Page 41 of Claiming His Rejected Mate

Darrel shakes his head, his frustration palpable. “And what of Eldon? Do you think he’ll just accept this? Are we ready to go to war because of her?”

We’ve avoided wars and battles since I became Alpha ten years ago. Now, I see it may have made my wolves soft.

“Moonfang does not shy at the mention of war. You forget what breed you are, Darrel. And if there is any other of you that needs a reminder, speak now.” I look at the others, one by one, watching the conflict play out on their faces.

“That’s what I thought. This decision is final,” I continue, my gaze sweeping over the gathered elders and high ranks. “Hazel will be Luna. And I expect you all to respect that.”

I stand and leave. It was a decision fueled by passion, made in the moment. But my feet seek out Hazel, despite the growing annoyance that my strategic decisions have now bound us together for longer.

I find Hazel in the courtyard, pacing like a caged animal. The moonlight casts a silver sheen over her hair.

She hears me coming but doesn’t stop moving. If anything, her gait shifts and her stomps raise more dust.

“Hazel.”

She stops, turning to face me with a glare that could cut through steel.

“What do you want, Kieran?” she snaps, her voice sharp. “Haven’t you done enough for one night?”

I step closer, my gaze steady. “We need to talk.”

“No,” she says, her arms crossing over her chest. “You need to talk. I’ve had enough of your orders.”

I exhale, trying to keep my frustration in check. “This is fo—”

“I’m not your damn asset,” she interrupts, her voice rising. “I’m nota piece on your chessboard, Kieran. You don’t get to decide my life for me.”

Her defiance ignites something in me, a mixture of anger and admiration that swirls warm within my chest.

“This isn’t just about you, Hazel.”

She laughs bitterly, the sound cutting through the night like a blade. “Of course, it’s not! I’m not stupid. This is about control, Kieran. Your control. You think you can just declare me your Luna and expect me to fall in line? You need to not be swept off your feet by loss again, so you micromanage everyone else’s life but yours.”

I step closer, resisting the urge to wrap my hand around her neck, hold her in place, and kiss her so hard. Her scent fogs my brain for a second. I know she feels this, but she keeps her anger visible despite the aching need I know is coursing through her veins. It’s coursing through mine as well.

“You’re better off here and we both know it.”

“Better?” she snaps, her gray eyes blazing. “You think I feel safe with you? You, who rejected me without a second thought? Who treated me like a traitor? You’ve done nothing but humiliate me, Kieran. And now you expect me to trust you?”

Her words hit harder than I expected, and for a moment, I’m silent.

“This isn’t about trust,” I say finally, my voice quieter but no less firm. “This is about survival.”

Hazel shakes her head, her expression hard. “You don’t get it, do you? I don’t want to be your Mate. I don’t want to be part of your pack. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

Her words spark something primal in me, my wolf growling low in my chest.

“You’re bound to me, Hazel,” I say, stepping closer. “Whether you like it or not. No matter how far or near you run.”

She stands her ground, her chin lifting defiantly. “Then you’ll have to Mate with a corpse, because I’ll die before I let you claim me.”

For a moment, neither of us moves, the tension crackling like a live wire. I don’t beg her. I order her back now, calling on my Alpha authority over her. She senses it, and if I thought the fire in her eyeswas hot before, right now they are like a furnace. And I am warm all over, aching to scoop her into my arms right here and now.

“I’m not going to do this, Kieran. I’m not going to be a thing of convenience to you anymore. I will not stoop so low as to expose myself to being tossed away again, and most definitely not by you!”

Then she turns on her heel, her steps quick and purposeful as she storms away.

Chapter 13

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