Page 47 of The Enforcer’s Rejected Mate (Red River Rejected Mates #1)

Chapter

Thirty-Two

I always thought I was a Beta. It made the most sense for how Keiran treated me, even though I felt…

well, felt the way I did about him. I never did have the temperament to be an alpha.

Not getting my wolf until I did kind of cemented the fact that I wasn’t an alpha.

If I hadn’t gone into heat I would have never guessed I was an omega. An omega was too rare.

Too precious.

I’d never been either of those things in Frostclaw. I think if I was still there, in that pack that saw me as nothing, that my being an omega wouldn’t change my fate. They would find a way to ruin it to keep me in my place but in Bloodstone Pack?

Being an omega can be different. It can be good. At least it can be if I don’t freak out about it. I’m not used to what Thorne is doing for me. Bringing me food, like a mate would, is what I always dreamed Keiran would do for me. So why is Thorne doing it?

His wolf, I remind myself. Right, his wolf.

Even if he did attack me when we first crossed paths in the meadow, his wolf does feel different than him.

I can feel him rattling around in Thorne, pushing right up against the barrier between man and beast. He’s sweet.

And apparently he’s taken it on himself to make sure I’m cared for as an omega.

What does Thorne think about his new role in this?

I look at him from the corner of my eye and study him.

He’s eating and drinking his coffee, only stopping to scowl at anyone that gets too close to our table.

The table he picked is at the back in the furthermost corner from the door so anyone that does try and approach us has to cross the entire length of the room.

It’s a long stretch to survive with nothing but Thorne’s attention on them.

No one’s managed it yet.

I think I get that. No, I totally get why no one has made it, even if the Enforcer’s broody aura is starting to lose its power over me. Even though I’m jumpy as a cat around him when he growls, I’m not scared of him. I’m starting to understand that I’ve got no reason to be.

“Who did it?”

“Did what?”

“Hurt you?”

My heart speeds up and I blush just thinking about it.

It’s like a scene out of one of the romance books I treated myself to every once in a while at the grocery store during supply runs with Maud.

She had a little stash of novels she kept under her sofa cushions.

I used to stare at those novels and dream about stepping right into the cover, somewhere far away with a handsome hero to protect me.

Thorne was as dashing as any of them when he asked me “who did it?”

Talk about freaking swoon. If I wasn’t just in my heat, I’d probably plunge into the throes of one.

I take a deep breath on purpose to get more of Thorne’s scent.

There’s no mistaking what he is. He’s alpha through and through.

Pine and cedar with the crisp edge to it that I mistook for rainwater before but it’s not.

I t’s frost. Sharp and icy on my nose. I almost expect a cold wind to blow my way when I take in a deep breath and inhale again.

Thorne smells fantastic which, if I’m an omega, makes sense.

Of course an alpha would smell delicious to me.

I worry my bottom lip and put down my empty cup. I wrack my brain for anything I might know about being an omega. Am I going to be into all alphas or is it just some of them? Luna, I hope it’s not all alphas. Not with the ones that I’ve known. But if it’s not all alphas…

Is it just Thorne?

Is that why I couldn’t get him out of my head and why I feel like a compass pointing North when he comes into the room?

Even if he intimidates me there is something undeniably electric about the alpha that I can’t get out of my head.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It’s impossible not to think about the meadow or what almost happened between us.

I wish he would bring it up. Why hasn’t he?

If I wasn’t so scared of what he would say I’d be the one to broach the subject.

My heart rate spikes just thinking about it and my palms get sweaty.

My own mate didn’t want me when we turned out to be fated mates.

Why would it be any different with Thorne?

What if he rejects me if I bring it up?

My cheeks burn hot. I’d never be able to face him and leaving the pack is out of the question.

No, I can’t say a word about it. He hasn’t and he hasn’t told anyone else, if the way the others in the pack are treating me.

I can accept that as a gift. A chance to start over and…

and…and what? Pine after the alpha that doesn’t want me but makes sure I have enough food on my plate?

The one that started a fire for me? I know the gestures are small, a drop in the bucket of what an omega should be expecting but I’m like a woman dying of thirst and Thorne’s the first to give me a drink.

Gods. I’m hopeless. Pathetic.

