Everest's POV:

This dinner party is boring as hell, but the hors devours are definitely worth it right now. They have these little pieces of baguette with basil, mozzarella, and tomato with balsamic on it, and it's fucking amazing.

Matias keeps looking around nervously, which is confusing, but I'm not sure how to comfort him. Every time I've tried to comfort him so far, he's just flashed me a fake smile and assured me he's okay, as if I can't see when he's lying.

"Ah, Everest," Claude says, handing me a glass of champagne. "It's nice to see you again."

I take a drink from the glass, wrinkling my nose a bit at the flavor. "Wish I could say the same."

"You are so feisty. No wonder Matias is getting rid of you."

My blood runs cold.

"What?"

"You didn't know that?" Claude asks, almost grinning at me and my distress. "Oh, sorry to be the one who informs you."

I glare at him. "Don't fucking lie to me."

"I'm not... his little brother mentioned it to me and begged me not to tell you. Though, poor Matteo was not fully sober when he told me, so can you blame him?"

"Now I have to kick your ass for two reasons," I growl, squeezing my champagne glass so tightly that I'm almost worried it'll burst. "For lying to me and for getting Matteo drunk."

Claude flashes me another smile. "Ah, try it. I won't have to put up with you for too much longer once you're gone."

I want to smack that stupid smile off of his face, but I need to make sure he's not lying first. I put my glass  down on a passing waiter's tray and grab Matias' arm.

He startles when he seen my expression. "What's wrong, Everest?" he asks, beginning to check me for injuries.

I slap his hands away. "What is it that Claude is saying about you getting rid of me?!" I demand, my voice hushed enough that no one should overhear us.

Matias stares at me. "I have no clue what he's talking about."

"You're lying, you fucking-" I cut myself off when a horribly familiar scent that draws all of my attention wafts through the air.

I whip around and make eye contact with the very man who broke my heart and left me at a hostel because of my infertility. There's already tears pricking at my eyes and I want to claw the fuck out of his stupid face for being near me.

"Mr. Thompson, it's nice to see you," Matias says in a formal, business tone. "How have you been?"

Henry, the fucker, scowls at him. "I'll be better once you've given my mate back to me," he says, eyeing me.

His mate?!

How dare he say that after he rejected me and left me alone?!

I try to hide behind Matias, but he doesn't let me.

"Your mate?" Matias asks, as if he doesn't fucking know how much I hate this asshole. "I was unaware that you still considered him yours."

Henry chuckles dryly. "Well, you would be playing the fool then. I am not attracted to anyone except this Omega, and I'd like him back. Why is he with you?"

"My parents are under the impression that's he's mine."

Realization hits me, now that I can see that Matias is purposefully being fucking stupid and playing dumb. This is his stupid plan to get me away from him! He's going to send me back with the man who deserted me under the guise of him being a concerned mate who actually fucking wants me!

And he thinks I'm okay with this?!

Matias' parents are in the room, and his father speaks up first.

"I was not aware that Everest had a true mate," his father says, glaring at me. "He never said anything."

Henry scoffs. "I imagine he may have been overwhelmed when he was kidnapped and threatened by your family. Give me my mate back or consider your new alliances with my family's company severed."

Matias' father sighs. "Go on, we can find someone else who can offer us heirs."

"My Everest can't do such a thing anyway," Henry points out.

Thanks for rubbing salt in the wound, asshole.

"He can with our technology, if you would like us to proceed with the procedure."

Henry shakes his head. "I'm not stupid enough to do something like that to my Everest. It could kill him."

Stop calling me yours!

"Come on, we should be going now," Henry says, glaring around the room. "I'm sure you've had enough of this place."

I grab Matias' arm, tears in my eyes. "He doesn't love me," I whisper, and I see sadness in his expression. "Matias, don't let him take me. You actually care about me, please!"

"Go. You're not mine," Matias says, his voice shaking a bit, but he pushes me away with a stony look covering his face despite the sadness in his eyes.

"Everest, now," Henry growls, grabbing my shoulder. "Now!"

His tone scares me and I try to give Matias one last pleading look, but he looks away from me.

I don't know how to feel... my entire heart feels like it was ripped out of my chest and I'm now stuck with the man who broke me the first time.

"Let go," I whine when Henry drags me outside. "Let go of me!"

Henry scowls and pulls me closer. "Would you knock it off?" he asks, pushing me toward a car and sliding in beside me. "Airport, please."

I try to get to the other door and get out, but the dumbass Alpha is quicker than me and grabs me around the waist before I can escape.

"Everest, stop," he says, his voice a lot softer as I burst into tears. "It's okay, let it out."

"I hate you," I manage to say weakly as I sob. "I fucking hate you!"

Henry holds me tightly and rubs my back. "I know," he whispers. "I know you do, and I deserve it."

