Chapter 50: Don't reject me

Benjamin’s POV

“Why didn’t you take her to the hospital?” I yelled pushing past Ryan to get to Mina.

“Her wounds are too serious, Benjamin. The humans would question what happened to her and we would have to deal with the police.” My father explained to me as I flew up the stairs to my bedroom.

“Son!” He shouted again blocking my path and guarding the door. “She’s with Dr. Stohel, your sister and your mother. She will be okay.”

“Dr. Stohel? He’s a hundred years-old, Dad!”

“He’s a werewolf and he’s good.” My father insisted in a severe tone. “Let them help her, you’ve done all that you can.”

“I swear if she…” I muttered helplessly.

“She won’t.” My father cut me off before I could finish my dark thought.

If Mina were to die, I wasn’t sure that I could go on living in this world without her. Her fate and mine walked hand in hand and as my father convinced me to go back downstairs, I prayed that the Moon Goddess wasn't so cruel as to take my mate away just as she came back into my life. I let my exhausted body collapse into the couch next to Ryan’s father and at his sight, my mind shifted back to the traitors that I had left him to deal with.

“Uncle Ronan, did you kill Craig?” I asked turning my head towards him.

“The minute that you told us to do it.”

“Good. What about his mate?”

“She’s gone. Banished.” He said, easing my mind a little.

“Did we lose anyone?” My father asked me as he came into the living room.

“Casey Ridge is dead.” I answered leaning forward and putting my head between my legs.

“Goddess, no. Her father’s gonna’ be devastated.” Ronan whispered under his breath.

“I’ll talk to him first thing in the morning.”

“We’ll go with you.” My father insisted and I didn't refuse.

“What about the rogue Alpha?” Ryan asked me.

I was in the middle of describing the events that had transpired inside the woods when the doctor and my mother made their way into the living room.

“Alpha Benjamin.” The older man greeted me.

“How is she?” I interrupted him, jumping out of my seat.

“She’s in poor shape. I mean she’s got cuts, hematomas, sprains, bites… I’ve never seen anything like it before. I had to sedate her just to treat all of her injuries.”

“What does that mean?” I pressed the doctor for more.

“It means that she’s not a werewolf so she’ll heal slowly. But I do believe that she’ll heal.” He smiled at me.

I leaned into the unsuspecting doctor’s arms for an embrace and thanked him while everyone else in the room let out relieved sighs. I laid a kiss on my mother’s head before rushing upstairs to be by Mina's side. As soon as I opened my bedroom door, an unpleasant smell wafted through the air and into my nostrils. I glanced around on high alert, in search of the rogue that had penetrated my house to get to my mate.

“Shh, Benji. Don’t wake the girl up.” Roxanne told me as she pointed to the furthest couch.

I was surprised to see the young rogue that had helped me find my mate sleeping in the corner of my bedroom.

“She came in with Ryan and refused to leave her side. The poor thing waited until Dr. Stohel assured us that Mina would be alright to finally sleep.” Roxanne explained.

I nodded my head, accepting the fact that she and her horrible scent would be sticking around a little longer. As I approached Mina’s side slowly, I did the best that I could to avoid crying.

“I’ll be right downstairs.” My sister said in a quiet voice as she left my room.

Once alone with my unconscious mate and a sleeping rogue, I no longer had to try to fight back my tears or bury my emotions. I sat on the bed next to Mina and silently cried over her bruised body. Every mark on her was telling me about the kind of hell that he had put her through. I would forever be hunted by the images of my mate trying to kill herself. I laid soft kisses on her face and apologized over and over again. It was all my fault. I had made her feel like she was all alone and she thought that death was her only way out.

I fell asleep next to her and was woken up by small fingers poking my shoulder. I rolled away from Mina and gazed at the teenage rogue standing above me.

“Who are you?” She asked suspiciously, seemingly protective of Mina.

“I’m Benjamin Miller, Alpha of the Blackwoods Pack which you are now in, young girl.” I answered hoarsly as I sat up in the bed. “Who are you?”

“Ophelia Chen. I’m a rogue orphan." She leaned to her right to glance at Mina. "Are you her mate?”

