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Chapter 17
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2022-11-01 15:46:15Related chapters
REJECTED MATE Chapter 17.1
Part of me wanted to ask about the arrangement, but now wasn’t the time. Besides, I still couldn’t understand how Griff had transformed from a battered and abused young wolf to a creature who could prey upon his own mate.He rose from his seat and gestured toward the door, prompting me to also get up. With his hand on the small of my back, we walked through the busy restaurant. Eyes followed us as we passed, and a few people raised their hands to offer Griff a wave. He nodded back, acknowledging their greetings, as though he was Fenrir himself.The old me would have felt proud to walk at the side of a handsome and powerful wolf. My chest would have swelled, my shoulders would have pulled all the way back, and I would have raised my chin. Now, all notions of status had abandoned me, replaced by the questions squirming through my mind.As we stepped out into the busy village square, I asked. “Did you ever find your father?”Griff fell silent for several heartbeats as we crosse
Last Updated : 2022-11-01REJECTED MATE Chapter 17.2
The dark-skinned enforcer who had visited Coyote Willy and warned Griff to control himself scowled through the glass. Behind him stood a small crowd of onlookers.“Shit.” Griff drew back to the driver’s seat, his gaze dropping to my breasts. “Another time.”I leaned forward, breathing hard and sending the crowd of busybodies a silent word of thanks for the interruption. There was no telling what I would have allowed Griff to do if we had continued that heated kiss.As he pulled out of the street and made a three-point- turn, memories of previous kisses plagued my mind. It had always been me struggling to control myself and him gazing down at me with smug satisfaction.Beki snapped her teeth.“You’re right,” I said into our bond. “There’s no point in dwelling on the past.” I hated comparing how he acted now to how he had been with me, but stopping myself from doing so was impossible. How could I not see the differences when I had committed his slow, seductive treachery to memory?Whe
Last Updated : 2022-11-01REJECTED MATE Chapter 17.3
I gulped, hoping he wasn’t referring to some kind of tongue binding to prevent me from having the information extracted from my tortured soul. “What do you mean?”“It’s just a little initiation ceremony,” he said. “Nothing freaky.”“Of course,” I murmured. “But where do all the souls go?”The air thickened with tension, which cracked against my skin. Griff was too close, too warm, too touchy-feely. The man was getting under my defenses like tiny wisps of poison, and each second in his presence eroded the force of my hatred.His intoxicating scent invaded my sinuses, making every muscle in my body want to melt against his broad chest. My tongue darted out to lick my dry lips, and without meaning to, my gaze dropped to his mouth. Everything about the man was as sinful as it was sensual. My spirits rose, and I felt myself drifting toward his lips.Griff leaned in, aiming for a kiss. On instinct, I jerked back.Beki’s sharp bark hit like a whip, making me flinch. She was right. I was letti
Last Updated : 2022-11-01REJECTED MATE Chapter 18
I didn’t have the heart to put Glinda in the kennel with the other Hellhounds. Not when she was stillshaken by her experience with Tansy. Instead, I took her to the enclosure and shifted into a wolf, so we could spend the night together on the grass.Glinda remained in her solid form, a warm bundle of fur, and let me rest my head on her shoulder. Even though she was still young, she was at least three-times our size, but as comfortable as it was to lie with her, I couldn’t sleep.If they decided to put her down for attacking Tansy…I squeezed my eyes shut and panted. Beki was fast asleep. She trusted me to work something out, but my mind came out blank.The breeze rustled in the distant trees, bringing with them the faint scent of juniper. It was warm and calming and rhythmic, lulling me into a deep sense of relaxation. It didn’t matter what the others thought tomorrow. I would protect this special Hellhound with my life. I rested against Glinda’s side, my eyes growing heavy, and dri
Last Updated : 2022-11-01REJECTED MATE Chapter 18.1
