Page 46 of The Enforcer’s Rejected Mate (Red River Rejected Mates #1)

But not surprising. Frostclaw is full of a bunch of dumb fuck shifters too hellbent on breaking the world to fit their mold that they’d miss what Cordelia has to offer.

A female like her can have her pick of the pack.

She’s curvy in the right places, enough to grab onto, and tall enough that when you move into her every part of her presses right where you want it.

Hair as dark as night and warm brown eyes that can switch from annoyed to curious in the blink of an eye.

She has a quiet way about her, but she’s tougher than she looks.

She stood up to me and sassed me plenty last night and far more than even some of the toughest alpha’s in this pack wouldn’t dare to do.

And on top of all of that, she’s a healer.

That’s a valuable skill any male looking for a mate would be proud of and humbled by.

Then there’s the fact that I’m not speculating on how good Cordelia’s body would fit against mine like the males watching her right now imagining exactly how easy she would ignite for me the second that I had her in my hands.

I know exactly what it’s like to have a handful of her ass while she moans sweet for me. Fuck, and it’s perfect. I scan the mess hall with a low growl at the thought of a prospective mate taking interest in her. Those idiots I threatened aren’t going to be the only ones.

Cordelia will have suitors.

I want to rip every male apart that’s eyeballing her right now. I should have made an example of the two from earlier. My wolf howls in agreement. The sound makes the entire mess hall fall silent. Anyone that wasn’t looking our way is now locked in. Fuck.

And the cherry right on the whole mess is that Cordelia steps quickly away from me, and raises the silverware in her hands slightly like she might have to fend me off. It’s a defensive posture that she forces back down immediately but I see it.

Gods. Who hurt her that she would think I would attack her like this in front of everyone? I’m a fucking asshole for dredging that up in the omega.

“I would never hurt you. I’m sorry.” I move past her and towards a table at the back where I can keep an eye on the room and make sure she’s able to eat in peace without the pack breaking their necks to get a good look at her.

The room is silent while we walk and I can hear Cordelia’s footsteps behind me.

I put our food down and grab two cups from the row of empty cups at the center of the table and start pouring.

The sound of coffee filling the cup is deafening.

I slide a mug of coffee in front of Cordelia when she sits in the seat beside me and level a glare at the room.

Like clockwork, everyone that was doing their best impression of a statue starts moving again.

Forks and knives start moving again and chatter slowly rises from the tables.

It doesn’t take a genius to know what they’re talking about.

Me acting like a fool over Cordelia.

“Thank you,” she says softly and puts my silverware down next to my plate. “I, ah, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do when you growl,” she says and then rushes on to explain, “I-I guess it triggers my flight or fight response. I didn’t mean to-”

“Who did it?” I ask her and start eating.

“Did what?”

“Hurt you?”

“Why?”

I cut into my pancake. “Because I’m going to break every bone in their body until you tell me it’s enough.”

Cordelia gasps but she doesn’t move away like she has before. “What? Why?”

I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “Why not? It’s my job.”

“To beat people up?”

“To protect,” I correct her and give her a sidelong look. “Enforcers protect. That is my role in the pack and you’re a part of that pack now. That means I protect you.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widen and I notice her lashes.

They are thick and lush and flutter when she drops her eyes to the table.

She swallows hard. I follow the movement, eyes moving along the delicate column of her throat.

When I look back at her face, her cheeks have gone pink. “I’ve never had that before. Sorry.”

Fuck. She’s serious.

And she’s fucking apologizing for it.

“You had shit Enforcers in Frostclaw,” I tell her and then nudge her plate towards her. “Eat up.”

“You keep bringing me food. Is that part of your role in the pack too?” There’s a slight tease in her voice when she picks up her fork and digs into her food.

I like her sounding like this. She takes a bite of her biscuits and gravy and hums with delight.

Yeah, this is better than her cowering. Not as good as you’ve had her though, it can get better than easy, much, much better.

I clear my throat and dodge those ideas.

No sense in entertaining them. I focus on Cordelia’s words. I want to keep her talking like this.

