Page 70 of Rejected Alpha Mate

I should tell her no, that this is just one of many options I thought of, but I can’t lie to her. Honesty feels like the only language worth speaking to her now, and she should know that this place bears some kind of significance in our relationship.

“I’ve wanted to bring you back since graduation,” I admit. “I just…never had the courage to ask.”

Donna turns to me slowly, her eyes softening in a way that makes my chest ache. “Nicholas…”

Before she can say anything else, I reach for her hand and give it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “I know that we haven’t spoken much about everything that happened. Like Tobias…” my voice trails off, and Donna lowers her eyes with sadness.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” she whispers, but I stay rooted in my determination to do what’s right by her.

“Well, I want you to know that I’m here for you whenever you are ready to talk about it. I know how it feels to lose a friend, and I know what it does to you when you don’t open up about it.”

Donna smiles feebly. “I would know, too. I’m a psychologist by profession, remember?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” I say with a lighthearted chuckle. “Which is also one of the reasons we’re back here. Your graduation night ended in a nightmare. And I offered to marry you because I wanted to protect you. But I never wanted to cage you in any way. In fact, I admire your strength, your individuality, and I don’t want you to lose any of that.”

“So, why are we here, Nick?” she asks softly.

“We’re here ‘cause if there’s anything I could do, I’d rewrite the past and make things right. I never want you to feel like marrying me was a trap. You can choose differently this time.”

Donna stares at me for a long moment, her eyes filling with tears. She tilts her head to one side, shaking her head slowly. “If I could go back to that night, I’d still choose to marry you, Nick. In hindsight, all roads would have led to you, and there’s nothing I’d wanna do differently. We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.”

My heart swells inside my chest, and I feel a lump forming in my throat. I never thought it was possible to feel this much, but only Donna has that effect on me. For the first time in my life, I feel deeply.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” I say as I step forward and plant a kiss on her forehead. I pull back and gesture toward the path. “Come on. There’s something I want to show you.”

Once I’ve grabbed our overnight bag from the trunk, Donna follows me up the wooden steps of the luxury tent, and when she walks inside, her breath catches.

I’d arranged for soft tealight candles welcoming us into the tent, soft cushions on the deck at the back, and a playlist she likes humming quietly from the hidden speakers. The small portable grill outside is already set up on the deck, and I take her hand as I lead her outside, flinging our bag on the bed as we pass it.

Donna stands in the middle of the deck, smiling at the song when it changes and turning slowly as if she’s afraid touching anything will break the illusion.

“This is…thoughtful,” she murmurs. “It looks nothing like last time.”

“Well, last time, I was pretending that I wasn’t in love with you,” I say with a sneaky grin as I grab the set of thongs from the table. Just as I requested, the staff had started our fire and laid out our meat on the grill just a few minutes before our arrival.

Donna’s eyes widen, but she doesn’t say a word. Her chest rises in a slow breath that trembles at the top.

I step closer, voice low as I slide one arm around her waist and draw her in. “Now, I don’t want to pretend anything.”

Her lips part, but she looks away before anything comes out, her cheeks filling with color. I let her have the space to breathe, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek before brushing past her to check the small patio grill.

“Hungry?” I ask.

She lets out a shaky laugh. “I’m always hungry.”

I grin. “Then you’re in luck. These steaks look done already.”

When I pull them off and place them on the tray she holds out for me, Donna blinks. “This is enough food for an entire pack.”

“This is me trying to be romantic,” I chuckle nervously. “Don’t ruin the moment.”

She huffs a quiet laugh, the kind she only makes when she’s trying not to smile too hard, and settles into one of the deck chairs, pulling her legs up to her chest.

I work the grill while she watches in comfortable silence, her arms resting on her knees, chin tilted to the sky. The scent of smoky meat hangs in the air while birds chatter in the distance. The world feels like it’s paused just for us.

When all the food is ready, I bring over two plates for us. “You okay?” I ask her, and she nods. “Yeah.”

But I hear the unspoken weight beneath it.