Page 7 of Rejected By the Alpha

I can still taste her on my tongue, still hear her sweet moans.

Finding out she and I were mates was the best day of my life. A day I wish I could relive over and over again.

***

Walking through the woods on the outskirts of the pack, I curse myself for being so dumb, for losing track of the time and running late. Today Kaylee is turning eighteen, and as the future alpha, I needed to be at her party to congratulate her.

[Where are you?] Wincing at the sound of my father yelling through the mind link, I roll my eyes and pick up my pace.

[On my way. I lost track of time in the woods,] I reply back with honesty, deciding to shift into wolf form so that I can move faster. My clothes tear as I shift mid-step, my paws hitting the hard forest floor as I take off. The party starts in ten minutes, so I need to be there in five to make it in time to change into new clothes and still be on time.

[Hurry the fuck up, Lucas,] my father orders, shutting the link between us before I can reply back. I growl, pissed at how he treats me. I am an alpha, just like him. I will be taking over the pack in a few weeks with Marilyn, after I turn twenty-one and we are married. We had to wait, due to the betrothal being set for after she has turned twenty. I had hoped she would have found her mate by now and given up on me, but it seems that will never happen. Within seconds of shifting to wolf form, I am out of the woods and racing past the houses of the many pack members.

A sweet smell—like cinnamon and sugar—catches my attention, making me fumble in my steps and trip over my paws. I have smelled this scent before, but it was subtle then. Now it is like someone mixed it with an enhancement drug, a drug I could get used to. Climbing back to my feet, I follow the scent instinctively, and luckily it leads me to the pack house.

[What does it mean when you smell a scent that you feel like you become addicted to?] I link my friend Simon, as I climb the steps to the pack house and walk through the open doors. With there being a party today, the doors will remain wide open for packmates to come and go.

[Guessing you didn’t pay attention in class,] comes his snarky reply. I growl in warning, not wanting to deal with his sarcasm and attitude right now as I stand in the foyer, debating ontracking down that scent or running to my room for a change of clothes.

[Sheesh man, calm your raging hormones. This scent means your mate is close,] Simon retorts. I can just picture him raising his hands in surrender and rolling his eyes. Stepping towards the sound of music, I pause as his words register in my mind.

The scent I am smelling is my mate?

Fuck!

[Dude, I can’t find my mate. My dad will kill me if I don’t marry Marilyn.] Backing up, I turn and rush up the stairs, forcing packmates to jump to the side to avoid me crashing into them. As soon as I reach the third floor of the pack house, I shift back into human form and run into my room, slamming the door shut and locking it.

I know I need to calm myself, I can feel my blood pulsing, the need to find my mate radiating through me. My canines are itching to sink into her flesh and mark her as mine for eternity. But I can’t.

I have a marriage arrangement with Marilyn to prevent her father’s pack—the Blood Oath pack—from attacking Oak Fur. If I find and mark my mate now, Oak Fur will be doomed.

[Lucas, where the fuck are you?] Wincing as my father reopens the link and shouts at me again, I rush to my bathroom and quickly shower off.

[Upstairs, be down in three,] I answer back as I scrub my body as fast as I can. I know I shouldn’t feel the need to be clean andfresh for a simple party, but I want to smell good and look my best if my mate is truly here. The need to claim and dominate her as mine is winning over the rational side of my brain.

[Good. The party is going to start soon, and your aunt is on my case about that brat Kaylee needing support.] My hand pauses at his words as I find myself needing to force back a snarl. Some part of me hates how he just disrespected Kaylee—the girl of honor tonight, and the she-wolf that was left orphaned because of my father.

[I will see you downstairs,] I manage to grind out before shutting the link off this time. I need to calm down and focus. Rinsing off the soap, I shut the shower off and quickly towel dry myself before grabbing a pair of dark jeans and a nice baby-blue dress shirt. Dressing quickly, I slip on a pair of dress shoes and leave my bedroom, buttoning up my shirt as I descend the stairs. With one minute to spare, I enter the large function room and stride to where my father stands with Marilyn, Aunt Amelia, and Uncle David. Their pups are probably running around here somewhere, too.

“Nice of you to join us,” my father harrumphs as he takes in my appearance. I wait for the scolding that is to come, but he instead nods in approval at my attire before returning to a conversation with Uncle David. Shocked, I turn and give my aunt a hug, before pressing a kiss to Marilyn’s cheek. It takes everything in me not to recoil at her touch and scent of honey, as the scent of cinnamon and sugar that belongs to my mate grows stronger the longer I stand in this room.

“You okay, Lu-Lu?” Marilyn asks in a sickly-sweet voice.

“Yeah, just tired,” I mutter, catching the questioning look my aunt throws my way.

“Well, you better stay awake for at least another hour. Kaylee is arriving now and needs our support,” my aunt warns me. Kaylee’s name causes my mind to hum in agreement with my aunt, leaving me questioning what is wrong with me. Ever since I scented my mate, I have been acting like a brainless pup.

As if on cue, Kaylee walks in, her light-blonde hair piled into a messy bun on top of her head, and her body covered in a dark blue dress that hugs all the right places. Shaking my head as thoughts of kissing her invade my mind, the cinnamon and sugar scent practically explodes into the room. My blood hums as the need to find my mate rises, and I find myself clenching Marilyn closer to my body. I need to focus and remind myself that Marilyn is who I will marry. I have to, or else Blood Oath will attack us.

As if sensing the change in me, Aunt Amelia stares at me and smirks, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

[Your mate is here,] she states, and I nod, grinding my teeth together.

[You know why I can’t find her, so don’t lecture me.] Before she can say anything else, my father takes his steps towards Kaylee, forcing my aunt to follow and thankfully ending our conversation. My aunt was there when I was kidnapped. She fought my father on the forced betrothal and lost.

“Members of Oak Fur,” my aunt begins with a broad smile on her face, her eyes locked on Kaylee’s. As the two eldest alphawolves of the pack, she and my father are to start the party with a speech.

“We are here tonight to celebrate Kaylee Kingsley in becoming an adult in our pack. She will soon begin beta training under my tutelage, and bring new strength to Oak Fur.” The people cheer as Aunt Amelia finishes her speech, the two she-wolves hugging as my father steps forward.

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