The Rejected Elemental

[14]

After a minute or so of admiring my own reflection, I quickly turned back into my human form, deciding to inform the others later. However, as I turned, I saw Alpha Cole standing there, a look of complete disbelief on his face.

"You... you've gotten your werewolf," he commented, staring at my now human form. "Is that how you fought that bastard? Nina told us everything up till where she escaped."

"Yeah," I nodded, a giddy smile on my face. I didn't notice that he wasn't flirty as usual. I didn't even notice that he'd gone deathly pale.

"I'm a silver one and I have golden eyes! Isn't it great?"

He nodded slowly, still not looking happy. My smile faded, and I gave him a concerned look. "Is everything alright?"

"Well, since you've gotten your werewolf now, I suppose there's no hiding it," he said quietly, more to himself than to me.

"Hiding what?" I asked, still in the dark about why he was worried now that I had gotten my werewolf senses.

"Don't you smell it?" he asked quietly.

"Smell what?" I asked in confusion, taking a step towards him. And that's when it hit me.

The most tempting, irresistible scent was coming off in waves from him, befuddling my mind until it was all I could feel. Deliciously filling my senses, a mixture of the scents I loved the most...

Mate.

My eyes shot wide open as I stared at a guilty-looking Cole, realizing what this scent meant.

He was my mate.

My Alpha was my destined mate, and he'd been hiding it.

"What?" I whispered softly, too stunned to take in all that had happened, all at once.

Cole gave me a slightly nervous look, and I only became more alarmed. If he was nervous, it had to be something serious.

Mates are serious, duh.

I waited impatiently for him to speak up, even though my newly discovered werewolf was howling inside me to be near him, touch him, be with my mate.

"I..uh," he began hoarsely, then cleared his throat and spoke up. "So...um. You realized?"

"I did," I said quietly. I didn't know what to make of his reaction; guilt is never a good sign.

"We're mates."

"I know," I said, a hint of impatience on my tone.

"I... I don't know what to say-"

"What the hell do you have to say?!" I threw up my hands in exasperation. "I don't get what's so difficult for you; why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"Tell you what?"

"That we're mates!" I cried.

"I didn't want you to find out," he told me miserably. "I thought you'd never get your werewolf; I'd be the only one knowing, and I'd keep it a secret that would never be discovered. I didn't know you were going to be a werewolf after all!"

I gave him a hurt look. "So you didn't want to be my mate?"

He remained silent.

"You were going to let me go on with my life, single, not knowing that my soulmate was living under the same roof as mine the entire time? You were never going to claim me?"

Cole opened his mouth, but shut it again. I stared at him, my inner werewolf howling pitifully, my heart slowly breaking at the realization.

He doesn't want me. My own mate doesn't want me.

How much more rejection could I take?

"You should go back to the castle," the Alpha told me quietly, his face blank and void of emotion. "They're celebrating the victory, and will be looking for you."

I gave him a look of disbelief, trying not to show how much his words hurt. Ducking my head, I brushed roughly past him and marched back to the castle, my golden eyes burning with unshed tears.