Returning To My Rejected Mate

Shay's Point of View

"So what do we need to discuss? It must be important if we need to do it here."

I ask as soon as we sit down.

He sighs and rubs his hand down his face.

"It is.. And your probably not going to like it. I got an interesting phone call this afternoon. From Zane."

I feel my heart start to pound as soon as I hear his name.

"What was the call about?"

"Zayde."

I swallow the lump in my throat. Here it comes. The moment I've been dreading.

"I'm assuming from the look on your face you already knew that he knows about him."

I nod my head.

"Yeah. Had a run in with Jake who immediately figured out who he was. Told me he had to tell his Alpha."

"How do you feel about Zane knowing?"

I shrugged.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it once we get here. He looks too much like his father. I

honestly don't want anything to do with Zane.. but if he wants to get to know our son.. I'm not going to take that away from my boy."

"So you're open to him getting to know Zayde?"

I nod.

"Yes. As long as I don't need to spend unnecessary time with him myself. Why? What was the call about?"

"He wants a meeting with you."

I shake my head.

"No."

Dan sighs.

"Shay come on. One meeting. He wants me and Jake to be present at the meeting. He's not pressuring you into meeting him alone. He just wants one meeting to discuss your son." "He doesn't want to be alone with me?"

"I didn't say that. I'm just saying he doesn't want to pressure and overwhelm you. For now he just wants to talk to you about Zayde."

"And both you and Jake would be there? With us?" I ask to confirm, frowning because I wasn't sure if I really understood what he was saying.

"Yes Shay. You won't be alone with him."

"Did you come up with this arrangement?"

"No, Zane did. Why?"

I shake my head.

"This makes about as much sense as your disappearing rogues."

Dan frowns.

"I don't understand."

"I mean, why is he making this so easy? This isn't the Zane I now. I thought he would be mad, and demand access to our son."

"I didn't say he wasn't mad. He is, but he also knows why you did what you did. I really think you guys need this meeting."

"Why does it sound like you're on his side? Aren't you still mad at him?"

"I still hate what he did to you. But he's changed and grown a lot since then. If I were in his shoes,

I would've wanted my mate to just give me one conversation and hear me out. Wouldn't you?" "I don't owe him anything Dan."

"No, you don't. But you owe this to yourself Shay and to Zayde. Have the meeting, hear him out and try to let go of the resentment. If you ever want to move on you need to do this."

I frown at Dan, thinking about what he said before I nod slowly.

"Fine, when does he want this meeting?"

"As soon as possible, but he said it's up to you."

"Fine. Call him back and tell him we'll do it tomorrow at noon. I need to talk to Zayde first thing

tomorrow morning. He's had enough excitement for one day." I say as I stand to leave.

Dan nods and smile at me.

"I'll let him know. I'll see you at dinner, yeah?"

I nod before I leave his office and head over to Ashley's room.

I knock once and enter giving them both my best smile.

Zayde smiles back and continues to play while Ashley just looks at me.

"What's wrong?"

I sigh and sit down on the sofa.

"Zane called Dan. He wants a meeting with me about our son."

She frowns.

"What did you say?"

I relay my conversation with Dan to her and at the end she nods slowly.

"I agree, it's a little suspicious how calm he is. But I guess we'll see tomorrow."

She stands up from the floor to join me on the couch and then frown at me. "What?"

I asked confused and look down to see if there is anything on my shirt because she's staring strangely at me.

"Why do you smell like that?"

I scrunch my nose.

"Like what?"

She frowns and shrugs.

"I don't know, this smell is making me go nuts. Who were you with?"

"You know my mother and I went to the hospital and then I was with Dan. I don't smell anything different on me. Your acting so weird. But at least your not sniffing me."

"Who sniffed you??"

"Dan, he also kept going on about some smell.." I stopped midsentence wanting to say more,

but my words got caught in my throat as something occured to me and I just kept staring at Ashley.

She frowned at me again.

"What? Now your looking at me like I have something on my face?"

"Both of you have been smelling something today that no one else does."

"Yeah, so?"

"Think about it Ash. A smell that no one else smells."

She looks at me like I'm crazy before my words sink in.

"You don't think.."

She trails of and I nod.

"Oh I do. I really do. What if he's your mate?"

She stares at me with her eyes wide.

"I don't know. Oh wow.. I know we joked about me finding my mate on this trip but I didn't really

expect it to happen."

I squeal excitedly.

"Your mated to my brother! I can't believe this. We're going to be sisters!"

"Calm down Shay. We don't know for certain that he's my mate."

I frown and nod.

"That's true. Then lets go find out."

I stand up and wait for her to join me. But she doesn't move from the couch.

I frown at her just sitting there biting her lip.

"What know?"

"I... Well what if we're wrong? I don't want to get my hopes up and then be utterly disappointed

when it turns out we were wrong."

I sit back down and put my hand on her knee.

"I honestly think he's your mate, but I get it. We don't have to go to him right now. Let's just go

to dinner, we can talk about this later."

Ashley nods and I call for Zayde as we get up to leave the room.

Just as we round the corner in the hall Ashley bumps into someone and almost falls before he

wraps his arms around her to prevent the fall.

"Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't..."

She trails off as she stares at the man that caught her.

I hear a growl come from his chest before they both speak at the same time.

"Mate."