A huge mistake

Tommaso Castello's POV

With intense silence, the brown papers stared at me in mockery. Watching as the pages flip from the wind, I buried myself deeper within my seat. 

My wolf growled in protest, "why did you reject her? She's our mate!"

I ignored him as he clawed against the barrier I had put up to avoid his pestering.

Suddenly, he went quiet. Curious, I pulled down the wall to have him yell. "I warned you against rejecting her for years! I thought I had finally gotten through to you so why did you do it?"

It was starting to hurt. My head ached as he pushed on the barrier, trying to claw his way to the surface, to take over. I held him down, knowing well if he surfaced he'll go after Laurel, my rejected mate and I didn't plan on going back on my word.

Not being able to contain myself, I let out a yell. My head banged hard as he continued to fight me. I slipped out of my seat and on dropped to the white, marble tile. Cocooning with my head in my lap, I yelled at him to quit fighting me. My emotions turned into a mess. I wasn't sure what I was feeling anymore.

Pain? Hurt? Regret?

As my lips parted from the pain, my soon-to-be gamma walked in. He looked concerned when he saw the state I was in. I would too if I saw my soon-to-be alpha on the floor with his head in his hand as his other hand clawed at the walls.

Deciding not to speak on it, he said, "why didn't you close the windows?" He dropped some files and walked over to the window, his large frame blocked the wind before he cut it off entirely by closing the windows.

Walking up to me, he uttered, "these need your signature."

It was awkward for a moment as I still sat on the floor. I saw his hand itch at his side as he clenched it, ignoring the urge to try to help me. I would have snapped if he did. Looking weak was not something I wanted to add to my list right now.

"These need your signature and we are waiting for your word to patrol the north border again. We still haven't found the rogue but his stench proves he's near." He was in his business mood as he started unblinkingly, looking away for some second to not set me off with his unwavering gaze. My wolf wasn't the patient or kind type. He didn't take kindly to threats or in this case, a stare-down that meant a challenge.

"Get the enforcers and patrol the east and west borders. He shouldn't have gotten far."

With those words, I fell back in my chair with a loud sigh. My fingers drummed on the table as I waited for him to leave but he didn't bulge.

"Need anything else?" I urges him to speak up when his lips parted but he went silent again.

"Why did you reject her?"

His words had my eyes snapping to his. "How do you know about that? Was it Laurel? Did she tell you about it?" I had so many questions that I got up in an instant. 

Shaking his head in disapproval, he uttered, "We aren't that close and I always knew she was your mate." He paused, waiting for me to speak and when I didn't, he added. "Why did you do it?"

The silence was awkward. Though he was my gamma, he was two years older. I looked up to him in times of trouble and especially during training. He always looked like he had it all together. I got a little jealous sometimes and even told him about it. He helped me channel my frustrations and now I can say I could take him down. It wouldn't be easy but I could. Having someone in the pack who could beat me was dangerous especially with me taking over the alpha position soon. Seeing him now, in all his glory reminded me I needed to work harder to become the alpha my pack needs. One of the reasons I couldn't mate with Laurel. She would destroy everything I have built till this point.

With a loud sigh, cold, harsh words left my lips. "You've been in this pack for a long time Lorenzo, longer than I have. You know her reputation. She isn't fit to be Luna."

It felt good to finally say that out loud even though it had only been a few hours since the rejection. Maybe talking to him will help convince that little part of me that felt like I'd made a horrible mistake.

Looking at me dead in the eye, he spoke, "the moon goddess doesn't make mistakes. She gave you Laurel for a reason."

"She's a slut for the goddess' sake. I'd be a laughing stock if the word got out. Alpha's meeting will be brutal. The whispering and the laughter, heck one might even feel they could challenge me." I said the words that first came to me when I found out she was my mate. I wish it didn't have to be this way but her reputation will end me. I've trained long and hard to get to where I am right now and the goddess forbids that I'll let an eighteen-year-old destroy the progress I've built.

"She's your best friend's sister. How do you think he'll react when he finds out that his best friend rejected his sister?" Gamma Lorenzo dropped into a seat with a raised brow, his lips remained in a thin line as he glared at me. He thought he had me but I had thought everything through. 

Taking my seat, my knuckles joined together on the table as I muttered, "She won't tell him. I know that."

He gave a mocking chuckle. "What makes you think so? Did she tell you?"

"No, but Laurel has always been a proud woman. Never showed weakness or flaws even when she had bad days."

 "All I hear are reasons why she will be perfect as your mate. I think you've made a huge mistake. What will your father say about this when he finds out? That you rejected his friend's daughter."

Again, the mockery reached my ears. I would have snapped if I didn't need him on my side. I needed someone to tell me I did the right thing. Anyone.

"I plan on keeping my mouth sealed and so does Laurel so I think my secret is safe. Or do you plan on telling him?" My heart was in my mouth as I waited for his response. 

Ignoring my question completely, he asked, "And the elders? You could be stripped from your title if this gets out. I don't think you know how risky this is." He leaned closer to me, keeping his voice low as he tried to make me see reason but I have thought it all through. I've had years to think about everything. My plan was foolproof.

"Accepting Laurel will be just as tough. I'm doing this for the pack. This just makes me right to be alpha."

His hands slammed harshly on the desk as he leaned in, his breath fanned my cheek at how close he was. "No, what the pack needs is a luna and you stripped them of that the second you rejected her."

"I can always pick a luna." I deadpanned as I leaned away from him, showing how serious was.

"I'm not doing this." He got out of his seat and paced around the room. My eyes stayed glued on him, waiting for his next words. "Are you even listening to yourself? Why pick one, and go through the stress of convincing the alpha king when the one right for you is only a few feet away!"

With exhaustion laced in my voice, I decided to put an end to our seemingly endless ranting. "Look, I'm not asking you to take my side here. Just keep everything you know to yourself is all I'm asking."

He wasn't going to take my side. He didn't want to see reason. Everything I was doing was for the good of the pack. I trained for years just to befitting of my post. I wasn't going to let some random girl ruin it all for me, not when I'd gotten this far.

"You are going to regret this."

He was out the door with those few words, slamming it a little harder than necessary. My heart thumped in my chest. I just hoped he wasn't right.