Rejected My Alpha Mate

"I can't believe she's pregnant! I'm so, so sorry, Rachel!"

I trembled from the force of my emotions. My tears washed away years' worth of stress and frustration and pain. I felt myself coming alive again as my sadness melted away to reveal hope for a different future for myself.

No one had ever told me a mate could cause so much unhappiness to their supposed 'other half.'

Bella led me to the sofa where I collapsed into a corner, kicking off my shoes so I wouldn't dirty her cushions. I drew my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs. I thought maybe if I could make myself small enough, I could contain part of my feelings or at least shrink them down to a more manageable size.

"I thought The Model was just supposed to be a cover story for the events you 'couldn't' attend?"

I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hand as Bella's air quotes surprised a chuckle out of me as my tears dried.

Tyler had made plenty of excuses over the years as to why his mate "couldn't" attend events with him. His disgust with me was enough we had never married in the human way; I was not featured in the papers as his mate.

I hadn't cared.

I didn't need publicity to solidify my knowledge of myself.

Jenny Wayland was a human model of astonishing beauty. Tyler took her to all the functions he was expected to bring a companion. She looked as if she belonged with him in the photos taken by the press or paparazzi.

A rumor had started a year ago saying House Wright was being slow to announce their future Luna because Alpha Tyler was mated to a human.

Jenny the Model made no effort to dissuade people from the belief she was the human mate Tyler was going to introduce.

"I thought so too," I sniffed, taking a tissue from the box on Bella's coffee table, "I thought it was only dancing and drinking. I thought I'd know if he did more. Shouldn't I have felt it if my mate cheated?"

Bella gave me a worried frown, "I don't know. I could ask my mother. You're the only one I know whose mate isn't completely obsessed with them."

In the early days of everything, I would have broken down at a mention of how awful things were in my mate bond.

Now I was used to it.

"I know. My mating was a mess. I pretended to be pregnant only for my mate to knock up his human girlfriend! Hello, Irony, I have only myself to blame!"

blamed! If he hadn't gotten buried under his gambling debt, you wouldn't have needed to ask Tyler for ransom money. You did what you had

had gone over this same argument so many times I was tired of it.

positive. She actually showed me the word 'Pregnant' on the screen right in the middle of the

Who has that kind of luck? I can't even come up with

point. Had Jenny known where I would be?

on a regular basis. Models, singers, and even movie stars had

of other females besides Jenny the Model. The only courtesy

thought it was more likely his wolf, Wynd,

the betrayal Tyler and I shared. For our wolves, their mate bond was the gift it was meant to be from the Moon Goddess.

told her? Did you leave a note for him?"

I didn't leave a note. I texted him. She may have seen

him then? All

would stay the night with my mate or that Tyler betrayed his mate bond. My casual shrug in response was enough of an answer for

gave him my rejection. Rayne is sleeping it off. She won't be happy, but she'll

Wynd? How did he take it?"

again, "I don't know."

Tyler said it back?"

"Nothing."

her expression, "What do you mean nothing? I've never seen a formal rejection, but

He'll do it when he's

a serious mark of shame for a wolf. I wasn't surprised Bella knew little about the specifics of the act. Most wolves would never even say the word

to Alpha Wright and asked for his help to be certain I did everything the proper way. I didn't want to

couch to squeeze my arm. Her friendship was more than I deserved. I was lucky

really happy to help,

"Alpha Wright?"

Tyler's father, "He has hated Tyler mating me from the beginning. It's bad enough Tyler came from an omega mating, but to have a mate of his own from an omega family? His pride couldn't stand it.

for House Wright. He's the reason Tyler never announced you as his

me in the human ways because I betrayed him. I tricked him into our mating for his money.

had to tell him? Maybe he

and startled another laugh