Page 25 of Forsaking His Mate

For a moment, I can’t tear my gaze away, but then he turns and walks back inside as if I’m nothing to him, and that pain in my chest that was receding flares to life again.

Fuck. I didn’t expect that to hurt as much as his first rejection, but it feels even more agonizing.

Roux’s expression is curious when I turn back to her, no doubt able to sense the tension between us. It crackles like electricity through the air, surrounding everything.

“Let’s go to your cabin,” Hester says.

“It was good to meet you, Tessa.” Roux gives me a wave before I continue to walk closer to the lake. I choose to stand on the other side of Hester, farthest from Abel.

“It’ll get easier,” Hester says once we’re out of earshot of Roux.

“Will it?” I hate asking that question. It makes me feel weak, but I need to know if it’s true.

Hester gives me a wobbly smile. “Yes. Maybe. This is uncharted territory. Wolves rarely reject their mates.”

“Aren’t I lucky then,” I mutter.

Hester doesn’t offer any more thoughts and I don’t push her either. Instead, we lapse into silence as we continue along our path.

Eventually she stops at the last cabin. It overlooks the lake, the porch directly facing that way. I can hear the water lapping at the banks, soothing and calm. Like the other cabins, it has steps up to the porch and a window on either side of the door. There are no personal touches, so I’m surprised to see that the place is fully furnished when we step inside.

I let my gaze roam around the space, taking in as much as I can. There is a large living area with the kitchen to the left and another to the right. A couch is placed in front of a wall-mounted TV, and there’s a large coffee table in the middle of the room. To the side, there’s a log burner that is cold and empty, but I canimagine how cozy it will be on those colder winter nights.

Hester moves to open each of the three doors off the living area. Two lead to bedrooms, while the other is a good-sized bathroom with a walk-in shower.

I peer around the space, mentally decorating it and wondering how I can make it mine.

“It’s not much,” Hester says, “but it’s yours to do whatever you want with it.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll let you get settled, but we usually eat together at the main house around six.”

I want to ask if Abel will be there too, but I hold my tongue. I’m the intruder here, not him. This was his home first. If anyone should avoid dinner, it should be me.

“Don’t be late,” she says, as if she knows I’m thinking of ducking out.

“I don’t think I should go.”

“Six pm,” she repeats. “We take turns cooking.”

Hester leaves, and I close my eyes. Instinctively, I reach for my pack bond, needing to quell the loneliness inside me, but there’s nothing there. There is no comfort, no voices or emotions from my wolf family. There is just empty silence, and that hurts almost as much as being rejected.

Chapter 6

Tessa

When I open my eyes, I can’t remember where I am. The wooden ceiling overhead isn’t like my bedroom at home and the decor is different too.

It takes me a moment to realize I’m in the cabin Hester gave me yesterday.

Was it only yesterday? So much happened in such a short period that I feel as if my head is swimming.

My pack dying, running for my life, meeting Hester and losing my pack bond, and then coming face-to-face with my true mate.

His dismissal still burns through my gut, but I try to ignore the pain. Hester said he had reasons for doing it. I want to know what they are.

I lie still and I let my mind reach out. I can sense him close by, probably in his cabin.

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