Alpha of the Dead

Chapter 29

(Tiernan’s P.O.V)

I couldn’t believe that she would say some bullshit like that about my abilities as an Alpha, I’m not used to this type of s**t. I needed to get out of there, the room was stifling, and I honestly needed to get away from her.

I think we need to reject her. I can’t do this; it hurts too much, and she doesn’t even want to be with us in the first place.

Don’t you dare Ty! Tala wants us!

That’s not enough Steele, Siobhan needs to want us too, and she doesn’t. Yeah, sure we mated outside of her heat cycle but that doesn’t mean anything. She doesn’t want us to mark her, she doesn’t want to mark us.

Please, Tiernan. Don’t do this. We need her.

I know we do buddy, but I can’t put myself through this anymore.

I shut off my link to him, not wanting to listen to his arguments about why we need to keep our mate around when she obviously doesn’t want us. I was so caught up in my thoughts and conversation with Steele that I hadn’t realized I made it to the SUV. I toss my things in the back and make my way to the driver’s seat. I make my way back to the packhouse, a heavy feeling in my chest, a dull ache throughout my body. I ignore it as I walk up the stairs to the Alpha floor, where I’m met by my father.

“Son? What’s going on? I thought you were staying at the hotel with Siobhan?” He asks.

“Change of plans,” I mutter, not looking at him.

I go to walk away from him when his hand grabs my arm, turning me to face him.

“I know it was more than just a change of plans. What happened?”

“I told them what gramps said to us and then she berated me for not asking specific questions then questioned my abilities as an Alpha.”

“That’s not like Si, she was always quiet and understanding.” He says, brow furrowing in confusion.

“Yeah, well she’s not that way anymore.”

“Well, if the questions had to do with where and when the portal will be placed, as well as how to kill Scàthach, then I’m Alpha of the century.” He chuckles.

“I take it you stayed around longer than I did?”

“Yes, I had to talk to gramps about a few of the Pure and Innocent souls I had escorted the other day.”

“Okay, well what were his answers?”

“The portal will be set up here, the Celestials will create a building to house the portal away from the one for Màni. It will be set up within the week, so we have that amount of time to get everyone ready for battle. As for killing Scàthach, all Celestials still have beating hearts and they still need them to live. It won’t be enough to just stab her in the heart, she will be able to heal herself from that. We need to remove the heart completely and then burn it. We will have 24 hours to burn the heart.”

“Thanks, Dad, for being aware enough to ask those questions. I’m sorry I wasn’t the Alpha I should have been in our meeting with gramps.” I whisper.

“Siobhan’s comments are doing a number on you aren’t they son?” He asks, concern lacing his tone and shining bright in his eyes.

“Yeah. I think I’m going to reject her. I know we mated, so I know that the pain will be worse, but she has made it clear she really doesn’t want a mate and the comments were just the icing on the cake I suppose.”

“Are you nuts!?” He yells.

“What the f**k dad?”

“You don’t reject your mate!”

“Why not? She doesn’t want me! She doesn’t want ANY mate. She’s said it repeatedly and has made it clear to me. You know what? I don’t want to talk about this. I’m going to bed.” I say, brushing past my dad.

I make it to my bedroom that still smells like her, her wildflower and honeysuckle scent, and finally, I let the tears fall. There’s always this misconception that men shouldn’t cry, they shouldn’t be in touch with their emotions, but I say f**k that. If I bottle it up, it will explode. I tried that once—bottling it up—and it exploded through my magic, destroying the packhouse. My heart felt like it was shattering, Steele was howling in my head, knowing that I was firm in rejecting Siobhan. We deserved a mate who wanted us, loved us, and wasn’t afraid to be with us. I understood that the trauma she suffered at Wyatt’s hands has a lot to do with her reluctance but, it feels like she’s not even trying at this point.

Steele was going to make sleeping almost impossible, between his whimpering and mournful howling in my mind.

I know buddy. I’m sorry.

He glares at me before turning around and showing me his back as he curls into the fetal position, continuing his mourning for our mate. My entire body ached at the rejection; my chest felt like it was cleaving in two. A knock at my door breaks me out of my moment of self-pity. I sniff the air and it’s Siobhan. I tell her to come in and when she’s standing in front of me, as I’m lying in bed, I see her face; her eyes are red and puffy, as though she had been crying.

“I suppose you’re here to berate me some more. Well, before you do, I have something to do. I, Tiernan Hathaway, Alpha of the Hallowed Manes Pack, hereby—”

Siobhan screams and slams her hand over my mouth, her eyes filled with pain, confusion, and tears.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” She hisses.

“Giving you what you want,” I say, my voice muffled because of her hand covering my mouth.

“What!?”

“You don’t want a mate, you’ve made that very clear to me and after last night, I’m setting you free. So, can I continue?”

She removes her hand from my mouth and I’m about to start my official rejection, again, when Siobhan does something I wasn’t expecting.

“I, Siobhan Williams, daughter of Beta Derrick Williams, accept you, Alpha Tiernan Hathaway as my mate and Alpha.”

She straddles my hips before lowering her head to my neck, I thought she was just wanting to breathe in my scent to calm herself, but I was wrong. I felt her canines pierce my skin and my d**k got hard. I felt the rush of ecstasy that comes when mates mark one another. When she finished and licked her mark, sealing me to her forever, I picked her off my lap and placed her on the ground.

“What. The. f**k. Were. You. Thinking!? You don’t want me, yet you mark me!? What?! You need to mark your territory so others can’t have me?!” I shout.

“No, Ty! I swear! That’s not what this is about.! I swear I want you! I didn’t mean to say those things tonight. It was cruel of me to say things like that, I had no right. Please. I’m so sorry.” She sobs, tears streaming down her face.

“Just…get out. Please.” I say, before turning my back to her.