Rejected Mate, Rising Alpha

After sliding into the passenger seat, Mathias handed me a few tissues to wipe the rain off my face, his movements casual, almost dismissive. The scent of his Alpha aura filled the car, sharp and commanding, but it no longer brought me the comfort it once did.

“If you’d mentioned earlier that today was your mom’s anniversary, I would have driven you there,” he said, his tone flat, as if he were discussing something trivial rather than the day I visited my mother’s grave. His voice carried the weight of his Alpha tone, but it lacked the warmth it used to have when he spoke to me.

“You don’t drive like Vanessa, and it’s not exactly convenient for you to get around,” I replied, my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest. I had once considered getting a driver’s license myself, but he had dismissed the idea with a scoff, saying, “What does an Omega need a license for? Even if you got one, you wouldn’t have time to drive.” His words had stung then, and they still did now.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asked when I stayed silent, his grip on the steering wheel tightening as he accelerated. The car jerked forward, and I felt my stomach churn. He knew I got carsick easily; if he didn’t drive smoothly, I’d end up nauseous. It felt deliberate, a subtle way to assert control.

“There’s nothing I want to say,” I replied, my voice calm but firm. In the past, I would have explained myself endlessly, trying to prove that I wasn’t angry. But now, none of that mattered. The bond between us, once a source of strength, now felt like a chain.

“Alright, then where do you want to eat…” He was interrupted by his phone, which rang loudly from its holder. The name flashing on the screen was: [My Dearest Vanessa.]

Mathias’s eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of unease crossing his face. “Vanessa changed that herself; I’ll fix it later,” he mumbled, his Alpha tone softening as if he were trying to reassure me.

“No need, the name fits well,” I said, a hint of irony in my voice, as I turned my attention to my phone. I began searching online for prominent legal advisors specializing in pack disputes. The name Bridget Lewis kept appearing in my search results, and I made a mental note to contact her.

“Hey, Vanessa, what’s up?” He had already answered the call, his voice shifting to a softer tone, one I rarely heard directed at me anymore. The voice on the other end was sickly sweet, dripping with false concern.

“Alpha, I just saw some fresh shrimp at the grocery store. I bought some and thought I’d make dinner for you and Lucia tonight.”

“This…” Mathias looked a bit troubled, his eyes flicking to me as if seeking permission.

“Sure, you’re welcome to join us,” I answered for him, my tone polite but distant. He looked at me, astonished, as if he couldn’t believe I had said that. It wasn’t surprising that he was taken aback; I used to loathe Vanessa. I didn’t like her coming over, and I disliked Mathias spending time with her. Women’s intuition is usually spot on, and I knew Vanessa had a particular interest in him.

Every time I tried to stop him from seeing Vanessa, Mathias would get furious, and over the years, we had fought about this countless times. He seemed to have forgotten the promise he made to my mother to take care of me well. The distance between us, once a small crack, had now widened into a chasm, and I wasn’t sure if it could ever be bridged.