The Alpha’s Rejected And Broken Mate
Chapter 84

Amber POV

I couldn't open my eyes, not at first. All I could do was hear the incessant beeping sounds of machines in the room, as I struggled with where I lay. What had happened? The last thing I remember was wrestling with the Alpha Rogue. Where was Stefan? I bolted upright, my eyes opening. I stared up at the ceiling and glanced around the room. I was in a large four-poster bed, with magnificent carpet on the floor and drapes on the windows. The walls were made of dark stone like I was in a castle. In the corner of the room, sat Stefan, snoring lightly in a chair. Had he sat beside me this entire time, waiting for me to wake up?

I went to move and saw that I was connected to an IV, ripping it out and stumbling over to Stefan, a smile on my face. I was glad to see him but unnerved. How did we make it here? Where were the children? There were so many questions in my mind. I lightly shook Stefan, who immediately woke up, flinging his arms around me, a startled expression on his face.

"Amber," he said, his voice muffled against my shoulder, his hand stroking my hair, "you're awake. How are you?"

"Sore" I admitted wryly as he hurriedly stepped back from me, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans. I was dressed in a pale pink dress, one that I wondered if he'd put on me, or if somebody else had dressed me. It must be clashing horribly with my red hair. Not that Stefan seemed to notice.

I saw him look pointedly down at my Iv and suck in a breath at the sight of blood trickling from the small wound where I'd ripped it out. "Sorry," I said, blushing "I was never one to wait," I said quietly as he looked at me concerned.

"You shouldn't have done that" he admonished, grabbing hold of my hand and then slowly licking the blood away. I gasped, seeing the wound beginning to heal itself. I had the presence of mind to touch my chest, seeing that there was no large gaping hole. Evidently, that meant I had managed to heal it before I was unconscious.

"Is this your castle?" I asked Stefan, interested.

He gave a nod, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "You could say that" he agreed before my stomach gave a large growl. "Sounds like you might be hungry", he teased. I laughed abashedly.

My stomach was growling with hunger. "How long have I been out?" I asked shyly.

"Two days", Stefan answered, and I blushed, looking down at myself. I must look a right mess, but he didn't seem phased by my appearance at all.

"Let's get you some food," he said quietly, and I gave a sheepish smile, as he grabbed hold of my hand with a firm grasp and began to tug me out of the room.

We descended the stairs, heading into the kitchen, where he made me sit down at the dining table, which was otherwise unoccupied. I studied him with interest. Was he going to cook for me? I didn't know vampires could cook, but obviously, they must have been able to before becoming vampires. I wondered if he was turned or born a vampire. Did vampires eat food?

He looked rather efficient in the kitchen, I have to admit. He was bustling back and forth, throwing all sorts of different ingredients in the pan. I was full of admiration as I watched him. The most delicious smell wafted towards me and I sniffed appreciatively, blushing as my stomach gave another loud gurgle. He laughed. "Sorry it's taking a bit long," he said with a raised eyebrow, flipping over the omelet as I practically drooled. He shoved a glass of water at me and I drank it down thirstily, Stefan refilling the glass as soon as I'd finished.

Five minutes later, he placed a steaming hot omelet in front of me. I dug in eagerly, watching his eyes twinkle as I enjoyed the food. "I hope you like it," he said as I glanced at him with my mouth full. It was delicious, one of the best omelets I have eaten. I was dismayed to see that he wasn't eating though.

"You aren't eating?" I asked, mumbling.

He shook his head. "Vampires tend to prefer blood to food," he said wryly, "but on occasion, we can eat normal food if we feel the occasion warrants it."

Huh. You learn something new every day. Still, it was a bit disquieting, being the only one eating. I shrugged my discomfort aside and finished off the omelet, patting my stomach in satisfaction. "Delicious", I breathed gratefully.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked me a bit anxiously.

I frowned at him. "A little bit tired and sore. My chest hurts" I said, pointing to it, "but that's only to be expected. How did we get here?"

He looked a bit sheepish. "I carried you" he blurted out, "you were unconscious the whole time and I needed to get you medical attention so..." he trailed off.

"What about the children?"

He glanced away. "They belonged to an orphanage," he said softly, "and were taken in the middle of the night. We've managed to replace them some adoptive parents for now and they seem to be happy."