I sink down into my chair deep in my thoughts and my existential crisis elevates from mild to full on.

Not quite red alert but damn near close.

I take another breath to calm myself but all it does is give me another lungful of Thorne’s scent.

It makes it a hundred times worse if the sudden urge to touch him is anything to go by.

I’d give anything for him to kiss me, close the space between us and pull me into him.

Claim me like I belong to him and him alone.

“Shit,” I whisper at my lustful thoughts. I need to take a cold shower. Maybe a run? Anything to get this energy out.

“I’ll take you now.” Thorne says. The rumble of his voice hits the right note for me and I jump with a yelp.

In all of my daydreaming I’d forgotten he was right beside him.

Funny how that works. But am I daydreaming now?

What does he mean take me ? Take me where?

On the table? I scramble up from my seat so fast that I nearly knock my chair over.

I catch it and push my hair back from my neck because suddenly it’s too hot.

“What? I-ah, what?” I ask him, because what the hells.

Thorne slowly blinks and then points his fork at me. “The Healer’s Rooms. I’ll take you now if you’re done eating.”

He’ll take me to the Healer’s Rooms. Oh my Luna, I’m such a pervert. A pathetic, omega pervert ready to climb him like a tree.

“Where did you think I was taking you?” he asks.

I let out a nervous laugh. It sounds forced even to my ears but I push forward because I’m not touching his question with a ten-foot pole.

“Right! The Healer’s Rooms. I’m absolutely done with breakfast. I’m ready.

Very ready to…you know, go . Let’s go.” I move to take my plate but Thorne beats me there with a low rumble in his chest. This time I don’t flinch away from the sound.

“Thanks.” I give him a tight smile and fan my face and neck as discreetly as I can while he gathers up our plates and cups. There’s something about an alpha picking up after himself and me for that matter that does something to me. Who knew that was going to be my thing?

I follow him towards the long window that I see others handing their dirty dishes through because I’m not quite sure if I’m meant to wait for him or not but it also feels safer with Thorne.

Less overwhelming. I take a peek around me and yup, everyone is still staring at me.

Even with the extra attention, I don’t panic, at least not completely.

I know they won’t do anything with the alpha walking beside me.

All in all, the trip to drop our dishes off and leave the mess hall is easily done and we’re outside in record time with only one alpha trying to approach us.

I could tell straight away what he was from the almost sour peach smell coming off of him.

Yuck. He couldn’t even get a word out before Thorne sent him on his way with a jerk of his chin.

It was hot.

I shouldn’t think it’s hot. Not with the alphas I’ve been raised with but I’m a new omega and I’m still a woman.

Anyone would have thought it was hot. At least that’s what I tell myself when I catch myself staring at Thorne too long.

He turns to look at me and I cover with a quick pivot away.

I make the most out of the fact that it’s a nice day and stretch, raising my arms over my head.

I turn my face up to the warm sun with a smile.

I feel so…free. I look around the township and see everyone walking at their own pace and enjoying the morning.

Across the square there’s a few tables set up and a group of women sitting and talking at one.

They have yellow bags on the tables that I bet are from Luna’s Loaves, if the muffins I see them eating are anything to go by.

“Morning, Enforcer!” A voice calls out and we both turn to see Esme leaning out from her shop and waving with a cheeky smile. She winks at me as we walk past. “Good to see you again, Cordy.”

I laugh when I see the appraising look she gives Thorne. Tall drink of water indeed. “Hi, Esme.”

“Morning, Esme,” Thorne returns and the older woman gives a little swoon that makes me giggle.

“What’s so funny?” Thorne asks. He has a slight smile on his face and it’s hard to focus. That smile, oh, that smile is dangerous. He’s shown it to me two times now at full strength and it turned my brain to mush. The plus side is that it takes my existential crisis back down to mild.

“Oh nothing. You know, Esme,” I tell him.

“I do,” he says. “But how do you know her?” I roll my eyes when I hear the slight edge of suspicion in his words.

“Back to thinking I’m a spy again?”

“Was debating on it. Pretty smart if you are.”

“How’s that?” I narrow my eyes at Thorne and he narrows his right back at me. So much for being swept up in how beautiful and attentive he can be. We’re in a full-blown glaring match when a voice calls out to us.