The Alpha’s Rejected And Broken Mate
Chapter 24

Darius

POV

I stared down at her in disgust, unable to digest what just happened. What the hell was wrong with me? I'd participated but my mind had been filled with images of Amber as I took her, pretending it was Amber who I was thrusting inside of, Amber's cries I'd heard as she had an o****m. Not Sophie. Now I was left with the stark reminder that no matter how hard I pretended or tried to escape reality, Sophie would always be there, not the woman or girl that I love so much in real life. Boy, did it hurt. Even my parents were no longer pretending and showing how much they despised Amber.

"I can't believe how far you'll go for me to have s*x with you I growl "have you no shame, Sophie? Or self-respect? How did it feel knowing that I was pretending you were someone else while I was taking you?"

Sophie gives me a small smile like it doesn't bother her at all. "If it takes you pretending I'm someone else so be it. It's me you're marrying Darius, don't forget that. I don't care if you pretend I'm Amber, because, in real life, it's me you're with." Sophiegivese a nonchalant shrug,

"You're despicable" I blurt out, still thoroughly disgusted.

She raises an eyebrow. "No more than you Darius. You enjoyed pretending I was Amber, don't deny it. I was just a way for you to blow off some steam. So I'm not the only despicable one around here. Now, don't you think it's time that we got back to the house? Our parents must be worried about us."

I give a rude snort. "I could care less, but I think I'd prefer that to being out here with you a moment longer. You can replace you're own way back, can't you Sophie? Good" I growl and without another word or backward glance, I turn around and begin to stomp back towards her house, wanting nothing more than to get away from her.

There's nothing but silence behind me, as I slowly make my way back to the house, where my parents are waiting for me. Mother does not look too pleased to replace that I left Sophie behind in the forest. "Damnit Darius, when are you going to grow the hell up" she snaps, her arms folded across her chest.

Clarissa intervenes. "It's fine, I'm sure Sophie wanted some time to think. She often does this."

I give a small nod. Mother relaxes thank god. The last thing I want is her chewing my ear off about it. Father just looks pensive, like he's got a lot on his mind, but he looks like that a lot these days.

Beta Mathew gives me a friendly smile. "Well not long until you're married son, what do you think about that," he says jovially.

I glare and he swallows hard. Mother gives me a warning pat on the back of my head.

"I don't think much of it at all," I say honestly "I'm just letting you all take care of the details" I added darkly.

Mother looks apologetic. "I'm sorry, he must be tired and it's getting late" she trills, "I think perhaps it's best we go home and leave you to it. We can take care of more of the details later" she promises Clarissa who smiles widely at her. "That's fine," Clarissa says warmly, as we all walk outside to mother and father's car "we'll talk later."

"I look forward to it," Mother says blowing her a kiss.

I climb into the back seat without another word, slumping back in the seat and sulking. My eyes shoot up, involuntarily, towards Ambers's window which is now covered in bars. I can't believe how low her parents will stoop to make her marry as well. It was cruelty at its finest. The car starts, father putting the car in reverse as mother waves goodbye enthusiastically before he puts it into drive and drives back to the pack house which is a fair distance away, given that our grounds are quite large and our territory as well. No one speaks, which sends a warning shiver down my spine. My mother is biting her lip and looking angry, while my father is just his usual silent self.

We pull up and I clamber out of the car, mother halting me in my tracks.

"Wait, Darius, you and I need to have a talk," she says grimly.

I shoot a pleading look at my father, but he looks just as grim, nodding to mother's words.

My stomach begins to churn.

"Come with us, we will talk in the study" mother spits out and turns, walking away, secure in the knowledge that I wouldn't dare disobey her.

I walk behind father, feeling like I'm on the way to a funeral or something, perhaps my own at this rate. I know they aren't particularly happy with me lately but come on, give me a break. Who on earth would be happy being forced into a marriage they didn't want, with a girl they couldn't stand? It was so unfair, why couldn't they see that?

We reach the study and I plonk myself down in the seat across from the table, where my father is sitting, my mother standing behind him, looking upset with me.

"Darius," she says calmly "you need to stop this inherent behavior of yours right now. It's no longer funny. In fact, you need to stop acting like a petulant teenager full stop. This marriage is going ahead, you need to learn to accept that."

"Accept what" I burst out, all my rage and frustration boiling to the surface "that I'll be married to a girl who I hate for the rest of my miserable life? You ask too much of me" I scowl.

