Page 35 of The Enforcer’s Rejected Mate (Red River Rejected Mates #1)

Chapter

Twenty-Four

THORNE

“ I ’m here for Cordelia.”

Clover rolls her eyes at me but she lets me pass. I’m back in her good graces on account of fixing the door, minus the loose hinge in record time after I helped haul in the drunk hunters. The Sheriff even let me throw a few in the holding cell.

“We’ll keep these idiots here. Get the charges sorted and pass the sentences.

I expect they’re banned from the woods?” Sheriff Tennison asked.

For a human, he’s a good man, not even forty and determined to keep the peace between humans and the supernatural.

His job has been a lot tougher since the ferals rolled into town but I haven’t seen him show that it’s getting to him.

“Definitely banned.” I turned to look at the men with a growl that had a few of them whimpering. “We catch a single one of you in the woods and it’ll be you that gets a hole blasted in them,” I say, tapping a finger against my chest.

“You hear that? And I won’t stop them because that’s their land. You go missing and I’m not going to lift a finger.”

That got the hunters squawking but I was already on my way out of the department.

Being in Oak Fast is a touchy thing for me.

There’s too much damn magic in the air. Lots of Fae running around.

I’d even heard their Queen was in the mix and one Fae Queen is one too many for my liking. A witch is one thing but fairies?

They will fuck your shit up on sight and I happen to like my shit, so Oak Fast? A proceed with caution at best sort of place for me. I’ve already had to visit the fairy and witch infested town for the second time in as many days.

I should be tired. Downright exhausted with how little sleep I got last night, plus getting shot and hit with lightning, but that’s not the case.

I’m good. Better than good. The night spent outside of Cordelia’s door left me feeling rested, like I had a full night’s sleep.

I scrub a hand over my face. It's not a good sign that I’m feeling this way. I’ll crash after dinner no doubt.

Clover gives me an approving look. “I’m glad you cleaned up. You look handsome.”

I scowl at her. “I didn’t do anything other than wash up.”

“Sure you didn’t, but it was a good move. Cordelia looks really pretty tonight,” she tells me with a wink.

“What are you going on about?” I ask Clover but my meddlesome cousin is around the corner and halfway down the hallway.

I almost call out to her again to explain, but Clover is one hundred percent not listening to me so I don’t even bother.

Sometimes it’s best not to get too far down the rabbit hole with Clover.

My cousin always has a plan in motion for every one she deems as “her people.” If she’s mentioning Cordelia then the omega has made the shift in Clover’s mind to be someone Clover’s claiming.

What happened while I was gone?

A wave of nervousness hits me. It’s not mine to carry but I do it all the same.

When the pair turn the corner and join me it’s plain to see Cordelia’s nervous.

Even without the bond, I’d be able to tell.

She wears her heart on her sleeve. If she’s a witch then at least she’s an honest one.

My wolf nips at me. He doesn’t care what Cordelia is so long as he’s near her.

I try to fight the way he feels but I…understand him.

She’s beautiful. She’s wearing a white sundress that looks like it was poured on her.

The white of the dress highlights her tan.

The contrast of it makes her look like she’s glowing from within.

Warm and sweet, just the way I remember her tasting.

Fucking seven hells, what am I thinking?

I try to reign in my memories but it’s a lost cause when Cordelia smoothes her hands down the front of her thighs.

It’s a nervous tell but it just brings attention to her curves.

The skirt flares around her hips and hugs her body just right.

Her hair is loose around her shoulders, slightly curled in waves that I bet Clover did for her.

It’s the Soul Tie, nothing more, I remind him and me. He turns his back on me and gives me the silent treatment. He doesn’t care what it is that makes Cordelia so appealing so long as she’s here.

“Hi,” Cordelia says.

I dip my head in greeting. “Hello, Cordelia.” Clover crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. I can read murder there so I add. “You look…nice.”

“He means beautiful,” Clover corrects. She gives Cordelia a nudge forward and then shoos us both down the hall. “Tell Ronan I said hello and have a wonderful dinner you two. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t! Ta!”

She makes it sound like we are going on a date.

I make a decision to ignore that shit and powerwalk the fuck away from it.

Cordelia does too, from the way she ducks her head and hurries along a step behind me.

A half second later I feel her nervousness return.

It’s cranked up to a hundred, thrumming so strongly between us that I half expect to see it.

I look over my shoulder at her and hate the way her shoulders are pulled in tight like she’s trying to make herself smaller, hands clasped in front of her.

She’s gripping her hands together so tight that her knuckles are white.

We walk in silence for a minute before I slow my steps enough that Cordelia is forced to walk beside me and not behind me.

When she’s next to me, I clear my throat and glance over at her. “Don’t be nervous.”

“I’m not,” she lies.

“Sure.”

Annoyance mingles with her nervousness. I smile because it’s enough to calm her down.

