Page 8 of Rejected Bullied Mate

"You're delusional!"

I expected her to be angry, but I didn't expect her to explode so loudly that the windows nearly shook.

"Do you really think that you can force me into marrying you and living under your thumb like the rest of your pack?" Kiera's eyes blazed. "You're more insane than I thought."

"Kiera—"

"You have no right to tell me what to do!" Kiera leaned forward in the passenger's seat. "And I won't allow you to punish me by forcing me into this!"

I flexed my jaw. "You need to understand that I am your Alpha now, and as such, I am responsible for you—"

She jerked her cuffed wrist over and over, so hard that I cringed from the driver's seat. "Let me out of here, you maniac. I amnotmarrying you!"

"Stop! You're going to hurt yourself."

"Like I give a damn!"

Kit stirred behind us. "Mama?"

I swore under my breath. Kiera quickly leaned around the seat, "Go back to sleep, baby. Mommy's fine. Go to sleep, sweetie."

"No," Kit said stubbornly, rubbing his eyes, "Where are we going?"

"You know," I said quietly, "You shouldn't lie to children like that."

Kiera whirled in her seat to look at me. "Shut your mouth!"

"Mommy, you're not supposed to tell people to shut their mouths! It's rude."

I laughed, shaking my head. My son had my back, and he didn’t even know it. Hearing him talk made my heart start to race, and it was an odd thing to realize that I was...nervous? Alphas didn't get nervous, as a rule, but meeting your estranged son after seven years was probably an extenuating circumstance.

Kiera attempted to console her...our...sleepy, confused boy while I took the nearest exit and pulled into a 24-hour gas station. I heard her telling him that they were going to be away from home for some time, but that it would be sort of an adventure. I liked hearing her speak to him, the gentle way she reassured him, and told him as close to the truth as she possibly could without getting too into detail. I had never doubted that Kiera was a good mom, even though she had stolen my heir away from me, but it was good to see it in person.

At least Kit had experienced a full, love-filled life when he was away from his pack.

I parked the car, undoing my seatbelt, and turned around to look at the child in the back seat. He looked different now that he was awake, his expression mirroring his mother's so much that it was almost comical. His focus shifted from Kiera to me, and I hated that I could see a thread of fear in his eyes.

It's nothing,I told myself.He has no idea who you are. It's normal for him to be afraid of a stranger.

And yet it wasn't, was it? If I'd accepted Kiera as my mate when she first came to me, he'd have known me as his father from the day he was born, and he wouldn't have feared me in the slightest. Kiera and I had both stolen that from him in different ways, and now I'd never be able to make up for that.

Still, I offered my hand to him. "Hi, Kit," I said. "My name is Samson."

"S...Samson?" His little fingers brushed mine. His touch was warm and innocent. I don't think he was aware that his scent was swirling in my head, and that his touch felt like it had shocked my body awake after seven years of sleep. "Why are you driving Mama's car?"

"That's for your mother to answer. I'm going to go in and get some snacks and give you guys a minute to talk, okay?" I said as gently as I could, but even that made his eyes grow wider. "It'll be alright," I assured him. "I won't be gone long, I promise."

Kit nodded, though I could still see his hesitation, but Kiera turned in her seat and drew our son close to her in an attempt to soothe him. She didn't even look at me when she spoke to him, but the tension in her voice made my teeth clench.

"I know this is going to be confusing, my love, but please just listen, and I'll explain everything..."

I exited the car like I said I would, despite wanting to hang back and listen to the conversation. I didn't trust Kiera at all, but if there was one area I'd give her an ounce of it in, it would be her parenting of Kit. I pushed down the pissed-off, bitter voice telling me that if she'd given me a chance, I'd know how to parent him too, but there was no going back in time.

Inside the gas station, I went to the restroom before filling my arms with whatever I thought a seven-year-old might like—gummies, granola bars, candy, soda, and a few bottles of water. The guy at the register looked me up and down when he noticed how much food I was carrying and raised an eyebrow at me.

I shrugged. "Long road trip."

The man behind the counter smiled, "Yeah. Your kid is gonna be bouncing off the roof of that car, family man."

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