take off