Page 51 of Rejected Mate

“Violet,” I said, holding out both hands and looking into her huge lupine eyes. “I know you don’t want to hurt me.”

The wolf stared back at me, her dark gaze taking me in.

“I know Laurel has threatened you, but you can’t let her control you. If you do, her pack will really have all the power, and then they can do anything they want to us. We have to stand up to her.”

The wolf gave a low growl and took a step forward. It hadn’t worked. She was still under Laurel’s spell.

I cringed, ready to shift back to my wolf form and fight. Violet crouched and jumped. I waited for her paws to smash me into the ground, but instead, she sailed overhead, blocking the other contestants that were lining up to slip under the only hole anyone had dug. Mine.

The growl was for them. She was helping me, letting me get through next.

“Thanks, friend,” I said before turning and shimmying under the wall.

I emerged on the other side, dirty and panting. I pushed matted hair out of my eyes to find everyone looking at me.

“What?” I said, trying to be nonchalant. “Hasn’t anyone seen a naked lady before? Now, can someone get me some clothes?”

A guard stepped over and handed me a robe, which I slipped into and cinched around my waist before turning toward Laurel, who was already dressed in a similar robe.

“You cheated,” I said, pointing a finger.

Laurel blinked and held a hand up to her chest, her face the picture of innocence. “Me? I would never.” She ran over and wrapped an arm around Ares, who stood in the line of vampire suitors, but he stood stiffly beside her.

“She cheated? How?” His eyes were dark coals.

He hadn’t seen? No. The wall had blocked the whole thing. “Laurel made Violet pin me down and keep me from winning.”

Ares frowned and pulled his arm out of Laurel’s grasp. Laurel made an exasperated sound. “She lies!”

“William,” Ares said, glancing around until he found his mentor, “Laurel should be disqualified.”

“What?” Laurel said. “No one said I couldn’t have help to win.”

Ares glowered, but William was nodding. “Ms. Grimhowl is right. There’s nothing in the rules I laid out that said she couldn’t manipulate the game in that way. She actually used her cunning ability.”

A big smile lit up Laurel’s face. “See. I know what I’m doing. I’m the winner. None of these chicken brains could have thought of something like that.” She gestured around at the other girls, who were now gathering on this side of the wooden wall, naked and dirty.

“I’m in the top two. I win.” Then she turned to Ares. “I claim you as my prize.”

“Just a minute,” William said. “At the start, I mentioned that the top two contestants would compete in another contest that would determine the winner.”

Laurel’s eyes went wide. Ah, yes. I’d forgotten. The other contest. Unfortunately, it would be Laurel and me.

“What do we have to do?” I asked.

William glanced at Laurel. “Being a good match isn’t only about strength and cunning. It is also about diplomacy. Whoever can get the largest number of their fellow contestants to join their side will be considered the winner and pick their date.”

“Easy,” Laurel said smugly.

Get them to join my side? Sadly, making friends had never been my strongest quality. Still, I saw the way Laurel controlled Violet. I was pretty sure that was how she was getting the other girls to fall in line too.

I stepped away from her and turned to my fellow contestants.

“I know Laurel has threatened you, probably all of you, with harm to your packs if you don’t do what she says. Yes, the Grimhowls are powerful, but you can’t give in to tyranny. If you don’t stand up to her now, imagine how hard it will be if they decide to come for your land, your resources, your young.”

Some of the girls were nodding. Others were staring between us with fear on their faces.

“Don’t listen to her,” Laurel said, adopting her haughty air again. “My pack will always take care of those that are loyal. I can’t say the same for those that betray us.” She shot Violet—who was now in her human form and covered in a robe—a nasty glance.

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