Rejected My Alpha Mate novel Chapter 4

3 Years Later

"Happy Third Mating Anniversary!"

Tyler didn't reply to me as I mind-linked him. I knew he heard me all the same. As my mate, he couldn't block my messages even if he didn't choose to reply to them.

"Please come home right after work today. I'm preparing a special surprise to celebrate the occasion. You'll love it. I promise."

I could feel a spark of interest from Tyler's side of the bond though he remained silent.

Most females would have been at least a little concerned if their mate refused to respond to them, but I knew my situation wasn't ordinary.

I was the offspring of an omega father from a lower pack who had blackmailed my alpha mate into accepting me by faking a pregnancy.

The fact I hadn't known if I was pregnant or not at the time didn't matter. I had said I was pregnant; I wasn't. It was a lie. It was a lie I told for money.

Money Tyler Wright had given me to pay off my father's gambling debts in order to save my younger brother from kidnappers.

No one cared what the money was for though.

All anyone cared about was the lies I had told to get money from a mate who had been surprised to find me in the first place.

Tyler could have loved me, I think, if I hadn't told my father's lie. I had been drugged on our first night together as mates; I didn't have clear memories of my first time making love. I thought Tyler had been gentle with me. Generous. Kind.

It was hard for me to think of Tyler before I met him in his office. He'd been closer to a stone statue than a man as he listened to me ask him for money. His cold expression had never changed as he'd written me a check in the amount I named.

Every experience since then had been the same: an exchange of something for something else.

Tyler touched me when he needed release. Tyler spoke to me when he needed me to respond verbally to a question. Tyler gave me money to ensure I had no reason to talk to him.

Our mating was colder than winter in the Arctic Circle.

I twirled as I set the table for our mating anniversary dinner. My skirt flew out around my legs and I laughed like a girl again though I was a college graduate with a degree in Music Theory. I felt as if I were dancing on air as I hummed a tune I had composed myself as part of my thesis.

Tyler had not attended my graduation even though I had completed my studies on the Dean's List.

I would never accomplish enough to make Tyler proud of me. I would never be able to erase the grudge he held in his heart against me---and I was done trying.

Placing the covers over the plates to keep the heat in, I moved to open the bottle of wine we would be sharing.

The wine was the most luxurious part of the meal. Tyler preferred simple foods which I had learned from his household staff rather than from him directly. All the years we had spent together felt as if they were melting away as I poured two glasses of the rich Malbec.

Hearing the door shut, I picked up a glass in each hand and offered one to Tyler as he came into the room, "Happy Anniversary!"

He sneered at me before his eyes flickered to the bottle on the table. I knew he only took the glass from me because the wine was his favorite and it was too valuable to waste.

"What is it you want now?"

Tyler scorned my offer to sit at the table to share a meal with me. I wasn't surprised. I couldn't stop smiling which was probably as confusing for him as it should have been for me.

I had been given few reasons to smile during our mating.

"I want to celebrate this anniversary as our last together."

Swallowing more of the wine than was socially acceptable, Tyler drained his glass before reaching for the bottle to fill it again. I drained my glass and accepted the refill he offered with my smile intact.

"Our last together? Is that what you're after? You want your own house? This mansion isn't good enough to share with me?"

I shook my head negatively.

Tyler was very good at provoking me.

I finished my wine and placed my glass back onto the table. Tyler finished his as well then he surprised me by grabbing my wrist and pulling me against his chest.

My nipples peaked at the friction of his suit rubbing against my blouse.

We hadn't been fully naked together in so long I couldn't recall our last time. I was touch starved and my body yearned for his as my wolf, Rayne, nearly howled at the attention.