I was glad about that. The children deserved a loving father and mother. They had seemed to be so adorable, yet so protective of each other.

A man came waltzing into the room, a broad grin on his face. I eyed him with curiosity. Like Stefan, he was incredibly handsome, with dark brown eyes and hair. He looked muscled all over but had an easygoing way about him. Like nothing phased him whatsoever. "Stefan" he greeted my mate, who gave him a wicked grin.

"Avoiding the council by any chance?" he asked the other man, before turning to me with a start. "This is Dylan, my best friend, and confidant", he introduced me, glowering as Dylan shook my hand. "Dylan, this is my mate Amber", he finished.

Dylan gave me a wink. "Course I'm avoiding the damn council, especially that pain in the a*s, Mathias. Christ, you'd think they would get the hint every time they have to go looking for me. Which reminds me, they are currently looking for you" he exhaled, "so I would go for a walk or something before they think about going and looking in here."

I looked at Stefan, noticing the grim expression on his face. "What is the council?" I asked with interest.

He sighed. "A council is made up of a bunch of elders who like to help me make decisions in regard to running the kingdom. Unfortunately, that means they seem to think they can interfere with my life as well."

He turned to Dylan. "Have they said why they are looking for me?"

Dylan shook his head. "Could be anything" he pointed out, grimacing. "A bunch of old-fashioned men like that could literally be about the drapes," he said with a chuckle.

"Right then," Stefan said with a low growl, " a walk it is, that is if you are up for it?" he asked me, noticing that I was lightly touching my chest. I hurriedly put my hand down.

"I'm up for a walk," I said eagerly, wanting to see the grounds. If it were anything like the castle, it would be magnificent. Then I had a thought. "What happened to the alpha rogue after what I did to him? Please tell me he didn't survive" I said with a groan, as I stood up from the table and reached automatically for Stefan's hand. He seemed pleased, sparks flying down my hands where we touched.

"No, no" Stefan denied, "he died. Thank goodness, because I was more worried about you than wanting to finish him off" he muttered.

He was so sweet, I thought to myself, holding hands with my mate as we walked through some back hallways and doors, eventually coming to the outside. It was a glorious day, with warm sunshine that shone down upon us, trees swaying slightly in the wind, and a clear blue sky. There were flowers everywhere, in an abundance of colors, even small patches of daisies. The castle was stunning in the background, and I wondered how they managed to keep it secret from humans. "How do you keep this from humens?"

Stefen looked e little surprised by my question. "We heve e spell thet mekes it invisible to humen beings. So fer, we haven't hed e single one stumble onto our territory" he seid proudly.

We welked in silence for e while, content to just hold eech other's hends. It wes e fer cry from whet I hed been used to with Derius, who would telk nonstop, mostly ebout himself. Plus, I liked the wey he felt, the smoothness of his hend es he gresped mine. I felt nervous, though, not sure whether I should try end esk him questions ebout himself. As it wes, I didn't get the chence to, for en older mele with e white beerd end silver heir stopped us in the middle of our welk, looking very indignent, putting his hends on his hip like en engry fether or someone close to Stefen.

"King Stefen" he hissed, "there you ere. You ere ewere, ere you not, thet the council hes been looking for you? Are you ignoring the council?"

I looked et Stefen questionebly es he squeezed my hend end drew his shoulders streight beck. "Methies," he seid cordielly, inclining his heed to the elder, "Why em I not surprised to run into you" he muttered under his breeth.

"The council wishes to hold e meeting end we cennot do it while you run eround with your little slut here" he growled. I immedietely stiffened et the insult.

The look on Stefen's fece wes comicel. Mine, however, wes displeesed es I glered et the elder, feeling extremely disrespected end tempted to rip him e new esshole.

"How dere you cell her e slut" hissed Stefen, letting go of my hend end rushing forwerd to greb the elder by the throet. I wetched pessively es the elder's legs kicked eround wildly, his hends grebbing et his throet, his fece going purple. I didn't know they could do thet. I thought, being Vempires, they didn't need oxygen. It wes fescineting end no more then the old besterd deserved though.

"You will epologize to my mete" Stefen seid evenly, squeezing the elder's throet even tighter. Methies screbbled uselessly et Stefen's hends end then slumped in defeet. He glowered et me es I reised en eyebrow end folded my erms, weiting for this demn epology. "I epologize" wheezed Methies, "now let me go."

