Page 76 of Claiming His Rejected Mate

Murmurs spread through the wolves. I turn to look at them.

I’m leading my very own troops. Magnus, my father, would never have let me. He would have kept me at Rhyne’s right hands to assist instead.

But Kieran nods. He trusts me to lead. I know I was born for this. There is no fear in my heart. But what does this mean for what’s going on between me and Kieran? Do I even want to fight for Moonfang?Fighting with them means that I have declared with a pack and that I work under Kieran’s authority. That I am by his side.

Usual Kieran would have just thrust it at me. But he’s asking. He wants to know what I think.

Well, fuck yes. I nod.

He declares it to the wolves and a murmur spreads. It is a mixed reaction and I anticipated nothing less.

The Omegas beam with pride. I am a constellation of emotions and thoughts.

“It’s time you lead like a true Luna.” Kieran places a hand on my shoulder and I feel it from my head to my toes. I almost moan his name but I bite my lip instead knowing everyone’s eyes are on me. My hands get clammy.

Can I really do this? My wolf is weak and I haven’t been keeping up with training with Kieran’s warriors. What if I fail?

The thoughts trickle into my mind. I haven’t channeled a partial shift in a while. I will need to test the strength of my wolf before I can fully trust myself.

“Excuse me, I need to…take care of something,” I blurt, backing away. Kieran turns to me with a curious glance. My heart skips a beat. I discover over and over again how beautiful his face is, the way the sun catches on his features, the glow that he has, the focus in his eyes, the power in his shoulders.

But a challenge rises in my chest. Let's see how much I still have in me.

I take off at a run and focus on my wolf, feeling her rise to the surface. I feel the net of the seal, lining the barrier that allows her to blend her soul to mine. The cruelest thing.

But I push it, straining against it. My wolf does too, and some of her energy seeps out. I hear her thoughts clear and her excitement makes my heart race.

I let her run to wherever she feels like going, the earth beneath my feet giving way as I move with her essence, fast as lightning.

I reach the southern edge of the territory where my troop is supposed to advance from. I notice something moving in the earth a few feet ahead. My eyesight sharper because of my wolf powers.

I slow down. And duck low. I watch in surprise as Damon emerges from an underground hideout. So does Nina. I immediately wonder where it leads and where it’s coming from. I take out my phone immediately.

The pack might not believe me. They may think that I came to cause a rift in their perfect dynamic. With this, they’ll see what they’ve been protecting all these years.

As I record the conversation, it dawns on me how hateful Damon has been for longer than I thought. He has resented Kieran for so long that he took the first opportunity to sabotage him.

“We need to crush him, make him feel like he’s nothing. We need to take everything away from him, including that so-called Mate of his. And he will know what it truly means to be alone,” Damon snarls, baring his teeth.

“And he gets to see what he passed up on not taking me as his Luna.” Nina rolls her eyes with a smile.

“I’ll tell Eldon that the east and west are heavy. The north is weak but the south will cause the most damage,” Damon tells his sister.

“He’ll likely want to use a surprise ambush tactic.”

What in the world did I just witness?

I have to get back to the pack. They have to hear this. But my ankle snaps on a twig. Damon and Nina turn in my direction. I hold my breath and suppress my wolf a little, making sure the wind doesn't carry her scent to them.

“Did you hear that?” Nina asks, her eyes narrowing in my direction.

“Forget that, let's go to Eldon.” Damon starts walking off but Nina hesitates. She takes a few steps toward me. I try to move, to get farther enough away from them.

“Fuck, Nina! Don't waste my time!” Damon barks. Nina hesitates even after Damon turns, but then turns and follows Damon.

Without another thought, I take off back in the direction of the courtyard. Kieran has to see this.

The war horns are still blaring when I skid to a stop at the estate's main courtyard, my pulse hammering in my ears. Warriors rush past me, some shifting mid-stride, their howls piercing the night. The air isthick with the scent of adrenaline, steel, and the earthy musk of wolves ready for battle.

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