Page 53 of The Alpha's Rejected Arranged Mate

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Finn sighed. “Yes. It’s gotten stronger again. It's not strong enough to be possession, but I don’t like this. But I’m going to protect you, Elin. I promise you. I won’t let him hurt you or the baby.”

He really can’t promise you that,Dukiel whispered in her head.If he could, then I wouldn’t be able to reach you at all. Do you really think these protections are working?

Shut the fuck up,Elin snapped back. She closed her eyes as she snuggled closer to Finn. Dukiel didn’t speak again. She wasn’t sure if he was just waiting or if he could only get through to her in short bursts. In any case, she felt safe and secure in Finn’s arms. He would protect her and their baby. She was absolutely certain of it.

“You know, the first time I knew there was something special about you was when you went with Hayden to save me from Monroe,” Elin told him. She’d been locked in the attic, waiting for Monroe to claim her as his mate. She’d tried to runand had earned herself a savage bite on her leg. “You didn’t have to come, but you did.”

“Of course I did. I wasn’t going to leave you there, even if Mica hadn’t asked Hayden to save you,” Finn said, his voice gruff, like he was embarrassed by her thanks.

Elin took his hand and started to trace the lines on his palm. “You carried me away from the house. You made sure I was calm and that I knew I was safe. That’s when I knew.”

“I don’t understand why that’s so unusual.”

“And that’s another reason why I love you,” Elin said, poking him in the chest. “Because that was such an ‘of course’ thing for you to do. In Bluebell Valley, we weren’t raised to care about each other. And yet, there you were. A complete stranger who knew nothing about me: you cared. Even though I was nothing to you, even though you had no reason to care.”

Finn hesitated. “I did have reason to care.”

Elin couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m trying to compliment you. You’re allowed to say thank you.”

“I just don’t want you to have a false impression of me,” Finn protested.

Christine leaned over the back seat and playfully swatted the back of his head. “She sees you just fine, Finn. Just kiss your mate already.”

Finn wrinkled his nose at her but did as she said. Their lips pressed together, and a sweet heat swept through her. Tension she didn’t realize was lingering disappeared. Elin breathed in her mate’s scent, grateful for him to be here with her. Grateful that they’d been able to reach each other through their own self-doubt.

“You have a good heart,” she told him, whispering into his lips as she pressed her hand to his chest. “Despite that rough exterior, you have a big heart and so much love and gentleness. You care so much, even when you try not to show it. I love that about you. How strong you are. How very, very kind.”

Finn pulled back and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I like the way you see me.” He kissed her again and whispered, “You make my heart feel safe, Elin.”

Elin suddenly imagined a baby bird cupped in her hands. It was small and fragile, so easily broken. But it looked up at her with complete trust. That was how she felt right now. As though she held Finn’s hand in her hands. Gratitude swept through her. He trusted her with his heart.He trusted her.

A sudden curse from Derek broke the moment. The van came to a stop. Elin turned, confused. She peered out the front window. Finn’s arms tightened around her. A growl ripped up his throat.

“Fuck,” Elin breathed as she saw why they had stopped.

Ahead of them was a blockage of several vehicles arranged to prevent them from passing. Dozens of people stood in front of or on top of the vehicles. The blockade stretched across the road and into the forest on either side. They risked serious damage to the van if they attempted to smash through it. She swallowed hard.

“Finn, how many are possessed?” Derek asked, his voice tense.

“All of them.”

Goosebumps sprang to life on Elin’s arms. She swallowed hard, her gaze sweeping over the scene again. Was there any wayfor them to get through? Maybe if the entire convoy rushed the blockade all at once?

Do you really think that’s going to work?

“He’s here,” Elin blurted.

As though on cue, Dukiel stepped around a flatbed truck. He strode to the center of the road. He was wearing that same damn suit. Did he think it made him look impressive? He looked like a fucking penguin! A three-piece suit was hardly intimidating, especially when his face looked like it was about to fall off.

Wait…

It did look like it was about to fall off. His skin sagged. It was a sallow color, and it seemed he’d brushed his hair in a combover to hide a bald patch. The host was failing. It was nearly gone, and then Dukiel would be left bodiless… and vulnerable to the attack from other demons.

Just as she was about to share her revelation with Finn, Dukiel started to speak.

“She’s getting close, isn’t she? Ready to burst open,” the archdemon said lazily. “Ready to die.”

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