CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-TWO.

Reed'S POV.

"You found your mate today?" Jayce asks aghast the moment I tell him about the mate issue over the phone. I tiredly slum on a sofa in my living room and massage my forehead with my fingers, letting out a tired sigh. Right now I'm totally drained. I've not had a single moment of peace ever since I found Madison.

Just yesterday, I thought to myself how I was going to reject my mate at first sight, but I just realized most things are easier said than done.

I can't bring myself to reject Madison just yet.

"Yes, I did."

"Holy fuck! That's crazy. Where's she now?" He panics over the phone. I guess he quite understands what I'm going through right now because he has once been in a similar situation.

"I took her to one of my houses in town. I couldn't bring her over here to my main house."

"Good. Smart move. What about Halle? Have you told her already?" My heart sinks into my abdomen at the mention of Halle's name. Things were just starting to go smoothly between us. This is going to cause a big problem and I know it. I can feel it.

Fuck!

"I just called her over. She is on her way here. I'll tell her when she arrives."

"You should. You should. So tell me, what's your decision? What do you plan on doing?" I nervously scratch the back of my head and rise to my feet. "Well, I'm going to have to reject Madison as I've always intended even though its hard."

"Why don't you take a few days to think properly, Reed? This is a serious issue. This is your destiny you are about to temper with. A wrong decision will haunt you for the rest of your life. It's true that you are in love with Halle, but Madison is the one for you. She was assigned to you by the Moon goddess. You have to think hard and be sure before rejecting her." He cautions and something snaps within me.

He's right.

"Yeah that's… that's… you're right, but if I don't reject her right now, Halle is going to think I'm having second thoughts after everything I've told her. It's going to break her heart."

"It sure is, but you cannot afford to make any bad decisions. You are no ordinary werewolf, Reed. You are an Alpha. Think hard before making any decision, especially one as serious as this!"

"Got it brother, thank you."

"Anytime. Tell me how the talk with Halle goes when you're done."

"I will. Bye." I end the call and throw the phone on the sofa behind me. With my face in my hands, I let out a frustrated groan and my soul leaves my body when my doorbell rings.

Halle is here.

I head to the door with cold, trembling hands. Her sweet smile makes my head spin when I open the door.

"Heyyy." She greets sweetly as she leans in to give me a kiss on my lips. I close my eyes and savor the brief moment before calamity strikes.

"Hey baby." I greet as we both walk into the living room.

"Are you alright? You sounded very edgy over the phone." She inquires with creased brows. I sigh for the thousandth time that day and inch closer to her. My hands find their way to her shoulders and I gently caress her arms, my face masked with the most melancholic look ever. She senses my worried state.

"Baby. Is everything alright?" Her voice sounds like fear. I take her hands and plant soft kisses on them.

"Come with me." I whisper and lead the way to the sitting area where I put her to sit on one of the sofas. I need her to sit down here so it won't be very easy for her to run out once she hears what I want to say.

"Reed, you are getting me all worked up. What's wrong? Please tell me already." Her voice is shaky as she speaks. Her searching eyes scan my face for answers. "What's wrong?"

"There's something you need to know." I stall. It's so hard for me to say the words. Saying them feels like I'm giving a death sentence. She cubes my face with her hands and makes me look straight in her eyes.

"What is it that I have to know? Tell me. You know I'll understand."

I highly doubt that.

This is going to crush her.

"I… I found my mate." I finally blurt out the words and I watch all the color drain from her face. In a matter of seconds, she has gone pale and she looks like she has seen a ghost. "At a coffee shop around town…" I ride on. "After the inspection, I… I went to get some coffee and that's where I found her. She was the waitress who came to take order." Her gaze flicks from mine. Her hands fall from my face and she rises to her feet. I do the same.

"Baby I…" My words are cut short by the sound of the doorbell. We both look at the door and I'm shocked because I'm not expecting anyone. When I delay going to get it, the doorbell rings again and I mutter a curse under my breath.

"Go get the door."

"It's not important right…"

"Just fucking get the door!" She screams and my legs fly over to the door to get it. My stomach falls over when Madison's face comes to my view.

"Madison!" My voice wobbles when I speak. She breaks into a wide, confident smile as she waves at me.

"Hello, dear mate." I don't even have the strength to stop her when she pushes me from the doorway and walks into the house like she owns it. I rush over to her and step in her way to stop her from going further.

"Madison what the fuck are you doing here? I thought I asked you to stay at the apartment until I came to see you!"

"And it's been more than six hours since that happened. I got tired of waiting. I don't have your number so I…" she stops talking and she looks over my shoulders, behind me. "Who is she?" I turn to look and see Halle who has been watching us without uttering a word. The look on her face tells me she knows Madison is my mate.

"That's none of your business."

"Is she your girlfriend?" She scoffs, walks past me and goes to meet Halle. "Have you been the one warming his bed all this time? There's a wicked smirk on her face.

"No, Madison. That's enough. You should leave now."

"I should leave? She should be the one to leave, not me!"

"For fuck's sake Madison I…"

"It's fine, I'll leave." Halle steps forward.

"You are going nowhere!" I tell her firmly. Madison huffs in annoyance, but I ignore her. Halle gives me a haunted look. I nod. "To my bedroom, now!" I almost jump with excitement when she obeys.

"Seriously?" Madison asks in total disbelief.

"Yes, Seriously. Now…" I grab her wrist. She tries to wiggle herself out of my hold, but it's a futile attempt. I drag her to the door.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Where I left you." We both step out and I close the door behind her. She's hissing and murmuring curses at me as I drag her all the way to my car.

The earlier I reject this girl, the better for me.