The Rejected Mate’s Dark Rise

10

Alpha Richard

Ever since I met that useless mate of mine, she had never once left my mind. The thought of her burned inside me like a fire I couldn’t put out. I hated that she affected me so much.

My chest would tighten every time I thought about her. I hated her even more for not being able to accept my rejection. The way she looked at me with those hurt eyes made something twist painfully in my gut.

Why was the Moon Goddess so cruel to me? My hands would shake with anger every time I asked this question. Why was she merciless enough to pair me with someone who would only break me?

The bond between us felt like chains around my heart. I despised everything about her—her weakness, her lack of power, and the way she made me feel things I didn’t want to feel.

I needed her to accept my rejection, or I’d be stuck with her forever. The thought of being tied to someone so fragile made my skin crawl.

I wouldn’t be able to mark or mate with another strong she-wolf worthy of being my Luna. My pack needed someone powerful, not someone who couldn’t even protect herself.

I needed a strong she-wolf who would rule beside me. Someone who could fight. Someone who could lead. I never listened to my nagging wolf, Parker, when he argued with me to accept that girl as our mate.

His constant pushing made my head pound with frustration. He liked her already, and I found that even more pathetic. How could he want someone so weak and stupid?

“We both know that without me, you are nothing,” Parker stated through the mind link. His voice was full of disgust for me. “You know I am the reason everyone fears you. I am strong already. I can protect our mate.”

The way he said ‘our mate’ made my heart skip a beat, which only made me angrier.

“Parker, can you protect her forever?” I asked, my mental voice rough with emotion. “Can you always protect her from my enemies worldwide? What happens when they come for her because she’s mine? What happens when she gets hurt because she wasn’t strong enough to keep herself safe?”

“I don’t care. I want her. I like her already,” he roared inside my head. The force of his anger made me wince. “I don’t understand what has come over you. Why hate her because she has no wolf? Why humiliate our mate?!” His pain mixed with mine until I couldn’t tell which feelings belonged to whom.

I pushed him to the back of my mind, but the ache in my chest remained. I had come to this club to enjoy myself.

The loud music and flashing lights were supposed to help me forget. I didn’t need him nagging me. I didn’t need to think about her soft, shaking voice or the way she smelled like vanilla and rain.

I’m in my VIP room inside the club, sipping my drink. The alcohol burns my throat, but it can’t burn away the memory of her face.

I can see the people outside, but they can’t see me because the glass is tinted. The dance floor suddenly catches my attention, and my breath catches in my throat.

My eyes snap to a stunning girl. She is wearing a short dress that leaves little to the imagination. The sight of her makes my mouth go dry and my heart race like I’ve been running for miles.

My excitement grows at the sight of her, but there’s something familiar about the way she moves. Her long, wavy hair cascades down her back like a waterfall, catching the club lights and shimmering with every movement.

Each strand seems to glow under the flashing colors. It is almost impossible to look away.

Her curves are accentuated by the tight, shimmering fabric of her dress, which hugs her body in all the right places, leaving just enough to the imagination to drive me wild. My hands clench into fists as I fight the urge to go to her.

Damn it, why am I aroused just looking at her? My body is betraying me, responding to her in ways that make my chest tight with need. Who the hell is this stranger?