Page 69 of Rejected Plus-Size Mate

“Leslie, don’t,” Bailey mutters. I shake my head.

“No. Lena’s not going to get hurt because of me. Let her go, Jethro.”

He stares at me for a moment, then releases Lena and takes a step back. She scrambles to her feet and runs towards Jack and Bailey. I’m standing between the two sides, slightly closer to Jethro.

“Well, come on then, little lady,” Jethro says, beckoning to me. “There’s no getting away from this now.”

I shake my head, a big lump rising in my throat. Tears are welling up in my eyes, and my whole body is trembling.

I’ve never been so scared in my entire life, but I have to do this.

“No,” I say as bravely as I can. “Not unless you swear a blood oath that you will never harm Bailey’s pack again.”

Jethro smiles, cocking his head at me. “A blood oath, huh?”

“That’s right!” I yell, feeling stronger by the second. “The kind of oath that is respected even by rogues. If you break it, you will be killed on sight by any wolf. If you swear the oath right now, I will come with you.”

“No!” Bailey yells. “Don’t do this, Leslie.”

“I have to,” I say softly. “This will fix everything.”

“No,” Lena cries from Jack’s arms. “Please don’t do this. They won’t honor it!”

I look around the meadow. The Sawpit Pack clearly outnumbers us, and we are seconds away from an all-out fight. It only takes one wolf to move at the wrong time, and both sides will attack, creating a melee of emotion and bloodlust.

It’s a fight we can’t win. Especially with most of our fighters in Silverton.

The thought of Kyle warms my chest and brings a smile to my lips. I don’t know where he is. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.

But I know he’d be proud of me. I’m protecting my pack. I might never see him again, but they’ll be safe, all of them.

“Tick-tock,” Jethro mutters.

I turn to face him, glaring into his eyes.

“Swear the oath, and I will come with you. All of us will leave this valley right now and never return to Silver Meadows.”

Jethro smiles, a sly look that enhances his sharp features. I’m caught on the edge of fear, terrified of his response, whatever it is going to be.

Either way, I’m pretty sure I’m dead.

Suddenly, a rustling noise falls around us. I look up, but there is no wind, nothing ruffling the leaves. I turn around and look into the forest, seeing wolves approaching through the scrub.

A huge black wolf covered in shimmers of blue trots out of the forest. His big blue-green eyes are fixed on Jethro as he paces across the meadow, never taking his eyes off his prey.

Kyle!

I’m so relieved, I almost collapse. My whole body is tingling, and I think I’ve forgotten how to breathe.

Kyle shifts, staring at Jethro with a steady gaze.

“You want me?” he growls. “Come and fucking get me.”

Chapter 25 - Kyle

Seeing Leslie standing exposed in the middle of the clearing strikes fear through my bones. My focus narrows down to the distance between her and the others and what I have to do to keep her safe. As I walk towards Rider and Jethro, I cut a line across the meadow so I come between them.

Bailey and the rest of our pack are behind me now, and so far, none of them have moved or said a word. I have to avoid an all-out brawl at all costs.

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