****
“Everything you need is here,” Gage said, looking down at Connie’s head.
She glanced into the bedroom. “My stuff? How did you get my stuff?”
“Your parents had thrown it out, and figuring you’d want it, I retrieved it and brought it back here.”
“Thank you.” She went to reach out as if to touch him, but stopped at the last minute. Her hand clenched into a fist before she dropped it down at her side. “This is sweet of you.”
He’d been so pissed off when he saw her stuff thrown out on the doorstep as if their daughter meant nothing to them. “Please let me know if there is anything you need.” He took a step back, allowing her time to get used to her current situation.
“Wait,” she said, making him stop. “About tonight … I … thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Connie. You’re always welcome here.” He couldn’t resist his gaze traveling down her body. Over the years, he’d heard the names directed at her, the ridicule. When he was witness to it, he made sure to shoot everyone down. He didn’t want to hear any nastiness or violence toward any of his pack.
At first, Connie hadn’t even registered with him. She’d been another member of his pack, but she had stood out in the crowd, sure. She was a bigger girl, and after her eighteenth birthday, he’d started to notice her.
Connie had a body, and in the past three years, he’d watched her blossom. To some, her large tits, full hips, and juicy thighs were disgusting, but not to him. He wanted her and couldn’t deny his need. The other pack women had never appealed to him.
Tanner’s mother had been part of the pack for a short time. She’d been slender as well. There was no real attraction or passion.
His son’s conception had been a mistake. He hadn’t been mated, nor could he stand her. The moment their son was born, she’d left town, and he’d not heard from her since.
“What … er … what does this mean exactly?” Connie asked. “I never looked up rejected mates and everything before.”
“We’ll talk more in the morning. It will be best if you get a good night’s sleep.” He walked up toward her as she rubbed her arms, the cold seeming to get to her.
He put his hands on her arms and rubbed up and down, trying to infuse her with his heat. “I’m going to take care of everything now, Connie. You’ve got nothing to be upset about. I’m here.”
She pressed her lips together, a beautiful blush staining her cheeks. For a long time, he’d known Connie had a crush on him. She rarely spoke to him and when she did, she’d often stumble over her words or blush. He found it so endearing.
“I will leave you. If you need anything, I’ll be in my office.” He turned on his heel, shutting the door quietly and then heading toward his office.
He needed a stiff drink.
Gage went straight for the whiskey, pouring himself a generous amount and downing it within two gulps. Their bodies had a faster metabolism, which meant it was difficult to get drunk unless you were a young wolf.
Connie being in his home was all part of his plan. One he’d set in motion three years ago.
“Dad, what the fuck!” Tanner said, rushing into his office.
“Good evening to you too.” He turned to look at his son. Tanner looked exactly like him in physique and appearance, but his personality was all his mother. One Gage struggled with. It was hard to openly admit he didn’t like his son. He loved him. He would always love Tanner, but he didn’t like him.
“What the hell was that about?” Tanner asked. “I rejected her, and now what, you’re going to have my sloppy seconds?”
Gage snorted. “You would’ve had to have her first, Tanner. You didn’t even give the mating a chance.”
He’d suspected who his son’s mate was three years ago. After his son’s first transition, when Connie became another anomaly within the pack, there had been some weird connection.
He hadn’t gotten to be alpha of the pack without observing and knowing every single little detail of all the pack. He’d watched Tanner. Knew his son wasn’t the nicest of men, but the girls and some of the women seemed to enjoy his edge of cruelty. There had been no reason for him to interfere.
The body wanted what it did, and no one came to complain about his son’s behavior. Jumping from one bed to another. If that was what people wanted, he’d leave them to it.
Gage had watched the way his son reacted to Connie. The way he seemed to constantly be close by, watching her. No one else noticed, but Gage did.
With his own agenda in play, Gage had decided he’d see how his son’s mating would play out. He never expected Connie’s transition to take so long, but he promised himself if Tanner accepted her, he’d back away.
Tanner had denied the mating, and as far as Gage was concerned, he was in the clear to pursue the woman for his own. There was no mistaking Connie was a woman.
“That’s beside the point. I forbid you. You can’t have her!” Tanner slammed his foot on the ground.
Gage took a step toward his son. “You think you can order me around?”
Tanner tried to keep his ground, but alpha son or not, he wasn’t the man in charge. “Dad, she is a fat waste of space.”
He released a growl. “I taught you better than that, boy! You will learn to mind your tongue while you’re in this house. I pay for the roof over your head, the clothes on your back, and the food in your stomach. You have a position within this pack because I make it so, but I can take it all back.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am. I’ve watched you hurt that woman for too long. Rejected or not, she has a right to be in this pack.”
Tanner burst out laughing. “I checked the fucking rules. You know what it all means, don’t you? You’ve got to try to mate with that thing!”
Gage wrapped his fingers around his son’s neck. He didn’t hold him too tightly, but it was enough to give the boy a warning. “You think I didn’t check the rules, Tanner? You think I would put a woman in a position when I didn’t know what was expected of me? I know I’ve got the opportunity to make that woman my mate.”
He squeezed a little tighter. “I get to take her, claim her, fuck her, make her mine, and because of your rejection, there is not a single thing you can do about it. Now, I suggest you learn your manners while you are under my roof. You prove to me that you’re worth my time, or I can make life very uncomfortable for you.” He released his son, poured himself another generous shot of whiskey, and flung it back.
“I don’t get it. Women throw themselves at you all the time. You can have anyone.”
“I’m cleaning up your mess.” He turned back to look at his son, perching on the edge of the desk. Gage scented the air. “You think I don’t know what you did? Why you did it?” He chuckled. “After three years of finding yourself near her at every opportunity, it all became clear. You think I didn’t see your body’s reaction to that time she went to the pool? Your dick getting hard at the sight of her?”
Tanner grew even redder with every passing second. “I knew she was your mate. I didn’t expect you to reject her like this. A true mate is rare, my son. You threw her away, and I picked up the pieces. Now get out of my office. I’ll be watching you closely.”