My Mate.....Rejected Me [New Version]

20. Caleb

*8 years later*

"Hi," I greeted Dimitri who had been sitting in the living room typing on his computer, "do you, um, have a second?"

"Yeah, what's up?" He asked setting the laptop on the table to give me his full attention and I swallowed the knot in my throat as I played with my fingers, head down, "you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah, yeah I'm okay," I replied looking up at him only to see him raising a brow and sighed, "I'm sorry, I know I've said it many times before but I can't apologize enough for what I did to Luca on his birthday. I know it was a shitty thing to do but I had no other choice,"

"I know," he replied making me look up, "and the fact that you left was to protect him and the kids shows just the type of person you are, Caleb."

And though he's said something similar in our past conversations where he'd remind me of what I did to Luca but always said that he admired me, "don't look so surprised, Caleb. I've always said it and I'll continue to say it because you've matured and grown from your mistakes —including those when you were an annoying 16 year old who I wanted to kick his teeth out many times—and that's all that matters."

"He's lucky, you know," I said and he gave me a questioning look making me smile, "Luca, I mean,"

"And why is that?" He asked and I sighed rubbing the back of my neck because I've never told him and Luca —or anyone for that matter—that I was jealous of Luca, yes, I Caleb admit that I am jealous of my mate, and you want to know why? Keep reading.

"Because he's got not one but two fathers who love and support him and who will move land and sea in order to make sure he's happy," I said and he looked taken aback by my words, "and he doesn't know this but I'm incredibly jealous of him because no matter what I did growing up, my father was never going to be proud of me or of my achievements."

We sat in silence for a few seconds before I spoke up again before he could, "I wish my father could be half the man that you and Bennett are."

"I know he's your father but that man doesn't deserve your pain or anything, Caleb. Nor do you still need to think of him in a way you wished he was because at the end of the day, he threatened not one life but three," he said and I looked down at my hands, "you're not him, Caleb. You're an amazing father to Bella and Princeton and that's what you need to focus on now instead of the past,"

I just nodded, "if I'm not mistaken," he said making me glance up, "your husband is looking for you"

I grinned at that before standing up and thanking Dimitri who shook his head before shooing me away.

Husband.

I freaking love the sound of that, even after 8 years, it still got my heart racing in my chest like it had done so many times before.

Let's rewind so you're not confused.

We got married three months after I proposed.

I still remember the day as if it had happened yesterday and not 8 years.

And like every morning since I asked Luca to marry me, Bella always asked when we would actually get married.

"It's been forever" She had exclaimed throwing her arms in the arm in exasperation when Luca told her that the wedding won't happen for another three months by then she and Princeton would out of school for the summer.

"I'm sure you can wait another three months, Bella" I stated and her blue eyes bugged out before she started whining again, "how about this, if you don't ask us about the wedding again until we're only a few days away then I'll take you to a secret place the only your mama and I know about"