Page 75 of The Enforcer’s Rejected Mate (Red River Rejected Mates #1)

Chapter

Fifty-Four

THORNE

“ Y ou will kneel and she will rise. Her inevitable end bought by two, not one heart.”

The witch's prophecy rings in my ears while my mate backs away from me and runs. I don’t know what the right play is.

Am I her end? That seed of doubt has grown in me since Jazzy gave me the prophecy and the roots of it keep me where I am.

It makes me hesitate while Cassidy rages because what if this is me setting Cordelia free?

I’ll do anything to keep her safe. Kneel a million times over broken glass if she asked me to.

I almost do fall to my knees when she turns her back on me.

Time slows when Cordelia runs and I know I’ve made the wrong decision.

Letting her go is wrong, I don’t care if it’s only because I’m selfish, I’ll stand with her until the end even if it means I’m the one that meets the inevitable end. I’ll take her place no questions asked.

“Cordelia!” I yell and all hell breaks loose. Cassidy is tackled by her mother and dragged from the stage. I almost chase after my mate except for Morgana yelling for me.

“Enforcer!”

Hells.

This is fine. My mate is strong and capable. She’ll be fine. I’ll just keep a hold of the bond and track her after whatever this insane shit is with Cassidy. Even as I think the thoughts, they sound wrong to me. This is all seriously fucked.

“Gods fucking damnit.” I give Cordelia one last look and then grab Clover. “Find her.”

She nods. “Of course.” She grabs Piper and the two head out after Cordelia. I force myself forward even if my heart is screaming at me to go with Clover and Piper. Suffice to say, by the time I get to Morgana, I’m pissed.

“What the fuck was that?” I ask. It’s not just our Beta. There’s a group now around her and Cassidy. They’re both on the ground and Morgana has her daughter’s hands behind her and has a knee planted in her back to keep her down.

“Mom! Get off of me. You don’t understand!”

“You’re spoiled and I did this. Are you-why would you do that?

How could you, Cassidy?” Morgana looks close to tears but she doesn’t let them fall.

She takes a deep breath and looks up at me.

“I’m sorry, Thorne. I never thought she’d do this.

I should have squashed her feelings for you.

I never knew they’d become an obsession. ”

“He loves me!” Cassidy screams.

The other Defenders around us shift uneasily and look at me.

We’ve all known how Cassidy feels about me but never in a million years would I have thought she would have done this.

I’m angry, fucking disgusted at what she’s done.

How she turned the magic of what Cordelia and I had into chaos, but there’s no time for that.

I put my feelings aside and do the job I’m meant to as the Enforcer. “What do you know about the Frostclaw Heir?”

“She’s fucking him! You know that, right? She’s trash!”

“Where is he?”

“He told me everything about her!” That makes the crowd uneasy. Frostclaw means death and dying, it means destruction of our homes and the loss of our loved ones and Cassidy’s been talking to their Heir.

“You’ve been in contact with the Frostclaw Heir?”

“Yes! How else was I going to get that bitch out of here? She thinks she can take my life? ”

My wolf wants blood. The howl he lets out shakes the windows. Everyone that wasn’t already quiet falls silent. A few fall down into a crouch. I’m dimly aware of Ronan arriving. He doesn't say a word, just comes up beside me.

“Where is he?” I ask again. Ronan puts a hand on my shoulder. “Not answering me is treason. You’re harboring an enemy. Someone who means harm to this pack and to my mate.”

Cassidy squirms, tries to get up but Morgana keeps her down. “I’m not telling you.”

Morgana’s shoulders drop. “Cassidy, please don’t make me do this. Please.” We all hear the silent plea of a mother to a daughter in Morgana’s words but the Beta is just like me. Bound by duty to the pack she serves.

“Mommy, I’m right. You know I am.”

The Beta takes a deep breath. “Answer him, Cassidy.”

“No! I won’t do it.”

“Lock her up,” Morgana says softly. “Take her now. She’ll stay in the holding cells until her trial. Until that day, she’s shunned. No one sees or speaks to her.”

“What?” No, mommy! What are you doing?” Morgana moves off her daughter and lets the Defenders take her. Two of them pull her to her feet and start to drag her away. “You can’t do this! I did it for you, Thorne. I know you love me. You always have, stop lying!”

None of us look her way. Not with Morgana’s decision to shun her fresh in the air. Even if it wasn't, we wouldn't break the rule.

Ronan squeezes my shoulder. “Come with me. You too, Beta.” He looks around at everyone else. “I think it’s best if we end the dance early. See that everyone gets home safe.”

The Defenders disperse and I follow Morgana and Ronan out of the room. We walk towards his quarters.

