Page 55 of Rejecting his Mate

“Yeah? And where are you going?”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“You’re not leaving alone.” I don’t expect that from Cade, not after what happened after the kiss. His rejection of me still burns through my body.

I scoff at him. “I don’t need your permission.”

“Well, you aren’t getting it.”

I glare at the back of his head, wishing my eyes were lasers. “Just because you kissed me doesn’t mean you own me, Cade.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I wish I could shove them back in. I groan.

“You two kissed?” Sawyer says immediately, a grin playing on his lips.

Cade gives him a dark glare in the mirror before shooting me one. I should have kept my mouth shut. Sawyer is never going to let this go.

“Don’t worry. It won’t be happening again,” I tell him.

“Won’t it?” Sawyer wiggles his brows. “The tension between you two is oppressive as it is. Just fuck and get it out of your systems.”

I snap my head toward him, hissing his name, which makes him laugh. “Seriously, I don’t know why you’re both pretending there’s nothing between you. I can smell your need.”

Heat rises in my cheeks at his words. What does that mean? Discretely, I try to sniff myself, but I can’t smell anything.

Cade looks like he’s contemplating tossing his brother out of the car. “She has a mate.”

“One who is trying to kill her,” Sawyer waves this concern off. “I don’t think he’ll be winning the prize for mate of the year. Do you?”

I snort before going quiet. I can sense the ragecoming from Cade without needing the pack bond. I’m sure everyone else can too.

I reach up, my fingers absently stroking over the bite on my neck. I know it’s in my head, but I swear it stings at Sawyer’s words.

“Is nobody else worried about the fact the Order is coming for us?” Wyatt twitches in his seat, his nervous energy clear.

No one says anything. I try to think of something to make this situation better, but there’s nothing. I caused this mess. This is on me.

“I’m sorry,” I say, wincing at how pathetic it sounds. No amount of apologizing can put the horse back in the barn.

“This isn’t Halle’s fault,” Cade says.

“Isn’t it?” Wyatt’s tone drips with malice. “We didn’t have a single problem with them until her.”

“He’s right,” I say. “I caused this, and I’ll do whatever to fix it.”

“No offense, Halle, but you’re no match for a bunch of blood-crazed wolves,” Sawyer says.

“I don’t have to match them. I just have to stay ahead of them.”

“So, you just run away and keep running your entire life?”

Cade says nothing, but I can tell he wants to.

I shrug. “Running is better than dying.”

“No one is dying,” Cade finally growls.

I glance down at Jackson as he moans. His skin is pale, sweat beading on his skin. The pain he’s in makes my heart squeeze. I reach inside myself again, trying toheal Jackson’s wounds.

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