I keep crying, not knowing if my rage is more directed at Henry or Matias. I hate them both, and I wish I never met either of them. Now I'm just going to be brought back to the United States and thrown back into the hostel.

I'll be alone again.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness," Henry says, petting my back and I hate how drawn I am to him, despite rejecting him. "But I won't let you go again. I messed up and I miss you, so please stay."

Is he fucking joking?

I'm too tired to argue and I'm so overwhelmed by the events of tonight that I don't respond. I feel frozen and I'm so angry with Matias for letting this asshole take me. Of all people, the man who rejected me.

I know it has a lot to do with the fact that Henry is really wealthy and if he just aligned with Matias' family, there's no way they'll want to break the relationship over me. Of course Matias would give me back and know that his parents wouldn't argue.

We arrive at the airport and Henry guides me onto his private plane, his hand never leaving the small of my back. The plane looks similar to Matias', but there's no one pointing a gun at me so that's a nice improvement.

Henry opens one of the small rooms that contains a bed and is secluded from the rest of the plane. "Get some rest. You don't look very good."

Obviously I don't look good! The person I was falling for... fuck, the person I'm still pining for, gave me away! He did it to protect me, I know he thinks that, but at this point I'd rather let them do that damn surgery so I could be with Matias.

Instead, he threw me away to Henry, someone who I am undeniably drawn to because the mate bond still exists, though it is really weak. I'm not sure why it's still there... it should have faded and been nonexistent at this point, what with him rejecting me.

I shove my face into the pillow on the bed and scream, tears flowing freely and soaking the part of the pillow where my eyes are. I keep wailing in pain and despair, and I just want to die right now.

The world hates me and obviously I'm not worthy of being loved, so why the fuck should I even be alive right now?

All of my emotions are crashing down on me and I keep crying and howling in pain, and the faint connection I felt to my wolf when I was around Matias is already gone. So, not only am I alone in this world, my wolf is also back to being a figment of my imagination and I have no way to comfort myself.

I don't remember falling asleep, but I must have, because when I come back to consciousness, a hand is rubbing my back. I still feel exhausted, so it takes a few seconds for me to recognize who's touching me, but a sickening scent reaches my nose before my eyes come into focus.

"Shh, it's alright," Henry whispers, sitting me up and wrapping his arms around me. "I've got you."

I snarl and shove him off of me. "Get away from me!"

"Everest..."

"Don't act like you fucking care! Matias' plan worked, he got me out of Italy, so drop the act! You left me! You left me alone, scared, and heartbroken and now you're acting like you care?!"

Henry frowns. "I never wanted to leave you, but-"

"But you needed heirs and I wasn't good enough. Trust me, I know," I bitterly growl, trying to keep my bottom lip from trembling. "I don't need you to act like you care."

"I do care!"

"Then why did you leave?!" I can't help the tears, but I slap his hand when he tries to wipe them away. "If you really cared, you would have told your parents off and have kept me! Instead you rejected me and left me!"

Henry sighs. "If I didn't comply, they threatened to hurt you! I would never be able to live with myself if they hurt you because of me!"

"And what's so different now?!"

"My father died six months ago, and that means I get to take over the company." Henry gently grabs my hand, ignoring my attempts to get him to let go. "It means I can finally be with you."

I glare at him. "I don't want to be with you."

"Yes you do... I never wanted to truly reject you, so the bond is still there. You can feel it."

"You never fucking cared! Matias cares more about me than you and he only got you involved to protect me! Not for you!"

Henry scowls. "You don't know what he said over the phone." He sees my curious expression and rolls his eyes. "He told me that if I still didn't have a mate and wanted my original one back, to come get you, and that he didn't want you in his life anymore. He was willing to give you up without hesitation, and he's not your mate. He'll never be able to give you what I can."

"You gave me nothing but a broken heart, and you don't even care. You're fucking pathetic."

He stands up. "Think what you want. I'll have you as my mate, and you won't be able to resist the bond."

"I want to call him," I say, ignoring his words. "I want to talk to Matias."

"No." Henry opens the door. "If you get hungry or thirsty, come out here and I will get you something. If you want to continue to pout, stay in here."

I flip him off as he closes the door and I crawl under all of the blankets and let out a shaky breath. I honestly thought Matias cared about me... maybe he thought he was helping me, but can he not see how this situation is so much worse?

I need to talk to him, to scream at him, to curse him for where he sent me. Then, I want to beg him to find a way to come back to me and to prove that he's actually fallen for me like he said he was.

Even if I wasn't as loud about it, I fell for him, too. I felt more with him than I ever will with Henry, regardless of the mate bond. I hope Matias has a follow up plan, but knowing my fate, I will probably be stuck with Henry and never get to have the life that I had hoped for.

Well, the new one I hoped for.

The one with Matias.