Page 65 of Rejected Alpha Mate

“But it wasn't until you guys visited last summer that I knew she was my fated mate. I knew I couldn’t tell you when I fucked up and hurt her badly.”

Dominic takes a controlled inhale. “You rejected her, even when you knew she was your true mate?”

“Yes,” I say, without giving him a reason or an explanation about why I did it. It all seems redundant now, like an excuse when nothing excuses my sin.

“Bastard!”

“I deserve that,” I admit bashfully, and Dominic throws a punch into my shoulder.

This time, I purse my lips and make no protest, accepting the pain as my punishment for my past crimes, even if I deserve much, much worse than that.

Dominic chuckles, almost triumphantly. “You deserve that, too. You’re lucky my sister loves you, or I might have killed you myself.”

“L-loves me? Your sister loves me?” I mutter disbelievingly, and Dominic scoffs.

“Anyone with two eyes would have witnessed it last night,” he laments. “Besides, I can’t be upset with you when I was no better myself. But she’s my sister”—he lifts a pointed finger—“and if you ever hurt her again, you’re done for.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” I say, lifting my hands in a show of surrender. “Goddess gave me a second chance in Terramor, and I’m not gonna fuck it up. I know I did in the past, but it won’t happen again. I love your sister. I love Donna.”

Dominic nods slowly as he rises to his feet, pushing the chair aside.

“Then you should probably go to her now,” he says, gesturing to the door. “She’s been waiting for you, Nick.”

A smile of gratitude warms my lips as I carefully slide out of bed, taking a moment to acquaint myself with my weight on my feet. Dominic offers to help me, and I accept, slinking my arm over his shoulders as he assists me to Donna’s room.

Once we’re outside her door, I can make out her small, petite frame in the bed through the frosted glass window, and my heart skips a beat.

“Thanks, Dom.” I nod at him, sliding my arm off and placing my hand on the handle.

He pats me on the shoulder, gently this time, as if encouraging me now. “See you around, man. We’re all staying at the guesthouse until you guys recover.”

“Everyone else okay?”

“Except for some bruises and some of us needing light stitches, we’re all alive.” He winks and turns to leave.

Taking a deep breath outside, I finally open the door and step inside. Donna is watching the sun hang in the sky through the window, and turns her head slowly when she hears me step inside.

“Nicholas…?” she whispers as if she can’t believe her eyes, jolting upright.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I return with a half-smile, and that’s when Donna throws herself off the bed and bolts toward me. She flings herself into my open arms, and I soak in her scent with a deep inhale at the top of her head, my eyes closed.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” she wails, scolding me through sobs.

“Oh, so you do care about me, then,” I chuckle, and Donna leans out of my embrace to pound a tiny fist at my shoulder.

“I hate you!” she squeals, and I grin at her.

“You don’t mean that,” I say as I cup her cheeks, wiping her tears away with my thumbs. She stares softly into my eyes, hers glistening with moisture, her lips forming a pout.

“N-no. I don’t. But I would have if you didn’t wake up.”

I take Donna’s hand and lift it to my lips, pressing a chaste kiss on her knuckles. “Forgive me for scaring you like that, sweetheart. I promise it won’t happen again.”

Donna flutters her eyelids at me, her warm brown eyes carrying the weight of the world from her worry. “Well, if you ever refuse to wake up, I’ll just bring you back!” she declares firmly with a haughty huff, and I chuckle again, taking her hand and leading her back to the bed.

Once we’re both seated on the edge, I turn to her, stroking her knuckles on my lap. “You were quite spectacular out there, Donna,” I praise, and she frowns at me.

“What do you mean? You were out cold.”