Rejecting the Alpha

31 Kylie

Vander was in his office, remotely attending some meeting I didn't know much about. I was sitting in the alcove, reading, when there was a knock on the door. I jumped up to get it before he could be disturbed from what he was doing.

"Hi," Lys said, her friendly eyes sparkling as she took me in. "I guess this means you found Vander's house alright, huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that," I said.

"And probably more than that."

I tried not to cringe or flush. I'm sure she knew, since Vander had barely kept his hands off of me when he was not busy. Damn werewolf noses, the worst foe of privacy.

"Do you want to come in?" I offered. "I don't think Vander will mind."

"Sure, if it's no trouble."

"I was just reading," I assured her quickly. It might be nice to spend some time with another female. Lys might be nosy, but she was also well-meaning and friendly.

I led her to the kitchen and we sat at the counter while we waited for coffee to brew. Vander liked it, and I was quickly coming to associate the drink with him so I was starting to like it more myself.

"So this means you and Vander really are a thing?" she asked, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"We are," I said.

"I'm glad. He's had a rough time since he lost—" She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. It's probably bad form to talk about that, huh?"

I shrugged. "We've talked about it. I understand." My own mate problems were far deeper than a deceased former mate, anyway. I wouldn't be sharing that with Lys though. As much as I liked her, I wasn't sure she would keep her mouth shut.

Her eyes flew to my shoulder and Alpha Gavriel's mark which I had stopped taking care to cover in Vander's house. I tried to hide my unease. "He's already marked you?" Her tone grew higher in her excitement. "That's so romantic! Kylie, you have to tell me how it happened."

I hated not correcting her. This mark had nothing of romance in it, but instead of focusing on those terrible days, I remembered everything Vander and I had done and I just smiled mysteriously.

"Are you his second chance? I know you said you weren't, but..." she asked, even more excited.

"It's complicated, but I am. And he's mine." I felt certain now.

She practically jumped around in her excitement. "You two are so lucky."

I wasn't sure if I would call him losing his first mate and mine being a murdering psychopath lucky, but she didn't know the latter. "I'm very glad I found him."

"I hope my mate is half as good as yours," she said. My wolf didn't love her phrasing, but I understood what she meant. I could have responded with something trite about how everyone thinks their mate is the best, but my own experience had taught me something very different.

Not every mate is the best.

I changed the subject. "So, how have you been doing?"

—————

Vander came out after his meeting. The three of us talked for a while before Lys decided to leave. Vander and I ended up cuddling on the couch.

I decided it was as good of a time as any. "I still want you to mark me, Vander."

He stiffened a bit. "We don't know what will happen."

"No, we don't, but I want to be yours in every way. I don't know if your mark will override his, but I want to try. Please."

"What if—"

"A mark has never killed anyone."

"As far as we know. Most people don't mess around with them."

"I'm sure it will be fine. I feel it, Vander."

He frowned. "I don't want to risk you on feelings, love. There might not have been a situation like ours before, but in other cases where someone was remarked, it was excruciating. I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm sure it won't hurt more than what he does to me. And imagine if your mark makes his mark fade? I could be completely free of his influence. No pack bond to Stonemason, no marked bond to Alpha Gavriel? I know there's a risk, but there's no real downside besides that."

I kissed him fiercely. "I don't want him, I want you. Please, Vander."

"How can I say no when you ask me like that?" He broke off the kiss and raised his eyebrow. "Want me to mark you right here, right now?"

I giggled. I wouldn't mind. "Maybe wait until a romantic moment?"

"You're saying kissing me on the couch isn't romantic?"

"An extra romantic moment."

He grinned at me. "I'll see what I can do. Want to go out somewhere tonight?"

I loved Vander's house. It smelled like him and brought me comfort, but it was probably a good idea to get out before I never wanted to leave again. "Yes, that sounds great. What are you thinking?"

"Let me surprise you," he said.

"Ooh." Already, Vander was reminding me of emotions I had imagined were lost to me. I would never completely be able to escape that nagging grief from what I had lost, but with him I could build something new and valuable.

I scooted closer to him so that I could catch his mouth, and mine gave way beneath him as if I had been born to kiss him. He was perfect, and he was mine.

"You really tempt me, you know that?" he said, sounding pleasingly exasperated. I smiled against his mouth. "And you like that, do you?"

"I really do."

"Bad girl."

"Seems like you bring that out in me."

He laughed and squeezed my butt. "I'd rather bring it into you instead."

"Maybe I'm not the bad one?" I pulled my face away from his and quirked an eyebrow, before moving my pelvis against him.

He looked down at what I was doing, and he grinned. "Yeah, that's perfectly innocent, Kylie."

I just laughed and kissed him again.