Page 56 of Rough

Except I suspected she hadn’t even read them.

Which meant I might have to make a grander gesture. If only I knew what would win her back. Crawling, begging and groveling weren’t off the table.

I’d planned on talking to Rob about Audrey, but I’d been pissed off at him. I’d been too hurt to see straight. It took everything in me not to hop in my truck and go to her. My wolf was not happy with me for staying away. Besides dropping the letters on her stoop, I’d steered clear of everyone. Especially my brother.

Even though it wasn’t really his fault. Still, if he hadn’t talked about her in front James, fucking Karen wouldn’t have had the fuel to start a fire.

That stupid female had been trying to land a Wolf brother since we were kids. She’d been working hard at snagging me since I’d been back. I’d told her at the bar I wasn’t interested, made it obvious when I left with Audrey. But no. It figured she’d step in to cause me trouble when I finally found my mate.

She was a bitch, plain and simple. To go to Audrey’s house? I could only imagine the extent of the lies she’d fed to my mate. Lies that were only perpetuated by my actions. Or, hell, my lack of action.

Rob stood there waiting, his patience one of his best traits as alpha, but also really fucking annoying. He wasn’t leaving this time, and that was good because I had a lot to say. A lot to unload if I was going to work through the shit in my head.

“I’m sorry I got our parents killed,” I said, without looking at him. “I’m sorry you became alpha at eighteen. Sorry you didn’t go to college because you had to raise me. I’m surprised you want to look at my face. There, I said it. I’m sorry, but that’s not going to bring them back. I’m not gonna play the role of the fuck-up any more.”

“Excuse me?” Rob sounded shocked.

I lobbed another stone at the telephone pole. “I know you never expect much from me, but I can be just as responsible as you or Colton. I could lead the pack if I had to. I’m good for more than just seducing women to keep them quiet.”

He stepped closer, set his hands on his hips. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, but I have a feeling it has something to do with your doctor friend.”

“You had me seduce Audrey to make her forget I had an injury, to make her think she’d been seeing things and not wonder how I healed in a few fucking hours. You had me do it because I was the handsome one. Then you tell me not to fuck her brains out? I can never win with you.”

“Hold on. I never told you to seduce her. I told you to keep an eye on her not get your dick in her.”

I growled, chucked another rock. “Fucking Karen,” I mumbled.

“Whoa. What’s got you so riled over the doctor?”

“She’s not my doctorfriend. She’s my fucking mate. My wolf recognized her the moment I saw her in the arena. That’s why I got gored—because Abe fucking Gleason asked her out and was making the moves in the stands.”

Rob gave a low whistle. “Your mate? Are you sure?”

I turned, glared.

“I had no idea,” he replied, sounding totally surprised. “Why the fuck didn’t you say something?”

I turned on him. “Say what, exactly? It’s against pack rules, right? We don’t mate humans? We don’t reveal what we are to them? What the fuck was I supposed to do, especially when you tell me to be her best fucking friend?”

Rob looked bewildered at seeing me express so much emotion. “Well, I don’t know, but we sure as shit could’ve talked it over together.” His tone was mild. Coaxing, almost, like I was still a kid.

I threw another rock so hard it split the wood when it hit.

“Are you going to mate her?”

“Well, besides the fact that it’s not allowed, that’s pretty much off the table now. Fucking Karen showed up at her house telling her you’d sent me to seduce her to keep her quiet. Thanks very much.”

Rob groaned. “She is such a goddamn bitch. She needs a mate who’ll get her under control, and that’s not going to be any of us. Maybe it’s time for her to go visit the Canadian pack for a few months. But you know that’s not what I said. I wouldn’t have asked it of you if I’d known how your wolf felt. I’m sorry.”

I took my hat off, ran my hand over my hair. “Yeah, well. Audrey’s finished with me now. She never believed in me. Just like you don’t.”

“Seriously, asshole? I’m about to knock you on the ground. You’re the only one who doesn’t believe in you.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I snarled.

“I sent you to take care of Markle because I knew you could do it. He’s an asshole and isn’t going to go down easily. I didn’t expect him to be resolved in one night.”

“He had his eyes on Audrey, and I cleared that up pretty fast. Besides his wolf issue, I’m sure my stealing away Audrey pisses him off even more. He hates my guts.”