Page 7 of His Rejected Fated Mate

“What is this?” I asked.

Martin sighed. “We were going to do this formally, but I guess that went out the window.”

“He came by surprisingly. We weren’t planning on doing it this way, but might as well rip the band-aid off.”

“What is this?” I snapped louder, turning to my uncle. “Why did you bring me here?”

Martin frowned. “Because you’re his mate and we need your help.”

I swallowed, my fingers tightening around my middle as I hugged myself. I chewed on my cheek, feeling like my world was being flipped upside down for the second time.

Chapter 3 - Troy

I stood there in shock as I took her in. Her black hair had grown longer, going down her back. Her deep blue eyes were still the same, but filled with anger. She was wearing jeans and a baggy jacket. She looked so much like her younger self, but so much older at the same time.

I was sure that I was seeing things. There was no way that she was here, yet she was.

I felt that pull to be near her again, and I suddenly remembered just how much I wanted her. I remembered how we laughed together. I could still feel the way my heart would flutter when she would look at me. I felt like I’d struck gold. I never wanted to leave her, never wanted to allow any harm to come to her.

I looked at her uncle, still remembering his words from all those years ago. Martin talked with me before I went out for a run, about a week before school was going to start. I had just parked by the woods and spotted his car already there. He was leaning on the hood, looking too comfortable. I’d had conversations with him, but I was never looking for him. I honestly avoided him as much as I could.

I got out of my car, and he pushed himself off his hood and walked toward me. “We need to talk, Troy.”

I stuffed my hands into my jacket. I only had an hour before I needed to head over to meet up with Elize. We were going to go to the movies and do some stargazing afterward. I felt that tug to see her. It was only a week ago that we’d finally done it, and I found myself constantly wanting more of her. I knew I sounded like a horn dog, but it wasn’t like that. I felt I could just be me when I was around her.

A part of me knew that this was much more than just a crush. I had been suspecting she might be my mate, but hadn’t confirmed it. Either way, Elize was the only person I wanted.

I’d never felt like this. I was riding on cloud nine, and nothing could bring me down. Not a bad grade, not losing on the team, nothing.

“Martin, I have a lot on my plate right now.” I figured he wanted to talk about my possibility of being Alpha again. The council members had brought it up a few times, mentioning that I needed to start thinking about my future for the pack. I didn’t want to deal with it today.

“This is about Elize.”

I froze. “What about her?”

Martin walked closer to me. “You need to distance yourself from her.”

I blinked and then started to laugh. I couldn’t help it. Martin was her uncle, and he spoke highly of her. So, clearly, he was just being protective about her. I figured it was a little late considering how long Elize and I had been seeing each other. “What? You want me to what?”

“You know that she’s a witch.” His face shifted, and his voice dripped with disgust suddenly. I ground my teeth together, suddenly growing angry at him.

I’d listened to Elize tell me how she felt like she didn’t fit in. She wasn’t telling people she was a witch, but I saw the way the truth ate at her. And I couldn’t believe how Martin was saying it. He was her family.

I remembered how scared she was to tell me. When things started to get serious, she was terrified I would leave. But I didn’t care. Witch or not, she was still her.

“And why would I care about that?”

“Because she’s dangerous.”

My eyebrows went up at this. He couldn’t be serious right now. “Did you hit your head on something on the way over here?”

“You don’t know her like I do, Troy. I’m trying to protect you.”

I shook my head. “I don’t need you to try and protect me. If anything, you should be protecting her.”

He shook his head. “You need to think about what’s best for the pack. You need to end things with her. You’re going to be Apha, and you need a strong woman by your side.”

I ground my teeth together. “I’m not ending things with her.”