Four

Gathering every ounce of courage, I stepped away from my hiding spot and walked toward the living room. I wasn’t timid by nature, yet here I was, acting like a nervous schoolgirl.

If I kept behaving this way, Justin would think he had power over me. He was my mate, and my bond with him was undeniable. But I needed to get a grip on myself, to appear calm, not pitiful.

Memories of my past crept into my mind. The image of my ex-boyfriend Alan and my ex-best friend Genevieve flashed before me. They had been seeing each other behind my back, and I had been the last person to find out.

They claimed they’d found out they were mates on Genevieve's eighteenth birthday. All our mutual friends knew before I did, making me look like a complete fool. When I finally discovered their betrayal three years later, during college, I saw them in bed with my own eyes.

I hated the feeling of rejection so much. I needed to show Justin that I could handle myself.

The scent of cedar and rain filled my lungs and caused my wolf to whine inside me. Justin was sitting on the couch and focused on his phone. The casual way he scrolled made me wonder if he had a girlfriend. Perhaps that's why he refused to acknowledge our bond.

His bold eyes raked my skin, promising pleasure, and he set his phone aside. I sucked in air, disturbed by the raw power of my attraction to him

“I’m not sure why I was sent to keep you company, but from how you’re glued to your phone, it looks like you’ve got all the company you need.”

My words cut clean, and though my voice remained calm, I was shaking inside. He flashed me a knowing smile and leaned back.

“Well, that depends on who’s asking. By the way, my previous offer still stands. We could work on loosening up all that stiffness you seem fond of carrying around.”

I felt the heat of lust rising in my chest when he winked suggestively. I swallowed it down, keeping my composure. “I’m far too old for those childish games. I’m not one of those naive girls who rip off their panties the moment you flash them a smile. If you want me, try doing it properly—like a real man would.”

Justin’s smirk deepened.“I don’t fuck teenagers; that would be predatory. You can’t be older than 25. That's just the right age.”

I moved to the far end of the room and sat on the couch, keeping a distance between us. My body remained tense, but I kept my head high, determined to show him I wouldn’t be intimidated.

I was so close to asking why he acted like the bond didn’t exist. But before I could gather the courage, his phone beeped, drawing his attention. He glanced at the screen with a frown as though whatever he read displeased him. He dropped the phone on the table with an audible sigh.

"You and your family can’t stand being around werewolves, yet here you are. Was booking a hotel not an option for you?”

As if he suddenly remembered I was still in the room, his eyes traveled down to my thighs before a smug smirk played at the corners of his mouth.

“Let’s say I wanted you in my bed tonight.What would it cost me?” His words were a challenge, laced with arrogance.

"Just the night?"

"He scoffed, leaning back with a smirk. 'Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not that special."

His words stung, but I swallowed the pain and forced myself to respond calmly. "Some werewolves bring more value than the pretty, empty-headed Lycans you seem to prefer."

“You might be right," he admitted. "But your father is the king of airheads. No offense."

I glanced toward the dining room, where my dad was still laughing loudly. "None taken," I mumbled to myself.

Justin’s attention shifted back to his phone. He seemed more interested in whatever was on the screen than our conversation, yet I couldn’t stop watching him. The bond made it unbearable to be near him, especially when he acted like this. I was close to blurting everything and forcing him to acknowledge the truth. But I held back.

"Maybe I can show you the beauty of the grounds," I suggested. "We can shift into our wolf forms if you want.”

The arrogant glint in his eyes vanished, replaced by something I couldn’t place.

His phone beeped again, this time with an incoming call. My ears sharpened, picking up every word of his heated conversation.

"What do you want?" Justin snapped. I felt a strange pull as if his anger had latched onto me. It was crazy how much his mood affected me.

For someone I had labeled as a carefree womanizer, someone who seemed uninterested in anything serious, his temper told a different story.

"I asked you not to come. We'll be back in the pack first thing in the morning," he growled into the phone. "Why are you so stubborn?"

The back-and-forth between him and whoever was on the other end of the line was intense, and I could tell the person wasn’t backing down. He ended the call abruptly when his mom walked toward us.

"Son, why have you been keeping Wendy away from us? Our hosts assured me there’s plenty of room. You should know better and always make an effort to please your fiancée."

It felt like someone had driven a knife straight through my chest, twisting it until I could barely breathe. My mind pieced together the puzzle, and the answer was devastating. This was why he hadn't acknowledged me or even tried to explain.

I wanted to scream, cry, or run as far away as possible, but I stood rooted in place. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole to spare me from this humiliation.

The rejection cut deeper than anything I had ever experienced. It wasn’t just that he didn’t want me. It was that he didn't care.