"This is your own fault son. You slept with her remember and got caught" father finally speaks, his dark eyes staring hard at me "it was your own foolish actions which got you into this mess. You knew how your mother and I felt about you having s*x with someone before marriage. Beta Mathew and his wife felt the same for their daughters."

"Then why can't I marry Amber? I slept with her first" I shout out, in anger.

Mother looks stricken. "You slept with both of them?" she asks.

I nod, looking triumphant.

"Does anyone else know?" growls mother.

I shake my head.

She comes over to me and then slaps me hard across the face, without warning. I refuse to cry out, instead, staring hard at her, showing how much I despise her.

"You won't speak another word of it then" mother snarls "nor will Amber but seeing as she's kept silent, it would appear she wants nothing more to do with you after all. She was telling the truth when I spoke to her" she mutters under her breath.

Father just looks repulsed. "I don't understand how you could sleep with both girls, one after the other. What on earth were you thinking? We brought you up to be better than this Darius. I'm disappointed in you."

That stung. I had always admired my father, at times wondering how he put up with mother and her cruelty sometimes.

"Nonetheless, it is Sophie that you will marry" mother cuts in, bringing the attention back to her "She has fantastic bloodlines, despite her sister, and she's able to shift and protect the pack. She's polite, well mannered, and will make a wonderful Luna to our pack in the future."

"What if I refuse?" I challenge, folding my arms across my chest and peering up at her from the chair "then what mother?"

She sneers at me. "Do you still want to be the future Alpha of the pack Darius? Because we can, and will, take that away from you if you don't respect our wishes. Not only that, but I will have your father banish you, permanently from the pack."

She wouldn't dare! Or would she? For the first time, I stare at my father, uncertain, seeing the stern expression on his face.

"Father, please, don't be like this" I beg him.

He avoids my gaze. "Your options are to marry and be the Alpha of this pack, or refuse and I banish you. I would choose wisely if I were you Darius because I will follow through on this threat."

I leap to my feet and pout. Not exactly the wisest thing to do, but my god. He was serious. I felt trapped, the room suddenly seeming much smaller than it was. I was becoming claustrophobic and struggling to breathe. Father looks concerned, but mother puts a hand on his shoulder, keeping him from getting to his feet.

"I'm sorry son, but it's in the pack's best interest" father adds softly.

I can't breathe. I need to get the hell out of the room and fast. My mouth falls open of its own accord and the words I never thought I would utter willingly come shooting out of my mouth. "Fine, I'll marry her." Mother gives me a beaming smile, but I don't stay, turning around and stomping out the door, no longer able to form any conscious thoughts other than escaping from their presence.

I blindly make my way upstairs to my room, locking the door behind me so I don't get disturbed. Only then, do I sit on my bed and quietly remove a box from underneath it. I take the lid off and look inside. There's a picture of Amber, smiling at the camera for me, her red hair almost glowing in the sunlight. I touch it with shaking fingers and then put it to the side. I touch a ribbon from her hair next, letting it slide through my fingers. This box contains all the keepsakes I have from our relationship together, including the panties that she thought she lost when I took her virginity. There are photos of us together and I look at them longingly. She's so beautiful, so lovely. So different from Sophie. I knew how hard it must have been dating me when mother and father disapproved, and she'd still done it. Not to mention the memory of her telling me she loved me.

I put the photos and the box away. Mother does not know of it, otherwise, I'm sure she would have thrown it out at once. She's such a b***h like that. I forbade the omegas who clean my room to say a word to her and so far they have complied. I lie down on the bed. I wish I could turn back time and walk away from Sophie when she tried to seduce me. That I had the guts to tell her off or the willpower to scream at her to leave me and poor Amber alone. But then something occurs to me. Something dark. What if I married Sophie, but then she had an accident of sorts? But then I remember that she's pregnant and deflated. Of course, I'm not going to kill my unborn child. I sigh. So much for that idea. But then I brighten. I could wait until she had given birth and then organize for her untimely death. Then I wouldn't be stuck with her for my entire lifetime and I would still get to have my baby as well. Maybe then, I could try and convince my parents to let me marry Amber and they might agree if I push that the child needs to have a mother in its life. It was worth a try. Even though I highly suspect even then, it wouldn't happen. But I refuse to stay married to someone I don't love for the rest of my life.

I go to sleep that night, my mind awhirl with the possibilities and different methods I might try to get Sophie out of my life, once and for all.