Page 12 of The Alpha's Rejected Mate

With a deafening roar, the dragon launched itself at me. I sprang forward, my jaws snapping at its flank, my teeth bared in a snarl. I sank my teeth into a section of tender skin beneath its front leg and reveled as I tasted blood.

The creature roared in pain, its claws slashing through the air. I leaped out of the way, avoiding its strike.

In my years of plotting vengeance against their kind, I’d read enough to know their weak points—the tender areas beneath thelegs and their soft underbelly were what my teeth and claws were aiming for.

The dragon snarled and let out a burst of fiery breath. Flame licked the nearby trees, sending tendrils of smoke through the air.

Rage pounded through me as I feared for my lands. It was my duty as Grandbay Alpha to protect them and my people. I hated these reckless fire-breathing monsters, who I knew would burn down acres of these lands without any remorse. I needed to get this beast out of my lands. Urgency raked through me, commanding me to destroy this creature.

The dragon came at me again, raking its talons through the air. I dodged, but this time, his claw caught my shoulder. A searing pain coursed through my shoulder, shooting down my right leg when my paws hit the ground.

Just then, the sound ofmorewingbeats drumming the air swallowed my attention. Instinctively, I backed away as I observed another huge dragon arriving on the canyon’s edge. Then, as if a storm were being whipped up, the air stirred with more movement. My eyes drank in another two sets of wings as a second pair of dragons descended toward the canyon edge. One of them let out an almighty roar that resounded along the sharp edges of Black Canyon.

Panic thumped through my chest, and even my wrathful wolf, with his thirst for vengeance and the taste of blood, realized he needed to turn tail. I sprinted away from the beasts, hating the way the acrid scent of blood and smoke marred the fresh pine air.

But, even wounded, determination surged through me. This wasn’tonerogue creature who had strayed into our territory. I would gather the strength of my pack and push out these vile creatures from our lands.

Chapter 7

Billie

With the fading light, Colt and I came in from the meadow. I dished up the stew that I’d prepped earlier for everyone, and we had a rather subdued “family” dinner. Catrina kept checking her phone, I suspected for messages from Gavin. Then she gave me the stink eye when she noticed me looking at her.

“This is delicious, Billie,” Colt, bless him, said.

I offered him a smile, half listening as David quizzed him about the folks he’d delivered the elk heads to in Denver.

“Dirk Kerby said it was the best bull head he’d ever seen,” Colt said.

I saw the cogs turning in David’s head as he calculated whether he’d have follow-up orders and how much more work he could fit into his schedule.

Catrina sighed, her nose stuck to her phone. Then she glared at me again as if Gavin’s not texting her was all my fault.

I saw that both David and Colt had finished their meals. And, like me, Catrina didn’t seem to have much of an appetite. She’d pushed her food around the plate.

Looks like it’s leftovers tomorrow.

I took the opportunity that David’s finishing up his story awarded me. “I’ll clear up if everyone’s finished,” I said as if I didn’talwaysclear up.

Catrina muttered, “It was too bland.” I jumped to my feet. That was enough of a yes for me. With the dirty plates, I made my escape to the kitchen sink.

Colt offered, “If you wash, I’ll dry.”

I knew the glow that warmed me as I stood filling the sink beside my friend was overkill. But, in my life, I really had to take every glimmer of contentment I could. For a moment, just doing the dishes felt like something to celebrate. But the glimmer didn’t last. A searing pain fired through my right shoulder. I buckled over the sink, holding its ceramic edge as my vision blurred. I gasped in shock as my entire right arm felt as if it were on fire.

I inhaled sharply, swallowing a cry.

Shit, was I having a heart attack?

Colt’s strained voice sounded beside me. “Billie? Billie, what’s wrong?”

The fiery burst of pain receded as quickly as it had come, and I stood up again, releasing my supportive grip on the sink. I blinked up stupidly into Colt’s concerned stare.

“Sorry,” I said. I rubbed my sternum and then chest. “Just… heartburn, I think,” I said lamely.

“Drama queen,” Catrina murmured, going back to bashing the buttons on her phone. I wondered if she was texting Gavin.Not because I wanted to hear from him because of what had happened in the Moondream, but because I suspected that what I’d just felt had something to do with him.

The hairs stood on the back of my neck as I realized David’s piercing eyes were settled on me. I stifled my worries down, going back to washing up after assuring Colt I was okay.

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