Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE REJECTED OMEGA’S MATE : a tale of unexpected love: Kabanata 131 - Kabanata 140

*JOSH’S POV*I couldn’t help but think about the way she looked at me at the café, how her teasing about Brianne and Jordyn had that undercurrent of truth. Like she was genuinely happy for them, but maybe there was something else there, something unsaid. And when Jordyn had turned the tables and teased her about me? Her cheeks flushed, and she got all flustered, trying to laugh it off.That was the moment it hit me. Maybe she felt the same. Maybe she’d been hiding behind the teasing, just like I was. I mean, why else would she react the way she did?I stood up, pacing the length of the kitchen. My mind raced, running through a million different scenarios. Should I just tell her? Make a move, stop dancing around whatever this was? But what if I was wrong? What if all this was just in my head, and she was just being Mary—playful, goofy, and completely oblivious to the fact that I’d fallen for her?I ran my fingers through my hair again, groaning in frustration. I’d never been this wrapp

*MARY’S POV*My heart raced as I grabbed my bag, checking myself one last time in the mirror. ‘You’ve got this, Mary,’ I whispered to myself. ‘It’s just Josh. No big deal.’But even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t true. It was a big deal. And maybe, just maybe, that was okay.With a deep breath, I headed downstairs and opened the front door. And there he was, leaning casually against his car, hands in his pockets, looking way too good for someone who was supposedly just picking me up for a casual hangout. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.“Hey,” he said, flashing me that lopsided grin that always made my heart skip.“Hey,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “So, what’s this all about?”He raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. “You’ll see. Come on.”With a playful roll of my eyes, I followed him to the car, feeling that familiar buzz of excitement—like something big was about to happen.And maybe it was.*** I sat on the couch, my eyes f

*MARY’S POV*We sat there for a moment longer, still pressed close together, the warmth of his arm around me making it hard to focus on anything else. I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest, the subtle way his thumb traced small circles on my side. It was soothing and exciting all at once.After a while, I cleared my throat, trying to bring myself back to reality. “Okay, seriously though… you’re 25, and Jordyn’s 31? That’s like, a huge gap. You should start calling him ‘Grandpa.’”Josh let out a bark of laughter. “I’m not calling him Grandpa! Do you want him to kick my ass?”I grinned, the thought of Jordyn’s reaction making me laugh. “Oh, come on. It’d be hilarious. He’d lose his mind.”“Yeah, and then I’d be wolf meat.”I laughed harder, my hand reaching up to wipe away the tear forming in my eye. “Fine, fine. But it’d be worth it just to see the look on his face.”Josh shook his head, still smiling. “You’re gonna get me into trouble one of these days.”I rested my head

*MARY’S POV*We sat down, the silence between us thick with unspoken words. The wine had left me feeling a little light-headed, and as Josh’s arm draped over the back of the bench, his closeness was intoxicating.“Mary,” he said softly, his voice a little huskier than usual, “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time.”Before I could ask what he meant, his lips were on mine. The kiss was slow and gentle at first, but it quickly deepened as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Every inch of me felt alive, and I lost myself in the moment, forgetting everything else but the feel of him, the taste of him.The kiss grew more heated, his hands moving to my waist, pulling me against him. I could feel the fire building between us, and for a moment, I didn’t care where this was heading. I wanted him, and it was clear he wanted me, too.When we finally pulled away, breathless, his forehead rested against mine. “Come back to my place,” he whispered, his voice low and rough.I nodd

*JOSH'S POV*“Actually… there’s something else you should know,” I said, swinging my hands in a playful manner as we strolled across the beach. The breeze was gentle, the sun starting to dip lower, casting a golden glow across the waves. We walked in comfortable silence, but I could feel the weight of what I needed to share building inside me.Mary glanced at me, her curiosity piqued. “Oh? More secrets, huh? You’re full of surprises.”I chuckled, though this was heavier than the usual banter. “Yeah, and this one’s… kind of a big deal.”Her teasing smile faltered slightly, but she stayed lighthearted. “Don’t tell me you’re some sort of vampire-werewolf hybrid. ‘Cause that’s too much for me to handle today.”I laughed, though her joke hit closer to the truth than she knew. “Not quite that dramatic, but close.”We eventually found a shaded spot under a large tree near the shoreline. The wind rustled the leaves, offering a quiet retreat from the rest of the world. I sat down on the sand,