The Alpha’s Rejected And Broken Mate
Chapter 85

Rowan

POV

She thought she was so clever, skipping out and deceiving me all this time. When Amber left, I felt the pain of the mate bond as it severed as she rejected me. I didn't accept it, angry that she was able to leave so easily from my pack. How had she managed to do it when I had used my alpha tone on her?

I followed through the forest, careful to avoid stepping on any loose branches or twigs, avoiding the leaves so they wouldn't crunch beneath my feet as she wandered in front of me, in human form, in no hurry, glancing around her every so often as though she was nervous. As well as she should be. I wondered where she was going, but she walked with a purpose, as though aware of the direction like she had been this way before. Like she had been this way many times before and memorized the way.

Stacey was clad in a robe and in her nightgown. It was late, late at night and she shivered slightly in the cold breeze, the full moon lighting the path and showing her to me clearly. She had thought I was sleeping when she got up and dressed herself, before leaving quietly through the door. I had given her a two-minute head start, before hopping out of bed and dressing hastily, following the scent of that perfume she always seemed to wear. It was so pungent, that I didn't need to be too close to her to know where she was at all times.

She walked, confidently, thinking herself to be alone. Eventually, we came across a large two-story cottage on the outskirts of town. She knocked, once, twice, thrice, before the door opened and Stacey went inside, a small young teenage girl peering anxiously out into the darkness, as I slipped behind a tree so she couldn't see me.

What on earth was Stacey up to? Why had she come here, to this place of all places? I waited, holding my breath for the door to close, which it did with a loud squeak, and then I drifted towards an open window, glancing in to see Stacey pacing back and forth, muttering something under her breath that I strained to hear.

"Celia," she said, turning to the teenage girl, who stood there with her arms folded and a puzzled expression on her face, "I swear it's working. Amber is gone, can you believe it? That little b***h finally left us both alone and I didn't have to kill her to get the job done." She sounded incredulous and proud for some reason.

The teenage girl raised an eyebrow. "I'd still like to know how she managed to avoid a miscarriage with the high amount of Penny Royal you gave her. There's something suspicious about that" she uttered in a hoarse voice.

Stacey raised a hand in a dismissive manner. "who cares" she crowed, "the slut is gone and Rowan is all mine."

The teenage girl sighed, looking a bit put out. "Is that all you came to tell me" she demanded, "this late at night?" She seemed tired, also clad in a nightgown, with dark circles underneath her eyes. Stacey shook her head. "No, I came to see you as well" she argued back, "it's been a few weeks since I saw you last and I need some more of that perfume" she added, looking nonchalant.

"How much have you been using it? I only just gave you a new one. You're not wearing it every day, are you?" Celia asked with a bewildered expression on her face.

"Of course I am," Stacey told her, puzzled, "otherwise it won't work."

Celia's mouth gaped open. "I told you not to remember? The effects will wear off much sooner the more Alpha Rowan is near it. Every few days, I told you, so that the effects remained strong on him."

"But I can't risk it wearing off" Stacey argued back. She glanced around nervously and I ducked just in time before I was caught eavesdropping on their conversation.

"You're risking that by wearing it every day" huffed Celia's voice. I slowly peeked back up, to see that she was glowering at Stacey.

"Fine, I'll slow down and stop wearing it so much," Stacey said persuasively, "but I still need a new vial of it."

Celia rolled her eyes.

"Fine" she snapped, "wait here." She turned around, her nightgown billowing around her, and began to head out the doorway, calling over her shoulder "don't touch anything."

I lost sight of Celia, whose footsteps sounded like they were heading upstairs. Stacey remained in the room, which looked like a living room, with two large couches in it and a rug. There was no television, to my surprise, and I sniffed experimentally, wondering what race Celia was. She definitely didn't smell like a shifter, but there was some lingering smell that indicated that she was a supernatural creature. The question was what kind? I had my suspicions. Especially given the conversation they were having.

What kind of perfume was Celia giving Stacey and why did she need to wear it every day? What kind of effects was it having on me? All I could tell about the perfume was that it smelled like honeysuckle and roses, and was particularly potent. But from the way they were talking, it was almost like there was a spell about it of some kind. Stacey hummed lightly under her breath as she waited for her friend to come back. When Celia did, she looked anything but impressed as she passed a light purple bottle, so small it could be considered a vial, to Stacey.

"Be careful with this one. I may have made it slightly stronger than the last one by accident. Do not wear it every day", she admonished a repentant-looking Stacey.

Stacey tucked it into the pocket of her robe and gave her friend a smile. "I promise" she agreed easily, giving Celia a hug "thank you."

