Page 10 of Rejected By Blood (Mated in Silence 2)

“I served the pack under your grandfather, young one. I did it from this cottage where I have lived since I was born and where I will stay until I die. The vagrant who came here seemed to want information about someone named Callista and when I didn’t have it, he made a big mess and left.”

“Exactly why you shouldn’t stay here,” he argued, his protests less orders than frustrated requests. “We cannot get here fast enough if you need us, Magda.”

“I neglected my wards.” Her consternation came through clearly. “I must be getting old, but not so old I cannot put them back in place.” She faced Dean and I. “And I will also ward your home. I can do part of it from here, and give you instructions for the rest.”

She leaned back and sighed. “But I must sleep for a while first.”

The alpha tugged his shirt over his head. “You two go. I will remain here until the wards are in place. If that miscreant returns, I will end him.” He shifted to wolf and moved outside, waiting until we exited to lie blocking the doorway.

Chapter Ten

Dean had his arm over my shoulder the entire way home. His wolf communed with mine. They were speaking to each other without words, the way animals did, or the way shifters did. It was a simple exchange of emotions and pushes of sensations, but each one got the gist.

His was protective and concerned.

Mine was grateful he came for me and yet, confident she could handle it on her own.

“I can’t believe all of that happened.” It seemed like he was muttering to himself more than talking to me. “I mean, one second I was fine and the next I was demanding the alpha pull over and let me get to you. If he hadn’t, it was like my wolf would’ve gotten out and shattered every window of that vehicle in an effort to get to his mate. Wow, it was just that powerful.”

The connection between mates was impenetrable. It was as solid as the ground beneath us. No matter where I went or what we went through, our mating was never negotiable. It gave each of us a sense of comfort and security.

I stopped in my tracks as a variance of new scents touched my nose. Some were sour and tangy, but one in particular, almost layered on the top of the rest was still present.

My wolf knew exactly who it was.

“Jillian what is it?” Dean stopped along with me but now that I knew, a stripe of fear spindled down my spine and pulsed through my cells.

Shane might be in trouble. And if he was to me what my wolf thought, then there was no way in hell I was going to not tear down whoever was with him.

Because the scent alone told me they were up to no good.

Fueled by fear, I grabbed the front of Dean’s shirt and dragged him along the trail between my cabin and Magda’s.

“Jillian what the…” Dean didn’t struggle but questioned me all the way there. When we got to the cabin, all, or most of our things were strewn about. My clothes and Dean’s were in separate places and even our kitchen things and pots and pans were tossed about like they were trash instead of my precious possessions.

And Shane’s wolf was in the mix of it. He was panting, and his fur had been roughed up by whoever thought it was okay to destroy my home.

“What the fuck is this about?” I hardly ever heard Dean say that word but the anger was so thick in the air I almost expected it. This male wolf had clearly protected my home or at least tried to interrupt the destroying of it. “Why is he here again?”

Let’s face it. We all knew deep down why Shane was there.

I did.

I’d seen the look in Shane’s eyes. He did.

Shift.I said the command in my mind and, in an instant, Shane was on his feet, a bashful look on his face even though I was nothing but grateful to him for at least trying to save our home.

“I...I was protecting your home, Jillian. I was a little too late, as you can see, but I tried.”

Dean stepped forward and I could feel the waves of fury pour off of him and cover the atmosphere around us. “I can protect her. She is mine to protect.” He looked around and found a pair of pants tossed to the side, threw it at Shane who put them on. I wasn’t sure if whose pants they were, just Levi’s that could have belonged to either of them, but it didn’t matter.

I blew out a breath just knowing in my heart that this could end a few ways but none of them were good.

“Youwereprotecting her. And I was here, trying to stop those miscreants from getting in her house.”

A growl came from deep inside Dean. I expected Shane to move or step back, but he did no such thing, Instead, he stood his ground and balled his fists.

“Well, I am her mate, too.”

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