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34. Compromise, or no?
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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I Reject You, Mate 35. Grey
GinevraThe wedding's tomorrow.I've been locked up in Alaric's home for two days. He has my foot chained to his bed, and my hands cuffed apart.Why?Because the moment I'd awoken to him trying to touch me, I fought like a cornered animal, desperate to rip him apart.I'm only let out of the chains when I need to attend to my needs, and even then, on the first day, I tried more times than I can remember to jump through the window, after knocking out the guards he'd sent to watch me.It had earned me being thrown into his room with windows too little for even my arm to go through, and shorter chains.But that was a day ago, before he'd returned with the news of Sinclair's death. I didn't want to believe him, until he'd dumped Sinclair's bloodied shirt in my bed as a souvenir. At first, I'd been consumed by hysteria and grief. I'd screamed for hours until I'd lost my voice, cursing my existence, making demands that he kill me so I could die as well.I didn't think I cared enough,
I Reject You, Mate 36. Astrid's Plan
I stare at nothing in particular as my father and Alaric make arrangements for tomorrow. My fingers are folded neatly in my lap, a picture of subservience. My gaze drifts between the Lycan King Fenrir, and Alaric. I wonder which of them is the lesser evil.Alaric who ruined my life, or the King who would have forced his son spend the rest of his life with a woman he didn’t love. Said woman is me. Rune, my ex, is the Lycan King’s son, and the only heir to the throne. We might have married, were it not for Rune’s last minute epiphany to dump me at the altar.I wonder what it would have been like to take Sinclair down my horrible memory lane while he held me against his chest. Would he have kissed my cheek and promised to love me like no one else could?I guess I’ll never find out.A tear drops on my finger, startling me, and I wipe at my cheek swiftly to hide it. Someone extends me a tissue and I find Astrid peering down at me with worry in her eyes. “Need to talk?”I glance at Alaric t
I Reject You, Mate 37. Thwarted
GinAstrid comes for me a little after midnight, sneaking into my room with the stealth of a phantom thief. It makes me wonder just how many times she's done this.She tosses me a cloak and gently pushes the window open, her gaze scanning the darkness beyond. "I'll go ahead, scout the area, and signal with a rock if it's safe."I nod and Before she could leap out the window, I grabbed her arm, giving it a slight squeeze. "Thank you."A rare smile tugs at the corner of her lips, and a glint of silver dances in her blue eyes. "Don't go soft on me, Gin. This doesn't mean I like you."My lips twitch. "Likewise."Covering her flaming red hair with a black hood, she leaps out the window, dropping graceful, without a sound. She disappears into the night and I lean against the window, heart thundering in my chest as I anxiously wait for her signal.My eyes scans the darkness outside, searching for any sign of Astrid. Each passing second feels like an eternity as I strain to catch a glimp
I Reject You, Mate 38. Portal
*Sinclair* "Why the hell did you bring her?" My voice rumbles low, irritation etched into every syllable, as I keep a watchful eye on Ray Williams, whose incessant phone calls grate on my nerves. "She's been worried sick about Gin. I couldn't say no." I growl again. The fewer people involved, the smoother this operation will be. I had intended to go solo, but Dane insisted Ethan accompany me. He wants Ethan and I to mend our broken relationship over a trip to hell knows where. Laughable. "Could've and should've, but you didn't," I mutter, my gaze flicking briefly to Ray, who's managing to drive me even closer to the edge of my patience. "Just make sure she keeps quiet, or I'll toss you both out of this damn car." Ethan's expression twists into a sneer and yellow flashes in his eyes. "Just try." My responding smile is malicious. "You know I've been dying to." His jaw tightens and before he can respond, his phone beeps. He checks
I Reject You, Mate 39. Sacrifice