If her being ticked at me is the way to stop her from feeling like her heart is going to beat out of her chest then I will annoy this woman every single day that I draw breath.

I’ll make a full time job out of pissing her off just enough that she forgets to be scared, and I’ll do it with a smile on my face.

Anything for her not to have that sick and sinking feeling clawing its way through her.

Cordelia doesn’t say another word to me as we walk through the Keep to Ronan’s wing.

He has a private dining room and a meeting room attached to his private quarters.

We’ll be having dinner in his dining room just like all the other’s that have applied to join the pack.

A lot easier to focus than in the mess hall.

The others wouldn’t be able to help themselves trying to get a first look at Cordelia.

The males especially would be interested.

I frown at the thought of any of the wet behind the ears idiot alphas with her.

She needs someone that can protect her. Someone worthy of a female like her.

My wolf considers lifting the silent treatment he’s giving me. He likes the sound of what I’m saying but just as quickly as it comes I force it away again.

Yes, the omega at my side deserves a mate worthy of her but it’s not me. It can never be me. A mate makes you weak, and weak is something I will never be again.

The last time it cost my pack everything.

When we arrive at the doors leading into Ronan’s private dining room, Clyde is here waiting to receive us.

“Enforcer,” he says with a dip of his head. I don’t miss the way she visibly stiffens at the title. What’s that about?”

“Gamma,” I return. This time Cordelia doesn’t just go still she nearly falls over. I have to reach out to steady her.

“What is it?” I ask.

“He’s-a, I mean a human Gamma?” She stares at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion. She shakes her head and laughs. “The Bloodstone Pack has a human Gamma?”

Clyde inclines his head to her. “We do. I’m proud to serve the pack.” His tone is neutral. He’s testing her. He’s not sure how to read Cordelia but I do because I can feel it. She’s ecstatic about this. Overjoyed at a human Gamma.

She rushes forward to shake his hand. “That’s just so cool. I’m pleased to meet you.”

Clyde warms up instantly. She passed the test he was giving her. “Happy to make your acquaintance, miss.”

“Oh, please, call me Cordelia.” She shakes his hand so vigorously that I think she’s going to yank poor Clyde off his feet. He takes it in good stride though with a smile.

“Cordelia, then. We’re happy you’re here.

I’ll take you in to meet Ronan.” Clyde opens the doors for us, they’re a set of solid dark oak inlaid with the Bloodstone crest. The crest is a circle with the silhouette of Thorne’s Embrace at the center, above it is a crimson crescent moon.

A single ruby sparkles from the crescent’s curve.

“Oh wow,” Cordelia whispers the second the doors open and I know why.

Ronan’s private dining room is designed to impress.

We’re a pack that’s done well for itself and we are not afraid to show it.

The concept of the room is to blur the lines of outside and in.

Shifter’s don’t like being cooped up all day.

Plants spring up from the ground and cover the walls.

I personally helped drag more than one tree inside as I helped with the design and the construction of the room.

I feel a swell of pride when Cordelia stops a few feet in to stare up in wonder at the glass ceiling above her.

The night sky shines down on us through the glass.

Ronan worked with a few witches from Oak Fast to spell it so that you can’t tell it’s glass.

If you didn’t know any better you would think you were looking up at the open night sky.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispers.

Clyde hums in agreement. “It does have a certain something, doesn’t it?”

Cordelia nods. “It does. I love it.”

That pride in me mingles with Cordelia’s awe and the mix is heady.

I have to put a hand out to steady myself from the weight of it.

Clyde notices my misstep but doesn’t say anything.

He does however give me a look of concern.

I wave him off and roll my shoulders as I shake off the wallop I just took.

Shit, is this what tonight is going to be like?

So far I’ve managed her pain and sorrow, her loneliness and nervousness have all hit me like a mack truck but they haven’t affected me like this.

I felt a spark of her joy earlier but it was still nothing like this.

Cordelia truly means what she says to Clyde.

She loves this room. Adores it. And I can barely walk in a straight line from the force of it.

I take in a deep breath and let it out slowly while I concentrate.

Get it together. Do not stumble like a drunk fuck in front of Ronan and Cordelia.

Little by little I’m able to dampen the force of Cordelia’s emotions until I’m more or less normal.

By then, Cordelia has gone off with Clyde.

He’s telling her about a particular tree and why it’s so special.

The only thing I know about the plant is that it was a bitch to get up here and that I practically knocked Lucian out with it when we unloaded it from the truck.

It’s a good tree.

I move to join Cordelia and Clyde but we hear the door from Ronan’s private quarters open and close, signaling the Alpha has joined us.

Cordelia turns to face him with a shy smile on her face.

She drops her head, nervous all over again with Ronan’s appearance.

I hear her intake of breath as she goes to speak but before she can get her greeting out Ronan speaks.

“Cordelia, welcome home.”

What the fuck?