Page 40 of Rejected Forced Mate
It was Cal's silence that bothered him the most. An Alpha was supposed to be able to have full, unshakeable confidence in their Beta, but Cal had broken that confidence.
When Noah confronted Cal, his answer was almost infuriating in its simplicity. Cal didn't regret what he'd done at all. "We thought you were better off without Dominic. The pack needed you here, not off chasing some shot-fused rogue. I hoped you'd forget about him, and he'd stay forgotten."
Everyone else echoed the same sentiment, more or less. No one wanted to encourage Noah to remember Dominic, because no one wanted Noah to go out hunting for him again. If he'd been hurt enough to lose his memory the first time, who knows how badly injured he could become if he was attacked for a second time.
Noah felt betrayed, and I didn't blame him. But at the same time, I also understood what Cal and the other members of Noah's Council were saying. Noah had a soft spot for the volatile Dominic, but everyone else saw how big a risk he was to a pack that was already dealing with so many other issues.
I'd never tell Noah that second part, though. I'd never met Dominic, and the only thing I cared about was Noah. I didn't give a damn if Dominic stayed rogue forever, as long as Noah was safe.
It was a huge change from when I'd first arrived and fantasized about all the ways I could escape Noah and the Silvervine pack, but Noah's constant talk about fate and destiny was starting to get to me. The universe had brought us together, even if I had no idea why.
Noah had said that we were meant to unite his pack and help bring them into the future. But if that was true, why did my mate stay so stuck in the past?
Once again, he asked me to attend dinner at his father's house, a redo of the disastrous first dinner I'd gone to. I was quick to say no, but I folded when he mentioned that Summer herself had requested me. Noah's cousin was becoming my best friend in the pack, and I didn't want to leave her there with Richard and Noah staring daggers at each other the whole meal.
Even if she was Richard's caretaker, it was obvious to everyone that he saved the worst parts of his personality for when his son was around. Noah was his favorite punching bag, and Noah had too much lingering respect for his father to fight back.
Well, I didn't. There wasn't a drop of respect for my old Alpha in me. He could drop dead at dinner, and I wouldn't blink an eye.
We didn't even make it to the door before Summer came running out, folding us both into a hug, blond braid blowing in the wind.
"There's my favorite witch!"
"Here I am," I replied, accepting her hug as Noah came up behind me, carrying the covered dish of cookies I'd made for the occasion. "How is my awful father-in-law?"
"Sage." Noah hissed.
Summer stifled a laugh, coughing to play it off. "He's...okay, I guess. He's had his medicine, so he shouldn't be in any pain. Whether he will behave is another story altogether."
I showed her my tray of cookies. "Think these might help?" Summer didn't look too hopeful. "...maybe."
She stepped aside, and we all made our way to the dining room where Richard was waiting. The table had already been set, a pot roast with all the fixings taking up the center of it.
I took the seat on Richard's left, and Noah sat beside me. Summer sat across from us and immediately began making small talk about the weather. Even her best attempts at lightening the mood couldn't ease the animosity between the men.
Noah was still upset, and Richard was bursting at the seams to admonish his son. Neither one would give an inch, and Summer and I were the ones who suffered because of it.
Noah was pissed off about the Dominic issue, and Richard was still angry that his son had made a witch his Luna. Why my mate even accepted the invitation for dinner, I didn't know. He must have been really hoping his father would apologize for not telling him about Dominic.
Instead, the two men sat there in tense silence while Summer did her best to brighten the mood. I had to admit, she was doing an admirable job, picking at Noah's hardened facade until he finally broke down and interacted with her.
I knew how he felt. Summer was a stubborn ray of sunshine, impossible to ignore.
Once Richard wasn't the center of attention, his anger grew, lips thinning as he focused his ire on me.
Paying him no mind, I shrugged and turned back to the conversation. Eventually, we ended up on the subject of the potential border breaches, and Richard sat forward, eyes sharp like he had been waiting for that moment.
"So, have you narrowed down what or who is trying to break into the territory?" the old Alpha asked.
"Not yet," Noah admitted, "Once it was a false alarm—the bear attack, which you know about. The other times, it was clear the traps were tripped, but there was minimal damage and no sign of what might have caused it. There's a chance it's wildlife, but..." he shrugged one shoulder. "It seems unlikely that it would happen so many times in a row."
"But what else could it be?" Summer asked, her tone worried, "I know you've had some rogues try to get through before, but..."
"Yes," Richard said, a triumphant look in his eyes, "But we've dealt with them easily, and this is more serious than a couple of rogues. This is an organized group. We need to take real precautions. Have you tightened security at all?"
Noah sighed, "Yes, Dad. I have. No one is in any danger. The only attack was on me, and I wasn't even in this territory."
"So what? We both know everyone in this pack is in danger because of the dying land. What are you doing about that?"
