Rejected By My Boyfriend's Dad novel Chapter 2

Hope

I can’t believe it. I had a mate for three minutes, and now the bond is already broken. I'm too shocked to say anything. I can only stare at the man who rejected me, Ethan. He is as gorgeous as he is intimidating. I’m astonished he is the local Alpha and that he is my mate. It's sad that he rejected me without giving me a chance, though. I know that I’m younger than him, but does it really matter that much?

How much older than me is he?

“Alpha!”

I turn around to the sound of footsteps coming from the kitchen. Time is still stopped, but not for other supernaturals, it seems. I look at the kitchen door opening, bewildered to discover that Graham, the big bald chef at Bar25, is a werewolf.

He studies me for a hot minute before focusing on Ethan. “Alpha, there are wolves from another pack running outside our territory. They haven’t attacked, but I don’t think we have an alliance with them.”

“Thank you for letting me know, Graham,” Ethan says and walks toward the door. He stops when his hand is on the handle and slowly turns his head. His cold blue eyes rake over me, but there are no warm emotions within them—only bitterness. “I will find you after this is over, and you will reject me back.”

With that, Ethan leaves Bar25 by shifting into a large white wolf. It's absolutely huge, with massive white, feathered wings on its back. Is Ethan a hybrid? He must be, but what sort of hybrid has wings?!

When Graham clears his throat, I immediately focus my attention on him.

“It might be best if you went home,” he says, and now that Ethan is gone, people begin moving around us again. “As a newly awakened werewolf, it might be best to stay home for at least a week. Your body is going to go through changes, and I also suggest you find a pack,” his nostrils flare. “You smell like an Alpha that has lost its pack. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.”

I nod my head absentmindedly, still in shock over what just happened. My head is spinning. Not only was I rejected, but my mate is a weird, magical Alpha. Is that why he didn’t want me? Or did he honestly reject me because of my age?

Regardless, it sucks. I'm used to feeling lost and rejected. My family treated me like dirt, but it's a whole new pain having been rejected by your true mate. Tears are prickling behind my eyelids, but I blink them away, not wanting to show any weakness in front of Graham.

"I will go home," I say, my voice surprisingly steady. "Thank you for the advice."

Graham nods his head, but I can tell that he is not convinced. He looks at me with a worried expression, like he knows something that I don't. I shake it off, not wanting to think about it anymore.

I walk out of Bar25 and into the cold night air. The stars are twinkling above me, but all I can think about is Ethan and his rejection. I feel like I've lost a part of myself, like I'm not whole anymore. I don't understand why he would reject me without even giving me a chance.

As I start to walk home, I realize that I don't even know where I'm going. I've lived in this town my whole life, but I've never felt so lost before. I don't have a pack, I don't have a mate, and I don't have a purpose.

My heart feels hollow, and I wander about the city without even looking where I'm going. Somehow, I end up at my apartment. Ryker still isn't at home, and I'm actually grateful because all I want is to be left alone.

I walk into my own bedroom. Ryker isn’t at home, and thank the goddess for that. It would be awkward to share a bed since I have decided to break up with him, but I rather not do that tonight. My head has had enough drama for today, and I close my eyes, exhausted from my inner wolf's awakening. She hasn't spoken to me yet, but I suspect it's going to happen soon. I can feel her presence…

Hours later, I wake up with a start.

“Oh my god, you’re a werewolf!” Ryker shouts.

“You’re so loud…” I mutter and pull my blanket tighter around me. I haven’t got a clue how long I’ve been sleeping, but it's no longer dark outside.

Ryker snorts. “Dude, it's like eleven AM.”

“And?” I blink life into my eyes and then glare at Ryker, who walks over to the window. He pulls open the curtains in a swift motion, and I hiss at both him and the sun. “Why did you do that for?! Pull back the curtain!”

Irritatingly enough, Ryker doesn’t listen to me. In fact, he is positively beaming at me and looking incredibly happy. “I can’t believe you’re a werewolf. This is too good to be true. I thought you were a normal human, but you’re actually a werewolf, just like me!”

Wait, what? Is Ryker a werewolf? I sniff the air for confirmation, and what would you know—my boyfriend is a werewolf too. Not that it changes anything. I still need to break up with him. He isn’t a bad guy. Ryker is actually a sweetheart, but my heart just isn’t in it, especially since I’ve met my true mate.

Ethan rejected me, but I still have hopes for us. I feel like a complete bitch thinking about him, though. Ryker is one of the good ones. I doubt he loves me, though, or he would be more available for dates. He never has any time for me, but that might be a good thing. If he isn’t invested in me, he won’t be sad when I break up with him.

"Listen, Ryker...I've been thinking and—"

"We must visit my dad immediately. I'm not sure why you carry this faint smell of an Alpha, but most of all, you smell like a rogue, and I won't accept that. You can't be a rogue in this city, or you will be eaten alive by one of the wolf packs that are ruling here."

I arch an eyebrow. "There are two wolf packs in this city?"

"Yes, and you should get up," Ryker throws me a shirt and is respectful enough to look away. We haven't had sex, so I'm grateful for that. "Put that on and get into the car."

"The car?!"

"Uh, yes?" Ryker looks at me like I've grown two heads and as if I'm crazy for being confused right now. "If you haven't noticed it yet, we have an emergency on our paws. There is no time to waste! The longer you stay without the pack, the harder it's going to get accepted. After a while, you might go crazy like all the other rogues."

"What do you mean I’m going to go crazy?”

His blue eyes meet mine. "Have your wolf spoken to you yet?"

I shake my head, and Ryker sighs.

"I believe that's because she is confused. Without a pack, a wolf is lost, and we must hurry to make you a member of my pack. So, put on those clothes! Hurry!"

I stumble out of bed. “What makes you so certain the Alpha will accept me?”

At that, Ryker laughs and looks at me with amusement dancing across his face. “Because the Alpha of my pack is my dad, and even though he is a bit grumpy and the scariest Alpha in the country, he will accept you with a little bit of convincing. Trust me.”