“Yes.”

“So how come you didn’t show up earlier?” She questioned bluntly.

“I tried.”

“Hmm… not hard enough.” She let out before returning to her sofa. “Are you gonna’ kill me?”

“Are you her friend?” I asked in return.

“Yes.”

“Then, I’m not going to kill you.”

“Thanks, Benjamin.” She replied in a dead tone before closing her eyes and quickly drifting back to sleep.

I sat in my room for hours, shifting my head back and forth between Mina and Ophelia. The both of them twitched, groaned and trembled throughout the night and I understood again just how badly the rogues' tortures had affected them. Early in the morning, sounds of muffled voices and feet shuffling caught my attention and I grudgingly decided to go downstairs. My family and my closest friends were all gathered in my house to discuss the events of yesterday. I didn’t want to sit amongst them while Mina needed me upstairs, but as the head of our pack, I had a duty towards them that I couldn’t ignore.

“Dr. Stohel will be back to check up on Mina this afternoon.” My sister said to me before anything else.

I gave her a quick smile and settled in a seat.

“I killed the rogue Alpha yesterday. He will never be a problem again.” I stated dryly.

I heard sharp exhales and a few praises thrown my way that I felt I didn't deserve.

“Thank the Moon Goddess! So we’re safe?” Raleigh asked from her seat beside her mate.

“As safe as can be for now. There’s no more Alpha Miller, but we know for sure that a few rogues escaped. Their numbers are so low that they’re not a threat to us, but we should all still remain cautious.” I advised the leaders of my pack.

“Do you have an idea of who escaped, honey?” My mother asked me in her soft voice.

“No, but the rogue Alpha died protecting one of them.”

“Who was it?” A few voices asked together.

“I don’t know, but she seemed important. Maybe she was his mate or—”

“His mother.” Mina’s voice rose in the air and we immediately turned our heads to it.

She stood in the entryway, supporting her weight against the wall. She looked frail and unsteady as she limped her way to us. I shot up from my seat and hurried across the living room to her.

“Mina, what are doing? You shouldn’t be here, you should be in bed.” I said in a panic.

“I’m fine, Benji.”

“Mina, you’re not fine. Let me take you back upstairs, please.” I begged reaching to touch her.

“I said I’m fine.” She jerked away from me with a voice as cold as her gaze.

“Her name is Gisele Bailey and she’s his mother.” She looked past me and hobbled towards my parents. “Carson, if she did get away, she will be back to avenge her son, believe me. She’s worse than him.”

She accepted my sister's help as she struggled to get to a chair, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at me and her indifference pierced my heart like a thousand knives through the chest.

“She’s a vicious killer and she’s hellbent on destroying this pack. And now that Benji has killed her son, I fear the worst.”

“She won’t get near you.” I tried to reassure Mina.

“Don’t worry about me. Worry about your pack members.” She retorted without so much as a glance thrown my way.

***All of you leave. Now.*** I ordered every werewolf in the premises through the mind-link.

Mina sneered lowly when she saw everyone stand up and silently exit my house. She still refused to look at me even as I fell on my knees in front of her to beg for forgiveness.

“You rejected me, didn’t you?” She asked in a shaky voice.

“Mina…”

“Did you?”

“Yes, but I thought that you had left me. Baby, look at me, please.” I cupped her face in my hands and turned her head to me.

“I needed you and you chose to give up on me.”

“I made a mistake.”

“Micheal made mistakes too.” She replied teary-eyed with a half-hearted smile.

“No, baby. I-” I brought her face closer, pressing her forehead against mine. “I already took back my rejection and I'll take it back again now. You’re my mate. I’m yours and you’re mine.” I pleaded my case with tears in my eyes.

“That's a lie… Benjamin Miller, I-”

“No! Don’t! Don’t say it. Please.” I threw my hand on her lips and covered her entire mouth to stop her from tearing my heart apart.

She looked deep into my eyes like she was searching them for an answer that she couldn’t find anywhere else. She hesitantly shook her head in defeat and brought her fingers up to mine. As she pulled my hand away from her mouth, I feared my imminent rejection and held my breath in.