A Rejection For Christmas

Chapter 7: Isabella the mother

Jared's POV

I had to return to this freaking hotel because my stupid Beta forgot to bring the documents to the council.

I asked him to do one thing, only one thing, and he still managed to screw it up. I swear, if he weren’t Kathy’s cousin, I would have told him to f**k himself and get a new Beta for the position.

Kathy has a brother, but he left years ago to train around the world. I knew he was strong, intelligent, and at the top of his class. Perhaps I could hire him as my new Beta.

I slammed the car door harder than necessary and stalked into the hotel lobby. The polished marble floor reflected the tension in every step I took. The day had been a complete disaster.

First, Isabella appeared from the dead and treated me like I was garbage, and then I saw Kathy, and her presence irked me. I door even get a boner.

And the cherry on top was my Beta’s mistake. He only had one freaking job.

One. How hard could that be? I did not ask him to be a nuclear scientist; all I asked him to do was hand-deliver the documents to the council while I was in the meeting with Alpha Salvadori.

But no—apparently, that was too much responsibility for him to handle. Now, I had to fix his mess, as always.

Liam Salvadori, another stone in my way, and unfortunately, I couldn’t do anything about this one.

I shook those thoughts away and focused on getting these papers to the council. I needed more allies, and soon, the Alphas’ annual meeting would be held. I needed all the support I could get.

“Mr. Cain?” The receptionist’s voice pulled me from my brooding. She looked up nervously, her hands trembling slightly as she handed me the envelope I’d asked for earlier.

“Thank you,” I muttered curtly, snatching the envelope and heading for the elevator.

Oh, that was the other thing. Esteban forgot the f*****g papers at the restaurant. Thankfully someone saw them and called me instantly, otherwise I would be f****d.

The doors slid shut, and I leaned back against the cool metal wall, pinching the bridge of my nose. My mind wandered, not to the council but to Kathy’s brother—Marcus. He’d been the shining star of our pack, top of his class in every way. The loss had been palpable when he left years ago, especially for Kathy.

Isabella came a year after he left, which is why Kathy was so vulnerable.

It was time to bring him back. My Beta’s incompetence was costing me too much, and while I tolerated it for Kathy’s sake, I was done making excuses for him.

The elevator dinged, and I stepped out, my thoughts still tangled in frustration. Then, something caught my attention—a familiar scent, but it had something extra.

It called to me, but not in the same way a mate bond would do; it was as if I were related to it.

Thane howled like crazy, urging me to follow that scent. I closed my eyes and focused, only to realize that this scent had a hint of lilies.

Isabella.

I froze. The memory of her hit me like a freight train. Her laughter, her stubbornness, the way she used to look at me as if I could conquer the world.

But those memories were quickly overshadowed by anger. She dared reject me, an Alpha, only to then fake her death.

I had no idea why an orphaned rogue wolf had the guts to do what she did, but I would not let go of the humiliation she caused me today so easily.

I knew she was never unfaithful, but the fact that she was now Salvadori’s Luna instead of mine made my blood boil.

They must wait for the right time to do her Luna and mark the celebration. At first, I thought it was a stupid game Isabella was playing, but then I noticed how protective Liam was of her.

He acted as if she belonged to him, letting me know how close they were.

The thought made me clench my fists, the papers in my hand crumpling slightly. I didn’t know what game she was playing, but she’d crossed a line.

The scent seemed to fade, so I started following it. Unless you were a member of the council, nobody would be in this floor.

I wondered who could have such an alluring scent and why I felt so drawn to it. I could blame it on the lilies, but it was something else.

However, when I reached the end of the hall, I realized it came from Salvadori’s office, and I decided to leave.

“What are you doing?!” Thane wanted me to barge into his office and discover what that scent was, but I had enough.

If it were related to Isabella, I would have to learn everything about her. If I kept myself in the dark, I would go to a battle without the proper equipment.

It would have been a stupid move on my part, but I was not stupid.

I took out my phone and decided to give my Beta a call.

“Yes, Alpha?” he answered immediately, his voice tight with tension.

“I want you to dig into Isabella. She goes by Bella Salvadori. Find out everything—where she’s been, who she’s with, and why the hell she’s using Liam’s name,” I ordered.

He hesitated, and it only irritated me further. “Is that clear?”

“Yes, Alpha. I’ll get on it right away.”

I ended the call, my jaw tight as I stared at the council door. I had to do this first, my pack would always be my priority, but Isabella better be ready for what I would do next. I wasn’t done with her—not by a long shot. If she thought she could rewrite her story without me, she was in for a rude awakening.

I smirked darkly, my mind already formulating a plan.

She’d hidden from me for years. Now, it was my turn to find her.

Salvadori might want her now as a Luna, but I’m sure that if I can find out who her parents are and why they abandoned her I can make him leave Isabella.

If I break her enough, she will beg for me to have her back, and it would be on my terms.

I strode toward the council chambers, my thoughts swirling with a dark mix of anger and determination.

I couldn’t wait until I saw Isabella begging for mercy. Her blue eyes would look so pretty once I could have her for myself all over again.

The door to the council chamber loomed ahead, a barrier between me and the wolves who held the influence I needed. I pushed it open, schooling my expression into one of cool confidence.

Today I would meet with one of the Elders, but if he likes it I would have a meeting with all the council.

The council chamber was dimly lit, with a long oak table in the center and high-backed chairs surrounding it. At the head of the table sat Elder Matthias, a wolf who had lived long enough to see generations of Alphas rise and fall. His piercing gray eyes met mine, unflinching and cold, as if he could see right through me.

"Alpha Cain," Matthias greeted, his voice as steady as the stone walls around us. "You requested this audience. I trust you have something of value to discuss?"

I stepped forward, my boots echoing against the polished stone floor. The weight of my pack's future rested on my shoulders, but I refused to let that show. This was a game of politics, of power, and I intended to play it well.

"Yes, Elder Matthias," I began, placing the now slightly crumpled documents on the table before him. "My pack has been working tirelessly to ensure our resources and strategies align with the council's goals for the upcoming year. These documents outline our contributions and proposals for stronger alliances."

Matthias raised a brow but said nothing as he flipped through the pages. His silence was unnerving, but I stood tall, meeting his gaze whenever he glanced up. This was a test, and I knew it.

"You've always been ambitious, Cain," Matthias finally said, his tone unreadable. "But ambition alone is not enough. Trust must be earned, not demanded. I was told your Luna is not your fated mate."

I inclined my head slightly, masking the irritation that threatened to surface. "I understand that, Elder. My actions have always been in service of my pack and the council's vision. Regarding my Luna situation, you have a member amongst the council that also has a Luna who is not his fated mate.”

“Who are you talking about?” The Elder asked, surprised by this revelation.

I thought he knew. As Liam was the youngest member of the council, I thought he had to inform them.

“Liam Salvadori,” I replied, but the Elder made no expression at all.

Hmm, so nobody knows about them. I could use this in my favor.

“Perhaps I misunderstood a situation, Elder Mathias,” I said before he continued to think about it, but I had already piqued his interest.

“If you are talking about Bella, she is not his mate and, therefore, will not be his Luna. She is a single mother.”

Wait… mother?