Page 43 of Rejected Alpha Mate

Arianna lifts her head. “Gwen.”

The name lands like a sigh of relief between the two witches, who glance at each other and nod their agreement.

Delilah turns Hunter. “She’s been asking for something to keep her busy since Scarborough quieted down. She’ll come.”

Dominic leans forward, the hint of a smile softening his tired expression. “Good. I know Gwen has a soft spot for Donna. And if anyone can help my sister control that kind of power, it’s her.”

I glance at him, surprised by his lack of hesitation. He’s all in, no trace of doubt, no protective older-brother instinct kicking in. Maybe he trusts Donna more than she trusts herself.

Across the room, Donna finally speaks up. Her voice is quiet but measured. “If Gwen is willing to train me, I’ll do it.”

It’s the first thing she’s said all morning.

Delilah nods approvingly, glancing at her mate again. “We’ll make the arrangements.”

I watch as Donna nods first, then turns away when the attention moves from her. She walks toward the hallway, her shoulders square, her expression unreadable. There’s no trace of the softness I held last night, none of the trembling warmth of her breath against my skin.

Just Donna: strong, detached, and unshakable.

My chest tightens, and I tell myself to let her go, to focus on what matters. But the ghost of her scent drifts past as she walks by toward the hall, and every cell in my body remembers.

I wait until the others disperse, Sean muttering something about updating Gwen, some heading to the kitchen, others making their way to the porch, and then I follow Donna.

The hallway is dim, sunlight filtering through the lace curtains in slanted stripes. Donna stops at the end of the hallway, at her bedroom door, her hand on the doorframe.

“Donna,” I call, my voice low but steady.

She turns halfway, her hair sweeping over her shoulder. Her face is calm, but her eyes betray her.

“You left without saying anything.”

A beat of silence passes. The air between us is taut, filled with everything we haven’t said since last night.

“I didn’t think there was anything to say,” she replies softly.

My jaw tightens, but I don’t argue. Because maybe she’s right. Or maybe she thinks I’m talking about just now, in the living room.

Maybe last night was just a mistake for her, and she doesn’t want to think about it, while I’ll keep replaying the memory until it eats me alive.

Still, I can’t stop looking at her, memorizing the quiet fire in her gaze, the one that both burns me to ashes and saves my life.

“I wasn’t talking about just now,” I admit, done with going around in circles with her. “I was talking about last night.”

Recognition flashes across her eyes, but she turns her face away. This time, her blushing cheeks betray her.

She’s going to run away—I can tell when she opens the door, about to step inside, and she’ll probably shut it in my face like she did the first night.

But I won’t let it happen. Not again. Not after last night.

So, I grab her wrist to stop her.

Chapter 15 - Donna

“Let go, Nicholas,” I command, but it’s met with his haughty indifference as he tightens his grip on my wrist, his chin tilted upward, eyes glowing with valiant determination.

“Never,” he declares in that smooth, cocksure tone that usually weakens my knees.

But it’s not how I’m feeling now.