Page 65 of Claiming His Rejected Mate

I’m here to survive.

Later that night, I find Kieran still in the strategy room, standing by the window, his hands braced against the frame as he stares into the darkened forest beyond the estate walls.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I say quietly, stepping inside.

His shoulders stiffen slightly before he turns to face me. “Yes, I did.”

I cross my arms. “You just made things worse for yourself.”

A humorless smirk tugs at his lips. “You think I care?”

I study him for a moment, taking in the tension in his stance, the exhaustion hidden beneath the sharp lines of his face. “You should.”

He exhales, running a hand through his hair. “If they want to be angry, let them. I won’t stand by and let them tear you apart just because they refuse to adapt.”

Something twists in my chest—something too close to warmth, to gratitude. I shove it down.

I should turn around. Walk away. Keep the distance between us firm.

But I don’t.

Because for all his flaws, for all his mistakes, Kieran just stood in front of his pack and chose me.

And I don’t know what to do with that.

Chapter 21

Hazel

The moon hangs low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the estate grounds. The cool night air wraps around me as I join Kieran by the window, my arms hugging my torso. The distant sounds of the pack drift through the trees—low murmurs, the occasional bark of an order from a patrol, the rustling of leaves in the wind.

I inhale deeply, willing my heartbeat to grow steady. It doesn’t. Not with him standing beside me. His scent wraps around me like the warmest blanket, and I immediately miss the cocoon of his arms. I sigh.

I don’t turn to face him. I don’t have to. I can feel him—his warmth, his energy, the way the bond hums between us, thick and undeniable, restless and nagging.

I hate it.

I hate how easily my body recognizes him, how effortlessly my wolf leans toward him despite everything that’s happened. He’s the only safe space she has. With his wolf. And to her, no matter how bad his actions were, no matter how deep our suffering is right now, all she wants and cares about is the safety and security that our Mate offers.

Her deepest desire is still to be with Kieran’s wolf. Her fantasy ofrunning through the grass and snow and rain with him fills my mind, and with the way my heart beats, I wonder if it has become mine too.

“Are you going to stand there all night?” His voice is rough, low, the gravel of it sliding over my skin like a physical touch.

I don’t answer. I can’t think and I don’t know what to say. My body is tight in my core, and my pulse is throbbing between my legs. I’m sure he can smell me begging to be taken by him. But he is choosing now to be respectful. I scoff in my mind.

He takes the step that closes the gap between us and rests his hand on the small of my back. I can feel his heat against my spine. My breath catches when I realize he’s standing right behind me and the hardness I feel is his bulging throbbing cock through his pants. He leans into me, his head so close to my ear that I hold my breath. I feel my skin set ablaze by his closeness. Oh, how I need him.

“I meant what I said,” he murmurs. “I won’t force you into this, Hazel. But by Goddess, how I crave you…”

A bitter laugh slips past my lips. “You say that now.”

His silence stretches between us, but I don’t fill it. I let it settle, thick and unyielding, let the brew of lust swirl between us, torturing us. He can’t do anything unless I will it. And my wolf is having a little fun with the play, even though her muscles are wired with his burning tension.

Finally, he exhales. “I deserve that. I haven’t been as open to you as I should be with my Luna.”

I close my eyes, gripping the stone railing. The last thing I want is to be with him, but my chest protests at the thought. I’ve been lying to myself, convincing myself that I don’t need him. But the joy that swells in my heart hearing him talk about me this way is unmatched. Everything in me sings with glee, and I feel a giggle bubble up inside of me.

“Why are you here?” he asks, his hands sliding up my arms until they reach my jaw. He gently caresses my lower lip, and I feel the burn of his lustful eyes on me. He’s greedy and possessive as he toys with my lip. He’s doing nothing to hide the greed and hunger in his eyes.

---