Page 21 of Brutal Alpha's Forced Mate

I smirk. “Never said you didn’t.”

She starts walking again, and I follow, letting the quiet stretch between us. It’s not an uncomfortable silence, though. If anything, it feels… steady. Like we’re finally starting to figure out how to work together without snapping at each other every five minutes.

Still, I can’t help but notice how different she is out here. She’s not the guarded, defensive Jaslyn I’ve been dealing with since she came back. Out here, she’s in her element—confident, capable, and utterly unshakable.

“Why are you staring?” she asks suddenly, not breaking stride.

“Just making sure you’re not about to set the forest on fire,” I reply smoothly.

She snorts. “That was one time.”

“Four, actually.”

She spins to glare at me, but there’s no real heat in it. “You’re lucky I’m feeling generous today or I’d hex you for that.”

“Generous? Is that what you call it?”

She rolls her eyes and turns away, but I catch the faintest hint of a smile before she does.

We spend the next few hours moving from one weak spot to another, reinforcing ward lines and upgrading traps with her magic. Each time, I’m struck by the sheer precision of her work.She doesn’t just rely on brute force or flashy displays. Everything she does is deliberate, planned, and efficient.

By the time we reach the southern edge of the territory, the sun is beginning to dip below the horizon. Jaslyn stands at the edge of a clearing as she surveys the area.

“This is the last one,” she says quietly.

I nod, watching as she steps forward and kneels once more. Her hands move steadily, drawing a complex sigil in the dirt that glows brighter than the others. The air hums with magic, and for a moment, it feels like the forest itself is holding its breath.

When she finishes, she stands and looks at me, her expression unreadable. “That’s it. The ward line’s secure.”

I take a step closer, nodding toward the glowing sigil. “You’re sure it’ll hold?”

“It’ll hold,” she says firmly. Then, after a beat, she adds, “As long as no one does anything stupid to disrupt it.”

“I’ll make sure the pack knows not to mess with your handiwork.”

“Good,” she responds, brushing past me. “Because if they do, it’s their funeral.”

As we make our way back through the forest, something changes between us, though I can’t pinpoint what. Jaslyn hasn’t so much as glanced my way since we left the last ward site.

“Are you going to ignore me the whole way back?” I finally ask when I can’t take it anymore.

Her pace doesn’t falter, but she throws me a look over her shoulder—cold and dismissive. “Why? Is it bothering you?”

“Yes,” I reply bluntly, lengthening my stride to catch up to her. “And it should bother you, too. What’s your problem? I thought we had a nice day out here.”

“My problem?” She whirls around so fast, I almost run into her. Her green eyes blaze with fury, and I can feel the anger rolling off her in waves. “You’re asking me that after everything?”

“I’m asking because you won’t talk to me. What the hell did I do this time?”

She lets out a bitter laugh, crossing her arms. “What haven’t you done, Gray? That’s the real question.”

I run a hand through my hair, trying to keep my temper in check. “If you’re angry, say it. Tell me what’s going on instead of shutting me out.”

Her eyes narrow, and she takes a step closer, her voice low and trembling with suppressed rage. “You want to know why I’m angry? Fine. Let’s talk about it.”

“Finally,” I mutter, but the glare she shoots me makes me regret it instantly.

“You banished me, Gray,” she says, her voice cutting like a blade. “Without so much as a second thought. Without even bothering to ask me what happened.”

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