The Alpha's Rejection...

something wrong at the exa

egs wouldn't budge. The wind stirred the trees, and the faint whisper of leaves brushing against each other filled the

name? How did they even kn

just ordinary passing strangers, by any means. They were something else, something dangerous. Yet, n

them, as if he could see through the veils of shadows that seemed to fall between us. "There are things you m

a something not let loose by words, something I wasn't privy to yet. But whatever it

ded. My heart still raw from Jaxon's rejection, my mind a swirling mess o

wanting to spook me. "We are not here to hurt you, Tessa," he said s

level, his words were twisting my insides like a knife. What Jaxon had done, I didn't know anymore if I be

bout me," I mumbled

darkening into something almost lik

for nothing. I hated how their presence made the air feel heavy, as if something

st. Gargling for breath, I stepped back, trying to put more distance between us. I didn't trust them. I couldn't. But that same pu

" I said, my voi

hey were going to ignore me. But then Rafe nodded slightly

most a whisper. "But we'll be watching, Tessa. We

. His footsteps, light over the rustling of the leaves. I was frozen

did I feel they'd just dropped a weight on my chest,

epped forward as far as I could, as if I could move from the stream, from the spot where they had found

ey really? And why on that night of rejection had they ventured into Silver Claw territory

under my skin. Like they knew me in ways they shouldn't know me

as lost behind great rounded clouds that cast a sort of murky gray. There came more cold, even biting at the skin, and

aglow. The sounds of the celebration were not so loud now, but the laughter and music nois

again in my head and t

enough for me. No

couldn't look at him again. Not tonight. Maybe not ever. But I couldn't sta

ance, where the others would still be hanging out. I did not want to be seen. I certai

d me, and I could feel waves of roasted meat hitting my stomach through the fragrance. It strangely began

loorboards beneath my feet still comforting, but my heart and mind racing, pounding wildly i

stuck in my throat. Suddenly, the door swung open, and there stood Mara. That b

ident in her voice. "I was worried.

all began, the night finally caught up to me. Mara wrapped me up in a tight hug and for that s

my mind and I was right back there, racing he

d, my voice barely above a whi

ing to one of confusion and worry.

, but the words just tumbled out of my mouth. "These men. in the wood

s closing tighter around my arm, pu

their names were Rafe and Dante. I've never

s darkening with fear. "Tessa, you need

ing my head. "He doesn't care. He rejected m

eyes. "He may have denied you, but that doesn't mean you're out of the woods. If t

y what she left unsaid. I didn't need her to complete

very wrong. Ex

e to understand, Tessa, outsiders don't just show up like that. Not without a reason." She's stopped her pacing and turned toward me, her

s settled inside me. "What am I supposed to do?

ed to tell someone. If not Jaxon, then at least one of the

aused my stomach to twist with anxiety. Still, I couldn't argue against what she said. Rafe and Dante weren't just random strangers. Th

a said, speaking almost to he

s take care of me. If anyone would take this seriously, it was him. But as Mara was mentioning his name,

wly. "What if this is nothing? W

rp look. "Do you r

second. But I wasn't rea

You have had a tough night. This isn't all about you anymore, Tessa though. If

I knew we couldn't just pretend this didn't exist. But the thought of meeting Jaxo

tly, her voice softer now. "We wi

old me-those strange, disturbing words-and what they

deepened in my chest. Something in my brain told me what