Rejected By The Alpha, Claimed By The Beast

ky

in my bones. My legs carried me forward, but my mind lingered in the clearing. The mom

ht one of the most feared Alphas I had ever known. He didn't speak, didn't press for an

, focusing on the path instead of the memories c

e mea

ted rejecting

g the thought. It didn't

out in front of me before I could react. His eyes

alone," h

stless. My instincts weren't as honed as his, but the

n the wind. Not an animal. Someone was watching u

ved- a blur of speed and violence as he lunged toward the tr

ouched the forest floor. I didn't know who or what lurked in the darkness, but I

-on. Claws ripped through fabric and flesh. Julio didn't stumble. He countered-his body twisting mid-ai

smart. Running was survival. But I couldn't leave him.

nails sharpening, power licking at my veins

r. And then the creature stepped full

n't a

enti

l being. Its eyes glowed with an eerie silver light, wrong, hungry,

nce shifted-not just d

didn't know wha

t was a

led, revealing too many

t a chill thr

didn't change, but

rk

ver been

ess

mach t

bi

ad some part of it lingered? Had he left be

me and the creature. "

ted its head. "N

of motion. He attacked-fast, brutal, precise. The creature met him mid-strike, and this time, wh

every move meant to kill. But for every wound he inflict

will not p

creature vanished-moving with a speed that defied everything I knew

little

fore I felt nothing at all. The worl

s Mat

ned. One second, I had been trying to shove the humiliation of my loss into a box. The next, Nikky's scent-tai

hes and the lingering scent of Julio's presence. I pushed

ng his knuckles. Nikky's body was to

fist connected with his jaw before he could react. His head snapped to the side, but hi

h. "But if you waste time fighting

athing was shallow, her face pale, but she wasn't bleeding. There were no visible

through me. "

mouth, eyes never leaving Nikky

eached for Nikky, fingers brushing against her cheek. She stirred. Relief slammed into me, but it was short-lived. Her