*Sinclair*My father left when I was fifteen. His presence before than was fleeting. He'd disappear for weeks, sometimes months, without a word about his whereabouts.And when he came around, it only lasted for a few hours. That was how long they allowed visitors in the boarding school.His name? I never bothered to ask, never had enough curiousity to ponder on it either. Too happy that he even graced me with his presence, I would forget to ask the important questions.I'd only noticed he was truly gone when he'd stopped visiting. I'd found out some time later that he'd left me behind a fortune and a letter.I'd been more interested in the letter, having been a fool of a boy who yearned to be acknowledged by the only man he ever truly admired.But my father's letter only had one sentence scrawled on it. *Live, Norman.*"We're going around in circles," Naomi remarks, pulling me out of memory lane. She casts a pointed look at a mark she'd etched onto a tree an hour ago.Ray plops down o
I Reject You, Mate 40. Wedding
GinevraI look pretty.But I can't stop sobbing.I think of Astrid and I wonder how she's faring. How long she'll be unconscious for. Possibly through the entire wedding.It doesn't matter though. When I refused to get dressed this morning, Alaric came into my room with a threat. Ithaca, was it? Do not forget that all that's needed to have your human friend and her family killed is a message from me.Those words were more than enough to compel me into the bath tub and into this dress that hangs loosely on me. I've lost a considerable amount of weight in the past couple of days; it's a wonder the dress even stays up at all.My father's fingers dig into my arm as we we approach the grand entrance of the hall. "Smile, Ginevra. This isn't a funeral."I turned to him, my voice trembling. "It might as well be, Father." I pause, unable to stop the tears that well up. "Why do you hate me so?"He stiffens, eyes turning cold. "Stop talking nonsense. I don't hate you.""Is it because I look
I Reject You, Mate 41. Bullets
Huh. Father, Sinclair had called the Lycan King. I'm looking between them, noting the differences and similarities. Lycan King Fenrir has moon-white hair with green eyes that indicate the royal line. Sinclair has none of that, but the facial structure and expressions... it's like watching two opposites mirror each other. The stoic demeanor, the chilling, piercing stare, the overconfident poise, and most of all, the arrogant strut of a man who knows he owns the place. Yes. Sinclair's walking over to the dais, and the anger in his eyes has nothing to do with me or Alaric. At least, not yet. He's so angry, the aura in the hall has turned...red and hot. Fierce like a burning furnace. I gape at him. I've seen so many sides to him, but never this. Never this brooding, powerful male who could crush anything that stood in his path. I take a step forward, fingers twitching with the need to touch him. "Fenrir," Queen Zephyr breathes, rising fro
I Reject You, Mate 42. Home
Ginevra"I thought you said he died!" Astrid squeals, her gaze darting back to Sinclair. He's locked in deep conversation with Ethan and Naomi while we wait for the portal behind the castle to be prepared for use. Sinclair had whisked me out of the hall, only to return and demand from Queen Zephyr and Rune, Where's the damn portal in this place?Rune had responded with a grunt, but Queen Zephyr had been far more obliging, telling him it was behind the castle, but needed some time to be prepared."Turns out Alaric's a horrible liar," I mutter, glancing towards my father. He's conversing with King Fenrir, making requests to have Sinclair detained for what he did. But King Fenrir has other things to worry about. Like a son whose sudden appearance just made his life complicated. Like the council now questioning whether Sinclair's claim is valid and there's talk of a duel to determine the rightful heir. Like Queen Zephyr's silent rage. Like the disbelief and hurt shimmering in Ru
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I Reject You, Mate 79. Epilogue
