Rejecting the Alpha

Gavriel - This was written in response to requests from readers for his POV. It’s not necessary to read it unless you want to.

Levenia walked into my office, hips swinging, eyes flicking to meet mine before turning them down respectfully. "Hello, Alpha."

She sashayed forward since I didn't stop her. I could smell her attraction, and I contemplated whether I had any interest in her tonight.

I was not blind to her intentions. She lusted after power more than she lusted after me, if the two could even be separated. She wanted me to make her my chosen luna. I would have long ago, if she had only proven her ability to bear Stonemason an heir. I'd had her more times than I could remember, but each time had resulted in failure. My time would be truly better spent looking for new females to see if they were better able to bear my seed.

My mate had been perfect in that regard. Her fertility had been proven in that she had so quickly conceived. If only she had not been so unpredictable and forced me to release her, she would have been able to bear me many pups.

While I could not understand the chaos that motivated her, I did recognize her anger and disappointment at losing our offspring. I too had not been pleased by the setback. That pup had been carrying the weight of the future of Stonemason on his shoulders. It was a mistake, although the way she clung to those overwhelming emotions mystified me. Fixating on former events was of no benefit to what needed to be done in the present and for the future.

Her little stunt had caught me off guard and now she was gone. I did want her back to soothe the irritating ache of my chest, but her tantrums weren't good for Stonemason.

Perhaps I should have let her kill herself to save me the trouble of dealing with her. But I found I could not allow it because the idea caused a deep pain in my chest. After she left, I'd sent trackers out after her, but my mate had hidden her trail well. I couldn't leave Stonemason unguarded to search for her myself.

Therefore, I needed to find another way to produce an heir, which brought me back to Levenia. She was waiting to see if I would use her. My eyes wandered along her curvy form, and I decided that it was worth another try since she was so conveniently presenting herself to me. And if nothing else, she was useful for ridding myself of my physical urges. I looked at her voluptuous body and she preened under my attention.

I was getting older and the day would come when I would be too weak to be good for Stonemason like my father before me. Tonight I would use Levenia and tomorrow I would search for new unmated fertile females. Preferably pliable females who would not cause Stonemason difficulty with their irrational behaviours. It was problematic that I could likely bring no female besides my own mate into heat. Even with marked chosen mates, the heats—if they came at all—were sporadic and less effective. And that was what I truly needed, a female ready to conceive. It was inconvenient.

Perhaps I would have to look to the mated females. Pursuing mated females would cause contention in my ranks from their mates, so it was a last resort. Payment, or an alpha command, might be enough to quiet the dissension, if it came to that. If so I would have to proceed carefully, because my forces needed to remain united while threats loomed all around. My weak father had been right about that, at least. Stonemason needed to remain strong.

Annoyingly we'd had several inquiries about the Glenhaven issue from Alpha Assembly agents, but I had refused them entry. And what could the Alpha Assembly do against us? Stonemason was one of the strongest packs on the continent and the other alphas knew that and feared me, as they should. We weren't invincible, but the others would pay dearly in blood if they wished to harm Stonemason. Anyone who threatened my pack, be it Glenhaven, vampires, or even that meddlesome Alpha Assembly, would pay.

But those threats would be dealt with when and if they arrived. I had other needs at the moment. "Come here," I commanded her and she came readily enough. I had always liked the feel of her body, but since I had found my mate I couldn't help but find her lacking, and more than just her deficient fertility.

She came forward and presented her back to me. I unzipped her dress, and pushed it off her shoulders and down her body. I pulled her underwear off, and she was already wet, even though I had barely touched her, so pleased was she to be fucked by me. Why hadn't my mate been so accommodating? She was mine, but her reluctance had simmered under the surface no matter what concessions I made. Even when I had believed her to be finally submitting to her rightful place, it had been nothing but a ruse to aid her treason.

I growled at the memory of the way she had distracted me with her tempting body to gain access through my security to undermine my orders.

Then there was this female, and others like her, who was not mine, yet she would give herself to me so readily to gain power and influence. Why had my mate not understood what would be hers in return only for compliance?

Still, the thought of my mate, even in her treachery and inconvenient hesitancy, hardened my cock, so I unfastened my pants and pushed Levenia against the desk. She made a pleased sound as I fit myself between her legs, and I pushed into her tight cunt, imagining that she was my mate with each deep thrust.

Balls deep in the female before me, a pain slammed my abdomen. I cursed and pulled out of Levenia and she whimpered her disappointment. I ignored her protest and moved away from her.

"Alpha?"

Had I pulled a muscle? Unlikely.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

Another pain ran through me. This was no pulled muscle. This was...

My mate?

Realization hit me like a physical blow. My mate was with someone else. My chest felt heavy and painful, like the muscle inside wasn't functioning properly.

Levenia was still babbling. "Alpha, please, I—"

"Get out," I snapped, another pain wracking through me.

"I—"

I growled, and she squealed in fear and rushed from the room. I punched my desk. The pain in my fist was a small respite from the inexplicable hollow pain in my chest, so I did it again, harder, leaving a crack in the wood. Again and again I assaulted the wood, then I threw the whole thing at the wall, everything left on the desk scattering across the floor.

The whole time I raged, both pains became deeper and sharper, and I hated the unknown male who had put his hands on what was mine. Was she in heat? That heat belonged to me. Her body belonged to me. Her subservience belonged to me. Her life belonged to me. She was mine.

I threw the chair across the room, pushed over book shelves, the contents scattering under my stomping feet.

I should never have let her go. I should have killed her myself before I let her leave.

But no.

This time, when I got her back, there would be no negotiating, no giving in to her demands. I would bind her to me using any leverage I could. If she wouldn't cooperate I would lock her in a room where she couldn't hurt herself and she could never leave me again.

I was going to find her.