Gabby stared out the window of the plane as it took off. She'd decided to fly the rest of the way to Alaska as she really hadn't realized how long the drive was. It would take her close to a week to get there.
She'd made up her mind that she was going to take Alpha Axel's proposal. She needed out. It would break the bond that was breaking her. Hopefully she could get through the sex with him. He was a good kisser at least, though she knew confirming the bond with Dominic would make it much more difficult for her to mate with Axel. Maybe he could just mark her without sex. It would suck that way, and would just be painful, but it might be easier. She should have accepted his offer before she knew for sure she was mated to Dominic.
She wondered if her family was freaking out yet. Probably, especially since she'd kept her phone off, though she wouldn't be surprised if they figured out where she was at. She had told her father about Alpha Axel's proposal.
She sighed. She half hoped they were there. She needed her family. She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed.
The plane finally landed and Gabby headed through the airport, looking for a place to rent a car. At some point she would have to come back and get her own car, once she figured this all out.
The drive to Denali Pack still took quite a while, and she'd had way too much time to think on her hands. She was making the right decision, she kept telling herself she was.
She finally pulled up to the entrance of the pack territory and was stopped by a guard.
"Ma'am, Can I help you?"
"I'm here to see Alpha Axel," she said.
"Do you have an appointment?" he asked.
"No, but he'll see me," she said.
"Name?"
"Gabrielle Remington."
His eyes widened. "As in from the Royal family?"
"Yes."
"Go through. Princess." He bowed his head.
"Thank you." She knew Axel would be aware of her presence before she even arrived.
He was standing on the porch, and she eyed him for a moment before climbing out of the car. She could do this. She could have sex with him. He was quite handsome. If she wasn't mated to someone else, it would be easy. "Alpha."
"Princess." He bowed his head to her. "You father and brother are here, along with your mate."
She felt a bit deflated at that as she stared at him. Dominic was here. She'd been hoping to do this without him knowing. She sighed. If he wouldn't accept her rejection, she'd do it anyway, even though it would kill her.
"I know why you're here," Axel said softly.
"The whole story?"
"Not sure about that, but enough," he said. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes."
"It won't be the same," he said.
"I know. Did they tell you I have dreamed for years of him just walking away from me and telling me he doesn't want me?" she asked.
"No." His heart ached for her.
"I can't trust him, and it's probably my own fault." She burst into tears.
"Then go talk to him, Gabby. I hate to see you like this. But I will not take you as a Chosen as long as you know who your fated is. You'd never make it through the mating."
She nodded. She'd figured as much. Mating him when she was Dominic's mate would be very difficult to get through. It would make her an emotional wreck and it wouldn't be a good way to start a new relationship.
"Go talk to him, Gabby. You need to figure this out before you decide you want to mate me. If you need to stay here for a while, you're welcome to," he said quietly.
She nodded and followed him inside the house. He took her back to a room and she walked inside. He didn't follow her in.
Her father and Daniel both were inside and they came forward and hugged her.
"Gabby, next time you take off, please tell us where you're going," Caleb said.
"You figured it out," she reminded him.
"Rules are rules, Gabby. You need to follow them," Daniel told her.
"Alpha Axel said Dominic is here?" she asked.
"Yes. Do you want to talk to him?" Daniel asked her.
"Yes." Hopefully he'd cooperate this time.
"I'll take you to him," Caleb said, wrapping an arm around her.
She followed him down the hall, and into another room. Dominc's scent hit her immediately and she breathed it in. She sighed.
"Do you want me to stay or go?" Caleb asked her.
"Go."
He nodded and left the room.
She turned back to Dominic, and frowned. He looked worn out and stressed, his hair a disaster.
He stared at her for a long moment. "Gabby, I need you to tell me what you truly want."
She sighed softly. "I don't think I can do this. I've dreamed so many times of you telling me you don't want me. I can't do this."
"I wish you would have come to me when you turned eighteen," he told her softly.
"Maybe it would have been different then." She was fully crying now.
He wanted to go to her and hold her tightly in his arms. His urge to comfort her was very strong, but he knew this wasn't going to work. Deep down, he knew. He hated it, but it was the truth. "Say it."
She whimpered. "I, Gabrielle Remington, reject you, Dominic Beckham, as my mate."
"I accept your rejection," he whispered back, feeling his heart crush into a million pieces.
She gasped and sat down, and he walked out of the room. His gaze met Daniel's as he walked by. "She needs you. I am leaving. Take my things back with you. I don't know when I'll be back."
Daniel nodded. "I'm sorry."
Dominic didn't respond. Instead he walked outside and shifted, allowing his clothes to shred in the process. He didn't care. He didn't care about anything right now except the pain and heartache that he was experiencing. He disappeared into the woods. He'd eventually find his own way home.
Gabby felt her father's arms close around her. Her heart was broken and she'd expected that, but her heart had technically been broken for the last five years. It was over now and she was glad. Now she could begin to heal.
"I made a mess out of this," she said to Caleb.
"You did but it is what it is. At least there will be somebody else eventually," he said.
She nodded. At the moment she didn't want anybody else. But she knew she wouldn't always feel that way. Eventually she'd want someone else, just not now. She hoped Dominic would get another mate at some point too but who knew. "Where did he go?"
"He left."
She nodded. She wouldn't ask any more. It was no longer any of her business.
"Gabby, when was the last time you slept?" Caleb asked her.
"I don't know, it's been a few days," she murmured.
"Why don't you rest and we'll leave and go home in the morning."
"Okay, I'm fine with that."
"What about food? When was the last time you ate anything?"
"I don't know."
"You need to do that first and then rest," Caleb said.
"Okay." She really wasn't hungry but she knew she needed to eat. She knew the only reason she wasn't hungry was because she was so upset. It had been over twenty-four hours since she'd last ate.
"Well, let's go get some food," Caleb said.
The minute she walked out the door. A scent hit her. It was intoxicating and reminded her a bit of the night she'd realized Dominic was her mate. But this scent was different. It smelled different. "Oh no," she muttered.
Caleb glanced at her. "What's wrong?"
"I really don't want a second chance so fast." Why now?
"Your second chance mate is here?" Caleb stared at her.
She nodded.
"Well, given what happened with the first one, you need to just dive into this wholeheartedly because putting it off is not a good idea."
He was right. She didn't want him to be right. But he was.
"Just ask whoever it is to take it slow."
She nodded. "Let's go eat please."
"Okay but he's going to come looking for you."
"I know. He can come find me." Why oh why did she have to find her mate here of all places?
Daniel looked up as they walked down the hall.
Caleb met his gaze. Her second chance is here
His eyes flickered in surprise. Does she know who?
No she's just caught his scent
She's hungry. She needs to sleep.
Daniel nodded. "Axel is in his office. Let me see what I can do about food for us."