My Promised Rejection (Olivia and Ace) novel Chapter 64

Xavier POV

I smile looking down at my beautiful mate asleep on the couch. She really is perfect. I notice the crinkle in her brow and I realize she is probably dreaming about Olivia again. She has never given up hope that their relationship can be repaired, but I am less optimistic. Olivia’s anger and hate has morphed into indifference over the years. She is civil, but she has accepted that her relationship with Evie will never be what it once was.

Olivia speaks to me but she would rather not. I understand her feelings towards me. I’m the villain in her story, but Evie doesn’t deserve to be shut out by her daughter. She still refuses to acknowledge that Evie is her mother even after all this time. I wish I could fix this for her, but it’s been five years. Part of me hopes our pup will soften Olivia, and she will let Evie in again, but I’m not going to get my hopes up.

I wish Evie would accept what Olivia is willing to offer, but I’m sure I would feel the same if my own pup wanted nothing to do with me. Hearing Olivia say she will be involved with our pup is more than I expected. I guess knowing she would be our pup’s guardian was a bit of a saving grace when it comes to the pup.

I want our pup to know his or her brother and sister. Connor won’t call me dad and I understand that he feels that is a betrayal after losing Charles. No matter what, Charles was his father. I have no right to expect him to think of me as anything more than his mother’s mate. His relationship with Evie is better than Olivia’s, but it’s still strained.

Evie whimpers and I run my fingers down her cheek. She often dreams of those days leading up to Charles‘ death. She still carries a lot of guilt related to his death. I know I screwed up constantly with Olivia, which I’m sure didn’t help Evie’s relationship with her. I carry the guilt of the pain I caused Evie and her pups. I’m sad that Charles died. He was a good father and husband, from what Evie told me, but he wasn’t innocent in everything, which I think is why I had such a hard time with Olivia’s behavior. He knew what Evie was from the beginning. He knew about mates. He knew what Olivia was to become and decided to agree to keep it from her.

I wish that Olivia could have seen the nights that Evie cried herself to sleep in my arms, wanting her daughter back. When she begged the goddess to bring Charles back to her pups, even though she knew it couldn’t happen. Seeing her in such turmoil nearly killed me. Olivia was so focused on her own pain she couldn’t even see anyone else’s. I know she was still a teenager, but she wasn’t even a little reasonable about seeing anyone else’s pain.

I never had an example of a father. My mother died when I was a pup and my father was more worried about being an alpha than a father. All he cared about was power. That’s why he was so far up the council’s a**. I was a burden to him until it was time for my training. I never really knew what love was until Miranda. Or what I thought love was. Feeling what I feel for Evie now let’s me know I had no idea what love was before her. She snuggles further onto my lap and I chuckle.

I’m just about to lift her and carry her into our room when there is a knock on the door. I manage to lift her and set her down on the couch and she stays asleep. I move toward the door, and I’m a little startled when I open it to find Miranda standing on the other side. “Miranda, is something wrong? Did you have a vision?” “I did. Can we talk in private?” I look toward Evie before I turn back toward her and nod.

I lead her into my private office but leave the door open so I can hear if Evie wakes up. She moves to shut the door, but I stop her. “I want it open so I can hear Evie in case she needs me.” Something flashes in her eyes before she finally takes a seat. “Xavier, I’m sure that Evelyn will be fine for a few minutes alone. You are being a little over the top. Many she–wolves have been pregnant before,” she says.

Her words grate on my nerves, but I push my irritation aside. “What did you see Miranda?” A smile spreads across her face and so a feeling of unease washes over me. “After Evelyn gives birth I’ve seen us together raising the pup together.” Atlas growls and I’m sure my eyes darken. “That won’t ever f**king happen, Miranda. Evie is my mate and the love of my life.”

“You said that about me once,” she says with a snicker. “Miranda, I’m not sure what has gotten into you but there will never be anything between us. I should never have given into those feelings but now that I have Evie I will never want you or any other woman. You need to focus on finding your own mate.” “If Evie is no longer in the picture, we could have what we lost. We will have our pup and each other again. It is what it was always meant to be,” she says. My growl practically shakes the walls.

“Did you just threaten my mate, Miranda?” “I’m simply trying to correct what happened in the past. It was supposed to be you and me and our pup. That could happen now once Evelyn gives birth. She isn’t worthy of you, Xavier. She had pups with a human,” she says. Before I can tell her she is out of her f**king mind if she thinks I will ever choose her, a growl has my head snapping toward the door. F**k is the only thought I have as Evie steps further into my office, her eyes black as night.

Hudson POV

“Yes, my son, Ace, is a member of this pack and Olivia’s mate.” Something about the way he looks between me and Ace has my hackles rising. “You are very evidently a wolf and Ace is a mere human. You must be disappointed he took after his mother. The only reason he is living in this pack among the wolves is because one of my guards was her mate,” he says.

I’m just about to say the f**k that man was her mate when Connor addresses him. “Xavier, is there a point to this visit other than you being rude to my guests” Connor says. I can’t fight the smile that spreads across my face watching the rude pr*ck be put in his place.

“I would be careful how you speak to me, Connor. I may have given you this pack, but you are not my son. I may not be the current Alpha, but I am still an Alpha and you will show me the respect I deserve or there will be consequences,” Xavier says. Growls break out all around me and Xavier’s confident facade slips. I can see he’s a f**king coward with false bravado who is about to find out what happens when you piss a real alpha off.