Alpha's Mate (Completed)

Chapter 31

~Kimbriella POV~

He strokes my hair gently, soothingly. I close my eyes, relax.

''Mm, that feels good.'' I murmur, tipping my head back to look at him.

''It feels good to not be fighting with you.'' He informs me with a half-chuckle.

''Should I get ready for our date?'' I ask, opening my eyes to drink him in. Upside-down, and just as gorgeous as ever.

''Yeah.'' He kisses the top of my head. ''Don't come back downstairs until I call you, okay?''

I crinkle my nose in confusion but nod, agreeing. ''Fancy or not?'' I call as I walk out of the bedroom.

''Not!'' He yells back.

I make a face at my shirt and run upstairs in a rush to get out of it. Searching through my suitcase, I quickly decide on a casual black V-neck, but can't find any shorts I feel like wearing. I shuffle over to Ryker's room and locate a pair of long shorts that look extremely comfortable. I slip them on. I sit on my bed while I wait for Ryker to call me down. Nothing to distract me from my inevitable fate, and that just when Ryker and I had started to make progress...

I gasped softly. We had started to make progress. And all today, all I had been doing was leading him on. How selfish was I? Stupid, I scolded myself. In the end it would hurt him more. There was no way I was going on a date, giving him hope. I needed to go downstairs right now and make up some excuse. Determined, I march down the stairs and into the living room where I had left him. Well, I tried to.

Walking down the stairs, I make it to the kitchen before being blocked by several members of the pack. From, what I can see, the entire kitchen and living room are filling up with people. What the heck was going on? This only reinforces my need to find where Ryker is.

''Excuse me.'' I grumble repeatedly as I shove my way through the crowd. Finally I see his familiar mop of dark hair through the mob. ''Ryker!''

His head jerks up, and he slips something into his back pocket. ''Kimbriella! What are you doing down here?'' His face looks a bit strained.

''What the heck is going on here?'' I dodge the question. He sighs, running a hand through his hair, but I can sense his underlying excitement and happiness.

''I might as well do it now.'' He smirks adorably.

''Do what..?''

I don't even know how I'm able to hear it over the roar of the crowd around us, Ryker bends down on one knee. He brings a small, velvet box out of his pocket, and opens it to reveal a stunning diamond ring. My wolf jumps for joy inside me. Say yes, say yes, SAY YESSS!

''Kimbriella, from the moment I met you-''

''No, Ryker..'' I interrupt. It breaks my heart that he soo expected me to say yes. ''No..'' I shiver, one of those random shivers that just pop out of nowhere at inopportune times. The lump in my throat prevents me from speaking anymore. I blink back the hot tears prickling in my eyes. ''I-I can't d-do this..''

Shoving through the crowd desperately, I stumble, the tears almost blinding me. After an eternity, I break through them, sprinting up the stairs. The hot tears roll down my face, their salty taste unfamiliar. I couldn't remember the last time I cried. Stupid Ryker and his stupid freaking marriage proposals. Slamming the door with a ferocity I can't believe I posses. I throw myself on the bed, the tears now uncontrollable. My sides heave and heave as I gasp desperately for air.

I bit my lip harshly to stop the tears, so harshly, in fact, that is draws blood. The metallic tang of it fills my mouth. I whisk my tears away with the back of my had, disgusted with myself. Feeling horrible, I smash my hand into the mirror, shattering it into a thousand pieces. ''Oh, good. It matches my heart.'' I say bitterly, ignoring the steady flow of blood from several cuts. A rap on the door interrupts my self-pity party. Against all sane logic, I open the door.

Ryker. My hearts stops. The heartbroken expression on his face is unbearable. Even my wolf, who I'm fairly certain is ignoring me, can't help but let out a whine. ''Can you explain why you rejected me in front of the whole pack? Forget the whole pack. Why you rejected me?'' He scans me, no doubt taking in my disheveled state. ''Your hand. And you lip.'' He reaches out to touch my lip, but I flinch away.

''Don't touch me.''

He winces, and each fragment of my heart splits in half, again. ''Can I please have some sort of explanation?'' He begs.

I know what I have to do. Forgive me, please... I beg him silently in preparation for what I'm about to do. I close my eyes to steel myself. One mistake, and it wouldn't work.

Ready. I open my eyes, all traces of tears, hurt or sympathy gone. I let out a laugh. How I'm able to force this, I have no clue.

''Oh, Ryker.'' I turn the corners of my lips up, the closest I can get myself to smile. ''You are so naïve.''

''Kimbriella, what are you talking about?''

''I'm talking about the part where I never loved you. I never even liked you.''

His eyes fill with shock as I deliver the most important speech of my life.

''These past few months where we've ''fallen in love''? Entirely fake. Goodness gracious, you're so pathetic. Love doesn't develop within two months, and not everything will have a happy ending. I warned you that I wouldn't fall for you, and yet you kept trying. I warned you, but you didn't listen. You'll deserve everything that's coming to you, every bit of heartbreak, for scaring off the love of my life. ''

I almost lose it here, but force myself to continue.. almost there. ''Keenan is the only guy I'll ever love. You should've let me reject you the day we met.''

''Do it then. Right now.'' He surprisingly says. I bit my lip, then quickly release it.

''I'll do it tomorrow. In front of everyone, so they can be no doubt about the breaking of the truce between my pack and yours. After that, I'll be out of here. ''

He swallows, trying to control himself. It breaks my heart even more. ''As you wish..'' He says.

''Thank you.'' I nod. Somehow, he conjures up a weak grin.

''I've got to hand it to you, you played it well. I would've believed it.''The grin disappears. ''You sure are a heartbreaker, Kimbriella Canterbury.'' And with that, he turns away. I don't even bother to watch where he is going, only shut the door and collapse on the bed again, emotionally exhausted. It was the only way to ensure that he wouldn't come after you. I reassure myself. I want to scream, and cry, rush out to Ryker and kiss him and tell him the truth. But I can't.

Hate rushes up, enveloping me so strongly spots dance dance across my vision. The people who wanted me? Whoever they were, whatever they wanted me for. They were going to pay. And I would never, never bend to their will, no matter what is cost me. I would come to them, but they would not like what they were going to find. And unlike Ryker, they really do deserve every bit of what's coming to them.