“Never mind him,” said her friend, the brunette who had pulled Larissa’s hair. “If he didn’t want to come and see you off, then he’s an even shittier wolf than he was a lover.”Fenrir reached for the blonde, and pulled her soul from her body, revealing a much older woman and a shaggy- looking Tundra wolf who was more gray than white.“I’d like to go just as a wolf,” I blurted.“Are you sure about this?” Griff asked. “This might be a great opportunity for you and her to connect as separate entities.”Fenrir continued extracting souls from the pack members, leaving a trail of unmoving bodies. I was too concerned with being caught to check whether or not they were breathing.“I want us both to experience the smells and sights of Midgard together.”“Great idea.” The woman who had pulled Larissa’s hair also shifted into an Iberian wolf with white cheeks, a reddish snout, and a thick, shaggy coat, making me feel like my suggestion hadn’t been so outlandish.When Fenrir extracted her, she ca
Last Updated : 2022-11-01REJECTED MATE Chapter 18.2
I gave the man two sharp barks, and he glanced up, meeting us with eyes exactly as bright as the wolf’s.“Hello?” he said with a curious smile.His hair ran in gentle, honey-colored waves down his homespun tunic, and his beard was bushy and long. But I would recognize that face anywhere.My throat tightened, and the backs of my eyes stung with tears. It really was him.The first thing I did was close the door shut with my nose, encasing us both in what was now a darkened hut, lit only by the stove. When I turned around, Dad’s friendly features morphed into a frown. He probably thought I was some kind of freak.“What is the meaning of this?” he asked, sounding stern. It was the voice he’d used whenever he was about to give me a reprimand, but to my ears, it sounded like home.I shifted and remained on the floor, my features obscured by a curtain of honey-blonde hair, confident that Healer Iaso’s amendments hadn’t gone soul-deep, and he stepped back.“Who are you?” he whispered.I raised m
Last Updated : 2022-11-01REJECTED MATE Chapter 19
My stomach flip-flopped. My eyes locked with Dad’s. Dread tumbled through my insides likean avalanche of shit. Shit, shit shit! How the bloody hell had Griff tracked me down to this hut when he’d been surrounded by so many well-wishers?Dad raised his brow. It was his are-you-going-to-do- the-right-thing expression.I gave my head a vigorous shake and cupped my hands around his ear. “Please, don’t tell him,” I whispered in my quietest voice. “Just say she chased your wolf here and wouldn’t leave.”“Cathy,” he whispered, sounding disappointed.“Dad, please.” Dad had taught me never to whine, but today, I couldn’t help myself.If Griff discovered that I was his murderer, that I’d been stringing him along this entire time, that I had actually been working for Hades, he wouldn’t hold back. Then I’d face the wrath of two vengeful gods.Griff knocked on the door again. “Alpha Aibek.” Dad gave me a sharp nod.I tore off his tunic, shoved it into his hands, and rushed to the other side of his
Last Updated : 2022-11-01REJECTED MATE Chapter 19.1
The villagers were mostly gathered around an open mess hall similar to the one that had been set up in the Hellfire Pack’s territory. I ran past, looking for signs of the others.Griff’s wolf emerged from behind one of the grass-roofed huts and ran on my other side. He seemed happier than ever to see me, perhaps because he finally understood my relationship with the Arctic wolf. The three of us ran to the edge of the village, where Griff and the other members of the pack were exchanging hugs with Tansy and saying goodbye.“Do you know that I’d almost forgotten why we were here?” I asked Beki.She gave me two barks, which I took to mean she’d also lost track of what had happened the night before.Griff stepped out from the small huddle, and he turned to me and smiled. “Let’s go.”When we reached the other side, the sun had already set. At least that’s how it looked from within the Hellfire Pack’s dome. Fenrir and Griff stepped aside to exchange several words while his blue-haired mate sto
Last Updated : 2022-11-01
Latest chapter
REJECTED MATE Epilogue
