Page 58 of Rejecting his Mate

Cade does care about me, and part of me likes knowing that, but the strain I’m placing on Cade and his family isn’t acceptable. “Wyatt is pissed.”

“He’ll get over it,” Sawyer says. “This isn’t your fault. You didn’t ask for any of it.” His fingers trail over the mark on my neck. “We’ll figure out how to get this removed.”

“We need a witch.”

“Good thing you are one then, isn’t it?”

“We don’t know that, Sawyer. Healing your brother doesn’t prove anything.”

“It proves enough.”

“Even if I am a witch, I don’t know how to use my… magic. I couldn’t heal Jackson.”

“Not yet.”

I sigh. “I appreciate your faith in me, but I think it’s probably misplaced.”

A heated feeling washes over me, coating my skin and making me shiver with need. I peer around Sawyer’s huge frame and see Cade standing there, watching us. The look on his face is a little concerning, but Sawyer doesn’t seem to notice or care.

He takes the bag from me. “That’s my cue to go away,” he smirks as he heads into the motel.

I don’t move, watching Cade as he studies me. My arms wrap around my waist as if they can protect me from him. They can’t. My heart is already scarred.

Eventually, Cade strides over to me, closing the gap between us. “You okay?”

I expect an apology, but this is a start. Shifting my shoulders, I say, “Honestly, I don’t know.”

Cade’s tongue dips out to wet his lips, and I follow the motion like a love-starved pup. His mouth looks so kissable right now, but I’m not touching him, not after what he did.

I lift my chin, trying to make my face show an indifference I do not feel. My heart is thudding, and I’m sure he can hear it as he invades my space.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” he says.

My brows lift to my forehead. That was not what I was expecting him to say. “Right.” The word is tightly spoken through my clenched jaw.

He winces at the look on my face. “You’re still mated to someone else.”

“What if I wasn’t? Would it change anything?”

I hold my breath as his gaze crawls over my face. Then he says, “It would change everything.”

Chapter 14

Halle

Wyatt and Sawyer are patching Jackson up when I finally find the courage to go inside the motel room. My hands are trembling, my whole body too, and I do my best to hide it from the others.

There was something in Cade’s words that made me want to explore more with him, but I don’t think he’s ready for that, or willing, though I see him fighting against this—whatever this is. I understand his hesitation to act upon whatever feelings we’re both having for each other.

I am mated.

As much as I want to pretend that isn’t the case, I can’t. I don’t feel Dalton in my head when we’re this far apart, but I know the moment he is close, I will feel him again. If he touches my mark, I will be helpless to stop my body from reacting to him.

That thought makes me sick to my stomach, but it is the reality of the situation. Dalton owns me until thatmark is removed, and from what I’ve been told, finding a witch to do it is next to impossible.

The best thing to do is to pretend the conversation outside didn’t happen, that Cade hasn't given me a grain of hope of something more. He dropped that truth bomb and then walked away, something I notice he’s good at doing.

I slip inside the room, hoping no one will notice me, but I feel Cade’s gaze as soon as I click the door shut behind me. The pull I feel to him isn’t right, but it’s undeniable. I never felt that for a single moment with Dalton, other than when he was touching the mark. He forced me to want him by using biology against me.

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