Page 54 of Rejected By the Alpha King

“Titus. Clay. Rex. Pleasure to meet you,” I lied. “Since you’d like to get to know me better, you’re welcome to ask me some questions.”

“How did it feel, having Cora’s blood on you?” Clay snapped eagerly as he stepped closer to me. Finn growled, but I didn’t move an inch.

“About the same as you would feel having blood on you,” I responded calmly. “Although, given the eagerness in which you came and the plan I assume you had for me, maybe you would have enjoyed it a little more. I got Cora’s blood on my hands by trying to heal her.”

“Liar,” Tex hissed.

“I have lied to some people. I’ve lied to my father all the time. I’m not lying to you. Now I get to ask you a question. I’ve been here for three years. Why are you just now asking me this?”

No one said anything, so Amaya chuckled. “I can answer that. They didn’t come before because Parker wouldn’t allow it. The old man didn’t look like much, but he could kick some ass if he wanted to. They obviously thought Finn wouldn’t be a challenge. They don’t know Jax’s new favorite is a powerhouse.”

“Powerhouse, my ass. I didn’t get my chance to challenge him,” Titus snapped.

“And now,” Bridget stepped in. “You’re not going to. Not until Jax allows it.”

Clay spat a disgusting loogie on the floor. “Jax knows better. I don’t care how hot you are between your legs. He’ll come to his senses, mating bond or not, and snap your little neck. I can promise you that.”

I just arched an eyebrow. “Any other questions?” No one said anything. “So maybe you don’t want to get to know me after all. The Fanged Smile is, as of this morning, mine, so if you come barging in during off-hours again, I will assume it’s for reasons other than friendly conversation. Now get out.”

“They won’t be around to protect you forever,” Rex said darkly.

Bridget took a step forward. “Did you just threaten your alpha’s mate?”

“No,” I cut in. “They won’t. One day, I won’t need them.”

They were escorted out, and nobody said anything about them or reminded me that this wouldn’t be the last time I saw trouble. They didn’t have to. I already knew it. Deep down, I couldn’t help but wonder if Jax was hoping someone would take care of me, and then I wouldn’t be his problem anymore.

Bridget and Amaya left after helping to haul out the broken furniture, and I cleared out the kitchen in a few hours. I wanted to go upstairs and take a shower, but that wasn’t home anymore.

I certainly didn’t want to see Jax at the moment, so I told Finn we were taking a detour.

If there was one person who might know what the hell had happened while I was unconscious, it was Irene. The witch had been weak on our journey back. Twice now I’d asked Jax if I could see her, and both times he said that she was still healing.

Today, I would make the visit myself. If she was still weak, I’d just give her my well wishes and continue on my way. If she was strong enough to hold a conversation, then I’d know that Jax was lying to me.

I half expected Finn to balk, but he agreed saying he wanted to meet Irene as well. There was a little bit of awe in his voice when he said it.

“You’ve heard of her?”

“Are you kidding? My father tried desperately to get his alpha to find her when she went missing five years ago. She’s powerful. Like, Darkwyn coven powerful. It’ll be a real shame for the pack if she doesn’t recover her magic. “

“And for her,” I reminded her. “It’ll be a real shame for her.”

Finn nodded. “Yeah. Right. Sorry.”

Irene’s little cottage was along the southern border of the territory. It was a faster walk from The Fanged Smile than from Jax’s home. When we first returned, Jax insisted on moving her closer to the center of the pack, but she balked. After a few days in the infirmary, she went back to her cottage, probably with a few guards to keep watch. Finn drove. I was used to walking most places, but Black Diamond territory was vast. If you were moving on two legs, it was faster to take a car.

I didn’t know how to drive one, so Jax had driven me to the restaurant to meet with Finn. The new guy was now both bodyguard and driver, I assumed.

“You've spent all of your adult life in Wisteria Woods. How do you know how to drive?” I grumbled.

“I wasn’t always in Wisteria Woods, and as messenger, it meant that I was allowed to enter certain territories. Some of them, like your pack, have a hub for renting cars. I had someone from Snake Valley teach me a few years ago. I love it. One good thing about being here is that I can drive more. I can teach you, if you want.”

“That would be great. Thanks.”

With Finn at the wheel, we reached Irene’s cottage in twenty minutes. When he stopped, I practically fell out of the car. I still wasn’t used to it.

“Motion sick? It helps when you’re behind the wheel. Gives you more control. I’ll try taking those turns a little slower,” Finn said, but there was a grin in his voice. He liked his speed.

---