Page 27 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate

Cliff is right there for the taking.I ignored my thirst thinking and focused on hugging my best friend. “Thank you.”

“And if I can be selfish…” She inhaled shakily. “Don’t leave us. Not now. Not with our Alpha…”

She shuddered.

The way I hugged her should have told her everything I felt, but it was insufficient to what I knew existed between us. We weren’t just friends. We were like sisters. We had grown up together, learned together, and stumbled together.

I sniffled. “Bill is about to lose his mind. I have to get Sydney away from him. She’s so scared.”

“I’ve always respected that about you, putting Sydney first.”

I smiled weakly. “You don’t hate me, right?”

“I could never hate you. I just don’t want you to leave.” She embraced me, the feeling so sweet and tender that I almost forgot about the danger lurking beyond the walls of my home.

And how that danger was a ticking time bomb.

I forced myself to breathe and stepped back from Jillian, wiping my eyes. “I’ll try to figure things out tonight when Cliff gets here.”

She perked up. “Cliff?”

I felt my cheeks burst with heat. “Yeah, he’s supposed to be coming by soon enough.”

“How’s that been going?”

“I don’t know.”

She laughed. “That’s what you said last time he was here.”

“Yeah, but last time he was here, we weren’t trying to avoid the wrath of a possessed Alpha and his lackeys.”

Her features sank. “Don’t remind me.”

“I’m sorry, Jillian. I wish there were more I could do.”

“I’ve heard of packs that solved their demon problems with rituals. Maybe I could look some more stuff up, interview people, you know.”

“Research.” I grinned. “Do you need a research buddy?”

“You know it.”

I winked. “Consider me down for the cause.”

“I just don’t think it’s right to kill our Alpha.”

“Who said anything about killing him?”

Before Jillian could respond, a knock echoed from the door. I was twisting the knob half a second later and dragging Cliff into the house. Ever since Bill and Roger were here, my home had been infected with the smell of two unappealing men. Jillian smelled like lilac, which was fine, but I was aching to inhale the familiar spiced tobacco that guarded Cliff’s neck, shoulders, and hands.

I yanked him right into me, shoving my nose into his flannel sweater and noticing the diesel smell, the gas, the rugged man-scape scent from grooming. On my next inhale, I let my head tilt back, exhaling the moment my hands touched his smooth face.

“You shaved,” I whispered, and then I ran my fingers through his silky hair. “You washed your hair.” Puffs of citrus-scented the air as I brushed his hair. “Oh Goddess, you smell so good.”

Cliff chuckled huskily. “I’m glad to see you.”

Jillian coughed loudly twice. “Uh, I’m standing right here.”

I covered my mouth bashfully as I took a step back. I really let my wolf take over for a second. When was the last time that happened? “Right—Cliff, do you remember Jillian?”

---