Page 41 of The Alpha's Rejected Mate

“I have no doubt that’s exactly what she’s set her sights on,” I said.

There was silence on the other end for a while, and I knew it was a lot to digest, so I gave Everett time. Finally, he said, “I’d like tooffer Eastpeak’s protection in keeping Muriel safe. I could come and collect her later today.”

My lungs seemed to shrink as that was the only offer of help he put out. “I had hoped,” I said, “given the threat that the Dalesbloom Pack presents, you and Eastpeak might consider allying with Grandbay to pool our resources and help us defend our home.” I paused, adding, “You told me to contact you if Grandbay or Muriel needed more protection from Mythguard.” I couldn’t help calling him out on what he’d said, feeling as if what he’d offered wasn’t enough by a long shot.

“As you know, Gavin,” he said. “I have responsibilities outside of my pack, and I can’t afford to put my pack in a position that could lead to war with Dalesbloom.” The decisive, clipped edge of each of his words left me in no doubt that he wouldn’t be aiding Grandbay.

He’d gauged that war was likely between Grandbay and Dalesbloom. He wasn’t going to interfere. And far from his position with Mythguard being a strength, he implied that it took away his time and resources from his own pack.

Frustration prickled through me. His decision sank in, and nausea churned through my gut.

“I’m sorry I can’t help more,” Everett said, “but like I said, I can pick up Muriel later to—”

“Muriel will stay here. If we can take care of our own, we can take care of her, too. Thank you for your time, Everett,” I said, ending the call.

Anger fired through me. I suddenly felt as if the Alpha I’d reached out to had it in for my pack. I realized that theprotectiveness I felt toward Muriel wasexactlyas if she were one of us Grandbay members. She’d become a valued part of our community in the time she’d stayed with us. She was so good with the pups, always ready with a story for them. I knew she and Billie had become close friends, too. The thought of assigning her to Everett and Mythguard’s care didn’t sit right with me. But my reflections were quickly forgotten, though, as something like beating drums reached my ear: wingbeats.

Panic flared through me, and in a moment, I’d pulled off my shirt and unbuckled my jeans, shedding them along with my human form as I burst out of the cabin door. My paws hit the dirt, thudding against the ground as if they were trying to outstrip the wingbeats resounding through the air.

My lupine eyes caught sight ofthreehuge dragons orbiting over the woods. As I ran, Oslo and Gretel’s wolves, one dark brown like me, the other reddish-brown, flanked me. Oslo and Gretel’s howls summoned the rest of the pack, and the sound of our brothers and sisters’ paws vibrated through the earth as they rallied behind us.

For a moment, I wondered at the timing of it. Why were dragons attacking the same day Dalesbloom had dissolved their alliance with our pack? Another part of me, as I took in the lilac-pink of one dragon and the green scales of another, flooded with anticipation. Were these Inkscales the same dragons seen fleeing Grandbay the night my parents died? The desire for answers surged through me. But then I smothered down all wonderings as I knew I had to ready myself for these dragons.

But … their wings carried them to the other side of the river, where they landed on the top of the cliff.

The three dragons settled at some distance, and it gradually sank in that this wasn’t an attack. But it was some sort of message … or threat. The distance made it clear that it wasn’t an attack. My Betas, clearly, came to the same conclusion because Oslo’s brown wolf turned around, and with a few rumbles and howls, he stilled the rallying pack coming toward us, telling them to remain where they were some way behind us.

My Betas and I alone stepped toward the riverbank of the Gunnison. My gaze wandered over the two males and one female perching atop the rock.

Finally, the male with the barbed tail and glittering obsidian scales lifted into the air, his huge form circling until he landed on the bank on our side of the river.

Then, he shifted.

In front of us stood a tall, bronze-skinned man.

I shifted into my human form, too, as did my Betas.

We watched this six-foot-five dragon shifter approach us, who grew taller and taller as he neared. He was as tall as Everett. He definitely looked like he could take any of the mountain men of the Eastpeak pack. Adding to his menace was the way his dark brown eyes glittered like onyx. His jet-black hair fell in waves over his high forehead.

He halted ten feet from us. His voice rippled with quiet authority. “I thought it was time to drop by and introduce myself. I am Lothair, Alpha of the Inkscale dragon clan.”

My gaze narrowed as I thought thatthiswas the bastard hunting Muriel. He was also the leader of the two dragons on therock, who matched the description of the two seen the night my parents died. A fact that infused my words with even more aggression as I said, “You’re not welcome here.”

He smiled and said, “Perhaps it’s just as well, then, that I’ve officially formed an alliance with Dalesbloom.”

So, this was what the bastard was doing here. He’d“dropped by”to rub it in my face that they’d allied with the Dalesbloom, and the number of our enemies had officially grown.

“Get out of my territory, or my wolves will rip you to pieces,” I threatened, clenching my fists and half hoping that he wouldn’t retreat. If we could push him to attack without the Dalesbloom wolves, we’d be taking out our enemies before they could band together as he was threatening.

He chuckled. “Understood, we’ll be on our way.” He turned around and then threw back as if offhandedly, “It does feel good to be back in the area.”

My stare brushed his powerful back and shoulders as he strode away. My mind latched onto the word“back.”It was confirmation that his clan had been in the area before.

Fury seared through my veins as knowing ate me up, as I dared him to confirm what I knew deep down already.

My eyes clapped onto the other two dragons on the point. The female’s lilac and pink scales caught the sunlight, glinting like a beacon on the clifftop. The green-scaled beast on the cliff had also been detailed in the eyewitness account from the night of my parents’ deaths.

Lothair turned around to deliver the final blow. “I think you remember the little bonfire that we had on Pine Creek four years ago.”

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