Hades was a persistent bastard who continued to attack Shifter City. He sent assassins, spies, and other Trojan horses, but Fenrir was always prepared. With the help of Loki, Ophois, and a few other lupine gods we had encountered during the past fifteen years, Midgard remained the afterlife of choice for all wolves.Our system was simple: the berserkers in the Hellfire Pack would collect the souls of those who died within Shifter City or within the Norse pack’s protected wards. Griff and I would venture out to reap any wolves who died within the Supernatural World.We didn’t even need to hide in the trunk of an Überwald to exit Shifter City. The Hellhounds we rode moved us faster than any speeding vehicle, and the magic protecting our physical forms was powerful enough to shield us from Hades and his enforcers.Griff and I stood within a white room in the Shifter Ward of Atlantis Hospital, waiting for an old she-wolf to take her last breath. We could barely see her through the crowd o
REJECTED MATE 78.3
Guests filled white seats in a large reception hall decorated to resemble a Greek temple. At its very end, Hades stood beneath an archway of mauve calla lilies and pomegranate flowers. He wore an ostentatious oxblood red frock coat with plum-colored embroidery.To his right stood a dark-haired male in a morning suit of the same color, wearing a five o’clock stubble that he probably thought made him look cool.Griff gave me a nudge. “His best man is Lucifer, King of the Seventh Faction.”My brows rose, and I scanned the groom’s side of the room. The entire Supernatural Council sat in the front seats with Captain Caria, who wore a dress for a change and sat beside a dark-haired woman whose features were equally as stern. Azriel perched on his seat behind them, looking like he’d been blackmailed into attending.Among the powerful VIPs, I recognized a dark-skinned couple in Egyptian attire who had to be Isis and Osiris, the aunt and uncle of Ophois and the rulers of the First Faction. Lok
REJECTED MATE 78.2
Several days ago, Fenrir had suggested we raid the Fifth Faction on the night of the Strawberry Moon. Now we had retrieved the wolf souls, we no longer needed to perform the heist, but my idea would be the perfect revenge.Fenrir sat behind his desk and folded his arms across his chest. He glanced from me to Griff and said, “This is completely unnecessary. After everything you’ve endured, there’s no need for you to face Hades.”Griff spoke first. “This is the least that bastard deserves. He has to learn that striking at Midgard has consequences.”“Agreed,” Fenrir said. “But I don’t want to put either of you at risk.”“It’ll be worth it to teach him not to embed curses in people’s souls,” I said. “And I also can’t wait to melt the smirk off his face when I interrupt him with his mate.”Griff snarled, remembering how Hades had infiltrated our hotel room just as we had planned to become intimate. It was time to return his gesture with one of our own.Fenrir snickered. “Fine, but doing th
REJECTED MATE 78.1
My breath turned quick and shallow, and my gaze remained fixed on what was looking to be a terrible earthquake. “Were the others too late to save the wards?”“It’s Fenrir.” Griff slung an arm around my shoulder and tucked me into his side.The distant hill split into several pieces, and the ground that comprised it tumbled away in an avalanche, revealing a mass of white that took up the landscape. My pulse quickened, but Beki made excited barks as though she was meeting an old friend.“Don’t tell me Fenrir’s the size of a blue whale,” I whispered.Griff rubbed his chin. “He once told me he couldn’t shift without destroying the village, but I didn’t completely understand what he meant until now.”Chunks of land rolled off the massive wolf as it rose onto four legs and raised his head toward the pale sky. Despite having remained underground for goodness knows how long, his fur was as pristine as Beki’s. The only difference between them apart from size was that Fenrir’s wolf had turquois
REJECTED MATE Chapter 78
Flying scorpions hovered above us, breathing plumes of fire over our heads whilst trying to re-form. The other wolf shifters tossed wet stones at the swarm, making them break into further pieces. Roars of triumph mingled with the skin-tightening clicks of armored wings, but none of that mattered. Not while Griff was standing before me and declaring he’d made a mistake.The cacophony of sounds faded into the background, and I gazed into his amber eyes. Amber eyes that shone with love and sorrow and regret. Amber eyes that I could have lost myself in for an eternity. Beki pushed herself against our bond and swooned with joy.I wasn’t quite so hopeful.How many times had I gone through this before? I needed to know that the bond wouldn’t bring up something else that would turn Griff away.“Why?” I asked. “Why did you return if it wasn’t for Fenrir?”The muscles in his handsome face tightened, and his gaze jerked to the side. “I didn’t want you to leave the island,” he said, his voice tig
