Page 15 of Rejected By the Alpha King

“You won’t get far in Wisteria Wood with this many. The amount of power alone will attract too much attention.”

“Power,” he purred, “is a good thing. I’m not about to take advice from you.”

I tried not to bare my teeth. He was here because I’d been through the woods, but he wasn’t going to listen to me?

We all had to die someday. I thought it would be from his hand and not from his stupidity.

“Fine. It’s best to enter just before dawn. The outer perimeter has the least magic but the most wolves. Those first few hours of daylight are best to navigate in. When you start to feel the prickle of magic, we should make camp until then.” I cleared my throat. “I’m not sure how far away that is from here.”

Jax jerked his head. “Let’s get going.”

It didn’t surprise me when the group immediately surrounded me. Jax in front, Jenson and Bridget just a step behind him on either side. I’d heard her name before, but I’d never met her. Jax’s third was a tall and willow woman, with the kind of face and figure that belonged on a model. Auburn tresses framed delicate features and fell just below her shoulders. I couldn’t imagine there was a wolf alive who didn’t feel the power wafting over her. Her position below Jenson was obviously well-established, and she was comfortable with it.

The two guards, Maverick and Cassius, had familiar faces. They were there the night Jax killed my father. Maverick walked next to me and Cassius behind me. I could feel his stare boring a hole in the back of my head. The healer walked to my left. I didn’t for a single second underestimate him simply because he wasn’t a guard.

Six wolves who could kill me with their eyes closed, and there wasn’t a single one who trusted me in the group.

Fun.

We hiked through the woods, taking the same route I’d attempted to escape Danny. When the same wolf stepped out, I gasped and stumbled.

“Amelia,” Jax greeted. “Everything in order?”

She lowered her head and then looked up to stare at me. Swallowing hard, I glanced away.

“Excellent. We should return in two weeks' time.”

We started moving again, and I glanced over at her, but she was gone.

Following the sounds of the river, we met it and walked north until we reached the bridge. As always, it was heavily patrolled. I didn’t recognize any of their faces, but I could tell from their openly hostile expression that they recognized mine.

With any luck, I’d never see them again. We crossed the bridge, and I didn’t feel any sorrow as I left the Black Diamond Valley behind.

7

Anna

Three hours in, I knew we weren’t all going to make it.

Despite bringing me along to lead them safely through the woods, Jax and his wolves continuously charged ahead of me and tried to make their own path. With every step I took, my knee grew worse and I slowed. Patience was not their strong suit. Alphas tended to rely on the power and loyalty that was always at their side, but we were traveling through a territory that didn’t give a damn about any of that.

Immediately, I could see the path he was trying to take. The most direct one. Four times, I cleared my throat delicately and purposefully turned to force us to wind a little wider around the mountain. On the fifth time, he roared.

“We need to take a break, and you need to cool off,” I announced in a steady voice as I sat.

“How dare you talk to me like that,” Jax snarled. “I am your alpha.”

“You are, and you’re going to lead us all to our deaths. You want me to get you safely through Wisteria Woods, you’re going to have to listen to me.”

“We are not at Wisteria Woods yet, and at the rate we’re going, we won’t get there until tomorrow.”

“Wisteria Woods is the entire ring of forest around the peak of the mountain, where the Darkwyn coven make their home. There are two well-traveled paths to the woods, which is where you keep trying to take us. Those are also the most heavily settled areas with rogue wolves. If we take two extra days and move to the dark side of the mountain, we’ll have an easier track to the coven.”

Jax stared at me for a moment, his nostrils flaring. “No,” he said finally. “It’ll take too long. We can handle some rogue werewolves. You have an hour to rest your fucking knee, and then we move.”

He shot me a look, daring me to argue, but I just averted my eyes. Everyone immediately began to move away from the small clearing, either eager to explore or just wanting to get away from me. For most of this trip, they all acted like I didn’t exist.

That was just fine with me.

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