The Princess's Unwanted Mate (Book 8 of the Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

2

Axel sat at the breakfast table the next morning staring at his plate as he waited for Gabrielle Remington to make an appearance. She'd leave today, and he had no idea when he'd see her again. He'd fallen in love with her the first time he'd laid eyes on her. But she wasn't his fated and it annoyed him. He had hoped she might take him up on his offer to be his chosen but she had not. He knew he probably shouldn't have even asked her to come to his bed last night. But he also knew more than likely he probably wasn't going to see her again. And he hadn't been able to help himself.

Gabby wasn't overly surprised that Axle was waiting for her when she came down for breakfast. She'd thought about skipping it all together but her growling stomach had changed her mind.

He stood as she approached him and bowed his head. "Good morning, Princess."

"Good morning, Alpha," she greeted him as she sat down next to him.

"How did you sleep?" He asked, flashing her a smile.

"Well, thank you."

"Did you think about my offer?" he asked.

He was persistent. She'd give him that. "I'm choosing to wait for my fated, Alpha."

"Well that's disappointing. But I understand. It's been a pleasure, Princess," he said.

"Thank you for hosting me, Alpha. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to catch a ride back to my plane," she smiled at him.

"I'll take you." He stood.

"Thank you." She stood as well.

Gabby went up and grabbed her bag, then came back down and met him near the front door. He took her bag from her and led her to a nice sedan, opening the door for her before he walked around to the other side.

He was a gentleman, she'd give him that. But she was sure he was also trying to be on his best behavior for her since he wanted her for some reason.

The drive was short, thankfully, and he talked to her a bit about pack business. She didn't really know much about his pack. "Who is your liaison?"

"Caleb Remington," he said. "I've met him, but that was about a year ago and before I was Alpha. I take it you're related to him?"

She laughed. "You could say that."

"What do you mean?"

"He's my father," she said.

"He is? I thought maybe a sibling or something. I don't know enough, I guess." He shook his head. "Wait, does that mean he's the former Alpha King?"

"He is," she confirmed.

"Huh. Okay. I had no idea." He pulled up near her plane and turned to her, then leaned forward and kissed her again. He brushed his tongue against her lips and she opened them, letting him explore her mouth. He wasn't a bad kisser at all, but she just couldn't enjoy it. Not when she knew the man who was probably her mate.

He pulled back and looked at her. "The offer still stands, Gabrielle."

"Why do you want me, Alpha?" she asked him.

His eyes widened a bit at her bluntness. "You're a very beautiful woman. You're kind and.." he shrugged. "There's just something about you."

She stared at him for a long moment. He hadn't said anything about her title at all, which sort of surprised her. "I'll think about it," she said, more out of politeness than anything else.

He nodded and got out of the car, then came around to open her door. He helped her out and grabbed her bag, then walked her over to her plane. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me, Gabrielle."

"Thank you, Alpha." She turned and headed up the steps.

Gabby settled down in her seat and sighed softly. Alpha Axel had been nice and he was very good looking, but he wasn't her mate.

Her life had drastically changed the night of her eighteenth birthday. She'd gone into it not expecting to find her mate. It was so rare that matings take place within her pack, and just as rare for anyone in her family to be mated to another werewolf. Most of her family mated humans.

She also had figured it would be a while. Both her brother and her sister hadn't found their mates until they were over three hundred years old. Gabby was only twenty-two. But the pack had a run of its members finding their mates in their twenties, and she'd hoped to be one of them.

Then the unthinkable had happened.

Her family had thrown her an eighteenth birthday party and she'd been happy to attend. She'd enjoyed it immensely. She loved her family dearly, and was close to them all. But when she'd left that party, her life had drastically changed in a matter of moments.

A scent had caught her attention. A delicious scent that she'd never noticed before. A scent that called to her and her wolf. She'd been helping carry leftover food back to the kitchen when she'd caught it and had slipped out and down the hall, searching for it.

She'd come to a stop outside of a door. The scent wasn't overly strong as the room's owner wasn't there. Not surprising. He wasn't there very often. But knowing who it belonged to had broken her heart, as she'd realized the man she was fated to wouldn't want her.

She'd avoided him for the next five years. She'd never allowed her wolf, Reese to confirm that he was her mate. It kept the bond from setting and her from being consumed with the need to complete the bond with him.

She'd stayed away as much as she could, and had avoided him completely. It wasn't very difficult as he wasn't home much and for almost five years now, she hadn't laid eyes on him. But every time she came into the pack house, she was confronted by his amazing scent. The scent that called to her and her wolf. The scent she tried her hardest to ignore.

She'd changed too, during those five years. She'd gone from being a happy teenager to being a quiet and sullen woman. She hated it. She had a feeling her family knew too, and she would be confronted about it.

But she'd made up her mind. She needed to confront him and reject him. It would be painful, but she needed it to go back to being normal. Her happy self, not this sad woman she'd become, knowing the man she was fated to would never want her, and was out there bedding other women.

She wiped at a tear. It would be painful, but she could get through it. She had to. For her own sanity. And because now, she couldn't avoid him. She would confront him and reject him.

The plane landed, and she grabbed her things and left, walking out into the bright sunshine. Her mother and father were waiting for her and she smiled happily. She'd missed them a great deal.

Gabby hurried down the steps and over to them, hurling herself into their arms. "I've missed you both so much."

"We've missed you too," Charlotte told her. "Glad you're home to stay."

Caleb wrapped an arm around her as they headed towards the vehicle they'd brought. "Welcome home, baby girl."

She hugged him, glad to be there. She was going to need them both before this was all over with. They would help her to pick up the pieces after her rejection. They would keep her going.

She climbed inside the SUV and glanced over at the hangers. All of the planes were there, which meant he was there. She felt her heart drop at the realization. She wasn't going to be able to avoid him much longer.  Hopefully just for tonight.

Caleb pulled up in front of the pack house and parked the SUV. They all got out and he grabbed her bag.

The moment she walked in, she was hit with his scent. It was easily detectable among the other scents and she breathed it in deeply. It was the strongest she'd smelled it in almost five years, and it made her head spin as she took it in.

But she didn't see him, and she followed her parents on the elevator, breathing a small sigh of relief. Her gaze darted to her father and she saw him studying her. She knew he was already suspicious. Caleb Remington was over eight hundred years old, and there wasn't much he missed. She also knew at some point, he was going to ask her about it. She wasn't looking forward to that conversation.