Page 13 of Rejected Exile

Ah. I stifle my wince. We've moved from a sore subject for her to a sore subject for me.

"Niall hasn't set a date yet. He wanted to wait until a few things were settled."

Until the alpha's daughter was back, and he had decided what to do with her. Now that I know the full story, it seems like the only thing to do is to let her finish her business and leave town—which is clearly what she wants, based on the drink she's downed with her breakfast and how uncomfortable she looks just sitting in a room with me.

She's so beautiful that I find it hard to accept that any male worth his weight would reject her. Even without a wolf inside her, she radiates a connection with the earth. Surely, a bond could've been formed—stranger things have happened than a mate bond between a wolf and a shiftless, like the ones formed with humans, or even with witches.

I know that I couldn't have thrown her away so easily. The idiot who rejected her should have his balls twisted so tight they fall off his body. Knowing who did it, I find it hard to believe he waseverworthy of her.

"And the contenders?" Delilah probes. "Who's at the top? I know it's happening soon, but these things are usually pretty obvious."

I was hoping she would forget about the second question she asked if I never answered it. Instead of coming at it directly, I tell her honestly, "I'm hoping Roarke Bell is chosen."

"Roarke?" Disbelief fills her tone, and she looks momentarily shocked. "Seriously—Roarke Bell? The beanpole kid I grew up with?"

"Unless there's another Glass Pack werewolf with that name, I imagine it's one and the same. And he's no beanpole—last I checked."

"Huh." She fidgets a little, looking down and to the side. In a quiet voice, she asks, "Anyone else?"

Me. Technically, since William died, I'm the strongest wolf of the pack, physically and spiritually. Of all the males whose mates died, I'm the only one who never suffered much of a wound. Oh, it hurt, it unmoored me, but my relationship with Vivian was one of convenience. Each of us had intendeds who died before the mate bond could be consummated. We found something like friendship in each other, but never love—and she was dead before I could even try for something deeper.

"I'm sure Niall will announce the contenders before the Summit," I tell Delilah, yet again sidestepping her question, despite the way it makes my stomach turn to lie. "It may take a month or two before the pack is ready for new leadership, though. We'll have to decide where we'll go from here."

"Oh." Delilah taps her fingers against the table. "I guess I thought it would be sooner, but this was unexpected."

"It was. And there's a lot to decide."

"Right."

She sighs a little, her breath moving a stray bit of purplish dyed hair that's fallen from her ponytail, and I'm struck once again by her beauty. She doesn't even seem to notice me watching her, though my eyes briefly stray along the curve of her body before I jerk them back. Inside, my wolf growls hungrily for her, and I wonder how it is that he's awakened to her presence despite her lack of a wolf.

"I should get going," I tell her, forcing myself to rise and gather the files I took from William's office. "Do you need to make copies of these, or is it enough if I send them to you electronically? I'm going to scan everything to make sure I have backups."

"As long as none of it is about the house or the land, it's fine. Take whatever you need—I had no idea my father was even that much into researching biology and sociology anyway."

"He was a desperate man," I admit, a shadow of grief passing over me. "We all were. Still are."

"Right. Of course." After a moment she adds, "Sorry."

"About?"

"Everything." Gesturing around her, she gets up as well, and leads me towards the front door. "I had no idea this place was so rundown. Maybe if I'd known... well. There was nothing I could've done about it anyway. There's nothing for me here."

Pausing by the front door, I take her in again. Those beautiful green eyes with the one odd chip of brown. Thick hair, dyed a fun maroon color that looks like it would spill down her back if loose. A body with curves as well as strength, and a mouth slightly curved with amusement, that promises she'd be a challenging mate worth having around.

Before I can stop myself I tell her, "It's probably for the best that you were exiled. It would be a shame for a female like you to die a horrible death. At least you're still alive."

"Yeah." She laughs a little, the sound of it hollow and without amusement. "There's that, right?" Glancing at the files, she adds, "Do you need my contact info? To send those over, I mean."

"Niall has it," I tell her, feeling a little embarrassed at just how much access to her I already have. "He gave me your number when he found out I wanted to look through your father's files. I'm assuming it's up-to-date?"

"It is. I never changed it."

"Then that's where I'll send the files to."

I have to peel myself away from her, turn my back on her remarkable presence and force my feet down the stairs to the front porch. As I walk away, heading on foot towards my truck parked near the road, I feel her eyes on me. It's all I can do not to turn around, rush towards her, and sweep her in my arms.

Somehow I think the only thing I'd get for my trouble would be a black eye and a mouthful of curse words.

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