Page 61 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate

I picked up speed as I gasped for air, running on pure adrenaline at this point since I hadn’t gotten a chance to eat. I reached the cul-de-sac and stopped at the edge of the tar road, observing it like it was a black lake.

Jillian stood on the lawn with her arms stretched. Her back faced me. “Help, help, help…”

“Jilly?” I squeaked in a low voice. I coughed a few times and said louder, “Hey, let’s get you back to the bonfire. You don’t look good.”

“Too much—” Her head snapped at an unearthly speed as her voice split in three different directions, “doe wine?”

I winced as I jumped back and covered my mouth.

No.

It wasn’t possible.

It couldn’t be.

I rubbed my eyes to clear my vision. “Jillian, is that you?”

The rest of her body turned to face me. She set her arms at her sides in what I presumed was a stance she mimicked from watching other humans. “No.”

But forhow longhad she been watching other humans?” “Jillian, where did you go?”

“She’s not in here,” replied the thing that haunted my best friend’s body, “well, I guess she is in here. But she’s sleeping. Can’t take your call.Boohoo.”

“You’re a monster.”

She smiled with such genuine malice that I was making my throat raw from rubbing my fresh mate bite.

Jillian clicked her tongue. “Oh, that won’t help you. Not with this.” She procured a vial from her pocket. “I’m all bad, though. I’ll let you pick.”

I fixed her with a fierce glare. “Pick what?”

“Whether you come in peace or get knocked out.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

She stood still for a second, appearing like she had stiffened into an ice sculpture. I took a shaky step forward as I reached for her. She smacked my hand, squawked like a demonic parrot, and flew toward me.

The last thing I saw before passing out was my best friend’s blackened marble eyes.

Chapter 19 - Cliff

Sydney clamored to get in my lap. “Horsey Dad!”

I grunted as she slammed her dress shoe into my crotch. As soon as she reached my shoulders, she swung a leg over the back of my neck and hauled herself up. I marveled at the acrobatic nature of my kid.

Sighing, I held her steady. “You see anything good up there?”

“Mommy is missing.”

My stomach flipped. “What are you talking about, sweetie?”

“Mommy went into the woods and is missing.”

I stood up and searched the crowd around us for that familiar bob of red-auburn hair. We were in the thick of a celebration right now, and the bonfire was still raging with a pork roast on a spit. Faye was standing near one of the food stations with a crying baby on her hip, and Hector looking grumpy.

“Faye, help,” I whispered.

Her head swiveled like a hawk, focusing on its prey. As soon as our eyes locked, she grabbed Hector and yanked him through the crowd toward me. She looked up into my eyes while bouncing Sierra on her hip. “What’s wrong?”

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