Page 46 of The Alpha's Rejected Arranged Mate

He’d led his team straight into an ambush. What the hell was he thinking that they could just waltz into Dukiel’s stronghold without any confrontation?

“Everyone out,” he roared. “Get back to town!”

Several surprised glances met his eyes. The team swung their haul onto their backs and shifted to wolf form as a howl erupted from somewhere in the depths of the palace. Finn shifted, too, taking up the back position to make sure nobody was left behind as they raced for the doorway. His heart thundered in his ears. How could he be so stupid? Hayden would never make this sort of mistake!

You don’t deserve to be Alpha.

Finn growled low as he shoved the voice aside. Several beast demons stood in their pathway. Their long, twisted horns swung back and forth as they charged. Finn howled as he sprang off, launching himself over the heads of his team.

The beast demons rounded, flinging their heads this way and that, scattering the team—no. They isolated him. Pinned him between the team and the door. One of the demons faced him, its goat-like face with lips pulled back, revealing rows of sharp teeth. The other faced off with the team, bluff-charging. Finn’s heart pounded as the red haze of demons grew stronger. More of them were coming. They’d pinned him here because it would slow down the team… keep them from escaping, and put them at risk.

No.

He howled, ordering a retreat. Derek snarled, trying to get at the beast-demon’s throat. One of its horns nearly caught him in the side. Finn bolted forward, but the demon facing him reared up, kicking its front hooves at his head. He was forced to shrink back. With a snarl, he howled the retreat again, trying to put every ounce of authority as Alpha in his voice.

Derek hesitated, but the others fled, bolting for the door. Derek jumped aside as the beast demon came at him again, then took off after the others. The demon chased after them, but its horns got stuck at the doorway, and they disappeared into the woods beyond.

Finn’s heart thundered as he snarled, seeking a way around the beast demons. They both faced him now, swinging their heads as they tried to herd him backward.

But they seemed oddly reluctant to hurt him. He took a deep breath and stood his ground. One of them nearly clipped him with its horn but fell back suddenly. A chill swept over Finn’s body, and his hair stood on end. Reluctantly, he turned to find himself facing Dukiel himself. The archdemon was in human form, wearing that same tailored suit he’d worn to Moon Lake.

“Ah, my boy,” Dukiel purred, smiling in an attempt to appear to be benevolent. “I was hoping to be able to talk with you—one on one. You see, I have so much I need to talk to you… so much that your mother wanted you to know.”

Finn narrowed his eyes. He lunged, his teeth snapping. Before they could latch around Dukiel’s jaws, one of the beast demons caught the pack and flung Finn away. He hit the wall hard, driving the air from his lungs.

“I understand your distrust of me. But I am your father, Finn,” Dukiel said, his voice soft. “You were never meant to grow up alone. Your mother wasn’t meant to die. I could have saved her if—”

Finn shifted to human form. “Save it. I’ve known too many demons to believe you.”

Dukiel’s eyes widened. For a moment, a hurt expression passed over his face. It disappeared quickly, and he straightened his cuffs. “Yes, I imagine you have. Good. It’s a sickening role to play. You’re a much more straightforward man. So, I will be straightforward with you, too. Elin is going to die.”

All the air left Finn’s lungs. His wolf growled, the sound reverberating in his chest.

“It’s not anything I did,” Dukiel said, shrugging. “Just the nature of the beast. I’m fully aware of what’s happening to her through the child you sired. Just as I’m fully aware of what you’ve gone through in your life. There’s always a connection between a demon and those it sires.”

Finn didn’t answer. His mind churned over this information. Had Dukiel been peeking into this life all this time? The thought of him having any access to the intimacies Finn shared with Elin made his stomach churn.

Dukiel continued, waving a hand blithely. “It was only through your mother’s sacrifice that I wasn’t able to take possession of your body while you were still growing inside of her. Beth was more shrewd than I gave her credit for. Somehow, she figured me out. I don’t know exactly how.”

Dukiel paused and studied Finn. Finn kept quiet. If a demon was monologuing at him, who was he to stop it? He’d found that a good way to learn information was to talk to another person. They often revealed more than they realized in the conversation.

“You don’t seem surprised. Perhaps you’ve sensed it already?” Dukiel lifted an eyebrow at Finn.

Finn inched away from the wall only for a beast demon to snarl and bluff charge. “Call your fucking animals off me. If you could possess me, you’d do it already.”

“Such a waste.” Dukiel shook his head in mock disappointment. “You could have been great. Instead, you cling to this shifter weakness of yours. You should embrace the gift I gave you. Not everyone has access to demon magic, you know. You should embrace that side of you.”

Demons grew more powerful by consuming one another. Was this some sort of ploy so Dukiel could override the protections Finn had placed on himself? So Dukiel could consume his soul? It would make the archdemon more powerful. Fuck, that was probably why he’d gone through the effort of making him in the first place.

The perfect host to increase his own power. Finn narrowed his eyes at the archdemon. “There is one thing I’m curious about.”

“Is there?” A pleased smile curled Dukiel’s lips.

“When I kill you, will you go back to hell or simply cease to exist?”

The smile disappeared. He sighed heavily as he shook his head. “Perhaps you’re not as smart as I thought. Ah, well. If you’re not going to talk, there’s no point in keeping you here. Go on, then. Back to your pack. Back to your mate.”

The beast-demons stepped aside, leaving the route to the door clear. Finn’s eyes widened in surprise. Was Dukiel really just letting him leave?

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