All Chapters of Rejected, But Claimed By Her Four Alphas: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

SableShifting comes strangely easily, now that I know the wolf exists inside me. The getting naked right before shifting part is not as easy, because old, modest habits die hard, but I do it anyway. I figure the more I get naked—both in and out of bed—the more I’ll get used to it.It’s odd running alongside my mates after so many trips where I rode on Ridge’s back. My wolf is a little unwieldy, and my paws feel like giant trash can lids beneath me, so the first half-mile of racing across the plains is a stumbling nightmare. At least I don’t pitch over and end up on my face like a newborn giraffe learning to walk.But at some point, something clicks, and suddenly I’m flying, all the parts of my body working together in tandem. It’s as natural as breathing, and I want to howl my excitement at the rising moon.My mates have made this trip before, so I fall in line in the center of the small pack while Ridge and Archer take the lead. My mind is too busy chasing ghosts—thinking of the yea

SableI’ve never buried a body before.Most people haven’t, I’m sure. Most people don’t ever find themselves in a position to aid and abet a murder, and I definitely never thought I’d be in the latter camp. I can hardly bring myself to crush a spider, even one that’s taken up residence in my room.But it’s not quite midnight, and here I am, standing over my uncle’s dead body while two massive wolves dig a grave in the woods. It’s only one more strange puzzle piece in my new life as a hybrid witch-slash-wolf shifter.Hanging in there? Archer asks through mind-speak, his voice startling me as it cuts into my thoughts.I glance across my uncle's body at the blond wolf sitting regally on the soft grass opposite me. Archer looks beautiful, almost otherworldly, with his pale fur surrounded by the pitch black of the woods around him. His pointed ears are perked as if he’s listening to the forest, and I know he’s probably monitoring for intruders even as he waits for me to respond. His green

sableI hold out my glass as Ridge tips the bottle over it, whiskey sloshing into the cup and casting yellow shards of light on the table beneath the overhead lamp. As he moves on to serve the rest of the group, I sniff experimentally at the glass. I’ve never had whiskey before—never even wanted to try it. But it smells strong, and I could use a little fortifying after the night’s events, so I take a sip. It burns on the way down and makes my eyes water, but I don’t hate the taste.I just hate the memories it calls to my mind. All the nights my uncle got whiskey drunk and hurt me or made messes he expected me to clean up. The scent and taste recall each memory so vividly that it makes my heart hurt and my pulse race. I drink more, ignoring both the memories and the way it burns. Maybe a couple more glasses will help chase away the ghosts.Ridge finally collapses into a chair and takes a swig of whiskey before he looks at Amora and says, “Are you really here because you were worried ab

RidgeI snort, because he’s got to know the answer to that question could fill a fucking book. And he isn’t even aware of everything that happened after Lawson’s challenge yesterday.So I just shrug one shoulder, looking out over the horizon as it begins to lighten. “Still here.”“That you are.” He nods to himself, staring out toward the forest just like I am. “I’m glad to see it. That mate of yours. She sure is something.”I tense slightly. I can’t quite tell from his tone whether “something” is good or bad, and brace myself for his judgment.As if he can read my thoughts, he grins, nudging me with his elbow. “Only you could have found yourself a hybrid. Your dad would have liked her, but probably for the wrong reasons. He’d have used her as a tool against the witches, but you’re probably hoping to build bridges or some shit.”I laugh. “Yeah. Something like that.”Grady turns toward me, his expression growing more serious as he rubs a hand over his bald head. “I’ve got your back, alp

sableI slide out from the protective, comforting touch of my mates and set my feet to the cold hardwood floor. “If you make pancakes for breakfast, I’ll tell you.”“That, I can do,” he says with a grin.While we mix pancake batter, I tell Ridge what I told the rest of the guys about the strange thing that happened when I woke up. Like Archer, he takes a pragmatic approach to it.“I think we should prepare for certain manifestations that we can’t explain,” he says. “We’re in new territory here, so we should expect the unexpected when it comes to your power. But no matter what happens, we’ll deal with it. We’ll get through as a team.”I lean into his arm. “Thank you.”Abandoning the batter, he turns toward me, tugging me against his chest as his fingers curl into my hair and tilt my face up toward his.“There’s nothing to thank me for, little wolf,” he says, his voice a low rumble against me. “I’d do anything for you. Face anything with you. We all would.”Then he kisses me, slow and s