Rejected, Loved, Mated

Chapter Five: Time

Jasper's POV.....

I smiled as I walked down the steps from Lena's apartment. She kissed me, I thought happily, getting into my car. Dylan was excitedly yapping away in my head about how amazing she was. I couldn't even concentrate on him because I was lost in my own thoughts about her.

My phone buzzed in the cup holder where I had left it and I looked down to see multiple messages from Jason, Jacob, Bethany and my dad. I really should have probably stayed at home and been more of a host to my guest. Two days ago we had another pack come in that was looking at some land close to ours. My father had known their old Alpha so I told them they could stay with us while they were in town. I hadn't seen much of them, though, I had spent as much time as I could with Lena despite their arrival. I wasn't going to give up the time I had.

I sighed down at my phone and pulled out of the lot, heading back to the pack house to deal with my sham of a life. I had been going along to get along for far too long and I was done doing it. I needed to make some kind of change and I was starting to think that change needed to come sooner rather than later. The longer I waited, the smaller my chances were getting at making things work with Lena and I was starting to realize just how much I wanted that.

I had wanted to protect her before, from those who wouldn't want us together, but now I knew I didn't need that. I was strong enough to be with her and buffer whatever might come to her. More importantly, she was strong enough to handle it.

Every day I spent watching over her and talking to her when she took her breaks, she showed me her strength. I looked at her and saw a strong woman making a way for herself in life despite her challenges. She could have chosen so many times to lie down and let life crush her but she fought back and she was winning. I wanted to be the kind of man that was worthy of her, the type of man she could love, the type of man that was capable of loving her the way she needed to be loved.

Every second I was in her presence, I fell more and more in love with her and she hadn't done anything more than been friendly to me. She pushed me to be a better man and, at the end of the day, I think that's what the best women do. The best women in the world don't break down men but make the men around them want to be better because of how amazing they are, because of how much those men want to be with them.

I drove back to the pack house, still smiling as I pulled into the garage that we had reserved for the Alpha's cars. I knew first thing needed to be first, I needed to stop at my office and finish the work I had there. Lena always talked about work coming first after her schooling and I knew she would be proud of my working on all the work that I had left undone.

I worked my fingers to the bone, going through stack after stack of work then emails. When I finally finished, it was three in the morning and I was bone tired but I was accomplished. I couldn't wait to make it to Ricardo's and tell Lena about everything. God, I sound so stupid. I thought, rubbing my eyes on my way up the stairs to my bedroom. I yawned, opening my door and stopping dead in my tracks.

The couple on the bed didn't stop at my entrance, just kept moving their naked bodies together, their moans riveting in the room. I felt a weird combination of disgust and strong relief watching them. I had already planned on growing a pair and ending things with Bethany but this was perfect. On top of all the lovely reasons I had for ending it, this was just going to be the icing on top of the cake. Before I could stop myself, a hysterical laugh bubbled up and spilled out of my mouth, finally breaking into their little world. Bethany's eyes snapped to me and she pushed the guy off of her, throwing on a robe and rushing to me.

"Baby, it's not what it looks like." She rushed out, grabbing my arm.

I just continued to laugh, cackling so hard that people came from all over the house to see what was going on. The guy, a member of our guest pack, hurriedly pulled on some pants and tried to rush out of the room before his Alpha came but it was too late.

"I'll deal with you later." Cory Lattimore, the Alpha of the Red Fang Pack and my guest for the last two days, muttered menacingly. "Jasper, I apologize for my pack member's disrespect. I'll ensure that he's taken care of." He promise but I was too far gone. I had fallen to my knees I was laughing so hard. Everything was just too perfect and this was just too hilarious, mostly because of the irony. "I think you might want to call the pack doctor, he seems to have lost his mind." Cory whispered to somebody next to him.

"No." I laughed, trying to stop myself and failing miserably. "Oh, come on, guys. This is hilarious!" I laughed harder, wiping my eyes which had teared up. Finally, after a few more cackles, I finally stopped laughing. "I'm sorry but that was just fuckin' hilarious for me." I apologized to the audience that had accumulated then sighed. "We're over." I said to Bethany. "Get your stuff and get out of my room." I turned to the group, "Somebody get me a new bed and burn that one." I paused. "As a matter of fact, bonfire tonight out back. We'll be burning my bed and roasting marshmallows." I yelled on my way done the stairs.

I grabbed my keys and hopped into my car, rushing down the highway. Lena's apartment complex came into view and I parked, pausing only to turn off my phone. It was time that I went after what I wanted and I wasn't waiting anymore. I was on my way up the steps when I heard the unmistakable sound of Lena screaming and I ran up the remaining stairs.