Page 77 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate

Boom!

The demon exploded into a million pieces of glittering confetti that rained over the hallway and beyond the translucent walls. The doors blasted open with more sparkling confetti that soon snowed us in the hallway. I swam through the swishy mess to Jillian, who grabbed me.

“What now?” she asked over the explosions. “How do I make it stop?”

I pressed my forehead to hers. “Think of home. Think ofourhome.”

I closed my eyes as I fastened myself to Jillian and hung on for dear life.

Chapter 23 - Cliff

Faye tore the seam of my jacket while yanking me away from the cage. “Leave them alone. She has to come back by herself. If you wake her—”

I whirled around on my heel. “You’re the one who put her under.Bring her back now.”

“Back down, Clifton. You’re letting your emotions get in the way.”

“Of what!”

She grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. “Of logic, you idiot. Sit down. Take a breather. I’ll check on them.”

To say I felt furious was an understatement. Fury came as a mild emotion compared to this crushing irritation. “I can’t believe you did this behind my back.”

“She wanted to do it, Cliff.”

“I’m her mate. She should have come to me.”

Faye traced the keyhole on the padlock that kept the cage locked. When it popped open, she flung open the door and sidled inside. She ran her fingers over Robyn’s forehead. “She didn’t want to bother you. She knew you had your hands full.”

“I’m her mate.”

“You ever think about how you do so much for Robyn that you never let her make her own decisions?”

I took a step back as I processed the question. “She makes her own decisions.”

“Cliff, I know better than anyone how an unexpected mate bond can turn your entire life upside-down. I’m sureRobyn feels the same way.” She drifted away from the sleeping pair. “Any minute now. It’s almost over.”

“Is she okay?”

Robyn and Jillian gasped like mummies waking from a long slumber as they shot up from the cot. Chains rattled as I flew into the cage and tended to my mate while Faye helped Jillian out of her five-mile-long chains.

I bruised Robyn’s head with kisses. “You made it.”

“Yes.” Robyn grabbed my face. “And we’ve got some mega great dirt for you when we’re not both dying for water.” She flung me aside. “Water.”

My mate toppled out of the cage and landed on the banister of the stairs. She shakily climbed a few steps, wobbled, and squeaked when she started to fall backward. I sped over to catch her, keeping her still by crushing my arms around her shoulders. “Alright, chill out. You’re on an adrenaline high. Calm down.”

“I’m sorry. I just—” She sucked air between her teeth. “How did you know I was down here?”

“My neck started burning.”

She touched the area that was scarred over. “It must have been the bond.”

“Did you do some kind of magic?”

“I don’t think so. But maybe I did.” She bounced from my arms back to the cage, hobbling on legs made of clay. “Faye, did you hear that?”

Jillian rubbed her wrists where impressions sat in her flesh from the chains. Faye applied lotion to the area, taking over with a mild massage. “I heard something about magic.”

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