Zander walked into the Alpha's office and moved across the room to the window. He'd just as soon not be here. But Jerrod had agreed to take the lead, and he was glad for that. He still hadn't wrapped his head around the fact that this was happening.
A moment later, the door opened again, and Corey entered followed by Zander's mate. Both of them bowed their heads to the Alpha, and he saw her gaze dart up to him. He stared back, incredibly annoyed.
"Both of you, sit down," Alpha Doug said, his glare enough to make them both cringe. The Alpha was furious, and Zander wondered why. Because of how bad it was making the pack look to have an Alpha Prince show up to find his fated mate with another man? Yes, it would be embarrassing, he supposed. He hoped the Alpha wasn't planning to try to convince Zander to still accept her.
He'd had to shut down his emotions for his own sanity. The pain of betrayal was strong, and he needed to end this whole entire thing as soon as possible so that he didn't murder someone. Like Corey. For Carter and Puma's sanity. His wolf was driving both him and Puma crazy, whimpering in his mind, but he could understand his wolf's pain. Carter's pain was his own.
She hadn't waited for them. Instead, she'd fallen in love with someone else. She'd chosen to reject her fate, and him, and it really hurt. Zander swallowed. This might actually be worse than the last rejection.
She was sitting there in a chair in the Alpha's office trying to make herself as small as possible, though her gaze kept darting up to look at Zander. He stared back at her openly, uncaring at this point if he was making her uncomfortable or not. She was supposed to be his.
She was very pretty with her long dark curly hair and blue eyes. She was young though, and he wondered if she was still eighteen. Images of her naked danced through his mind, and he shoved them down. The last thing he wanted to do was get aroused over a woman he was about to reject. But if he let his thoughts drift, it would be easy to do.
She had curves, something that he really appreciated, and images of her tits hanging like ripe fruit crossed his mind. Her body was amazing, and he was disappointed that he'd never get the chance to know it so intimately. Images of her walking around naked entered his mind again, and the scent of her arousal. Damn woman.
Zander still didn't know her name. No one had said it yet, and everyone was instead focused on Corey, the Gamma's son, who was apparently mated to the Alpha's daughter. He hadn't claimed her yet, had apparently been putting her off, while he was busy fucking Zander's mate. What a mess.
Now Zander could understand why Alpha Doug was so pissed. Corey had fucked up bad, especially because the Alpha's daughter would be his Alpha at some point. If the little dipshit had kept it in his pants and mated his fated mate, none of them would be in this mess. Instead, he'd chosen to go after Zander's mate, hurting a bunch of people in the process, and probably mostly himself.
"Look, it's my daughter's decision whether or not she's going to reject you. Be aware that she might kick you out of the pack as well. You have a lot of nerve, having sex with another woman without rejecting Sheena first, Corey," the Alpha growled at him, a vein popping up in his forehead.
Zander half wondered if the Alpha would come across his desk and break Corey's neck. He'd help. He'd like nothing better than to hold the little fucker down and beat the shit out of him.
Corey didn't bother to respond to the Alpha, or to defend himself. He wasn't sorry in the least. That was as plain as the day was long. And Zander could almost guarantee this wasn't the first time Corey had fucked her. But it was also more annoying to Zander, and he just wanted to shake the shit out of him.
The Alpha's daughter, Sheena, showed up a few moments later, and Zander watched her walk in, her head held high like a Queen. She was gorgeous too, with her blond hair and big blue eyes, and Zander wondered why in the world Corey hadn't claimed her as his mate. Maybe he didn't want a woman who was high ranked than him? Only Corey seemed to know the answer to that.
She stared at Corey, no expression on her face as she rejected him, then she turned and walked out, her head still held high. Zander was impressed by her behavior. She'd handled it like an adult and like the true Alpha she was, though he knew from experience that her heart was probably breaking right now. He wondered how long this had all been going on for and how long Sheena had been aware of her mate's behavior. What a mess.
"Get out of my office. Consider yourself lucky she didn't kick you out of the pack. You're supposed to serve her as both her mate and her Gamma. She may still kick you out of the pack and she has every right to do so," Doug said to him with a scowl.
Corey stood, bowed to his Alpha, shot a glare at Zander, then turned and headed for the door.
"Wait!"
Corey froze, then turned, again bowing his head to Doug. "Yes Alpha."
"Do you know who this is, Corey?" Doug asked him, gesturing to Zander.
"No, Alpha," Corey admitted.
"This is Alpha Prince Zander Remington Beckham," Doug told him. "And you have gone out of your way to completely disrespect him. But he's the better man, Corey, because you've come out of this without him ripping your throat out."
Corey groaned and turned to Zander, the first signs of remorse finally showing up on his face. "I apologize, Alpha." He bowed his head to Zander.
For a moment, Zander seriously considered ripping out his throat. The urge was strong within him, but he forced it back down and kept his expression neutral. He didn't trust himself to say anything. The sooner the Gamma's son was out of the room, the more likely it was that he would live. Especially given that he had Zander's mate's scent all over him still.
Corey left and Zander's gaze then moved over to his mate. She wasn't a ranked wolf at all, and he half wondered if she was a social climber. But she'd settled for a Gamma when she was fated to a Remington wolf. Maybe this was all for the best.
She was sitting with her eyes squeezed shut now, dressed in a sweater and jeans. She opened them and couldn't help but to look at him. He wondered what was running through her mind. Of course, she knew absolutely nothing about Darcy either.
"Alpha, I'll leave the office to you." Doug turned to Jerrod. "Let's talk somewhere else? Get this pack visit finished so you two can get the hell out of here?"
Jerrod nodded and glanced at Zander. You going to be okay?
Yeah. I'll manage.
The two men left the room, and Zander walked over and sat down in the chair Corey had vacated. Right next to her.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, and he saw a single tear run down her cheek. It almost made him regret what he was about to do. Almost.
Zander rested his ankle on his knee. "About?"
"You having to see that. And hear it," she said, brushing the tear away with a small sigh.
"You didn't want to wait for your mate?" he asked.
She turned to look at him. "Are you a virgin?"
"No. And it would be hypocritical for me to expect you to be. But you fell in love," he reminded her. "Not to mention it's a little hard for me to get over the image of you being fucked by another man."
She sighed and nodded. "Rather stupid of me."
"What's your name?"
She pursed her lips. She knew what was coming. "Katherine Taylor."
Zander frowned at her. Seriously? "Your name is Katherine?"
She turned to look at him. "Yes."
What were the chances of that? If he eventually took a Chosen Mate, he'd damn well make sure her name wasn't Katherine. At least Danica's name hadn't been Katherine. He was starting to really despise that name. "I, Zander Remington Beckham, Alpha Prince of all Werewolves, reject you Katherine Taylor, as my mate."
She swallowed and one lone tear streamed down her cheek. "I, Katherine Taylor accept your rejection."
