Rejected by the Alpha, I Married His Foster Dad

In the mirror, I saw myself in a deep-V red minidress and black lace stockings that hugged my long legs. I drew a deep breath, smothered the last flicker of hope in my chest, and opened the bedroom door. Asher Dawson lounged against the headboard, typing something with a smile on his lips. It had been a long time since I had seen him smile like that. His cedar-scented pheromones used to wrap around me alone. These days, they were always mixed with another woman's sickly-sweet peach scent. I had noticed. I had simply chosen not to confront him. Over the past 5 years, Asher's desire for me had slowly faded. We hadn't even shared a bed in 1 full week. I walked over and straddled his lap. The heat of his hard body seeped through the thin fabric between us. I wasn't shy. I simply watched him, waiting for a reaction. I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Asher..." I bent to kiss his neck, rubbing my breasts against his chest. Still, I saw irritation flash through his eyes. My phone kept vibrating where I had tossed it, but I ignored it and reached for Asher's belt. "I had the scar on my back removed, Asher. I..." I had gotten that scar while saving him years ago. He used to call it a token of our love. Now it was just another reason for him to despise me. I hadn't removed it to please him. I simply couldn't bear to look at it and remember how foolish I had been. His pulse quickened beneath my lips, and his eyes drifted shut as he gave in to my touch. But the moment his hand slipped beneath my skirt and brushed my lower abdomen, he froze. My heart didn't even skip. A bitter laugh rose inside me. 'So this is how much he hates touching me.' The next second, Asher shoved me onto the floor. The cold floor didn't shock me. It only confirmed what I had already known. I looked up at him calmly. Just 3 days earlier, he had complained about the scar I had carried since my years in the slums. I had asked a doctor to remove it, not to rekindle his feelings, but to see just how heartless he could be. Now I had my answer. Asher frowned and flicked at his clothes as though he were brushing away something filthy. "I'm not in the mood. Since you have so much time on your hands, do something about that saggy belly of yours. I have somewhere to be. Don't wait up." His voice was cold. He walked out without looking back. I didn't cry. I sat on the floor and laid a hand over my lower abdomen. That "saggy belly" was the last physical trace of the child I had lost. Now even that had become a reason for him to recoil from me. A bitter laugh escaped me as I traced the faint lines across my stomach. After my miscarriage, Asher had held me and promised we would have many more children. Apparently, his promises never meant a thing. By the time the first tear fell, I knew our relationship was dead. I remembered the Asher from 5 years ago, young, proud, and full of life, holding my hand as he swore he would never betray me. Back then, everyone had bet on how long an Omega from the slums could last beside the future Alpha. No one had expected me to become his true fated mate. But now I was the one walking away. After a while, I pushed myself to my feet. My phone vibrated on the table. When I picked it up, countless nude photos filled the screen. Every photo showed the same man: Asher. His wolf tail was visible in every photo, something that happened only when he was completely lost in desire. I didn't panic. Instead, I poured myself a glass of wine. 'Let's see which reckless Omega thinks she can walk all over me.' A taunting message appeared beneath the photos. Unknown Sender: Mabel, is Asher this possessive with you too? Your wedding is in 3 days, but he gave his mate mark to me. What are you going to do? A hotel address followed. I took the dagger I always carried and left. I wasn't going there merely to catch him in the act. I was going to demand an answer. A man's muffled groans and a woman's breathless cries came from the half-open door. I didn't tremble. I simply pushed the heavy door open. Clothes littered the floor in the dim light. The man on the bed was tall, his broad back taut with muscle, and his wolf tail was fully visible, proof of how aroused he was. Even from behind, I could never have mistaken him for anyone else. "Ah! Someone's here!" The woman cried out and pulled the blanket over her bare skin. Asher turned. The irritation in his eyes vanished the instant he saw me, replaced by panic. "Mabel, why are you...?" He started to climb out of bed, then stopped when he remembered he was completely naked. "Let me explain. It isn't what it looks like. I..." His pathetic stammer only made the scene more absurd. I looked at the woman hiding behind him. Her cheeks were flushed, and the challenge in her eyes, still glazed with desire, was unmistakable. Hickeys covered Asher's chest, and scratch marks ran down his back. I kept one hand wrapped around the dagger in my pocket. My voice didn't waver. "Why?" Thunder cracked outside, nearly drowning out my voice. Asher stiffened and lowered his head. The golden eyes that used to shine like sunlight had gone dull. His lips trembled, but no words came out. The woman draped a pale arm over his shoulder and rested her head against him with the smug ease of a snake coiling around its catch. "Why are you so angry, Mabel? It was only 1 night. Asher is a powerful Alpha, and you haven't even completed the marking ceremony. What does it matter if he has a few lovers?" She laughed softly and climbed out of bed, naked and covered in bruises and hickeys, flaunting every mark they had left on her. She stopped in front of me, looked me up and down, and smirked. "Besides, without Asher, you'd still be a nobody from the slums. Asher told me that pretty face earned you plenty of favors back there." She whispered the last sentence into my ear. Her voice was as soft as a lover's whisper, but every muscle in my body went rigid. Leering faces I hadn't thought about in years flashed through my mind. It was a moonless night. The door was kicked open. Screams tore through the darkness. Then came the image of a dagger dripping with blood. I didn't shake. The instant she finished speaking, I slapped her across the face. The c***k echoed through the room. Her head snapped to the side, and blood welled at the corner of her mouth. I flexed my stinging fingers and gave her a contemptuous look. "So what if I came from the slums? At least I didn't steal another woman's man and act proud of it. You say I used my looks to get ahead? What exactly are you selling right now?" She cried out and crumpled to the floor, clutching her reddened cheek as she looked up at Asher with practiced helplessness. "Mabel, what are you doing?" Asher's shout pulled me out of the memory. He crouched beside her, helped her to her feet, and glared at me with open fury. "Mabel, this is my fault. Katie has nothing to do with it! After 5 years, your body feels as familiar as my own. There's nothing exciting about it anymore. Your scar kills the mood. And you're so loose down there that I can't even get turned on!" The words spilled out in a rush. Only after he finished did he seem to realize what he had said. His throat bobbed. I stared at him and almost laughed at the sheer absurdity of it all. This was the same man who had once held my hand and looked at me as though I were the most precious person in the world. He had once told me that before I came along, life had felt too long. After meeting me, he was afraid even a lifetime would never be enough. I drew a slow breath. "Asher, you promised you would never tell anyone about my scars or use them against me." The color drained from his face. He opened his mouth, but I didn't let him speak. "I'll be at the wedding on time." I turned away from that filthy room. Once inside the elevator, I didn't break down or cry. I removed the Luna ring I had worn for 5 years and dropped it into the trash. I had spent 5 years managing the pack's day-to-day affairs. My savings and connections were more than enough for me to leave and build a good life elsewhere. I had never been the kind of woman who needed a man to survive. Kyle Bennett and I had occasionally worked together on pack matters during those 5 years. He was the only person in the pack who had never looked down on my background. I knew what he wanted, and I knew what I could offer. I stepped out of the hotel and dialed the one number in my phone with no name attached. "Alpha Kyle, I'd like to make a deal with you."