Kit's POVMy head jerks around to look at the open office door, Sarah leaning against the frame with her arms crossed over her chest, grinning.“Never knew you to be one who goes back on his decisions, Tate, but here you are, secretly hooking up with your rejected mate. Tsk tsk. Not a good look for an Alpha. And poor Colin…”My stomach sinks to the floor as I watch her push off the doorframe and stride confidently towards us.“Guess now that you aren’t so dumpy, Tate wants a taste. Still don’t think you are truly Luna material, must be why Tate keeps you as a side piece only, and shares you with Colin.”“That’s enough, Sarah.”Her eyebrows raise.“Really? You’re defending her? When we used to make fun of her so much? Remember how we would laugh at how pathetic she looked after you rejected her, as if she didn’t expect it, when you didn’t even know her name!”She cackles and Tate thrusts the glass he is holding into my hand, which I take automatically, even though my hands are shaking.
Kit’s POV“Here.”Tate tosses me a thick throw blanket.“It’s all I could find.”Dabbing the expensive-feeling material over my soaked chest, I sigh.Just when I was starting to relax and enjoy the evening.“You might want to change, that looks a bit like a lost cause. Shame. I didn’t mind you in that dress.”His words send a jolt of excitement through me that I ignore.But I do agree with him, the dress is a lost cause.“Ugh!”My hand holding the blanket falls to my side in defeat.“I’m having Teresa retrieve a new one for you.”“Thanks.”Chewing on my lower lip, I look around the room, anywhere but at him.My eyes fall on the chaise lounger in the center of the small room, then quickly dart away.I wonder if Tate ever hooked up with Sarah on that before.The thought makes me cringe.Why would I even think of that?“Do you want to sit?”“No, I’m fine.”“Do you want me to leave you alone?”Yes. No? I don’t even know anymore.Trying to buy some time to think, I undo the apron from arou
Alpha Tate’s POV“I told you not to say anything!”“I didn’t! I didn’t say one word about the two of you. I just told him someone was requesting drinks in here, but I guess I led him to the wrong room…” She bares her teeth in a fake grimace. “Whoopsie!”“You need to get the hell out of my sight!”Sarah puts her hands on her hips.“I don’t know what you’re all mad at me for. I didn’t do anything wrong. You were the one hooking up with that loser Colin is dating-”“She is not a loser and don’t you ever speak about her in that way!”My words come through gritted teeth, anger at the nerve of this terrible woman I can't believe I ever thought I was in love with is coursing through my body.She holds her palms up, her eyes glinting.“Damn. Never thought you would be a weak Alpha. Here I came back because I missed having a strong, sexy man who never backs down. But look at you. Getting all knotted up over a reject.”Closing the space between us in three strides, I put my face close to hers.
Alpha Tate’s POVGlancing darkly at the closet door rattling in a rhythmic pattern, I decide it’s time to call it a night.In the morning, I will let Kit reject me back.I was fooling myself to even think that she might ever want to be with me.There is no way to earn her love like she has for Colin, who never damaged her like I did.To hear the way that she explained how she truly feels about me…a resistant attraction that she despises, and how she not only adores, but loves and desires to be with Colin and only him…I cannot put her through that torment anymore.She deserves happiness. Even if it isn’t with me.And I don’t deserve my mate at all after what I have done to her.Slamming my bedroom door shut, I consider working out, getting all the frustration out.But that doesn’t seem enough.Maybe more alcohol?There isn’t enough in this giant house to make me forget how I feel about Kit.My eyes fall on my bed.Perhaps that is the distraction I need, but not Sarah.Never her.Not af
Thirty minutes later, I tug a blanket around my shoulders as I look out the window, unable to see anything in the dark but a few feet of lawn.“Anything?”Shaking my head, I step away and move to the chair across from Cami, where she has a thick blanket tucked around her and is holding a mug of tea, black lines from mascara on her cheeks.“But that’s bad! We haven’t heard anything! They could be…”“Stop. They are fine. Don’t get all worked up over nothing.”Cami looks uncertainly into the fireplace, and I pick up my own mug, but don’t drink it.It’s one thing to give advice, a totally other thing to follow that advice yourself.How could I not be worried?Obviously, something is wrong.Intrusive thoughts race one by one through my mind.“Kit.”I meet Cami’s eyes, her lips tremble.“What if we finally find happiness only to immediately lose it…just like we lost mom and dad.”“This is nothing like that. It’s fine. Don’t…don’t think like that.”Cami doesn’t look convinced as she turns ba
Alpha Tate’s POVEyeing the piece of paper in Lacey’s hand, I finally take it from her, carefully unfolding it while Lacey holds her breath.“You can go, Lacey.”She doesn’t immediately go, and I can tell she is hunting for an invite to spend the night together, but I have other things, more pressing things, to tend to.“Thank you.”Spinning on her heels, she exits.Taking a deep breath, I inhale Kit’s comforting scent and read the note.We have your mate. If you want her back, surrender your pack to us by midnight tomorrow or she dies.Dropping the note onto the desk, I rub my temples.It would be almost laughable if it didn’t make a new worry grip my very soul.This, this right here is just another reason why I couldn’t ever be with Kit.Even though this pack is just a bunch of morons, had they not been, it could be Kit that they have right now instead of Sarah.But they got it wrong. They thought the woman who was acting as my Luna for years was my mate.They have no idea that my r
Colin’s POVI start to pull away from Kit, but she doesn’t seem ready to let go since she mumbles breathily, ‘not yet’ against my lips.Lifting higher on her toes, she grabs my hair and tugs me close again.As much as I want to embrace her, carry her upstairs to bed and forget all about tonight while I explore every inch of her body with my tongue, I have to take care of something first.I kiss her back, but after only a few seconds, I grab her hands from my hair, kiss her forehead reassuringly, then pull Kit against my side as I look at Tate.“I’ve done all I can for tonight. We are in need of more supplies, and soon, or we could be in big trouble if we have another attack. There’s about half a dozen staying in the healing center overnight.”Kit must notice the faint smear of blood on my cheek, she tries to wipe it off like I had hastily tried to in the mirror I passed in the hall on the way here, but it’s dried on.Her hand still on my cheek, she tilts my face towards hers and gives
Kit’s POV“Good morning, beautiful.”Smiling as Colin kisses my cheek, I reach behind me to run my fingers through his hair, giving it an affectionate tug to guide his lips to my neck.His hand slips down my side to grip my hip under the blanket.Rolling onto my back in response, I spread my knees and wiggle against him.Colin chuckles and teases me with his fingers.“You didn’t get enough last night?”“I always want more.”His eyes flash lustfully as he slides on top of me, holding himself, his arm muscles bulging in a tantalizing way.I run my finger down his chest, his abs, and nearly to his morning wood when he says something that makes me pause.“From me, right?”“What?”“You always want more from me, right? Not from…someone else?”“Colin!”His words make me feel self-conscious and a bit hurt, especially after the amazing night we had last night, so I awkwardly cross my arms over my bare breasts.He grimaces and rolls so that he collapses beside me.“Sorry, didn’t mean to kill th