Page 24 of Wicked Wolf

Gina had expected a rough road. She’d expected that Quinn might not want her at all. After all, she wasn’t sure she wanted him either, but she’d put herself on the line because she’d needed to be honest with herself.

What she hadn’t expected was the hate.

Oh, goddess, the hate.

He’d looked at her as though she’d shown him the end of the world, as if she was nothing.

He didn’t want her.

She got that.

She’d known that was a possibility.

The fact that he’d pushed her away not only because he didn’t want her, but because of what she was—a witch—hurt more than she could bear.

The epitome of everything I hate.

She choked back a sob.

How was she supposed to face him at the council meetings? How was she supposed to protect her Pack’s future when the one wolf her wolf ached for hated her?

It wasn’t supposed to hurt this much.

She rubbed the spot between her breasts and tried to catch her breath. Tears slid down her cheeks, and her body shook. She sniffed, trying to control it, and then just let herself go. She threw her head back and howled, her voice holding the song of her heart…or what was left of it.

The sound of someone running up behind her filled her ears, but she didn’t move to look at who it was. She was safe within her den, and she could scent the person anyway.

Finn.

“Gina?” His voice was right behind her, but she still didn’t move.

“Gina? Please. What’s wrong?” He knelt in front of her, and she blinked up at him.

“My mate hates me,” she whispered. She hadn’t meant to whisper, but she couldn’t speak louder than that. At the word mate coming from her lips, she hiccupped. Mate was a lie. He was only a wolf. A wolf who didn’t want her. Who hated her.

An icy feeling spread over her limbs and settled into her heart, which felt like a hollow cavern with no bridge to escape.

“Mate?” Finn asked.

She looked up into his dark green eyes and nodded.

When had he grown up? He wasn’t the little boy she’d held in her arms when she’d first joined the family. He was starting to fill out with the muscles of a man, rather than the long lankiness of a grown boy. His dark brown hair went every which way and even touched his shoulders, like his father’s hair once had.

“Oh, Gina.” With that, he pulled her into his arms and cradled her in his lap. She stuck her nose along his neck and shoulder, inhaling his scent. He was her family, her home. He could make it better.

Oh, goddess, please make it better.

She didn’t know how long she stayed in her brother’s arms, but she didn’t care. She needed to let it all out before she exploded. Other people came to her side. She heard and scented them. Outsiders stayed away, but her family was there. She hated feeling weak, helpless, but if she didn’t cry for what she’d lost, what she now knew she’d never have, she’d break more than she already had.

Finn handed her off to someone, and she blinked her eyes open. Kade frowned down at her then stood up.

“We’re going home, baby girl, and then you can tell me what happened.”

That wasn’t the Alpha who’d spoken, but her father still demanded answers. The two parts of him were sometimes hard to tell apart, but right then, she needed her dad. Then she’d need her Alpha.

He carried her three steps, and she pushed at his shoulder. He stopped and looked down at her. She could feel her brothers, mother, cousins, aunts, and uncles around her. The entire Jamenson clan had come to her aid because of her howl, and she’d never felt more loved.

Even when she’d never felt so unwanted.