NAOMIIt is indeed amusing, more so than I thought it would be.Dane would laugh his head off if he saw me right now, carrying a backpack, strutting down a hallway filled with women who stare at me with wide eyes and men who whistle unabashedly. I know, I look good in leather.I halt by a huge door, peering up at a sentinel who has the sternest stare. “Hello, love. Would you mind opening up for me? I have an appointment with your…principal?”His gaze rakes me from head to toe and rises back again. “Chancellor Vesper,” he mouths slowly, like he’s talking to a kid, and I can’t help the faint smile that blooms across my lips at the notion. The male turns around, and I whistle at how nice his ass looks in uniform. Stepping foot into this land has brought me across the finest specimens I’ve ever seen. There is no end to them. None at all. I step out of my allotted room in castle—hot guards. I walk the streets of Lycanthia—extremely hot villagers. I walk into school—stunning, beautiful and
I Reject You, Mate 78. It's Not Mine, I Swear
It’s not mine, I swear.“I’m sorry,” my husband apologizes for the umpteenth time, dropping a kiss to the curve of my mouth. It’d almost been a mishap. Almost. Had Ethan not swooped in with rings that I’m pretty sure were new; rings I didn’t choose. As if he somehow knew Sinclair was going to lose them, like he did during his wedding with Eliana. I currently have a fucking plan B on my ring finger and the more I look at the more I want to smack him.I purse my lips, refusing to speak to him. I’m not particularly mad, but how does a man forget his own damned wedding rings? Okay, maybe I’m a little irked, and plenty disappointed.Grasping his cool hands tightly, I let him spin me across the floors in an elaborate sweep than earns cheers and I blush, smiling at a clapping Ray. “I’ll murder you later,” I tell Sinclair and Dane chokes on his wine somewhere in the gathering.“I look forward to what method you’ll chose. Your hands are much too small to strangle me. You love me too much to p
I Reject You, Mate 77. Wedding
Three Months Later…GinevraMy fingers are sweaty around Rune’s arm, and my steps are slow, a complete contrast to my racing heartbeat. I cannot, for the life of me, contain my excitement and anxiety. My breaths are shallow, and I can’t get enough air in my lungs.Rune’s larger hand lands on mine, and I glance up, looking through the veil. His green eyes smile as he pats down gently. “Think of tonight. It’ll help.”Tonight. Butterflies scatter in my stomach. It’s not like it’s going to be my first night with Sinclair, but it is my wedding night after all. The first night I’ll spend as Mrs. Winchester. My toes curl in my heels at the thought of it, and maybe, just maybe I start walking a little faster to get it over with.I grin widely as Ethan, dressed in a black tuxedo, gives the huge door a large push and it parts wide enough to reveal the floral petal pathway. Rune takes the first step up, and I follow, blowing a playful kiss at Ethan, whose lips tilt up into a small smile.As I st
I Reject You, Mate 76. Forty Human Years
Fenrir Leaning against the wall, he overlooked the gardens where his mate knelt, tending to the flowers with her bare hands. Her light hair brushed over her cheek and she pushed it back, smearing mud on her porcelain skin. Her eyes were the brightest he’d seen them in days, and he wished he could take her with him.It was for her, after all, that he was doing this for. He would right the only wrong he had done in his life. He would return to the past, and ensure he never even met with the boy’s mother.But Fenrir knew there were consequences and sacrifices to be made if he was going to toy with time. Nothing as drastic as losing his life, but he truly did wonder if the world might have been a better place without him. An awful thought. If he didn’t exist, Hekate wouldn’t have been reborn into Rune’s body and the problem with the Void would never have been resolved. Zephyr would have been mated to some lord who didn’t understand her meek, yet wild nature and desires. The world was
I Reject You, Mate 75. Ginevra
GinevraSinclair bounces the Viper into the driveway later in the afternoon. He kills the engine and I wipe a stray tear from my cheek before he can notice.I reach for the doorknob, but he’s already walking around the car to get it for me. I try to get out on my own, but my feet won’t hold me up. I’m exhausted. Recovering, but still very tired. The physician said the poison was completely gone and a few days of rest would be enough to get me back on my feet. He had insisted that I still stay, but I couldn’t stand being at the castle anymore.“Let me,” Sinclair says softly, hands sliding under my knees as he lifts me up. His face has a nasty grimace when he glances up. “I’m afraid we have guests.”I follow his gaze to the familiar cars parked around the yard and I smile a little. “They must’ve missed you.”“We very well know they’re just busybodies,” he mutters, carrying me inside. “I’ll get the urn when—”“Leave it there,” I whisper, closing my eyes to push another onslaught of tears
