Rejected, Pregnant, and Hunted

Sick To My Stomach

After Max had left, I was feeling overwhelmed to the point where I felt sick to my stomach. Usually, when something was on my mind, I would just train. But under the circumstances, I was in no position to do that.

So I settled for doing the next best thing: cleaning. I grabbed my little carry-along tray and started in the kitchen. The smell of the spray and wipe made me gag, accompanied by the sensation of nausea and the sudden urge to vomit.

I dropped the spray bottle onto the bench, ran to the wastepaper bin, and emptied the contents of my stomach into it.

Usually, after vomiting, I feel better, but not today. Today I felt physically ill. I wasn’t one to experience anxiety, but I guess there was a first time for everything. I knew I needed to talk to Jake properly.

First and foremost, I needed more time to process everything. I needed to know what was going on. Were the rumors true? Were they really planning on sending me away? Had they lost their minds? I was a grown adult, for goddess’s sake; I made my own choices.

I thought a bit of fresh air might help improve my mood. Indigo had healed me a lot over the past twenty-four hours, but I still had a way to go. I just didn’t seem to heal as fast as usual. The doctor had told me it was a natural response because of the events that had taken place over the past day or so. And I trusted her judgment.

As I slowly exited the pack house and walked onto the field out front, I saw some of the pack hands setting up a marquee. As one of them walked past me, I attempted to gain their attention, my curiosity taking over me.

“Hey, what are you guys setting up for?” I asked, putting a smile on my face and trying to sound upbeat.

“We’re celebrating the union of Beta Jake and Miss Amalie, the Alpha’s daughter from Quaking Pines,” she said nervously, avoiding eye contact.

“Oh, I see,” I replied awkwardly, suddenly feeling like someone had knocked the wind out of me.

“The entire pack is to be in attendance. Alpha Rick sent out a mass mind link earlier today,” the girl responded matter-of-factly, nodding her head, but still avoiding eye contact.

“Oh, that’s right,” I feigned. She didn’t need to know that they had deliberately left me out of the mind link. I guess they didn’t want me there. But that suited me just fine. It meant that I wouldn’t need to make an excuse to get out of it.

“Is that all, miss?” the girl asked politely, looking as though she would prefer to be anywhere but here right now. And I didn’t blame her at all, as I felt the same way.

“Yes, thank you,” I replied, feeling a little distracted. And she went on her way.

Maybe it was too much too soon, I thought to myself. Maybe I should rest after all. I made my way back to my room, hoping that I wouldn’t bump into anyone else or have any more awkward encounters. As I pushed open my door, I made my way to my bed. It had never looked so inviting.

I began removing my clothes piece by piece until I was in my crop top and underwear. And then I sniffed it, Jake’s scent. I turned behind me to see him standing behind the door. “Hey, babe,” he called out casually, his eyes flashing at the sight of my half-naked appearance.

I almost jumped. I was so shocked to find someone standing in my room. My defenses were down. I should have picked that up earlier. I was just so distracted right now.

“Please don’t call me that,” I retorted, reaching downwards to grab my T-shirt to cover myself.

“Don’t be like that, kitty kat,” he said, playing and walking into my personal space.

“Jake, back off,” I warned him. What I would usually have found cute, I now find sickening.

“I’ve seen it all before, no need to be shy!” he smirked, his eyes whirling with what looked to be desire.

I looked at him with irritation laced over my face.

“You need to leave!” I told him a little more forcefully this time.

“I missed you. I thought it might be nice for us to make up for lost time,” he said, reaching out and touching my arm.

“Jake, keep your hands to yourself!” I scolded him. Indigo growled through me in agreement.

“It’s over. And we both know it. We always knew this day might come. And now it has. I am happy for you. All I ask from you is that you give me a day, twenty-four hours before you reject me,” I declared, standing my ground in front of him.

“But I still want you, Kitty Kat, and I have no plans to let you go,” Jake insisted, pushing himself further into my proximity, a devious smirk etched across his face.

“Are you mad?” I yelled out, losing my patience and not in the mood for the game he was playing.

“I’m not sticking around to be your bit on the side if that’s what you are thinking!!” I declared, shaking my head at him while gesturing with my hands for him to leave. Determined not to let him see emotion overcome me as tears threatened to spill from my eyes, I pleaded with my body to remain stoic.

I watched as his eyes darkened, his wolf Brute taking over, and he let out an angry growl. I stood back momentarily, as I was not expecting a reaction like that.

As the daughter of a gamma and one of our pack’s best fighters, I made it a point not to tolerate threats, and I didn’t scare easily. But I had not seen Jake respond like this toward me before, and I was feeling a little caught off guard.

Shuffling at the door gained our attention, closely followed by the sounds of my pin code being entered, and then my door opening.

“Hey, Kat, Mom asked me to come check on you,” Dom called out jovially, his smile dropping and turning into a furrowed brow and a confused expression on his face.

“Is everything alright here, guys?” my brother Dom asked with a look of trepidation on his face.

“Jake here was just leaving,” I said with finality, my arms folded and a deep scowl on my face.