Rejected His Miracle Luna, Fated Her Second Chance Alpha novel Chapter 4

~Dorothy~

“You know each other?” I squeaked, clinging tighter to Ignatius now that Johan’s scent was present and toying with my emotions once again.

Neither responded to my question but instead, Johan stepped closer, reaching for me, stiltedly like he couldn’t control his movements. My internal heartbreak still fresh, I cowered away from him into Ignatious’s chest.

“I’m okay. Really it’s fine.”

I was fighting to keep my tone even but my voice shook slightly.

“Um, Ignatious is just helping me out.”

Ignatius himself seemed confused by the odd interaction between Johan and me, but thankfully he caught on to the fact that the situation was more than uncomfortable. He proceeded to place me gently in the passenger seat and straightened up to face Johan again.

“She was attacked by some students. Gonna take her down to the healer to fix her up.”

Ignatius tried to close the passenger door behind him but Johan put a hand out to stop him. He seemed to be wrestling with himself internally, his shoulders shaking and his hands curling to fists.

“I should… come with you.”

He spoke with uncertainty, most likely his inner-wolf was fighting for its true mate. He stared down at me huddled on the passenger seat, a possessive glint in his previously soft eyes. I shook my head, silently.

The instinctual part of me wanted him to stay close and I didn’t have the strength to tell him no. I glanced at Ignatious - pleading with my eyes for him to handle the situation swiftly. He gave me a small nod and put a warning hand on Johan’s shoulder.

“She’ll be fine, you can visit her later if you need to.”

For a second it looked like Johan would get violent, glancing angrily at the cool hand on his shoulder. Ignatius removed his hand and folded his arms, “Isn’t Mavis going to be wondering where you are?”

This seemed to shake Johan out of his volatile state. He stepped away and allowed Ignatius to close the passenger door. With one final glance in my direction he turned and left, heading back into the college and rubbing an arm over his eyes.

Ignatius stared after him for a while before rounding the car and climbing into the driver's seat.

“Put your seatbelt on.”

It took me a moment or two to realize he was obviously talking to me. I turned my gaze from the window and Johan’s retreating figure to face my new acquaintance.

“Uh, potentially fractured rib cage?”

I didn’t mean for it to sound quite so condescending but the interaction with Johan and my still aching body had left me in a sour mood. Ignatius started the car and pulled out of the parking bay.

“Fair point. Here, for your face.”

He handed me a towel from the back seat and I pressed it to my dripping nose. The rest of the car ride was a silent one, albeit not wholly unpleasant. Ignatius’s scent was as comforting as it was intoxicating.

The salty tint of a sea breeze was detectable even through a nose clogged with blood. He flicked on the radio at some point and I closed my eyes, leaning back in the seat and allowing myself to drift pleasantly into unconsciousness.

~Johan~

Tearing myself from Dorothy had been more difficult than I expected. Walking back into college I made straight for an empty lecture room and slammed the door behind me, harder than I had intended to - the wood splintered slightly and it creaked on its hinges in protest.

Planting my palms on an empty desk I ran through the events of today in my head. I had been able to sense her from the moment I awoke that morning. As much as I had believed I was ready for the mating call, her floral scent was overpowering.

Waiting in the hallway earlier while she hesitated to approach me, I felt as if I was standing in an open field. She smelled of fresh air and sprawling pastures, lavender, and light rain. My inner-wolf craved her as I fought to keep my head down, scanning the notes gripped in my fists without actually reading anything.

I couldn’t keep my eyes from her for long but I was scrambling desperately for the right words to say. I hadn’t expected her to run away, although I couldn’t really blame her.

Standing there and pretending that every cell in my body wasn’t singing for her, I couldn’t have given the best first impression.

Dorothy was perfect though. Talking to her up close - holding her - I could have betrayed Mavis then and there. But we had promised; if Mavis was not my true mate and she wasn’t mine, we would reject our mates and stay together.

A duo for years, we had spoken about this day, even as children. When I was nine I crafted her a ring made of twigs and dandelions and swore that one day I would marry her. I loved Mavis, I always would. I couldn’t abandon her for a mate I had only known for half a day.

And then there was Ignatius. I knew he’d be coming to visit, our fathers had been fast friends for years and Ignatius and I were essentially brothers. Why then would he be hanging around Dorothy? Why would he be holding her? Why was she so eager to go with him?

Furthermore, she’d been bleeding. Did he hurt her? How dare he lay a finger on my mate. Friend or no friend I wouldn’t hesitate to tear him apart if he so much as -

I rubbed my eyes with my index finger and thumb. I had let my inner-wolf dictate my emotions. I felt possessive and infuriated at another man near my true mate. But Dorothy wasn’t mine to possess - I had told her so myself.

Obviously, Ignatius didn’t know about the mating bond, he was just helping out a girl he’d met. And Dorothy had every right to be wary of me, I’d given her nothing but mixed signals and a terrible birthday. I felt torn, tormented. It wasn’t supposed to be this difficult.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding.”

I hadn’t heard anyone enter, but Mavis was standing behind me with folded arms.

She wore a flowing green sundress and a frown on her face. She waltzed up beside me and hoisted herself onto the desk, swinging her legs beneath her.