Page 3 of Rejected Mate

The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, the air still.

I pushed forward until the scents vanished. Whirling in a circle, I backtracked only to discover the trail ended here in the middle of the fucking forest. Fuck! I'd been too distracted—my anger clouding my judgment—that I had raced after shadows. How had I lost them?

I gave a hard sniff, the trees giving off a sweet scent. Something sour floated on the wind. Blood. A fresh kill of a rabbit lay at the base of a thick tree, half-eaten, both odd wolf scents all over it. Why would they leave this here?

An owl hooted nearby, followed by the distant screech of a bat, and I froze.

Fagua.

My hackles rose. Whoever these wolves were, they'd led me out here on purpose. Fagua and my brothers were in danger.

My wolf clawed at my ribcage to be let out, but I needed to keep my human form to get back into the casino and up to the suite.

I raced back with my heart in my throat and feeling like I couldn't take deep enough breaths.

I pulled myself together enough to sprint back to my bike. I took off through the trees, running faster than I ever had before. My chest tightened and my breathing was ragged and shallow. A bitter taste curled up my throat.

Whoever was after Fagua and my brothers wanted me out of the way, and I'd stupidly walked right into their trap. My heart raced and my head throbbed. Rage built inside me and I bared my fangs.

Oh God, please don't let me be too late.

* * *

My boots pounded across the marble floor of the casino and I didn't even bother with the elevator. I tore through the door to the stairs and took them three at a time with my long strides. My blood pounded in my ears. My breath burned in my chest.

I reached the penthouse level and slammed a fist into the door.

"Fagua," I yelled. The scents of wolves and wrongness choked me.

Muffled shouts sounded from inside along with a growl.

"Sky! Winter!"

I kicked the door in. It almost flew off its hinges at my strength, though it missed a man's face by inches. He greeted me with a deep-throated growl meant to intimidate, but fear flickered across his eyes when he saw who had come charging through the door at him full force like a freight train.

I growled, low and deadly. The man, shirtless with pants, but barefoot, rose to his feet and advanced on me, eyes flashing yellow, teeth bared in fury.

He stared at me, this stranger who appeared out of nowhere.

I didn't waste time with a greeting. I kicked hard into his side with a loud crack that sent him rolling across the floor. I took my time, moving toward him because I assumed he was out of it.

I was wrong because the next thing I knew, he charged toward me.

I met him in the middle and slammed my knee into his gut. He folded over me and I elbowed him in the side of his head, snapping his neck back.

I turned to him, but he was ready for me. He backhanded me across the face. I stumbled but came up with an uppercut that clicked his teeth together.

His eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he slumped to the floor.

I spun and a wolf stared me down.

Where the fuck did the wolf come from?

The wolf was huge, its shoulder was level with my hip and its eyes were solid black.

The wolf looked surprised for a second, then stalked toward me. I rushed in and drove my foot into his side because I didn't have time to change to my wolf form.

It whimpered a growl, snapping at me. I slammed him into the wall, feeling his ribs crack under my palm, and he let out a piercing wail.

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