Page 5 of Rejected Wolf Mate

“Besides that, his last hit was in Aspen? Not a whole lot,” Jameson said. “That’s part of the problem.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Mark said.

“So everyone’s in?” Jameson asked, scanning the group.

I snorted. “It’s not as though we’re going to say no to the Wolf’s Council.”

“Besides, it’s been too quiet lately,” Mark added. “I’m bored.”

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Alek chimed in.

My eyes scanned the room, taking in the expressions of all the Silver Wolves. Every face had the same look of determination. Alek, Sam, and Klyte sat on the couch, muttering to one another. Luke, Jameson’s second-in-command, had stood to talk to Malcolm and Jameson. Rand and Tannen both looked lost in their own world.

Off in the corner, Evelyn, the only female Silver Wolf, leaned back against Oliver, who had his arms wrapped around her. I watched them for a moment. They were a cute couple. Practically made for one another. But watching them always left me with a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

Seeing them and so many of the other Silver Wolves pairing off made me think back to Astrid, my old fling back before I had gone off to start monster hunting. We’d broken up because being together would have been too risky for her. It hadn’t been the most pleasant of breakups, but it had been the right thing to do.

Still, I sometimes wondered what had happened to her. Whether she had found a new mate.

I pushed the thought from my head. It wasn’t going to do anything. Besides, we had bigger fish to fry than an old flame.

Still, as the Silver Wolves began talking strategy, I struggled to focus, my mind going back to a relationship that had ended years ago, and to a woman I’d nearly married.

Chapter 3 - Astrid

I staggered into town, clothes torn and covered in dirt. My eye throbbed, and my shoulder screamed. I looked emaciated, as though I had subsisted on very little over the past few days. Which was true. My stomach growled in hunger, and my body ached. As I walked past a shop window, I caught a glimpse of my reflection and confirmed what I already knew: I looked like hell. Which was the point.

I had considered using makeup or faking the injuries in some other way, but I figured a group of ex-special ops would recognize fake injuries in seconds. I’d had to sell the lie that I was really in trouble. So Ansel and a couple of his goons had beaten me up, and I’d walked here on my own for nearly a day.

Several passersby did double takes as I moved deeper into town, heading toward the town square. None of them approached me. I had no idea how to get to Jameson, the alpha and head of the former spec-ops team. I knew he actually lived on one of the mountains nearby, and that was where he conducted his business as alpha. But I couldn’t just waltz up there. I needed someone to take me. I just needed to figure out the best option for the job.

As I reached the cobblestone courtyard that made up the town square, my problem was solved for me as my eyes swept across the space and landed on a lean but still toned man with brown hair. His own gaze turned in my direction. He froze when he saw me, eyes widening for a second before hurrying over.

“Are you all right?” His eyes darted over me, assessing each injury, his shoulders back straight with the type of posture you only got from the military. I knew who he was from the files Ansel had given me. Tannen.

“I’m in trouble,” I said. My voice cracked, and I winced at my split lip. “I need to see the alpha.”

He didn’t hesitate. “He works outside town. I’ll take you there. I’m Tannen, by the way.”

“Astrid.”

For a moment, he blinked, as if the name meant something to him or had stirred some memory. He studied me, eyes squinting as if trying to place me. My heart thudded. Was the game already up? Did he somehow know I worked for Ansel?

Except, a second later, the stare stopped. He just nodded. “Come on. Let’s get moving. We can have our healer look at you up there, too.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, not needing to hide the genuine relief I felt at the thought of getting a medic to look at me.

He didn’t ask any questions as he took me through town to his car and drove me to the largest mansion I had ever seen. No wonder the alpha liked to work from home instead of going down to the village every day, if this was the type of place he lived in.

Tannen opened the car door for me, holding out his hand to help me out before leading me to the front door. He didn’t bother knocking, just turned the handle and it swung open.

“Wait out here,” he told me before dipping inside.

A moment later, a large, dark-haired shifter arrived at the door with Tannen. Again, another face I recognized from the descriptions Ansel had given me. He looked me up and down, face going grim as he took in the battered appearance before twisting into sympathy and concern.

“Hey,” he said, his tone gentle. “I’m Jameson, the alpha. Tannen said you wanted to talk to me.”

I nodded. “Some people are after me. I just stumbled into town. I don’t really know where I am, so I was hoping you’d be able to help.”

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