Rejected My Alpha Mate novel Chapter 14

Tyler's POV

Letting out a shout of rage, I launched my phone at the wall where it shattered into pieces. I clenched and unclenched my fists at my sides repeatedly.

I really wanted to punch someone.

"I'll get started on replacing your phone. Let me guess! Rachel?"

"Adam? If you don't want me to beat you like I own you, you'll shut up."

Adam snickered, "Technically, you do own me. I swore complete allegiance to you at my Beta ceremony. Remember?"

Yes. I remembered.

I remembered everything all the time which was most of my problem.

I couldn't forgive Rachel for lying to me. Every time we were together all I could think about was how she'd lied to me for money.

Her father being a worthless gambling addict didn't help her cause either.

Every single time Patrick showed up? I had to write a check. I deliberately chose not to keep track of the debts I paid off for him so I wouldn't put a price on his head.

"Why is she so insistent about this rejection ceremony? What could she possibly get from me? Mate benefits only get paid out based on a death."

Adam stood from cleaning up the broken pieces of my phone. He looked as if he wanted to say something. I sighed before waving at him.

"Go ahead. Say whatever you have to say."

"At the risk of getting thrown against the wall, I don't think Rachel wants any benefits at all. She doesn't care about your money."

"Don't be ridiculous. Everyone cares about my money."

My entire world revolved around money and power.

House Wright had moved up in the world of both wolves and man by conquering the entertainment industry to the tune of over a billion dollars. Moonrise Entertainment held contracts over too many labels to count; everyone who was anyone in Hollywood wanted to be represented by one of our agents.

My earliest memories were of sitting at my father's side in his boardroom while he lorded over his subordinates.

I knew how to close a deal before I learned how to drive a car---I had more experience closing deals than driving, come to that.

"I don't think so, man. She told her dad off yesterday."

I had seen some of the footage from Patrick's temper tantrum in the lobby. I had stopped watching as soon as Rachel appeared on camera.

Seeing her upset my wolf too much to risk watching her.

Wynd only knew he wanted his mate, Rayne, back at his side. He didn't care if Rachel and I got along or not. Life was a lot simpler to my wolf. I wished I could see things the way he did.

"What? Explain."

Adam shrugged, "Not much to explain. Her old man was running his mouth about how he was owed by you and how you better pay up. She told him your money was yours and you didn't owe him shit."

"I somehow doubt Rachel told her father I 'don't owe him shit.' What did she actually say?"

"No, really, she said something like it was your money. It wasn't her money or his money. She was adamant about it."

Adam tended to be more colorful with his language than any of my other immediate staff. I liked him for his honesty. He looked troubled; I wanted to know what he was holding back more than I wanted my next breath.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"He, uh," Adam rubbed the back of his neck as he looked away from me to finish, "He slapped the Hell out of her. He hit her hard enough to leave bruises."

Wynd roared in my mind and my vision went dark for a terrifying moment before I regained control of my body. I brought myself back under control only to find I had flipped my desk and thrown everything close to me not nailed down.

Adam looked at me from where he was seeking cover behind the bar. I worked on controlling my breathing while I listened to my wolf tear me down inside.

'You couldn't even protect her! She is our mate! No wonder she wants to leave you! That omega scum should die for touching her!'

Rubbing my temples, I ground my teeth together, "I need to know what happened. Exactly."

"He wanted money. She said it was your money and he couldn't have it. He hit her. I caught her before she hit the floor. She told me to call the cops. I had him arrested since she said to treat him like he was anyone off the street. She left. That's it."

"That's it? He just beat my mate in front of my beta and you did nothing to stop him and that's it?"

"He slapped her before I could react! If he'd gone at her again, I would have stopped him. Don't blame me for not being psychic! How was I supposed to know he'd hit his own daughter in front of a lobby full of people?"

I growled at him, "You were supposed to anticipate anything from that worthless piece of wolfen trash!"

"I am not feeding into your need for a fight. We'll both wind up injured and I'll wind up pissed off for a long time because you're too much of a control freak to apologize afterwards."

Adam knew me too well.

We had been friends since we were children. His father was one of my father's Betas. No one was surprised when I named him as my main Beta.

I had surprised the pack when I hadn't listed out more soldiers to take a Beta role.

Giving some duties to Adam was hard enough for me; I knew I couldn't delegate enough to need more Betas. I was a control freak that way.

"Help me with this desk."

I didn't really need help with the desk, but it was as close as I could come to admit I was wrong to snap at Adam. He took the offer as the olive branch it was designed to be and helped me right my furniture.

"Some of this will need to be replaced. What time are you meeting Rachel tomorrow? We might be able to go furniture shopping before or after. Take your mind off the ceremony."

"I'm not meeting Rachel tomorrow."

Adam quirked a brow at me, "You aren't? Why, pray tell, are you not meeting her for the rejection ceremony you agreed to today?"

Rachel had been given a chance at rejection and missed it. My wolf yearned for hers with a passion so intense it was causing me to have a migraine.

I had no idea how she was able to stand it, but, then again, Rachel had already completed her side of the rejection.

"I'm a busy man."

"You're not that busy."

"I will be tomorrow. Like you said. I have to buy furniture."

Adam paused to think about what he was going to say next. I could practically see the gears in his head spinning. He was careful when he responded.

I don't know if he was afraid I would lose control to my wolf again or afraid I would keep control and start a fight with him anyway.

"Have you considered Rachel might just want you to show her you care?"

My brows drew together as I tried to understand his logic.

"What do you mean? How does agreeing to a rejection ceremony show I care about her?"

Adam straightened a chair then sat in it, "She might not want the rejection at all. When was the last time you were nice to her? Bought her flowers? Took her out on a date? Literally showed her you cared?"

The answer was 'never' and we both knew it.

Rachel and I had never been on what would be considered 'a date.'

I met her when I was at LUST for the night. I had drank too much to drive home so the club owner had offered me a room upstairs. She'd been something out of a dream when she'd come into my room and shifted into my beautiful, naked mate right on my floor.

Rachel had run from me after our one night together.

A need for money had brought her back to me and the check I'd written to buy her brother's freedom had sold any tenderness I might have felt for her.

"That sounds ridiculous."

"Women can be ridiculous. To us. It makes sense to them," Adam shrugged, "What have you got to lose? She's already rejected you. If you don't want to reject her, be nice to her."

The idea of being nice to Rachel was ludicrous to me.

I snorted, "She wishes. Find out about Patrick's debt. Pay it. Make sure he knows this is the last time and Adam? Make sure he knows he is to never, I mean ever, put his hands on Rachel again."

Adam gave me a grin, "With pleasure."

Wynd clamored in my head for attention, 'It isn't enough! Find him! Let me tear him to pieces! She's our mate to protect!'

I closed my eyes as I silently told my wolf, 'She says she doesn't want to be ours. We have to find out why.'

I would set Adam to checking up on Rachel after refurnishing my office.

I'd see if she was serious about her ridiculous insistence on a rejection ceremony or if my Beta was right and she only wanted some sort of sign of affection.

Rachel was a problem right now, but I was a problem solver. I'd figure her out and things would go back to normal.