Page 13 of Rejected Moons (Rejected Moons 3)

I almost don’t. I almost keep going. But there’s something in his voice—some kind of desperation—that stops me. I can’t just walk away.

Besides, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.

“Tell me your name,” I suggest.

He nods. “Nate,” he says. “My name is Nate.”

Chapter Nine: NATE

IknowI’mbeinga dick to her, this woman with the dark, wild hair and fiery eyes. I know my bad attitude is the reason she’s refusing to help me.

But I’ve been locked in thisdog cagefor the past four days. Anyone would be a dick after four days of this. I don’t feel like I owe her any particular kindness. It’s not like she’s been nice to me, right?

If she lets me out, I’ll be nice.

“What’s your name?” I ask her.

She folds her arms across her ample chest and says nothing.

“Oh, what, I told you my name but you’re too special to tell me yours?”

She sighs. “Emlyn,” she says. “My name is Emlyn.”

“There, was that so hard?”

She scowls at me, and immediately I sort of wish I could take that back. I really am being a dick about this.

“Just let me out,” I tell her. “Then I won’t bother you anymore.”

“If I leave you in there, you also won’t bother me anymore,” she points out. “What are you doing in there anyway? How did you get yourself into that thing?”

“I didn’t getmyselfinto it,” I say, annoyed. “My alpha put me in here.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s an ass who’s threatened by me. Not that you have any reason to believe me, I guess.”

“No,” she says, her arms unknotting. “I know something about asshole alphas, actually.”

“Is that why you don’t have a pack?”

“That has something to do with it,” she says wryly. “Why is your alpha threatened by you?”

“He knows I’m a better fighter than he is,” I say, grinning despite my circumstances. “And smarter than he is, too.”

“Smart enough to land yourself in a cage?”

“Touche,” I say. “So are you going to let me out?”

“I don’t know,” she says. “I can’t trust you.”

“I can help you.”

“I told you, I don’t need any help.”

“I think you probably do,” I tell her. “I mean—what I said before, about women not being able to survive on their own—that was a jackass comment. I get that. I didn’t mean it. Butanyoneon their own would have trouble. And you’ve wandered into a safe house that belongs to my pack, so it’s clear you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. Tell me what you’re trying to do, where you’re trying to be, and maybe I can help you get there.”

She hesitates. “I doubt you know where to find what I’m looking for.”

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