“I’m sorry,” I tell Morgana.

She dabs at her eyes and gives me a tight smile.

“It’s me that should be apologizing to you.

I let her fall into this state of delusion.

I thought the dance tonight would be the end of it.

She swore this was the last thing she would ask me for…

I never dreamed she would do this. I’m so sorry, Enforcer.

I can only hope to make things right with you and your mate. ”

My mate. Fuck. It’s a battle to keep walking and not go after her. I can feel her. She’s upset. The feeling comes through in steady streams. She’s still close enough that I wonder if Clover and Piper have found her yet.

“Where’s Lucian?” Morgana asks.

“He was back in the training rooms. Said he had a few things to set right before tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll be in soon,” I tell her.

Ronan doesn’t say a word until we’re in his quarters. When the double doors behind us close he sighs and looks at Morgana.

“Cassidy will be exiled.”

Morgana’s eyes go wide. “But the trial-”

“The trial is now. This is my pack and I decide how to keep us safe. Cassidy will continue to cause strife due to her jealousy over Thorne. She’s already in collusion with our sworn enemies.

I’ll not have Cordelia suffer due to Cassidy’s inability to exist in reality.

Cassidy is gone. You’re to pack her things and drop her at the bus depot in Oak Fast. If she sets foot on pack territory again, she’ll be sentenced to death. Do you understand, Beta?”

Morgana takes in a shaky breath and then nods. “I do. I’ll see it carried out.”

“Thank you. That’s all, Beta.”

Morgana hesitates and looks at me before she nods. “Goodnight, Alpha. Enforcer.” We both watch her leave the room in silence.

When she’s gone I speak. “Exile is big.”

“What she did was big. An engagement? Where the hells did she get that ring?”

“No clue.”

He sighs and rubs his temples. “I’m getting too old for this shit.”

“I know the feeling.”

He gives me a wry smile. “You’re her mate.”

“I am.”

“I approve.”

“I thought you might.”

“And a Soul Tie. Do you know what that means? We haven’t seen a Soul Tie in generations. This is a blessing beyond all measure.”

“I’ll do my best to honor it. I understand the gift given to me.”

“Do you now?” Ronan tilts his head and looks me over, like he’s taking stock of me. “You’re not surprised then by a legendary bond? One that we haven’t seen in generations, one that you’ve only heard of in stories? You knew before tonight, didn’t you?”

“I did.” I hesitate and then give him the truth he’s waiting on.

“I knew from the first moment I saw her. When the hunters showed up, they shot us.” I put a hand on my chest where the bullet pierced me.

“Lightning hit us at the same time. No one noticed the lighting with the bullet hole in my chest.”

Ronan looks up at the glass ceiling and sighs. “The fates are stronger than our mortal mistakes, and for that I am grateful.”

What he’s saying makes no sense but I know him well enough to let him continue speaking.

“We bound you with magic when you were small. All of you young that were there during the Blood Moon Days.”

My blood turns to ice, the bond in my chest feels like it’s gone tight. “What the fuck are you talking about? What did you do to us?”

He looks away from the ceiling to me. “We made you forget.”

I take a step towards him. “Forget? Forget what?”

“What you saw that day. For you…for you, it was her.”

“Explain yourself right fucking now, Alpha or I’m going to challenge you and I’ll win.”

He raises an eyebrow at me. “I’m going to let that slide since it has to do with your fated mate, but watch yourself.”

Ronan is right. I’m treading on dangerous ground right now but I don’t give a shit. “What do you mean you made me forget her ?”

“Those days, that night especially, was painful enough for the adults that survived. The trauma of it on our young was unthinkable. You were all inconsolable. Some of you weren’t speaking. Clover…she was catatonic by what she saw. Didn’t speak a word for weeks.”

“That doesn’t sound like Clover.”

“Of course it doesn’t but that’s because of the spell. There was a witch living with us then. Maud was her name.”

The name sparks recognition in me. I know that name.

“Cordelia’s teacher?”

“Yes.” He nods and gives me a sad smile.

“She was a valued member of our pack and fought hard to save as many of our young as she could. She almost died. For weeks we thought she might but she pulled through, and when she did she offered us a solution to the pain so many of us carried. She offered us a memory spell. One to mute the memories and trauma, enough that you would have a chance at living without the ghosts of that day ruining you.”

“But I remembered, I remember…”

“What did you remember exactly? The fire? That’s the memory she gave you.”

“No,” I shake my head. “There’s more than the fire. I remember a girl. I remember hiding from one of the Frostclaw Enforcers and then a girl, she saved me. I remember her.”