"I'm worried about you" Celia whispered shakily. "I don't think this plan is safe anymore, Stacey. What if he replaces out? The spell won't last forever and I can't keep making this perfume forever either. I think you should give up and get out of there while you still can." I frowned at that.

"No can do," Stacey said with her nose in the air, looking down at the young girl with a snooty expression on her face "I'm aiming to be Luna of the pack and I won't stop until I get it" she added.

Celia looked frustrated as she ran a hand through her brown hair, making it disheveled, blinking back tears. "He'll kill you if he replaces out", she choked.

Stacey sighed. "Trust me, he's not going to replace out about any of it. As far as he's concerned, everything is going well and we're starting a family together. He's too far under the spell to even contemplate anything else."

She reached out and gave Celia a hug. "I have to go" she said quietly, "but I promise to come and visit again", she whispered. Celia hugged her back tightly and let go reluctantly.

I quickly sidled around the back of the house, hearing both their footsteps as they approached the front door.

"I'll see you soon," said Celia regretfully.

"See you soon" repeated Stacey. I heard the front door open and then close, footsteps approaching the forest, presumably Stacey's. I hesitated. Should I go after her, or should I get the answers I was seeking as to why Celia was being so secretive and what this spell of hers was doing to me?

I made up my mind and approached the front door. I knocked on it quietly and then flattened myself against the wall. Celia, expecting it to be Stacey again, opened the door and peered out, her eyes widening as I rushed towards her, shoving her inside and shutting the door closed. She opened her mouth to scream and my eyes turned pitch black.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" I growled.

She closed her mouth.

"What, what do you want" she stammered.

I leaned back against the doorway, watching her glance around, looking for an escape route. I gave her a wicked grin. "I want answers", I purred, "and you're going to give them to me. Now talk" I hissed as she raised a hand and began to mumble something under her breath. She didn't get far. I reached out and yanked her hand, breaking it as she cried out in shock. I had no doubt that she had been trying to perform a spell on me, making her half-witch, the little b***h. She held her broken hand against her chest with her other hand.

"Stacey will know that you've hurt me" she warned, but I just chuckled, a malicious sound that sent shivers down her spine.

"I could care less about Stacey right now. What I want to know is what spell is being done, using the perfume", I warned.

She grimaced and glanced over toward me, a frown on her face. "It's supposed to confuse and disorient you, but most of all it's supposed to make you slowly fall in love with her."

That was the spell? Did that mean that my feelings toward Stacey weren't real? That anything I was feeling was manufactured because of the spell? But as an Alpha, shouldn't I be able to ward off any spells? I glared at Celia, who was looking at me a bit shame-faced. "What else does it do?" I asked her suspiciously as she bit her lip and looked at me nervously, backing away slowly as though I was about to pounce on her.

"Nothing," she said, stammering, but I didn't believe her. I knew there was something she wasn't telling me. Otherwise, why was she looking anywhere but at me?

"What does it do?" I growled, my hands clenching into fists.

"I told you nothing, it doesn't do anything else" she whispered, looking desperate. My hand shot out of its own accord and grabbed her by the neck as she wriggled and kicked.

"You're lying" I snapped, tightening my grip and watching her face turn purple.

She made spluttering and choking sounds, her hands scratching at mine, in a frantic attempt to get me to release her. I began to shake her, watching her head move back and forth. "Tell me, what it does," I said slowly, punctuating each word perfectly. She began to tremble in my hands. I tightened my grip, even more, cutting off her oxygen supply and watching as her lips began to turn blue. It was only a matter of time before she became unconscious.

"Okay," she wheezed pathetically "I'll tell you."

I loosened my grip slightly, not trusting this so-called witch not to try anything. But she was just a teenage girl in her heart and I knew she was frightened of me. It would be foolish to try a spell when I wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

"Tell me" I roared.

She shook. "It makes you believe what she tells you. So you think that the baby she is carrying is yours when in actual fact it's Gordon's."

I felt sick to my stomach. All this time I had contemplated the possibility it was mine, made allowances for that fact and now I was discovering that Stacey knew the truth and was keeping it from me. I was so angry that I was speechless. My rage knew no bounds. Without ceremony, I snapped the little witch's neck and dropped her to the ground. She hit the floor with a large thump and was completely still. I glared down at the body. I wanted to hurt it some more, but it would be pointless now. Instead, I forced myself to get moving, walking out the front door and then shutting it ever so quietly. I shifted into my massive black wolf. I needed to catch up with Stacey and she was going to be in for the shock of her life when I caught up with her. My mind was awhirl with thoughts of revenge and what exactly I was going to do to her. She would be begging for mercy once I was through with her. What a shame that her lies had finally caught up with her.