Page 50 of Rejected By the Alpha King

And sometimes, I met with people in the locker rooms of the gym.

Jenson ran a towel over his face as he entered the room. “Finn kick your ass?”

“I took on three others before him. Just to give him an edge,” Jenson said with a smirk. “He’s good. Real good. One day, I might worry about that.”

“I’ve made some decisions without talking with you about it. This is your chance to give me your opinion.”

“My opinion? Wow. This is a big moment for me. Where do I start? That girl, Callie, that you took out about seven years ago? I told you that she was probably a walking case of STDs? I want to tell you I told you so. And my God, when you promoted Derrick, and I tried to stop you?

And that time you thought you could make your own wine?”

I cleared my throat. “That is not what I meant, and you know it.”

Jenson tossed the towel on the bench, crossed his arms, and leaned against the lockers. “Oh, you mean when I asked to guard Irene, and you said no. When you moved the most hated woman in the pack into your house and now walk around reeking of her every day? When you shared with everyone that Irene has been stripped of her magic and is as vulnerable as a fucking human in our territory?”

There was that anger I’d felt shimmering beneath his skin.

“That’s more like it.” I studied him. I knew there was something between him and Irene, but there was no mating bond. Wolves didn’t develop a mating bond with another species. That didn’t mean they didn’t fall in love, but if Jenson and Irene were dating, they would have told me. “I could have left her with the Darkwyn witches. Maybe I should have.”

“She belongs here,” Jenson said darkly. “She is our witch.”

“A witch with no power. Hardly any good to us.”

“Then why the fuck did you bring her back?” Jenson roared as he launched himself at me.

“What the hell are you planning on doing with her?”

I didn’t move a muscle as Jenson stopped himself just short of touching me. He was in my face. Something he wouldn’t dare unless I’d given him permission. “Help her heal, Jenson. Make her feel safe. She was taken from us by someone who swore their loyalty to me.”

“I will keep her safe.”

“Maybe, but not now. I want to know who took her. That can be your job.”

Jenson snarled and backed off.

“As for Anna…” I stopped when the door opened, and Finn walked in. My eyes flitted toward him. “That was not ten minutes.”

He opened his mouth and then shut it before running his hand behind his back sheepishly.

“Sorry. I could say that I’m shit at telling time, but mostly, it’s just in my nature.”

“To spy.” Like father, like son. Finn was definitely more than a messenger boy.

“I’ll just go back out and wait.”

“No need. I knew what I was getting when I brought you in,” I said mildly. “I was just about to tell Jenson to assign a guard to my mate. She’ll be heading to The Fanged Smile for the day.

There are those that have been waiting for her to be without me.”

“I’ll do it,” Finn said immediately and then cleared his throat. “With your permission, sir.”

I raised an eyebrow at his eagerness, but I nodded. “Go.”

With a grin, he mock-saluted me and exited the locker. The door shut, and Jenson and I looked at each other. “You could let her go, you know. Let them both go. Finn would take care of her. He’s her first defender.”

“I’m her first defender,” I growled. “And I am not letting her go. If the Black Diamond pack has a problem with that, then they have a problem with me.”

“Is that an order, Jax? To bow to your mate?”

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