Chapter 21

"Get off of me!" I screamed as I thrashed around in his arms.

"Relax!" He whisper yelled.

"Let me go!" I screamed in Richard's face as he tightened his grip on

me.

"I just want to talk. Relax and I'll let you go." Richard whispered into my

ear and I couldn't help but shiver when his lips lightly grazed my mark.

It sent me straight to Cloud 1 0.

I growled softly to myself for that moment and weakness and stopped

my violent movements.

As promised, Richard's hands slowly loosened from their grasp on me

and I jumped away from him to put space between us.

"Why are you here? I thought you were locked away."

Richard stuffed his hands into his coat pocket and stared at me intently.

"I was released.”

My eyes widened in shock.

"By who?"

He shrugged and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"I don't know. A guard came in and told me I could leave. I came back

here for my clothes and to speak to you.”

"Well I want nothing to do with you quite frankly so you can take your

shit and leave." I said calmly but really I was fuming on the inside. I

don't know but seeing him in front of me right now was both relieving

and pissing me off.

"Danica please. I came here for a reason.” Richard pleaded with e and I

sighed.

"What do you want?"

Richard leaned off the counter and walked up in front of me. I backed

away until my back was against the wall and Richard towered above

me. His finger caressed my cheek and I fought with myself to push him

away but I just couldn't. He looked straight into my eyes and I noticed

his eyes looked down, sad like. He took a deep breath then spoke and

the words he said were not the words I expected to hear in a million

years.

Aiden’'s POV

"Mom please, stop." I pleaded with my mother as I walked around the

kitchen island in circles with my fingers in my ears.

"When you going to find your mate and bring me some grand babies?

I'm not getting any younger Aiden.” She ranted.

"Why don't you bother Kaden with this stuff!” I groaned in annoyance

and banged my head once on the counter top. Thank God for being a

werewolf or that would hurt.

"He isn't he-"

"Mom! Is Aiden her-Oh there you are. Aiden, my office please.” Kaden

said as soon as he bursted into the kitchen with an already pissed off

look on his face.

"Kaden!" Mom yelled with narrowed eyes,"Is that how you greet your

family?"

Kaden's eyes shifted to mom's and the hard look he came in with

seemed to have melted away in an instant. No matter how bad he

portrays to be, he has always had a soft spot for our mom.

"Hey momma." Kaden said with a smile and his hands wrapped around

mom in an embrace.

I made a gagging noise and Kaden growled, releasing mom from the

hug.

"We need to talk."

"Oh no. You can talk right here. We don't have sound proof walls for

nothing. Besides, you guys never let me in on anything.” Mom pouted

and I couldn't help but laugh while on the other hand Kaden was

serious as hell.

"Who is it Aiden?" Kaden growled to me and I grabbed my coke I was

drinking earlier and sipped it.

"Who is who?" I asked and he scoffed.

"Are you two really the leaders of my pack?” Mom asked as she rubbed

her forehead, "you both are so childish. Aiden, just tell him you brought

your girlfriend here.”

I choked on my drink as I stared wide eyed at my mother.

"Girlfriend?" Kaden questioned.

"She isn't my girlfriend! Jesus mom." I exclaimed and she stuck her

tongue out at me.

"And I'm the childish one.” I said with a roll of my eyes.

"Then why did she smell like that?" I heard Kaden whisper as he stared

at the floor in a dazed way.

"What's this smell you keep going on about?" I asked.

His head went up and he shook his head.

"Nothing. Forget it."

The front door suddenly slammed shut and Kaden stood in an attack

stance in front of mom and I was ready to shift.

One of our guards, Wade burst into the kitchen with his head bowed.

"I apologize for disturbing your home Luna.” He said, referring to my

mom as Luna. She may not be the present Luna but she is still

considered as so since Kaden's mate passed

"But I needed to speak with the Alpha urgently and he was unavailable

through link."

"Get on it with it.” Kaden and I said at the same time and I snapped my

fingers

"You owe me a coke" I said with a smile and he rolled his eyes.

"Richard Blaize has escaped.” Wade said.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE ESCAPED?" Kaden bellowed and I cleared

my throat. All heads snapped my direction.

"He didn't escape” I began, "I let him go."

"WHAT THE-" Kaden started but I cut him off.

"Now now! I had good reason and I have trackers keeping an eye on

him." I finished then downed the rest of my Coke.

"I'm done." Mom said and walked out of the kitchen with her hands up.

"And what reason is that? That extremely important reason that you

went ahead and made a decision like that WITHOUT MY authorization.”

My brother seethed with anger.

"You'll find out soon.” I said with surety.

Danica's POV

"I'm here to accept your rejection.” Richard said and I swear my heart

stopped.

"You're kidding." I said and he shook his head slowly then took a step

back away from me.

"I've thought a lot Danica and thinking was something I haven't been

doing enough. You deserve to be happy but your happiness won't

come with me. We might be mates but you are beyond me so I'm

giving you a chance to live your life and I can only hope one day you

actually forgive me and maybe I can be a part of it."

I stood there in utter silence at his speech. Holy shit he wasn't kidding.

He's going to go through with the rejection.

Richard reached over by the sink and grabbed a knife. He sliced his

palm swiftly without a wince and handed it to me.

"Here."

I hesitantly took it and lingered with the knife on my palm. What is

wrong with me? This is what I want. Is it? He's right. I can't find

happiness with him. Come on Danica, come on.

I sliced my palm with the knife and let it drop to the floor. As the blood

began to pool up in the cut, Richard grabbed my hand.

He growled softly and his canines grew longer. My mark began to burn

about 3x worse than before and I felt breathless.

"Say it." He whispered.

I struggled to get my words out. Freaking mark.

"I Danica Monroe, R-reject Richard Blaize as my mate." I choked out.

Every word made me feel like I was falling into a dark place and

extremely broken.

Richard sent a sad smile at me then he himself took a deep breathe.

"I Richard Blaize accept your rejection.”