I Rejected The Alpha For Being A Bully

Chapter 23

"I'm allowing Rachel to leave". I said and everyone except her looked alarmed. I felt a pang of hurt through our bond with her, but I tried to ignore it.

What do you mean? Dad asked and I could see his anger rising.

"I thought about what you said, Rachel. About how I put myself first, you are right like you usually are. So I want you to go out there and do what makes you happy, I have spoken to two of our allied packs. They have permitted you to come to stay with them for a week. In three weeks you will go and experience other packs. They are all allied so you should be safe with them, but I did like you to take Ethan with you. When you get back you will decide to give me a chance, a real chance or you will decide if you want to transition to another pack and I will accept your rejection and let you go". I finished my word and everyone looked astonished, Rachel the most.

Gabriel! You have to think of what is best for the pack first. My dad yells in anger, making everyone but my mom and I flinch.

"What's best for the pa is a happy and committed Luna. Forcing her into the position of trying to make her love me isn't what is best for everyone, especially Rachel ". I say firmly before turning back to her.

"Rachel, I care about you enough to let you leave, I care more about your happiness than my own. I want to watch you grow, I won't cut you down nor watch you wither. I want nothing more than for you to come back to me. I say, stopping in the middle to clear the emotion clogged in my throat. " But if that is not what you want, I will respect your decision ". I say and everyone lapses into silence.

" Could you guys all leave?" Rachel asks quietly.

Once they have all gone out of the room, Rachel looks up at me.

"Are you serious about this?" She asked and I nodded.

" The first pack is expecting you tomorrow, Ethan is already aware and will pick a packed vehicle to take you there". I say sitting down. She looks away thoughtfully.

"What reason have you given them for my visit?" She asked and I smiled a little at her.

" That you are going to work in our pack hospital and are hoping to find a way to make it more efficient". I explained and she smiled back before it fell.

" What if I don't want to leave?" She asked, her eyes a little misty, I stood and walked over to her, sitting next to her and reaching out to hold her.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to, sweetheart. I say quietly tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears.

"Is this you giving up? Deciding that I'm not Worth the effort? She asks, tears slipping down her face, grief swells in me as I wipe the tears away.

" This is the complete opposite of that. This is me recognizing what you need to be happy and doing my best to give it to you, even if that is not me, your leaving is going to hurt me so much but I'm willing to go through it if it means I get a chance to make you mine without wondering what if". I explained and she looked up at me, her eyes barely containing her tears.

"I feel like you want to get rid of me ". She whispered and I couldn't hold back anymore. I lifted her onto my lap and wrapped my arms around her, burying my face into her neck and breathing her scent in like it was the only thing I needed to live.

"No, Rachel . I want to keep you. Forever and something is telling me that giving you this choice, this experience is the best way for me to do that". I say barely containing my tears. She nods in understanding and I feel her pain through the bond.

" You are right, I've thought, dreaming about leaving the pack for so long I will always wonder what if. What would it be like to go somewhere where people don't know me, where they haven't heard terrible things about me, you will never know how much I appreciate this, Gabriel ". She says with a little hiccup and wraps her arms around my neck pulling me in closer to her. We sat like that for a while before I pulled back to look at her.

"So you are going?" I ask, even though I already know the answer. She sighs and nods before cupping my cheeks with her little hand.

"Yes but I promise to keep an open mind, I promise to call you every day so you know I'm safe and I promise to miss you," she said lastly and I couldn't help but smile at her.

"Really?" You will miss me? I asked incredulously and she nodded.

"Even though this bond isn't very strong, I still feel it a little, even though you are annoying, it still feels right to have you close to me". She admits resting her head on my shoulder. It seems cruel that after finally getting this bit of affection, I have to let her go possibly for real.

" Will you let me sleep in bed with you tonight ?" I asked nervously " it may be the only chance I get to sleep close to my mate in bed," I say my voice full of emotion. She hugs me a little tighter.

" Let's stay here, in the room you set up for me". She says quietly and I can't contain my smile. I stand and lift her with me, making her squeal, and Carry her out of the room and up the stairs. I mind linking the kitchen to bring up some dinner since it is late and we both missed it.

I sat her on her new bed before slipping into my room and grabbing some clothes for her to change into. She changes in the bathroom and the mixture of her scent with mine is intoxicating. I don't even hide the way I'm breathing her in my arms around her and pulling her close. She seems more open with affection tonight and I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

Someone brings up the food and I try to feed her but she laughs at me and bats my hand away. After we finished eating I turned the TV on to some random show but wasted no time pulling her closer to me. She nuzzles into my side and she seems to enjoy the contact almost as much as me. I didn't watch the show, I just kept observing her, trying to memorize every ios and curve of her body, every inch of her face. She looked up at me curiously and I smiled at her, running my fingers down her cheek.

" Thank you for this". I tell her honestly, tightening my grip. She nods and melts a little further into me.

" Thank you for what you are doing for me, I know it is not easy". She says.

We lay quietly and she fell asleep shortly after, but I fought it wanting to enjoy her a little longer.

Her smell, the spark I feel, get body heat, the feel of her body pressure against mine, if this is all I get, the memory will last me a lifetime