Page 75 of Claiming His Rejected Mate

Then another.

Then the alarm bells.

The estate erupts in movement, warriors rushing toward the gates, their voices sharp and urgent.

Kieran curses under his breath, his wolf flickering behind his eyes. He turns to me, his entire frame coiled with tension.

“Our walls have been breached.” He loosens his grip on me and takes a step back.

“Come with me. Let's save our pack.”

The words do something to me. It makes my stomach warm and my chest swell. My heart flutters with the implication of his words. I take a breath.

“I don’t remember agreeing to join your pack,” I say as I wipe my tears.

His nostrils flare, but there’s no time to argue.

Because war has come to Moonfang.

Chapter 24

Hazel

I follow Kieran to the courtyard where the other wolves are gathering, ready to receive orders. Elder Darell is there, as are others. Kieran stands before them, his authority rippling off of him. The rising sun on his skin gives him a godlike aura and for a second, it’s hard to look away.

“We all know who the attacker is. Eldon has come to wage war on our land, in our home. This is a reminder of why you chose to be warriors, guards, patrol. Why Ian, my Gamma, handpicked you from the rest. You are here to defend this pack, even if it costs you your life.”

He looks at each of them and I see the power he holds over them. The way he resonates with them. It’s not like he takes advantage of that power. They just know that their say is as important to the safety of the pack.

They respect him.

It is a new experience watching him address his men. My wolf is impressed, standing proud, her nose upturned. She fills my head with thoughts of what she would love to do later, how she would want himto lay his protective paws on her defiant ass. I shake my head and focus.

I see Mara Lou, Gina, and Pita come in. They look ready to fight. They’ve been keeping up with their trainings. The times I’ve been able to supervise them, they were quicker, sharper with their footwork.

My chest ached. It’s been weeks since I last trained them. My mind flashes to the things that have been occupying me. Being sick, ambushed, and fucked to shreds by Kieran.

Does that also not show how much Kieran would keep me from my passions by being with him? How lax I’ve gotten in being a warrior.

“We will fight.” Pita leads the Omegas forward, snapping me out of my thoughts. There are more Omegas now, all burning with the passion to defend their pack.

Kieran looks at me with a smirk then back at them.

What was that? Pride? A challenge?

“This is an emergency situation and requires the utmost when it comes to skill and strength. You lot might be better off with guarding the pack away from danger—” One of the troop leaders steps forward with his opinion.

“On the front lines,” Mara Lou also steps forward. “we want to defend the pack. We have trained well under Hazel. And our most important lesson is to be quick and stealthy.”

There’s no fear in her eyes. I won’t let her bravery go unrewarded.

“Let them fight,” I demand. I glare at Kieran, challenging him to say otherwise.

He doesn’t. Instead, asks me, “Hazel, would you lead the Omega Troop as well as the Southwest Troop?”

I turn to look at him so fast I almost get whiplash.

What?