Marked, but rejected by my Stepbrother.

THREE

Travis’s POV.

“Travis? What the hell are you doing, coming out of that room, half naked, at the time of the night?” I started at the sudden thundering of my father’s thick voice in the silent hallway.

He looked absolutely furious. His eyes were bulging and his cheeks were a vivid shade of crimson. Little balls of spit were forming at the corners of his mouth. He stared at me, wide eyed as he waited for my response.

I straightened my back and closed the door to Angelica’s room as quietly as I could. I did not want to wake her and I wasn’t going to allow my father to do it either. I walked past him without even looking at him and waited for him in his study. I stood by the door and waited for him to enter before closing it quietly as well. I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to slam it.

“Evening, father. Have you been sleepwalking again?” I smirked sarcastically at him.

He narrowed his wide eyes into tiny little slits and stared at me through them. He gave the impression of a deadly snake that was about to strike at its prey.

“Don’t get smart with me, Travis. I asked you a question.”

I smirked at him even more. “Sorry father, but you know that smart is the only default I have.”

He was not amused at all. His chest heaved violently as he struggled for breath. His face was turning an even darker shade of crimson as blood rushed to it. He was utterly pissed.

I sighed heavily and shook my head at him as I crossed the room to the liquor stand and poured us both a drink. I loved my father very much, and he had many great qualities that I respected a great deal, but he had a definite flair for the dramatics. It drove me crazy sometimes.

“Oh, calm down, father. Would you? I spent the night in her room. That’s all.”

He accepted the drink from me, but continued to stare at me through those tiny little slits in his face.

“And why would you do that?” His tone was hard and icy. Lesser men than I would have quaked in their boots by now, but my father stopped intimidating me a long time ago. I guess it happened when I suddenly grew to be a head taller than him. It’s difficult to be intimidated by someone if you have to keep looking down at them.

“Well, if you must know, father. Turns out that Raineis my mate. I marked her tonight.”

He choked on his drink and spit most of it out over his chin and shirt. He swiped away at it with a furious hand.

“SHE’S WHAT? YOU DID WHAT?” He looked outraged, mortified even.

“You heard exactly what I said, father. There really is no need for me to repeat myself.”

He sneered at me. His nostrils flared wildly with every exhale of breath. He looked like a crazed old man.

“I won’t allow it, Travis. I simply won’t. That half-breed fraud isn’t worthy of you. You’re going to be alpha someday. You deserve a Luna that’s worthy of the title.”

“Well father, I happen to think that Raineis perfect for me and that she’ll make a wonderful Luna someday. She’s smart, insightful, and resourceful. Besides, she has a great mind for business. A fact that you might know if you actually took the trouble to get to know her.”

“Pfff.” My father scoffed rudely. “Get to know the little runt. Why would I waste my time? She is nothing, Travis. She isn’t even a real werewolf.”

“She’s my mate. That’s enough for me, and it should be enough for you too. I’m not asking for your blessing father, but you will accept this and leave us be.”

I looked him straight in the eye, imprinting on him that I was being serious and that there was no room for negotiation. Rainewas my choice. Not his.

My father threw his head back and cackled. “Accept it? Leave you be? You’ve clearly lost your mind, boy. I will never accept this, and I will never allow this. You won’t be soiling our bloodline by mixing it with hers, and that’s final.

I slammed my empty glass down on the table and glared at my father. He was being spiteful.

“It isn’t really your choice, father. She’s my mate and I’m the only one that gets to choose whether I want to accept or reject her. I’ve already made that decision, father. I’ve already marked her.”

He regarded me with a strange expression for a few seconds before calmly turning on his heel and taking a seat behind his desk. He sat back comfortably and crossed one leg on top of the other.

“Be that as it may, Travis. I am still your father and I am still the alpha of this pack. Tomorrow you will step out in front of the pack with that half-breed monstrosity and you will announce her as your mate, but then you will reject her for all to witness.”

White hot rage began to boil up inside of me. He couldn’t seriously expect me to do what he asks. I don’t want to reject Angelica. Breaking that bond will hurt me just as much as it’ll hurt her. It’ll humiliate her. She doesn’t deserve to be treated like that. I won’t do it. I simply refuse.

“And if I don’t do this, father?”

He didn’t skip a single beat and spoke as casually as if he was relaying the morning news. “Then I’ll shun the both of you from this pack and you can go be mates somewhere far away from here. You can also say goodbye to any chance you ever had of running the company someday.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. “You wouldn’t dare.”

He smirked up at me, a dangerous glint dancing in his eyes. “Try me, Travis. You know what this pack and that company means to me, and I know what it means to you, so you will do as I say and you will do it tomorrow. Besides, I already have the perfect Luna lined up for you. You’re going to love her. Now, go and get some sleep. You have a big day planned tomorrow.”