Page 25 of Rejected Mate

“My mother… She’s quite the writer. She talks about the drama back home. My older sister is upset that I’m here when the games finally became interesting. She—her name is Daisy—is so jealous. She mated with a shifter male two years ago, and he barely showers. She says the laundry water is black when she washes his clothes. We call him Stanky Franky—his name is Frank—behind his back.” Violet smiled the smile of a little sister finally getting one over on the elder.

“Wow. And ‘interesting’ is one way to describe the predicament we find ourselves in.”

“Mom also says the TV broadcast is very tastefully done, and the ratings are out of this world.Everyoneis watching. People are choosing favorites and…” She lowered her eyes. “Well, she thinks I should try harder because you and Laurel are the favorites right now.”

I shook my head, taken aback by this information. “That… can’t be. Look, Violet, none of it matters. This thing won’t end well.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“You must know I want nothing to do with Callan or any of them.” I made a sweeping gesture with my arm.

“I know. I know.” She nodded. “He picked you, not the other way around, and I think he’s doing it to make Ares mad.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she understood.

“Oh!” Violet exclaimed, sliding the pages aside as she seemed to remember something. “Here. There’s another letter for you.”

She dropped a thin envelope into my lap before settling back into her chair to finish her own.

Another letter? For some reason, my fingers shook as I pulled the envelope open. My mother’s handwriting greeted me, but her words left me cold.

Wren,

I hate to write you bad news, but I have no other way to tell you. Your grandfather is not well. Get home when you are able. He needs you.

Mom

My breath hitched in my throat as the room began to close in around me. It felt as if the bed would swallow me whole and drag me down into darkness.

My grandfather, my whole world, was ill?

It had to be bad, too, or there was no way she would have told me such news in a letter and risk others finding out. If they knew…

I sunk back into the bed as my chest tightened. Nothing could happen to my grandfather, especially when I was a prisoner here.

Anger flared deep inside me, along with the terror that had gripped me. How dare they keep me from seeing my sick grandfather? Now, more than ever, I wanted out of this jail. Forget my grandfather’s words to stay and make it work. His health superseded this so-called “game.”

What if he died while I was trapped in here?

Tears welled behind my eyes, but I couldn’t cry. Strength, not weakness, was what I needed now.

I jumped off the bed and started toward the closet.

“Miss,” Maurica called. When had she arrived? She had an outfit draped over her arms that I was sure was meant for me. “I came prepared for you.” She held up a pair of jeggings and a teal, fitted T-shirt with a deep V neckline.

“Ah, you know me well,” I said, smiling at her. “But I need different armor today.”

Maurica lifted an eyebrow.

“What do you have in the way of sexy dresses?”

Maurica actually smiled, making her face suddenly soft and feminine. “I know just what you need.”

As before, she did not let me down.

She brought me a white, floor-length dress, beaded with crystals that sparkled as I turned. It sported a sexy slit up one leg and a plunging neckline, which would help attract the kind of attention I was seeking. Maurica curled and styled my hair and put on makeup that highlighted my best features. I had to admit when I stepped in front of the full-length mirror that she’d accomplished the goal I’d set out for her.

The look was eye-catching.

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