Page 52 of Rejected Mate

Fagua let out a sigh. "Sometimes he's not that bad. We had a really nice time at the bar and went out for a run on the pack lands. It was the first time I'd been able to fully shift into my wolf. It was amazing."

A spike of hot jealousy plunged into my middle. Why hadn't she been able to become her wolf with me or Sky? We'd accepted her first as our mate but Husk is still holding back and he's granted the privilege? I took another swig of my beer, hoping to dull the ache pressing on my chest.

"Your wolf?" Sky's eyebrows raised. "No kidding? What did she look like?"

Fagua laughed and I relished the sound. There had been too many serious days lately and I missed her light-heartedness. "No idea, I couldn't really see myself. Plus, you know wolves can't see all the colors humans can."

"How did it feel? Your first time?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light.

"Amazing. I don't have words to describe it. It was as if I felt whole for the first time in my life. I'd never felt like that before." She chuckled. "I didn't know I could run so fast."

"Hey, next time we'll all go for a race. Let's see if you can beat me." Sky pulled up a chair, flipping it backward and sitting in it, leaning his arms across the back.

"I bet it felt freeing." I lightly squeezed her shoulder.

"It was incredible." Fagua's cheeks pinked and I wondered if it was from her being with Husk that night or just from finding her wolf. "I could run without a problem and there were hundreds of scents. I even remember smelling humans from miles away."

"Fuck." Sky shook his head. "Wish I could've been there."

"Next time." Fagua smiled.

"I can't believe your dad and mom never helped you learn how to shift completely." Sky tapped his fingers on the back of the chair. "You'd be a pro by now if they had."

Fagua looked between me and Sky. "We need to come up with a plan on SmallHeath. My father is killing wolves and I don't want anyone else getting hurt." She shivered and rubbed her arms. "And I certainly don't want to be carted off and sold."

I couldn't believe he was doing this to his own daughter. But I'd seen power corrupt people before.

"Now that you have your magic back, we can take him and anyone else out." Sky leaned forward in the chair. "They won't expect a surprise attack."

"He's got something there," I admitted. "But we don't know how many wolves he has on his side. I assume with the ones that attacked us here at the penthouse, that he's got more he's hired, which means that the pack is getting bigger."

Fagua squirmed in her seat and leaned her folded hands on the table. "Don't underestimate him. He had me fooled for years and now my mom is backing him up too." She held up a few fingers. "So far we have Rebecca and her husband, who lived in SmallHeath. Mayia and Rock. And the four of us."

As if on cue, Husk appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, his chest bare and tattoos rippling with muscles. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair stood up like he'd raced here and shifted back to his human form.

"Everything okay?" I asked, crossing an ankle over my knee.

His gaze went to my close proximity to Fagua and my hand on her back before he shook himself. "Yeah. Just did a check around the casino making sure we didn't have any unwelcome guests."

"We need to come up with a plan for SmallHeath," I broke in. "Sitting here and waiting isn't going to work. They could come at us when we least expect it, like before."

"Well, don't just stand there." Fagua waved him over. "Come sit down and have some cake. You need something after shifting and patrolling. I'll make you a plate."

I wasn't surprised she made a plate for him. "Anyone else hungry?"

"No," Sky answered, and I shook my head, downing my beer.

Sky and I let her go about her business and she returned to the table with a plate of cake, three slices of sausage, and a glass of milk for Husk. She shoved the glass of milk into his chest and he took it with a questioning look.

"I know you're hungry. Eat."

"I'm fine." His stomach rumbled.

"You're not fine." Her eyes narrowed. "Eat."

With a muttered groan, he sat across from us, stuffing the sausage into his mouth as fast as he could.

"All right. So we take the fight to my father." Fagua clasped her hands on the table. "He won't expect us to have anyone with us. But with my mom there"—she shook her head, her lips in a tight line—"she could put up a magical landmine for us to navigate through."

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