“In a way,” I tell her. She’s right. I do keep bringing her food.

The alpha in me is fully in the driver’s seat when it comes to that.

I have to do it and I know why, even if I can’t scent it on her.

I sniff and frown. I’d give anything to know what she smells like.

Chamomile, something sweet maybe? Just the way she tasted but for now there’s nothing but the scent of breakfast foods and the pack around us.

Even if I don’t tell her and can hardly admit it, we’re Soul Tied.

Feeding Cordelia the most basic of urges and I’m thankful it’s one I can actually do without too much fuss.

“So what? Do you find someone you think isn’t eating enough and make sure they do?”

I shake my head. “No, only you.”

She stops eating. “Only me?” She’s looking up at me with those big brown eyes that pull me under without fail. “Why me?”

“Why you?” I ask her. Cordelia nods. She’s genuinely curious and a thousand thoughts start to run rampant in my mind about why her?

Because I can’t stop thinking about you, tasting you.

I can’t stop looking at you, because I notice things like how thick your eyelashes are and how perfect your neck would look with a mating bite next to it.

I can’t smell her but it doesn’t matter.

I want her and so does my wolf. The soul tie pulls me right where I know I should be because it doesn’t give two shits about the state of the world or what’s safe and what’s not.

It calls up my urge to protect her, make sure she’s warm and safe, that she’s taken care of all the way down to the food she’s eating.

Even if I can’t claim her as mine, I’m compelled to see to her needs.

Any alpha worth their salt wouldn’t be able to let an omega go without.

And how long are you going to leave her on her own?

I grit my teeth and spear a sausage link with more force than necessary.

Cordelia doesn’t notice but I do. I feel like putting my fork through the plate with how pissed I am at myself.

I fucked up in the Meadows. I never should have started it with her.

If I hadn’t, that lightning bolt would have missed us.

We wouldn’t be in this damn mess. I look at Cordelia.

She’s eating a strip of bacon with a smile on her face.

All of my frustration drains at the sight of her enjoying herself.

I can feel it too. I take in a deep breath and then let it out.

I’ll make up for acting like an ass. I had a hand in putting that smile there and I know I can damn well do better than that.

“My wolf likes you,” I tell her. It’s not a lie.

He does like her. Adores her. If the fucker could, he’d force me to shift and curl up next to her, head in her lap while she ate.

I can see the image now in his mind. She’d have a good breakfast and scratch him behind the ears in between bites.

He’s certain she’d share her bacon with him too.

“He does?” She sits up straighter and looks me over like she’ll be able to spot him.

“Yeah. He’s particular. Thinks you need help settling in.”

She bites her lip and gives me a shy smile. “Tell him thank you for me?”

“He already knows.”

That mollifies her and we both fall silent then and hell if I don’t welcome the silence.

I don’t talk to folks much, not with the patrols and training I do, especially lately with the ferals.

I’ve been out in the forest more often than not these days.

The most socializing I get is with the recruits and the Defenders Lucian leads.

Talking when it’s Cordelia is…fine, though.

More than fine. Her voice is soothing. It’s more than that I know, but whatever.

It’s peaceful while we sit and eat together.

No one gets too close to us, and when the braver pack members try, all it takes is a glare from me to send them on their way.

Cordelia doesn’t speak until she gets through half her coffee and just as much of the food I put on her plate.

“Will you take me to the Healer’s Rooms in the Keep?”

Her question surprises me. I didn’t think she’d ask me to take her, even though I’d already planned to do it. I hesitate but only for a second. Cordelia reads my hesitation plain as day and in that moment I see her shrink into herself.

She’s used to being let down. Someone hurt her.

Made her scared and small with the way she’s looking right now.

Whatever her life was like in Frostclaw I know it was filled with enough disappointment that she’s sure I’m going to tell her no when it comes to such a simple request. Even if I don’t claim her, I’m going to fix that look on her face if it’s the last thing I do.

I smile and the look vanishes from Cordelia’s face instantly. “Of course,” I tell her and those two words are all it takes for Cordelia to smile back at me.

Her smile continues to be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.