Rejected Mate and Following Fate

Chapter 16: I'm Sorry

I wake up face down on the floor in a heap, arm draped awkwardly over my head and limbs splayed out on the hardwood, disorientated, choking on my own blood, and gagging on bile. Gathering my wits and trying to get my bearings, I struggle to move, dazed for a moment and then I remember where I am, and what he's doing to me. Like a rush of water flowing back to a dry riverbed when the damn is breached.

That surge of furious self-preservation, instant awareness as the room comes back at me and I jump up, heart tearing through my chest with elevated thuds, claws appearing, mind a burning mess of mad. Ready to take him on in a battle to the death and fueled by something inside of me that I never knew I possessed.

I feel like my hatred could melt steel, with the heat radiating from my fiery depths and I spin hysterically, ready to demolish my attacker. Body mid turn in furious speed when I realize he is on the other side of the room from me and looking at me like I have two heads. A good twelve feet away at the least and crouching down, panting heavily, as though he too is recovering.

"Woah, woah. Lorey, calm down, I didn't do anything. Stop and breathe. Take a moment before you start again!" He jumps to his feet, hyperaware of my sudden rise. His palms up, facing me, flat out and he is completely naked, as am I, which only pushes me to heights of venomous hatred.

Claws fully extend as do my teeth and my body shudders as it begins to transform around me, ready to fight him and maim him until this pain inside of my heart starts to ebb. I'm crushed inside, as though my soul is ripped to shreds and hanging around my organs like unwanted trash on the wind. I've never felt this much aggression or blood lust, and I have him fully in my sights. My body tingling all over even though I have no memory of what he has put me through, but enough to know what he intended.

"What did you do to me? Why would you do that to me?" I scream at him, my voice pitched in raw, raspy, hysteria, but he raises his hands higher and pleads with me mentally. His eyes softening, with no attempt to turn, as he watches me at a distance.

Please stop and listen. Let me explain. I haven't, and wouldn't, do that to you. He coaxes gently.

You raped me!! I mentally scream back at him, not seeing anything around me anymore, just the pulsing beat of the vein in his throat as I hone in and know where I'll be aiming with my take down bite, I don't care if it ends us both. I'll kill him for defiling me, destroying my trust in him, ravaging my heart and soul this way.

He shakes his head, looking completely devastated and disheveled. Radiating so many emotions my way but I battle them back, like bouncing tennis balls off a glass wall.

NO, I did not! I never intended to either. Lorey, please, sit… I'll stay here, you stay there, and just let me talk. I need you to calm down and listen. Think. Remember.

I'm breathing so heavily my chest is heaving and I can't calm down. Especially not when he's telling me to. He has no right; he can't be serious with this shit after what he just did. He broke the trust, he broke us, he ruined the bond, and nothing will fix that.

my body because there is no pain and only dried blood. In fact, my complete lack of injury or any sort of niggling physical hurt, tell me

never let him touch me again or come near me. I'll rip his throat out if he tries. He's disgusting and vile to me now and not who I thought he was. An abuser, unworthy as a leader; not worthy as a mate, as

says he didn't do because I don't know. I blacked out while he was

followed by a frown as he realizes I am not sharing in his celebrations or relaxing from my stance. Instead I blanche at him in stupefied silence. My brain having a moment and I literally think he might be some kind of sociopath, in denial about what he just did

him and the overpowering sense of pain waving my way. I can feel him trying to tell me this isn't how it seems, by using his emotion instead of

ended us both…. easily. You got in my head in ways I don't think any wolf has ever been capable and you commanded me to stay down and stop. I couldn't move. You alpha toned me. You took my strength, my command and you turned it and made it a weapon. Baby, don't you see… you've barely grazed the surface of what you can do, and yet you have so much power and potential already. There's a sea of something inside of you, and your eyes, we still need to figure out why they're red. You're not a reject, you're not even a regular pack wolf, you're special, and now we know for sure we can harness it, nurture it, bring it out, so you can control it and show all of them who you really are... there's a Luna inside of you, and the fates, they gave you to me for that reason. My father can't deny you if he

logical pull is tugging from the recess of

said I made a choice and I did ... but this is how we change it. My father has to see that you're not a black mark on our people

a corner until I hit the edge of the bed. It startles me and I seem to snap out of my intense focus on him

worse than the carnage at the orphanage and I gasp as my eyes follow the gouges and claw marks running not just across

sheets are strewn across the floor, most ripped and gashed, feathers floating in the air from cushions that no longer exist, and I crouch quickly to grab the nearest

him with my glare, a second wave of anger even though I'm beginning to see that maybe partially, he isn't lying to me. He still made me believe he

with me. Baby, I would never do that, I swear on the bloodline of my pack. It was killing me to push you that far and I almost gave in because I couldn't stomach hurting you like that. I had to see, I had to force your hand, and now look at you…. standing there, poised for

shit to me now." I scream it at him, not caring if everyone in this house hears me blow a fuse and go nuclear. What he's done is unforgiveable. If we weren't so far at this side of the house, I'm sure

hurt you that way." Colton goes for endearing and

you fall at every hurdle the second daddy says NO. Maybe Carmen has the right idea and you're not someone I should ever trust. Look at how you discard women and pick them up as you fancy. You're weak, you're no Alpha. Always in your father's shadow. You are the last wolf I would ever trust or choose to bond myself to. Not after this!!!" My words hit him hard and his face closes up, his muscles in his

male's pride and ego, definitely not his strength.

me feel the pain I inflicted on her. So no, I didn't just discard her…. I had to swallow all of that and stick to my commitment. I made my choice, but she kept using us as a reason to punish me while conveniently forgetting her sins. Her jealousy and mistrust are her guilt. The imprinting didn't make me indifferent to her… she did. She wasn't fighting the bond or the lure of the fates as I was, she was trying to wound me and that Lorey, is something you never do to a mate. That's why I can't feel anything for her anymore. It's why we're not dating. After the forest, I found out, and since then I haven't been able to feel anything but disdain for her." His pained, low toned words silence me and my anger momentarily; not expecting that mouthful, or the knowledge a femme would betray a mate with his own pack

now. Even if his heart was no longer invested, an alphas pride and ego would have been crushed to have been played like that. His respect in the pack will be dented, especially if he never took out any act of revenge on his pack brother to balance the scales. By Lycanthrope law, he should have publicly shamed her,

exhausted and pull my ripped sheets around me in a bid to self-console. My head a blur of what