Page 3 of His Rejected Fated Mate

After the meeting, I went straight to the Council members. I couldn’t head home with how much of a mess my head was. I needed to know what their next steps were and if I was really the next one to be paired up.

As I pulled the door open to their building, I remembered why I hated them so much. The space always felt like walking into a jail. It was like a weight was pressing down on me as I headed up the stairs, and my gut clenched.

I’d never liked the Council members. It wasn’t just them but the position itself. There were always things they kept from the Alphas. I remembered growing up, how they always seemed to look down at the rest of us. They acted like they were untouchable, and I think that’s what I hated even more.

Every meeting I’ve had with them has always put me on edge. We never saw eye to eye on any major decisions we had to make. They wanted me to go one way from what I wanted. I hated the constant need to fight. I didn’t understand why we couldn’t just see eye to eye on things.

I paused as I got to their door, feeling like my head was going everywhere. What exactly was I going to say? Demand to know what’s going on? I tried that, and it got me nowhere.

I remembered coming here just a month ago, when Janella healed Riley. I was like a bull in a china shop demanding information, but they remained quiet. After I screamed and demanded they tell me the truth, they asked if I was calm. They asked if I needed to be locked up until I got a hold of my anger. They asked if I was succumbing to the dark magic and if I was next.

I knew I couldn’t go in until I was calm. I didn’t want a repeat of the last meeting, so I took a few deep breaths. I tried to center myself, but it was hard. I saw what was going on and wanted answers. We all did.

We were raised and trained to care about our people. We were told we had to protect them and do what was best for the pack. We made hard decisions so they didn’t have to. But what were we supposed to do when things were out of our control? How were we supposed to protect our people when we couldn’t even protect ourselves?

I looked back toward the door, feeling a rush of frustration hit me. If we were supposed to protect, why were they hiding things? Weren’t we all wanting what was best for the people?

I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The council members were sitting at their round table. They were looking through paperwork, and their heads popped up. They sat in their normal spots: Jasmine, Dean, Laura, and Kelly.

Dean placed his papers down. “Troy? Did we have a meeting with you today?”

“No, I came here to have a discussion with you.”

Laura raised an eyebrow at me. “You do realize you should have scheduled a meeting. We are very busy today. We don’t have a lot of free time.”

“And as I remember, Alphas are allowed to show up at any time.” I narrowed my eyes, not in the mood to be pushed around.

Dean sighed as he rubbed at his eyes. “What brings you in today?”

I opened my mouth and realized I didn’t know what I was even doing in here. I didn’t know what I was going to say. I’d already come here demanding answers and got nothing. I knew they wouldn’t tell me anything this time.

“Troy?”

“I’m wondering who’s next to be paired up.”

I watched their eyebrows go up in shock. Just then, I heard the door behind me open. Jasmine smiled. “Interesting timing.”

I glanced over my shoulder at whoever had entered. My eyes widened as I watched Elize step into the room.

I felt my heart stop beating as I stared at her, having not seen her in years. I watched her freeze, her neutral face fall into shock, and her frustration mix with anger.

“Troy, meet your mate, Elize. You were actually next to be paired up.”

I couldn’t breathe as I stared at her. I felt like someone had just kicked me in the guts. I’d spend so many hours trying to find her, and here she was.

Chapter 2 - Elize

“Elize, could you please think about this prospectively?”

“I have,” I grumbled back at my uncle as I turned from my kitchen. “You are the one who told me to think about my witch lineage and connected me with the convent to begin with. And now you want me to go back to the pack? I think you need to have your head checked.”

Martin grumbled. “I didn’t say go back. I said join me for a trip. You haven’t been back in the pack for a couple of months now. It’s just a quick day trip in.”

I crossed my arms as he sat so calmly in the chair across from me. We were in my apartment just above the small healing center. The convent was small, consisting of only ten buildings and a scattering of houses.

I’d been happily living here for several years, and I had no intention of visiting the pack unless it was absolutely necessary.

“Why would I go back, Martin? I have everything I need.”