Page 129 of Rejected By the Alpha

Before he could touch me, I stepped backward and shook my head. “I’m so happy for you, Cade.” My chest tightened, and I could feel my heart shattering into a million pieces, the shards cutting through my body. “I’m so, so happy for you.”

Those were the only words that I could get out, the only fucking words I could force myself to say. I wanted to be happy for Cade because he deserved it. He was the best man I had ever met, but … I loved him, and I wanted him to be mine and mine only.

For a few hours, we had related so hard with each other; both our mates were gone. And now? Now it seemed like we had nothing at all. Now it seemed like all of this had been fake, like he never cared about me, never loved me like he claimed he did.

More tears pricked the corners of my eyes, burning them.

Because I saw the way he looked at her. I fucking saw it.

I could never erase that memory from my head again. Cade could never love me the way a wolf loved his mate. Ever. For a few weeks, I thought maybe I would be able to find love before I died, and now … that hope was gone.

Vanished right before my eyes. Literally.

Cade peered over at Lilliana, his expression torn between heartbreak and healing. Then he glanced back at me and gently shook his head. “I don’t … it’s not … I …”

I waited and waited for him to find the right words, but nothing came.

“It’s okay,” I said, forcing myself to smile. But I stepped back again. “I’m happy for you.”

“Ember, please let me explain.”

Another step back, my arms tighter around my body. “You don’t have to explain anything. I understand. She’s your mate, and she’s alive, and you have her. She’s who you were meant to be with, who you should be with.”

We both stood in silence for a couple of moments as tears poured down my cheeks. My chest was tight, and I could barely breathe, but I wasn’t going to let myself sob in front of everyone here.

“Who’s this?” Lilliana asked, curling her arm around Cade’s.

Cade didn’t move to pull away or pull her closer. “She’s … she’s …”

I bit back a sob and forced another smile that didn’t reach my eyes, turning away from Cade and toward her. “I’m Ember. I was Davix’s mate.” Tears burned my eyes, some more falling down my cheeks. “Cade has told me so much about you. Do you⁠—”

“Was?” Lilliana asked. “What happened?”

Everyone stayed quiet, and all I could do was stare at the pretty woman who had replaced me in a single moment and shrug. “I don’t know what happened,” I said quietly. “I wasn’t good enough for him, I guess.”

“Ember, you know that’s not—” Hazel started.

“Have you seen him yet?” I asked Lilliana, completely cutting off Hazel because I didn’t want to hear it. “Davix will be so happy that you’re alive. Truly. He seemed like he missed you and the rest of his family so much. You should go see him. You should all go see him.”

Hazel stood and stepped closer to me. “Ember⁠—”

“Please!” I shouted, my voice way louder than expected. “Please, go see him. Please.”

I didn’t want the sympathy, or the pity, or anything they were giving me right now. And I especially didn’t want it from Lilliana. She didn’t know anything about me; she seemed so sweet, was the prettiest woman I had ever seen, and I … I couldn’t handle being rejected like this.

How could I ever compete?

Davix didn’t want me; Cade didn’t want me.

Before I could scream at them to leave again because that wasn’t fair to anyone, I turned around, sprinted up the stairs, and locked myself in my bedroom. My heart pounded inside my chest, my eyes fucking burning so hard that I couldn’t see through them.

And for the first time, it hit me.

I really was all alone in this life.

Chapter Seventy-One

Davix