Page 4 of The Wolf's Pregnant Rejected Mate

Ryder paused next to a bush where Tess’s scent was particularly strong. He breathed in his scent, unable to deny that it filled him with pleasure. Even more, he felt himself harden as he imagined the two of them having a friendly sparring match.

He might not be into Dommes and the whole BDSM scene, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have some kinks of his own. The idea of him and Tess batting each other around, snapping, and trying to maneuver each other made him smile. His tail started to wag, and he imagined the scent of sweat and hormones filling the air.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that when he heard the sounds of snarling and snapping, he thought his imagination was getting the best of him.

Then, a yelp of pain rang through the air. Instantly, everything shifted. His ears pricked forward, and he became laser-focused. He sprang through the underbrush and burst into a clearing. A dozen wolves, all panting heavily, surrounded a small white wolf—Tess. She was backed against a large rock. Her sides heaved, her white fur stained red around her haunches.

Hot anger swept through Ryder, filling his lungs. It burst out of him in a howl as he charged into the fray. He leaped over the back of a tanned wolf and landed lightly next to Tess. He whirled at once, snapping at the tan wolf’s face. The attackers backed off, yelping in confusion. Ryder lunged at the nearest one, and it jumped aside and yelped again.

Tess whimpered as she hid in his shadow. Then, a fierce growl ripped through her, and she went for the throat of the tan wolf. The tan twisted away, and Ryder caught it by the haunches. Fur and blood sprayed into the year. Tess tore out a chunk of fur near the wolf’s throat.

The tan wolf twisted out of their grasp and backed off. The attackers formed a semi-circle around them. A few of their eyes glinted red, indicating that the possession was full; not even an exorcism would save them now.

Tess’s tail swished back and forth in tension. Ryder bumped her with his shoulder, warning her to stay patient. What were they waiting for? He searched the circle, judging where the weak link was. If he could open up the circle, Tess would be able to run and get help.

Just before he made a decision, a big wolf sauntered through the trees. It was a monster bigger than Hayden and not someone Ryder recognized. Its fur was a deep mahogany color with blond stripes over the wolf’s shoulders and down its sides.

Ryder’s fur bristled, and he curled his lips back from his teeth. The big wolf looked him up and down, and its mouth opened, its tongue lolling out as though in laughter. A chain hung around the wolf’s neck, from which dangled a blood-red stone. It glowed internally, and occasionally, sparks would shoot off it, scorching the ground where they landed.

Dread washed through Ryder. Just a single glance at the stone was all he needed to understand the situation.

It was a Demon Seed. All it took was touching a person, and they would instantly be possessed by aura demons. It was violent and destructive, and the host only lasted a few weeks at best. Demons preferred to use a more gradual method so they could hold the hosts longer, up to years before their bodies gave out.

Since Zealuv briefly possessed Hayden, all the special ops teams had special talismans surgically implanted in them. They were immune to possession now.

Which meant he wasn’t the target—Tess was.

Chapter 3 - Tess

Tess’s heart thrummed, a painful beat echoing in her injuries. Adrenaline searched through her as the striped wolf turned toward her. He was easily three times as big as she was! All her muscles trembled, wanting to run. But there was nowhere to run to. Ryder stood bristling beside her. She wanted to tell him to run, to save himself.

He burst forward in a flurry of speed, going straight for the big wolf. Tess yelped, stumbling after him. She could help, provide a distraction to help him get away. There were too many of them, but he wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for her—

The big wolf leaped aside. He let out a rolling growl, sounding like laughter. Ryder went for him again, and he wheeled about and dashed away. The rest of the wolves turned tail, disappearing as quickly as they had arrived. Tess stumbled over her own feet, relief, confusion, and exhaustion all warring through her. Her legs trembled, and she sank to the ground.

Her sides heaved, and her muscles remained tense. But all her strength seemed to have fled with the demon-possessed wolves. Why had they run? Maybe the rest of the special ops were coming. She’d been so concentrated on the situation she hadn’t noticed any howls.

Ryder stood over her, his ears twitching as he scanned the trees. Several silent minutes ticked by before he took his human form. His tall, muscular body loomed over her. Utterly naked. Tess averted her eyes, fighting the insane interest her wolf showed. How could she think about things like that when they had just narrowly avoided being torn to shreds?

“What do you think you’re doing, going this deep into the forest by yourself?” Ryder scolded.

Tess’s head snapped up. She took her human form, kneeling and crossing her arms over her chest. It put her right at eye-level to his… she thrust the thought away and glared at him. “I didn’t! They chased me out here. I wasn’t that far from town when they—”

Ryder stooped. With one solid motion, he grabbed her around the waist. Heat flared beneath her skin as his shoulder drove into her stomach. He picked her up, her naked body draped over his shoulder. Tess yelped. She expected him to stumble, to drop her, and grabbed hold of his waist to steady herself.

He began striding through the trees, grumbling. “Demons all around, and you have to go wandering out in the forest by yourself. No doubt everyone will blame me.”

Tess couldn’t think to protest. She clung to him, her body on fire. She’d never had this much skin pressed to another body. Despite the situation that brought her here, she stared at Ryder’s toned ass, watching the muscles work in wonder. Her stomach tightened as her breasts pressed against his back.

Goddess! Here she was, being carried through the forest like a sack of potatoes. He was still scolding her. And all she could think was how wonderful his naked ass looked.

Nope. Not today. Those hormones weren’t going to win!

“Put me down,” she demanded, her voice strangely breathless. “I can get back to town in my wolf form.”

“We’re not going to town,” he grunted.

Tess pressed her hands against his lower back—not too far, goddammit!—and tried to push herself up. “What do you mean?”

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