Alpha's Regret: His Wrongful Rejection

Killian hasn’t gone on, so I say, “Um. Thanks?” He huffs, annoyed, clasping his hands behind his head and stretching. He tilts his head up toward the moon. “I don’t need your thanks. I’m just saying you’re safe here.” “I’ve got the patrols above on the ridge at fifteen-minute intervals. I keep my window open…

I shake my head. “You’ve got an alpha wolf enthralled. How the fuck did you do it?” His Adam’s apple bobs as he speaks. He’s so chiseled, even his neck exudes strength, the cords, the vein running the length. My mouth waters. I want to sink my teeth into it. I’m losing my mind. I…

Nuala’s sweater is a really lovely pumpkin color, but I feel like a neon orange emergency cone when I trail Killian back into the great room. People are back at their seats, finishing dinner, but as soon as I walk in, there’s a massive clatter of forks and the hushed chatter dies. Killian points to…

“You don’t mess with defectives,” an old male opines. “That’s just plain wrong. Everyone knows that.” My wolf falls quiet, her glee deflating like a punctured tire. That’s me they’re talking about again. Us. Fuck this shit. Suddenly, a weight descends on my shoulders. I didn’t ask for this. Am I supposed to be impressed?…

I’m not even embarrassed or mad. I’ve switched to automatic pilot. I just want to get up off the floor. I flick a chunk of potato off my calf and push up until I’m sitting upright. The aisle’s narrow, and the table top is too high to use for leverage. There’s not enough room to…

“Put that on.” I’m already buttoning it. It smells like Nuala, an elder who trades me for Bailey’s Irish Cream. It’s tight, but it covers my ass cheeks. Just barely, but it does. Killian got himself a pair of athletic shorts, but he didn’t bother with a top. He’s got his arms crossed, glaring again,…

No. Our mate. I ignore my wolf. She’s growing more and more agitated, but she’s not making a move to shift. I’m good. Nauseous, but good. Whatever’s going on up on the dais has nothing to do with me. Haisley and Killian hook up. Everyone with a nose knows, as they say. Killian’s also been…

He strides forward. One pace. Another. Like he’s trying to be casual. Annie scuttles backward, whimpering. Una cocks her head slightly to the left. My wolf pauses, patient, watchful. He wants her wolf to come out. Badly. He’s frustrated, but he’s being very careful not to let on. For the first time that I can…

And she’s smiling. Maybe I’d be, too. If I were in my human skin. It would be a sight to see. A giant wolf teasing this small female as if he’s a pup. This whole interaction is blowing my mind. Generally, when I’m the wolf, my mind is blank, my consciousness deep in the animal….

Eileen hustled me off to the kitchen to help her with the dishes. The past decade hasn’t been kind to him. His knuckles are gnarled, and the hair on his head has receded, although his mutton chops are as bushy as ever. Lochlan is his nephew. Eamon raised him. They’re two of a kind. They…