Page 53 of The Alpha's Rejected Mate

In a flurry of movement, the grand oak doors of Hexen Manor crashed open, revealing Gavin. He marched in in his human form, sweat prickling over his brow and chiseled chest, showing the speed with which he’d journeyed here. Two wolves flanked him on his left and one on his right. I could hear from the snarls and growls that continued to puncture the stillness outside that the rest of the pack must be assembled and likely occupied by Sibyelle and Lothair and the rest of the Dalesbloom Pack.

In surprise, Catrina had backed into the main room, and Colt had stood up from his chair. Both of the Hexen siblings were now alert as they watched the Grandbay Alpha and the wolves crowd into the vestibule.

Gavin’s blazing hazel stare gave his already taut body an air of menace. The gold in his eyes looked molten with righteous fury. But as his gaze found me, I thought I saw it soften. It was a fleeting look, and his eyes quickly found David.

“Hexen, release Billie, now,” Gavin’s voice boomed with authority, the dominance of his Alphahood radiating off of him in waves.

David’s face contorted with anger, but before he could respond, a white light emanated behind Gavin, and my heart beat like mad as I recognized its purity.

Incredulity beat through me as a middle-aged woman, with soft silvery hair flowing down her shoulders and radiating with an ethereal light, emerged from the shadows of the vestibule behind Gavin.

“Release Billie, and in return, I will hand myself over to you,” Muriel’s voice reaffirmed Gavin’s order. My friend’s open gaze didn’t come to me but remained on David.

“No,” I shouted. My pulse spiked with warning. Even as Muriel’s presence felt like a healing balm to me, I refused to let the ancient hum of magic that was radiating from her fall into David’s hands. Dread bloomed through me as David’s expression raked over my friend with greed. But Muriel’s attention didn’t slip from the Dalesbloom Alpha, and I saw she was determined to sacrifice herself for my sake.

David’s grasping voice rent the air, “After you have stepped over here, Muriel, I will release Billie.”

I shook my head, dread punching through me. My wide eyes darted to Gavin again. “Please, Gavin,” I urged. “You need tokeep Muriel safe.” My gaze darted to Catrina. “If you don’t defend her, Catrina and the Inkscales will have all they need to take over Grandbay.”

Gavin’s jaw tightened as my words washed over him. But I caught the softness in his gaze as it landed on me again, and I knew that he wasn’t going to listen to my plea.

I held my breath as my pure-hearted friend delivered herself over to David. My panic soared as David pulled a knife out from his waistband. What was he doing? He needed Muriel for the ritual.… Surely, he wouldn’t hurt her yet?

But he slashed her arm with his blade. I gasped, wishing more than ever that my wolf could lunge forward and defend my friend.

Muriel wobbled where she stood, suddenly collapsing onto the floor in a heap.

“Muriel!” I cried out, my chest heaving as I watched my friend’s breathing become labored.

Muriel’s voice shook, “Your blade has seen murder.”

My heart thumped as I realized that David’s knife was what had weakened her. In the same way that werewolves were weakened by silver, unicorns were weakened by objects that had been used for killing. My blood chilled at the thought of who David had killed with the weapon in his hand.

Gavin’s determined voice rumbled through the room once more, “You have what you asked for. Now release Billie.”

David looked at Colt, only ten feet away from me, and instead of ordering him to release me, commanded, “Mark Billie, now!”

Shock pounded through me, and my throat tightened. Coltwouldn’t. My best friend wouldn’t mark me against my will. But as Colt turned around, his blue eyes hardened like ice. I sensed his wolf’s magic thrumming on the air as his teeth started to transform. The elongated canines of his wolf glinted. Then, he came at me.

Chapter 28

Gavin

My heart ricocheted into a frenzied beat as David tossed his careless command at Colt, “Mark Billie, now!”

The scheming Dalesbloom Alpha was seeking to keep Billie as part of the Dalesbloom Pack, likely in an attempt to weaken me. If I never bonded with my mate, my wolf would never be strengthened.

The younger man had turned toward his adoptive sister, who was nearby … too nearby. In disbelief, I felt Colt’s wolf tearing through his skin as he sought toenactDavid’s command.

My own beast seemed to maul its way out of me as Colt moved toward Billie. My wolf was crazed and feral as he shredded through my skin, twisting my spine and leaping toward the man whodaredto steal my mate from me.

Fear sliced through me at the thought of Colt’s teeth marking Billie’s silken skin. Billie’s hands were bound behind her back, and a heavy silver locket lay against her chest, preventing her from shifting. If Colt marked her while he was in mid-shift like this and Billie was in human form, then he’d rend her from me and bind her to himself forever.

Dread palpitated through me as I thought of how close I’d come earlier today to marking and making Billie mine forever. But instead of letting regret crush me, I focused on the faith I’d had earlier. The memory of the hum of the sacred river and the ancient whisper of the trees above us told me that Billie and I were meant to be.

With utter faith and need straining every muscle, I drove my body toward my mate, shrinking back against the wall as she tried to get as far away from Colt as she could. My wolf barreled into Colt just before he’d reached her.

Furious, my claws burrowed into Colt’s skin. He was swift to shift completely, and as we rolled forward, tussling, my opponent soon had claws that he used to break the surface of my flesh.

---