Page 38 of Rejected Exile

His words slot something into place for me: how it was that I got three of the youngest, strongest, most available men as my "helpers" around the house. Suddenly it makes sense. Of course they don't normally send men like those three out on house calls—I was a fool to think they ever did. But as a favor for Niall, for the old alpha's house, even the best young males would slum it with a shiftless like me.

I shake the dark thoughts off and consider Niall's question. An answer comes to me quickly, but before I can tell him, something gets my attention. The passenger in Niall's truck has gotten out and is walking up the sidewalk towards the house—a familiar dark expression on his face.

Staring directly at Niall, I let some of my hard-won anger towards him leak out. "You brought Kieran with you?"

"Ah—yes." He glances over his shoulder, then back at me. "We were coming back from some work just out of town. I thought he could put the sign up."

This is the moment when I see what Kieran is holding in his right hand: a hammer. Tucked beneath his left arm is a folded-up red-and-black sign that surely reads FOR SALE across it.

The anger inside me licks up into a flame that threatens to become a bonfire and burn everything around me. I find I don't care, though. I can't believe they showed up here ready to put the sign up and everything—to take the one thing my father left to me, and pressure me to give it away.

Throwing back my shoulders and straightening my spine, I level Niall with a hard look. He actually flinches a little, something like guilt crawling across his face, and it gives me smug satisfaction. What I wouldn't give to make him feel even a fraction of what I felt out there on the streets alone, scared and confused, rejected and exiled.

It's good that Kieran is here to witness my decision, too. Let him see how much stronger I've grown without him. I want him to know that while he hurt me, he wasn't able to keep me down for long.

"I'm not selling the house anytime soon, Niall." I enjoy the confused shock that settles on his face. "In fact, I'mneverselling the house. Because I'm not going to move out of here at all.”

I clear my throat.

"Today I made a decision: I'm staying in Juniper. And there's nothing you, or your little errand boy, can do to change my mind."

Thirteen

Kieran

"You can't be serious." Frustration creeps into Niall's tone, and his hand clenches at his side. "You're staying in this old falling down house?"

"I am. And it won't be falling down for long." Delilah raises her chin, eyes flashing. "I'm going to fix it up and live in it."

"Your father exiled you. You're not supposed to be here for longer than it takes to handle his things."

There's a warning note in Niall's voice, but beneath it I hear a hint of panic. I wonder if William told him to keep Delilah out of Juniper, too—and if he might have also told himwhy.It can't just be because she's shiftless. Humans live all over town. There has to be more to it.

"I'm staying, no matter what either one of you thinks."

Delilah's eyes fix on me, and I feel the heat of shame licking at my heels. I ignore it, lifting my chin and reminding myself of the promise I made. No matter how I feel about Delilah, or how badly it hurts me to push her away, this is something I just have to do.

"You're supposed to leave town, Dee." Stepping forward, I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Niall. "This isn't right. You don't belong around here."

"Don't I?" Delilah stares me down and crosses her arms. "On whose authority?"

"The alpha's."

"The alpha is dead." Her voice rings out, carrying across the space between us. "What he said when he was alive no longer applies. Does it, Niall?"

"Well..." The older man hesitates, reaching up to scratch at his chin. "Technically, you were invited back because he put you in his will."

"And I didn't hear anything about him putting a time limit on my ownership of this house or this land. I get to stay—at least until the new alpha says something different."

Niall tilts his head in acknowledgement. "You've got a month, then. Until the Summit."

Then, to my complete shock, he turns around and walks away. "Wait! What about the sign? You know, that thing we came here to do?"

"I'll bring it back." He holds out his hands, and I reluctantly pass the FOR SALE sign over. "You should stick around here. Help with the house repairs."

"No! No way. I'm not—"

Niall fixes me with a look, and I realize abruptly that I sound like a petulant child. Snapping my mouth shut, I swallow the words I was about to say, and whirl on Delilah.

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