The Alpha’s Fated Choice (Alpha's Fated Encounter Trilogy #1)

Alex stiffens. “I’m just not in the market for a mate. No offense. Besides, I don’t think we’re compatible at all. I can’t always be rescuing—”

“Then don’t,” I say harshly. “I’m not the one who approached you. I didn’t try to chat you up on the beach. I never asked you to come over and interrupt my private time. I knew what you were, and I never did anything about it. You know why? Because you’re not my type, either. So, do us both a favor, Alex, and stay away from me.”

Turning on my heel, I storm off.

Rejection. My whole life, I have been rejected. But I’ve lived through it, haven’t I? I’m a survivor. I have plans for my life. Those plans have never included love or a partner. I know how undesirable I am. I’ve been told as much since I was a child. I don’t care if my fated mate found me unappealing on every level. So what? I’m not going to get my feelings hurt over somebody like him.

But as I stop to pick up the picnic basket Alex dropped as he rushed to save me, a traitorous tear slips down my cheek.

*** **

The next couple of days, I feel like my body is just going through the motions.

I go to work, and I come back home. I don’t have much of an appetite, and I’ve started falling asleep in front of the television. The noise soothes me.

I never realized till now how lonely my life is. Every corner of my existence is filled with silence. There’s nobody here with me.

The books Drew lent me are sitting on the small table by my front door. I’ve yet to give them back to him. I never finished that first book. As exciting as it had been, I lost interest in it.

It’s eleven at night, and since my shift ended early, I’m sitting in front of the television, watching reality TV. I’m not even following what’s going on; I just want to fill the silence of this apartment with something.

A knock on the door has me looking over at it, but I don’t get up.

Another loud knock, and my eyebrows furrow together.

“Sophia! Open up. I know you’re in there.”

It’s Drew’s voice.

Getting to my feet, I pad over to the door and unlock it. When I open it, my neighbor is standing there with a bag in his hands. “Elsa sent me over with this.”

“Oh.”

It smells like cheeseburgers and fries. Once upon a time, they would have made my stomach rumble, but I feel disinterested. “You can keep it.”

“No,” he says firmly, shoving the bag into my hands. “You keep it. And eat it.”

“I’m really not that hungry, Drew,” I insist tiredly.

He studies me, his lips pursed together, a displeased expression on his face. “Alright. Then let’s have some coffee. I think we should talk.”

“I don’t—”

“It’s decided, then,” he interrupts.

He walks past me, and I stare at the empty hallway, annoyed. “Please. Come in, by all means.”

It’s not like this is the first time Drew has come over. He drops Tim off, of course, but he also stops by from time to time to help me with plumbing issues and small things like that, as payment for babysitting his son. But I really don’t want to talk to him right now.

He’s already in the kitchen, though, so I close the door and follow him.

Leaning against the door frame, I watch him look for the coffee grounds and finally take pity on him when he begins peeking inside the cereal boxes. “I’m out of coffee.”

Drew pauses. “Since when?”

I shrug.

“Alright, then.” He gives me a stubborn look. “We’ll have tea.”