Page 149 of Rejected By the Alpha King

Finn. Amelia. Saul. I tried not to cry.

“Just in case I don’t actually make it, Kenzi, let me say now, thank you. I know this couldn’t have been easy.”

“Easier than you might think,” she said with a shrug. “And I fully intend to rub this rescue in your face for a long ass time. Witch, you’re with Finn. Anna, you’re with Amelia. And Saul, you’re gonna have to enjoy my warm arms around you.”

“It’ll be a pleasure,” Saul said dryly.

We didn’t make time for small talk. As much as I wanted to hug each and every one of them, a strange feeling for me, I slowly mounted behind Amelia and whimpered in relief that we weren’t going to have to walk anymore.

Then we were off. The path wasn’t exactly clear, but we got enough speed that I had to hold tight. Closing my eyes, I prayed that we would make it.

Ten minutes later, we were out of the woods and on a small dirt road. Ahead, I could see the beginnings of large buildings. The human settlement.

Amelia rode up first with Saul and Finn trailing behind her in a triangle. We didn’t pass another vehicle in sight. The noise of the motorcycles cut through the silence of the town, and I didn’t open my eyes again until we stopped in front of a motel.

Sleep. I desperately needed sleep.

Hands gripped around my waist, and I gasped and turned to fight before familiar eyes bore into mine as I was lifted and cradled gently.

Jax.

68

Jax

“Saul.” The lump in my throat was so large that I could barely get the words out. “She’s so damn cold.”

“Then let’s get her warm.” Ever the steady wolf, Saul opened the door to my room, and I carried her inside. Now that she was in my arms again, the last thing I wanted to do was let her go, but even Kenzi was looking at her anxiously. I needed the healer to look at her. “She may be your mate, but she still requires privacy. You may wait in my room while you get your report.”

I sure as shit wanted a report. Like why my mate was near death, and why there was an extra person in the group. Janelle. The witch. Her eyes were practically glued to the floor.

“I will be right next door, and I’ll return as soon as Saul is done. Whatever Emerson did to you…” I couldn’t finish it. “We’ll find a way to make it better. I swear it.”

She gave me a tight smile and nodded. Slowly, the group herded out of the room next door.

This plan had been five weeks in the planning, and it was the flimsiest plan I’d ever made.

It was Kenzi who pointed out that she was the best person to make it onto Emerson’s territory. Not only would he still be looking to flip someone else as a traitor, but everyone knew of her rivalry with Anna.

When she first suggested I magically darken the mating bond, I nearly took her head off, but she had a point. The more triumphant Emerson felt, the less he would see us coming.

We held the damn fake ceremony and took enough pictures to hide as many clues as possible. I knew the only way to smuggle her out was through the infirmary. I also had a feeling that Anna would have figured that out by now. I sent word to all the alphas about the ceremony.

London was appalled.

I sent what would appear to be half-hearted messages to Emerson about returning Anna. I let him convince me that it was in all our best interests if I moved on.

And then I let Kenzi make her move. She sent emails to Emerson, cattily asking him to send along her love, and news of her happiness to Anna. It only took two weeks for Emerson to invite her to his territory as an ambassador.

All that time, I could feel nothing of Anna. My sanity was slowly being stripped away at the thought of her being near that man again.

And he hadn’t just taken her. She’d left with him.

“It was my fault,” Janelle whispered. “I used Irene’s spell on your land to embed another spell. One that, if activated, would drive you and all your wolves from your territory. Emerson used it to blackmail Anna into leaving with him. When we were gone, he told me to activate the spell anyway. I told him that I wasn’t strong enough. I’ve been his prisoner for years, and that was the last straw for him. He’s had other witches siphoning my magic since we returned. If I didn’t escape, I was going to die. I promised Anna that if she helped get me out, I would tell you everything that I knew.”

“You’re still bound to him. I can smell it on you. If you truly want to be free, you’ll have to bind yourself to me. That way he can’t track you, but if you betray me, I can kill you.”

“I’ll do it right here. Right now.” To my surprise, she sank to her knees. “Please. Anything is better.”

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