REJECTED MATE 77.2
Mum rushed to our side with a bucket of water and set it on the floor. “I’ll get more.”Some of the other wolves had gathered a pile of rocks around the clearing, only to disappear and fetch more, while a few of them remained to hurl them at Snorri. Each stone that landed dented his huge scorpion body, but it did nothing to break him apart.An idea hit me upside the head. “Dad.” I gave him a nudge in the side. “Let’s try getting these stones wet.”Without another word, he walked to the pile of rocks, gathered up a pair, and dipped them in the water. I left the attackers to join him and took one from his hand.I was no expert on arthropods or any other type of shelled creature, but Dad had once told me on a hunting trip that the protective coverings around their bellies were softer than the ones at their backs.“This way.” I flicked my head toward the obelisk.The other wolf shifters continued their attacks on Snorri, making him lash out at them with his tail, but more importantly, the
REJECTED MATE 77.1
By now, the air was thick with smoke, but it was nothing compared to the brimstone of Hell. I’d lost track of the flying scorpions and continued through the trees toward the clearing.The swarm had formed the shape of a centaur-like creature, but with a scorpion body replacing that of an equine. Ten feet tall, it stood on six clawed legs with a tail as long as its spine. Hellfire glowed from its bulbous stinger, forming a line of crimson flames down its back.Its back was turned to me, but the same black carapace covered its human side, ending with a round head peppered with bristles. The creature placed a hand on the surface of the obelisk and drummed its fingers.“Urus, teimas, mannaz, othala,” said the voice of an old man. “What a clever combination. Especially when crossed with wunjo and era. Yes... yes… Fine work.”My lips tightened, and I stormed around to look the scorpion man full in the face. It was the only part of his body not covered in the black shell, and he had the sall
REJECTED MATE Chapter 77
Cold shock barreled through my system, even as my chest exploded with streams of burning scorpions. The last week flashed across my mind, filling me with a painful realization. Hades had attached the curse to the bargain Griff had made with the faeries. He’d given us days five before it took control of Griff’s body and destroyed Shifter City.We’d spent the last five days scrambling around trying to break the curse and transfer it to someone else. We had spent all that time worrying about what was inside Griff and hadn’t given a thought to what Hades might have placed in me.Fuck. Griff and I were mates. Rumpel Kracknuts had even hinted that curses could go deeper than the soul of the afflicted. I’d been too concerned with his murder of the healer to even think that he was hinting that I carried the curse.Bloody Hades had turned me into his Trojan horse, and if I couldn’t find a way to stop the swarm, it wouldn’t just mean the destruction of Midgard. It could mean the end of Shifter
REJECTED MATE 76.2
The chief enforcer snorted. “I was a few years younger, but I remember you from the academy. Even back then, I knew you were destined for greatness.”My lips formed a tight line. I didn’t need to read his mind to catch his meaning. Randel couldn’t believe that a man like Griff was capable of achieving all those things without my intervention. As a member of Fenrir’s inner circle, he would have heard about our progress, but I couldn’t let him walk away believing I had done all the work.“Franklin Griffiths is more capable than any wolf. It was his knowledge and strength that got us through our trials, not just mine.”Randel nodded and continued toward the driveway.With a sigh, I pushed open the door and walked through the empty hallway. At this time of the night everyone had gone to bed, and my footsteps echoed in the silence. Damp air filled my nostrils as I descended the darkened stairwell that led to the basement, and I pushed the door open to find Fenrir standing beside the fighti