I Reject You, Mate 74. Son To Father
SinclairHe walks around his desk, red robe flowing behind him, and he walks past without looking at me. At the last second, he says, "Walk with me, Norman."Norman. The impulse to rip his skin off his bones pounds through me, but I know it'll get me nowhere. I push off the door, trailing behind him slowly as he walks, hand folded behind his back.The silence stretches on for some time before he stops before a huge black door, pressing his palm against it. The door shudders and slides open, revealing a vast orchard. I hesitate at the threshold, but the king continues on, robe dragging across the grass. "If I planned on killing you, you'd be dead already, boy.""You call me boy one more time, I'll kill you," I promise, following behind him.The door shuts with a loud boom and he turns to me. "Give it a try. You know you want to."His eyes taunt me. Try, if you dare, they seem to say. I don't do well with threats or challenges. I lunge for him, my fist connecting with his jaw. The secon
I Reject You, Mate 73. Father To Son
Sinclair“I’ve gotten most of it out, but I’d need to administer the antidote over the next few days. I’d advise you remained at the castle for the time being, lest her condition deteriorates.”“You’re welcome to stay,” the man who I will not call my half-brother says behind me softly, and I ignore him, watching Gin shiver and sob in her sleep. I had barely stepped out of the hall when her body began to spasm in my hands.A quick inspection, and the wound from the arrow stabbed into her shoulder had turned black. Poison. It’d explain why her father died so quickly. An arrow I assume was meant for me.Naomi fidgets by the door, rattling off something to Astrid, even as her gaze keeps darting back to Ginevra. She feels guilty, and that’s a first for Naomi who doesn’t give two fucks about anything or any one else. She talks a lot when she’s nervous, and scared, and right now, even I am frightened. For Gin. She’ll recover from the poison, but I’d never seen her so…lost.A guard suddenly a
I Reject You, Mate 72. Her Kill
The seconds blend together and I’m there, beside my father, unable to breathe, to think a way out—Father’s form begins to morph, crumple, as he shifts. I look up, and the physician is a few feet away, but even I know an arrow in the throat is as fatal as a severed head. Still, I wail and plead. Anything to get it out, anything to get the wound to heal—because it’s not. It’s turning black instead, and it’s spreading so fast, I’m scared to blink, or I’ll lose time again.Father’s eyes, now back to being blue, shift to mine, and for the first time in so many years, I see clarity in them. He starts to talk but blood sputters from his lips, and I place my hands on either of his cheeks. “No, don’t…don’t try to speak.”I feel wet, warm hands on mine, and I look down to see him grasping my fingers tightly. It is odd. It’s been so long, I no longer know what his warm touch feels like, and though it is foreign, I tighten my fingers around his hand, unwilling to let go.In the moments when some
I Reject You, Mate 71. Hell
The air lightens, for everyone else but me. I am bound by his order, and I watch in horror as Sinclair, free once again, tries to grab me. But I suddenly feel invisible fingers around my neck, choking me. I grab my neck, gasping for breath, and Sinclair halts, snarling at King Fenrir. "Let her go!"King Fenrir leans back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee. "Get in the ring then." He looks back at Astrid and Naomi. "Try anything funny, and I'll snap her neck." He snaps his fingers and my head starts to move in the wrong direction. "It's really that easy."Growling, turns in the opposite direction and pulls a sword out of a guard's hostler and he's in the ring before my neck can actually snap.The king's hold on me lessens enough to turn my head forward and watch them and I exhale deeply, breathing hard and sobbing.An elder I recognize--I'm too shaken up to remember what the fuck his name is--starts rambling off the rules that no one ever adheres to. I try reaching Sinclai
