Konstantin: The Heartless Beta
N&D - Rejecting Fate

Nikolai

I know I shouldn't be here again, I know I should head home and resume the mission Kai has sentme on, but I can't help it. The pull is too strong; HER pull is too strong. I should probably just rejecther for real this time and get on with my life, but staring at temptation for so long only makes mewant it more.

It's been nearly four years since I spoke with Nova, four years since I caught her scent and promisedto win her over again... and four years since I've done jack shit about it. But it's not because I don'twant to, fuck no.

We're at war with two other packs, and there is so much death surrounding us now. I don't want todrag Nova into the middle of this; I don’t want her to be caught in the crossfire. So I've resignedmyself to coming to this seedy bar the Rogue Alpha owns, the bar she works in so that I can watchher from afar.

I never approach her, never stare too long to catch anyone's attention, and I do not release myscent in here no matter how pissed off I get at how friendly she is with other men

Oh, and it's not because I don't want to, what with the short skirts and low cut corsets she wearsnow. She's lost a lot of weight, and I don't fucking like it. I want to rip their throats out for trying toscent her, I want to run right over and tear them to shreds for even looking her way, but I can't. Shedefinitely doesn't make it any fucking easier for me, getting their attention by flaunting her curveslike this, and it pisses me off to the point that I dig my claws into the wooden table in front of me.She's mine; she’s my mate, but there isn't a fucking thing I can do about it.

As much as it fucking sucks, I can't bring her into my world, well, not now at least. She deserves anormal life in an average pack without this shit to deal with. I don't want anyone knowing she'smine and using her as a ploy, and fuck knows they would.

My exploits have rivalled Konstantin's lately. I know I'm the youngest, but I am so fucking pissed offat the world that I don't give a shit. It is part of the reason I asked Kai to make me head Enforcer - Iwanted to kill and maim without repercussions just to let out my frustrations.

In the beginning, it helped a fuck load. But not anymore; now I just want to come home and knowmy mate is there waiting for me with open arms. I want Nova to look at me the way Caterina looksat Kai and Lily looks at Kon. I want her to say she needs me, too; I want her to fall apart under me asI claim her over and over again.

But I can't be selfish about this. As much as I want that, I want Nova to be safe as well. No one canknow she’s mine, and no one can know she’s my weakness.

I lean forward and drink my beer, my eyes skimming the bar again. She's so fucking beautiful; myheart aches just watching her leaning over the counter with her glasses slipping from her face as hereyes seem like she’s a million miles away. This is how she looks most nights, and I always wonderwhat she’s thinking about.

Is she thinking about me as much as I'm thinking about her? Do I even fucking cross her mind?“Back alley, right fucking now," I hear a gruff, angry voice and look up just in time to see Novafollowing another man out the back door.

Anger bubbles in my chest as I finish my beer, knowing that this asshole is her boyfriend, the oneshe fucks and gives herself to now. Jealousy coils so deep in my stomach that I jump up and stormout the back door leading to the alley.

My eyes fall on her, and I see red, but before I can even think about it, Knight takes over. He'syearned for her, and seeing her pressed up against the wall with a bloody nose pushed him muchmore over the edge.

This asshole dared to put his hands on our mate, so I ripped out his heart and tore him in two.Nikolai and Dimitri: Rejecting Fate will be out in May 2022.