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Chapter 58
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REJECTED MATE Chapter 59
He shifted around until he was kneeling in front of her. Finally, she met his gaze.“Luke…”“She knows you wouldn’t have hurt them.”“I almost did. All because I was stuck in my nightmares. I’m always stuck in them. I can’t seem to escape them. I’m sorry for—”“Stop,” he said harshly, then plucked her off her knees and tucked her on his lap. “Stop apologizing for a tragedy you went through. Stop apologizing if you still dream about it, because anyone would.”“I keep hearing them. My husband and daughter, but my daughter most of all.”“What were their names?”“Ava. Ava and John Leonard.”Silence. He only held her closer.“You need closure. Something to ease those memories.”The suggestion sounded casual, but there was something in his tone that latched on. She looked up to find his eyes glinting with purpose.“What do you mean?”“Would you like to revisit your old clan territory?”It took multiple explanations, another meeting between Angelo and Maya, and avoiding most of the people wh
REJECTED MATE Chapter 60
Luke’s breath caught in his throat when he absorbed the hidden forest the cave led to, where the trees were greener and lusher than usual. But there were bald spots where they didn’t grow. Slipping in gave him the sight of more bald spots, where the charred wooden pieces and old signs of life became more visible. She stilled at the first look. Then Maya kept moving with purpose, and he followed suit, securing the place before returning to where she was.“Maya?”“The ashes were swept away by the wind or swallowed by the soil,” she mumbled, taking in the grounds. “The burned pieces…no one moved them.”There were a few huts that didn’t burn completely, so they went inside one. Here, Maya trembled until he had to soothe her back, then slide her into a comforting hug.“This was the clan leader’s hut. He insisted on keeping it equal for everyone.”“He sounds like a nice man.”“He was to us. I wasn’t close to him, but I knew he would have done anything for us.” A pause. “The other hut…it was
REJECTED MATE Chapter 61
They made the right call. That much was clear as noises resounded from above and the corresponding footsteps amounted to more than Maya had predicted. There was no time to keep counting as she continued leading Luke down, the path still as distinct as when she had last used it.“Once the tile clicks into place, every sound below is muted as long as it’s at a minimal level. No shouting or loud noises. That’s what my clan leader, Bruce Leonard, taught us since we were young.”Luke didn’t ask questions yet, perhaps focused on traipsing through the dark. Below, she found better footing when she reached a flat surface, where she blindly searched the walls until she found prominent dots. She counted in her head, then pushed one, holding on to his arm while she braced for the results.Nothing happened at first. Then a panel slid open from the wall, where a screen shone to provide them ample light. It also showed them a view of the hut upstairs, which was still empty.“An emergency bunk,” Luk
REJECTED MATE Chapter 62
The conversation dwindled. So did her anger. Belatedly, it dawned that it was his purpose, and she gave him an exasperated look. Movement from the screen had her glancing. Then she was locked in when a willowy woman sauntered closer to Sam and bowed before him. Another memory fluttered in: this woman peering at them from a tree branch seconds before Maya was battered with pain.“I know her,” Maya blurted out.“Is it done?” Sam asked.The woman nodded. “Your father’s business lands are being transferred under your name. You are getting favorable reviews from the rest as they have come to accept your new role.”“There’s the answer to my question,” Luke muttered. “The bastard’s the leader now.”Maya scMayad her head, trying to remember another power figure and failing. “He headed the attack before.”“Maybe an order.”That she couldn’t put a face to whoever had ordered it frustrated her and she wished she had answers. The woman stepped closer when Sam gestured.“They will become more agre
REJECTED MATE Chapter 63
It felt weird, knowing she had been so shrouded in rage at the sight of Sam after so many years and had wanted nothing but his death. But the woman letting them escape and the children present there had cast her blinders off, aware of what would happen if she did burn them down and someone survived: the pain, the trauma, and everything that came with it…and she just couldn’t do it to another innocent person.“They have our lands now. They will build and prosper.” A heavy feeling slithered in. “My clan doesn’t even have a graveyard.”Silence hovered over them. She closed her eyes, the hours catching up to her and wearying her bones. But Luke’s words flitted in and had her alert again.“They can still have one.”“What?”“Your family. A graveyard.”They returned to the same motel, checked in under aliases, but didn’t go to their room yet. Instead, he took her to the back of the small establishment, where a deserted field stretched on for miles to a lush backdrop of huge mountains. Luke s
REJECTED MATE Chapter 64
That gave some comfort. The rain fell at night, and everyone wandered indoors. It should have been the end of the topic as he settled in bed while Maya joined a few shifters in the mansion’s living room. But restlessness seized him, refusing to go away. When he went back out and didn’t see Maya with the rest, Luke continued walking until he found her at the side of the mansion. The outdoor activity center and greenhouse had become invisible in the weather onslaught, and all they could see were glimpses every time lightning streaked in.“Cold weather,” he mused.“Yes. This rain is going to last all night, I think.”Silence.“Maya?”“Hmm?”“What did you feel in North Bear?”She stiffened, then didn’t respond for a while. Part of him wanted to file it down to paranoia and having a bad experience there, but her answer confirmed his suspicions.“Heavy.”“Well, shit. I guess I have to do something about it.”He traipsed off towards Angelo’s office, then glanced back when he realized he wasn
REJECTED MATE Chapter 65
“Just your friend?”“You are too heavy for this spot,” she complained as the branch swayed, but he shook his head.“It will hold.” He inspected her. “Am I just your friend, Maya?”Her mouth opened, then closed. Distracted, he leaned in and captured her bottom lip in between his, teasing it into softness. The way she melted so willingly for him struck a chord deep inside, but he tried not to evaluate it too much as he just enjoyed the moment. When a moan purred from her throat, the need leaped and had him ready to growl back. He broke the kiss, trailing his mouth down her chin as he tried to catch his breath.“Here I am trying to tease you, and I end up playing myself,” he mumbled. “It serves me right, I suppose…Maya?”She tilted his head with her hand on his chin, then leaned in this time to capture his mouth. The kiss was just as slow, but it was firm and purposeful, designed to keep him a slave to this passion. She stroked his tongue with hers and sucked, shooting an electric path s
REJECTED MATE Chapter 66
What is this?she mouthed to Luke, who had no answer. Tearing her gaze away from the sight had been a struggle, so she returned her attention to it and counted the minutes. The pattern didn’t change, a steadiness that comforted and relaxed her bit by bit. In her head, she matched the rhythm with a song she knew from when she was young and smiled. She enjoyed it so much that she closed her eyes, excited to return to the main territory so she could teach the kids the song.Harry will love it. Margaret will be delighted and will sing it over and over. Rainier will tease them and tell everyone about it, then will sing it the loudest.The attachment to them brought a sudden pang to her heart, knowing she would leave them when she had things figured out. Rosalia’s giggle came to mind, but it was Luke’s face that stuck there, as understanding as always when she finally told him that she needed to move on. He would let her go. He would be as complacent as always, the ever-supportive man who of
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