Rejecting Love

CHAPTER TWELVE:

Lucinda POV

The tension in the room is so thick it can be cut by a butter knife. Dylan's really starting to upset me more than usual. I know he loves me I catch him watching me sometimes when he thinks I won't notice. He doesn't look at Sabrina with the same look, soft eyes and small smile.

Actually, I don't think he's given her much time since I've arrived. I know he's made up his mind about us, for whatever reason. I just wish he'd tell me why. Then maybe my wolf would settle down and accept his decision like I have. I realize I've been watching Dylan while I've been lost in thought. Thank goodness he didn't notice, he's too busy staring at Caiden with a furrowed brow and a tight grimace.

Following his intense stare, I watch Caiden as he makes breakfast. He's already pulled out several things from the cupboard and fridge. My tummy growls and two pair of eyes look at me. A warmth rushes to my cheeks and I quickly divert my gaze down to the ground.

"Sorry, I guess I'm a little hungry," I say. My eyes drift up and I see a smirk rise to Caiden's face, and I hear a low growl escape Dylan as he watches Caiden whisk together the ingredients.

"Cinda! There you are, I've been looking for you," Mia says as she rounds the corner into the kitchen. "Mmm that smells delicious!" Her eyes widen and her lips curl in the corners.

"French toast," Caiden says with the shrug of his shoulders. Mia's eyes sparkle.

"It's your specialty," she whispers. "You haven't made it since..."

"Yeah, well I felt like French toast this morning," Caiden says successfully cutting her off.

"How are you?" She asks, walking across the room toward him.

"Where have you been? I've been so worried. The whole pack's been worried."

"I'm fine. Better now," he says glancing my way before turning around to work at the stove. My heart flutters as our eyes briefly meet. His face was emotionless, giving nothing away. But I felt his wolf surge a force of power through the room to me. Dylan must've felt it too, because I hear a low growl erupt from his direction...again. I refuse to acknowledge him. He's been too much to deal with since the night of my rescue and our little heart-to-heart.

"Hey Mia, what are you doing today?" I ask, trying to change the subject. A day hanging out with my best friend is exactly what I need right now.

"Funny that you ask!" She says a little overzealous. "That's something I wanted to talk to Caiden and Dylan about."

I stand up and get plates and silverware out, while she gets the syrup, butter, and powdered sugar. Caiden carries a platter of French toast to the table and we all sit down.

"Well, since we haven't had that cook-out I wanted to have," she says, shoveling in a fork full of dripping wet French toast into her mouth. I furrow my brows at her.

"You know, so you can meet everyone and see if your mate's here," she says between bites. I wish I never told her that stupid story, my fork falters in my hands.

When I first met her, she was traveling alone looking for her mate. She had no business being out in the wild by herself, and I was lonely so I took her under my wing and we became friends. But when she asked me what I was doing out in the wild alone, I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth. That I was rejected by my mate and kicked out of my pack. So without exactly saying so, I let her believe I was doing the same thing she was, though I'd travelled much farther and been in the wild much longer than her.

When I think about how I ended up over in this part of the county, it's funny actually. I wasn't trying to follow Dylan, not after that first night we left home. Those rogues he traded me to, were rough and vulgar, but after a few days they warmed up to me. I stayed with them for a while and learned as much as I could about taking care of myself as a rogue. Eventually I had to go. I can't explain it, but I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach. Almost like a string was pulling me along.