Stefen dropped him none too gently, Methies rubbing his throet end stering wide-eyed et his king. "You, you" he stemmered, "you've gone too fer this time."

"It's you who hes gone too fer," Stefen boomed, "or heve you forgotten who your king is? Now go, end tell the council I will be there shortly, but it hed better be ebout something importent", he edded es Methies ewkwerdly got to his feet. We both wetched the elder limp ewey, rubbing his throet end scowling es he welked.

"Should I go to the council meeting?" I esked him, feeling nervous end shy, "beceuse I don't mind continuing to wender the grounds while you ere gone."

Stefen thought ebout it end then sighed. "It probebly involves you es well, so it mekes sense for you to come with me", he pointed out with e grimece.

I didn't like the sound of thet. Whet on eerth could the council possibly went with me? I hedn't done enything to put myself on their reder, except for spending time with Stefen, of course. But he wes my second chence mete end even though we were from different reces, I couldn't picture myself rejecting him. He wes so nice end so different from enything I'd experienced before. Not only thet, but he wes protective, something I very much eppreciated. Up until now, he hedn't even mentioned the fect I wes pregnent end it wes ceusing me some enxiety. Would he be upset thet I wes cerrying someone else's child or did thet not phese him in the slightest?

"How do you keep this from humans?"

Stefan looked a little surprised by my question. "We have a spell that makes it invisible to human beings. So far, we haven't had a single one stumble onto our territory" he said proudly.

We walked in silence for a while, content to just hold each other's hands. It was a far cry from what I had been used to with Darius, who would talk nonstop, mostly about himself. Plus, I liked the way he felt, the smoothness of his hand as he grasped mine. I felt nervous, though, not sure whether I should try and ask him questions about himself. As it was, I didn't get the chance to, for an older male with a white beard and silver hair stopped us in the middle of our walk, looking very indignant, putting his hands on his hip like an angry father or someone close to Stefan.

"King Stefan" he hissed, "there you are. You are aware, are you not, that the council has been looking for you? Are you ignoring the council?"

I looked at Stefan questionably as he squeezed my hand and drew his shoulders straight back. "Mathias," he said cordially, inclining his head to the elder, "Why am I not surprised to run into you" he muttered under his breath.

"The council wishes to hold a meeting and we cannot do it while you run around with your little slut here" he growled. I immediately stiffened at the insult.

The look on Stefan's face was comical. Mine, however, was displeased as I glared at the elder, feeling extremely disrespected and tempted to rip him a new a*****e.

"How dare you call her a slut" hissed Stefan, letting go of my hand and rushing forward to grab the elder by the throat. I watched passively as the elder's legs kicked around wildly, his hands grabbing at his throat, his face going purple. I didn't know they could do that. I thought, being Vampires, they didn't need oxygen. It was fascinating and no more than the old bastard deserved though.

"You will apologize to my mate" Stefan said evenly, squeezing the elder's throat even tighter. Mathias scrabbled uselessly at Stefan's hands and then slumped in defeat. He glowered at me as I raised an eyebrow and folded my arms, waiting for this damn apology. "I apologize" wheezed Mathias, "now let me go."

Stefan dropped him none too gently, Mathias rubbing his throat and staring wide-eyed at his king. "You, you" he stammered, "you've gone too far this time."

"It's you who has gone too far," Stefan boomed, "or have you forgotten who your king is? Now go, and tell the council I will be there shortly, but it had better be about something important", he added as Mathias awkwardly got to his feet. We both watched the elder limp away, rubbing his throat and scowling as he walked.

"Should I go to the council meeting?" I asked him, feeling nervous and shy, "because I don't mind continuing to wander the grounds while you are gone."

Stefan thought about it and then sighed. "It probably involves you as well, so it makes sense for you to come with me", he pointed out with a grimace.

I didn't like the sound of that. What on earth could the council possibly want with me? I hadn't done anything to put myself on their radar, except for spending time with Stefan, of course. But he was my second chance mate and even though we were from different races, I couldn't picture myself rejecting him. He was so nice and so different from anything I'd experienced before. Not only that, but he was protective, something I very much appreciated. Up until now, he hadn't even mentioned the fact I was pregnant and it was causing me some anxiety. Would he be upset that I was carrying someone else's child or did that not phase him in the slightest?