Page 2 of Rejected Mate

Grandfather added, “Be nice. The males like a female who will listen and laugh at their jokes.”

I pursed my lips together, choking back all the things I longed to say. Instead, I watched my grandfather’s face as we drove in, remembering the words inscribed on our family crest.

Familia mai presus de orice.

Family above all else.

The castle loomed large, blotting out everything else. True, it was splendid. Ancient turrets rose into the moonlight, their tips seeming to touch the stars. The stone walls appeared to stretch out for miles, indicating room upon room of splendor within. The grounds were just as immaculate with trimmed hedges, uplit trees, and topiaries shaped like birds. Or were those… bats?

I reminded myself that this place had once belonged to vampires—our dangerous neighbors—and traces of them might still be found here. Still, bats? Gross.

Thank the moon they didn’t live here anymore, and the castle was more of an attraction than anything else.

The limo slid to a stop, tires crunching on gravel. Out my window, I spied the massive stone steps leading to giant doors that were flung open. Warm light poured from inside, showing off a glittering chandelier and marble floors. Giant floral arrangements brought life and color to the stone and steel. It was quite breathtaking. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

But when I glanced around, I didn’t see any sign of the males and their families. Odd.

“Where are they?” I asked, glancing back at my mother.

“The males? I am sure they are here somewhere.” She craned her neck, trying to peer inside the castle. “I wish your father could be here to see this.”

I nodded, wishing it too. I missed his quiet demeanor and calming presence. My father had stayed home with the rest of our small pack. He was a simple man who enjoyed the comforts of home. Plus, I had a feeling he did not approve of his little girl being trotted out like a hunk of meat, but it was clear he’d lost that argument. He lost all the arguments where my mother and grandfather were concerned.

“Hurry, the other girls are getting out,” she said, ignoring my question and pushing on me from behind.

Fumbling for the handle, I found it and pushed the limo door open. On the other side, the driver appeared, a surprised look on his face. “I can get it, miss.”

Oh, right. Etiquette.

“Thanks.” I was sure to be blushing beneath my glittering red gown.

I waited for him to open the door fully before stepping out. The high-heeled shoes I’d been forced to wear wobbled on the gravel, but I somehow managed to stand. A brisk breeze reminded me of how much of my body was exposed to the night air, but my comfort barely mattered, right? There were males to please, eyes to pop out of their sockets with the simple force of my…assets.

It seemed the other girls were subjected to the same horrors. Besides me, other females stepped out of their limos in similar slips of fabric. Blues, yellows, pinks, and greens draped over stunning female forms as my opponents surveyed each other. The nine other contestants were far sexier than me. These girls were all beauty queens, the kind that paid attention to things like what color looked best on them and what cut of fabric would draw a male’s eye. They would scorn at my cherry lip balm. Still, I couldn’t help but look at their fashionably thin arms and weak legs. I bet I could outdo them in hand-to-hand combat any day. Appearance wasn’t everything, not for a shifter, anyway.

Still, I felt like a fish out of water.

Oh, moons!I was screwed.

Everything in me wanted to crawl back in that limo, but the driver had already shut the door with a thud, closing that avenue of escape for good. Besides, Mother and Grandfather were standing behind me, and I knew my mother could tackle with the best of them. They would drag me back into this competition faster than you could say “child abuse.”

So, we stood, shivering in the cool night air. Waiting.

Waiting.

“What’s taking so long?” I muttered, only to get a swift poke from my mother. But could she blame me? My butt was freezing.

“They should be here,” I heard another girl say.

So I wasn’t the only one who felt something was… off.

Was this all a ploy to gain the upper hand? Make us wait in the cold until ourrescuersarrived?

Give me a break.

The sharp gasp from a girl beside me drew me out of my thoughts. I dragged my eyes up as another cry echoed from the crowd.

What in the seven hells?

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