Page 53 of The Enforcer's Rejected Mate

Was she safe? Did she remember any of us?

I will never forget her. Could never forget her.

I pushed myself because of her. Day after day, year after year, I worked myself until I wasn’t scared of anything, until I was stronger than any challenger, until I was what others feared.

I became the alpha, the Enforcer, the boy that girl had needed that night.

Cordelia wakes up soon after I leave, so does Clover if the shriek I hear echoing from the Keep is anything to go by. I’m close by this morning. Going over details for the hunter’s return with Clyde, the pack Gamma, when we both hear Clover’s scream.

He stops and looks at me. “What is that sound? A banshee?”

Clyde is human. To him, Clover would sound like a Banshee.

I shake my head. “Nah, just Clover.”

“I didn’t know she had that in her.”

“It’s buried deep but she’s got the fire of the seven hells burning inside of her.”

“But she seems so sweet.”

The door to Clyde’s office slams open and Clover stomps in. “You! I know it was you!”

He holds his hands up. “I retract my earlier statement.”

“The fire of the seven hells,” I remind him.

Clover looks between us like we’ve both lost it before she throws her hands up. “I don’t care and I don't want to know but you better get my door back on the hinges or so help me, Thorne I’ll skin you alive myself.”

“It was a necessity.”

“And you left it off?”

“I didn’t have time to get it back on before I left.” It’s true. I didn’t have much time to slip out of the visitor’s quarters before Cordelia realized I was there. She’s awake. I can feel her. She’s nearby in the Keep, which is good. I’d know that without the Soul Tie. No visitors are allowed to leave the Keep until they have a meeting with Ronan.

“But when were you even back in the quarters? I saw you leave last night. I bolted the door behind you myself.”

“I had business to attend to.” I’m not telling Clover jack all about the loose hinge or how I got the door off. She’ll have it repaired and that will be the end of me being able to get in the quarters. I have access to every part of the Keep and it’s going to stay that way as a matter of safety.It doesn’t have anything to do with the omega? My brain taunts me because it’s an asshole. I ignore my brain like usual when it comes to Cordelia and give Clover an apologetic smile.

“I’ll get it fixed. I swear.”

“When?”

“This afternoon,” Clyde interjects. “He’s got to run the prisoners to town.”

Clover bites her bottom lip. “By himself? That isn’t safe.” She worries about me. A lot. Out of all my family, Clover is the one that’s managed to stick close to me. I don’t mind it. She’s the first one I see when I’m back from patrol and it’s not just because of the food she always has waiting for me.

I ruffle her hair as I walk past her to the door. “Don’t worry, Clo. I’m taking Lucian and a few Defenders with me. I’ll be back in no time.” She opens her mouth to protest but I keep walking. “I can’t talk. They’re waiting on me and the sooner I dump these humans, the sooner I’ll be back to repair that door. And you do want me to fix that door, right?”

Clover sticks her tongue out at me before she shoos me out the door. “Fine, fine but there’s going to be hell to pay if that door isn’t fixed by lunch. I don’t want Cordelia thinking that’s how we run things around here.”

“Ah, our newcomer. I heard all about her from the Defenders. How is she?” Clyde asks. I hesitate in the doorway hearing that. What did he hear from the Defenders? Did Lucian spill my secret about the lightning?

“Oh, she’s the best. I’m really excited for her to meet Ronan tonight. She’s so nervous but I told her she has nothing to worry about.”

“Nervousness means she cares. It’s good.”

I want to linger, come up with an excuse to listen in on their conversation about Cordelia but all it takes is Clover chucking a pen from Clyde’s desk at me.