The Alpha's Other Woman

8 Bitterly

Carrie

It was a long moment before I could process what Dane had said.

He had found his mate.

His true mate.

My heart clutched tightly in my chest. "What does that mean?" I asked, even though, deep down, I already knew.

He raked his fingers through his hair. "She's my mate."

Somewhere under all my pain and panic, sparked the first touch of anger. I was so confused. "I'm your mate. Your chosen mate."

He shook his head. "Not anymore. I'm sorry. I can't—"

"You can't what, keep to your word? You asked me to marry you the night before last! You said you loved me. Were you lying that whole time?" This couldn't be true.

"I did, Carrie, but now... I just can't."

I should have kept a reign on my anger, but my only other choice was to break down into tears and my wolf was pushing me with her own anger. Dane might not be my true mate, but he was her territory. "So, what would have happened if you found her in two years after we were married, or when our pups were ten? Would you have just thrown me to the side, then, too?"

"Of course not! It would have been different once we marked each other," he said defensively, not meeting my eyes.

"Would it? Then mark me now," I challenged him. I had been so patient, waiting for him to be ready, and finally I had thought I was going to have forever with the man I loved.

"I can't." He was like an immovable wall.

"Can't? Or won't?"

"Won't," he said, and he cupped his forehead with his hands as if he were getting one of his headaches. I used to feel sympathy for him when he got them, but I was cold now.

"Won't?" I whimpered.

"I don't want to anymore. You don't know what it's like, Carrie. I can't want you anymore."

The words were like knives.

"But you promised..."

"I was wrong."

I couldn't think of anything else to say to him.

He stood up abruptly. "I'm going to bring her here in a few days, so I need you out of my room as soon as possible."

My room. It used to be our room such a short time ago. I felt tears begin to prick at the corners of my eyes.

"Carrie, I'm sorry," he said, and he left as abruptly as he came.

—————

I cried on top of my desk until there were no more left for me to shed. I felt so broken, and so incredibly foolish.

This was what everyone had warned me about, and I had ignored them. It hadn't mattered when it had been Dane and I up against the naysayers, it had brought us closer together, but now it was only me. I was alone.

I didn't want to leave the room, but his words had clearly been an order from my alpha, not a suggestion from my chosen mate. My ex-chosen mate, I corrected bitterly.

The worst was, I still loved him under all my misery. If he suddenly changed his mind, I would absolutely abandon my pride and forgive it all.

My wolf was upset. I imagined it was not as bad as it would be to be rejected by my true mate, but she was hurting. She had grown attached to Dane and his wolf and this dismissal hurt her, too. I would go for a run after I moved my things.