Page 48 of Rejected Alpha Mate

“Yeah, well, you were possessed by dark magic. You should sit down before I throw you down.” Donna’s hands tighten over the handles of the daggers, knuckles paling as she settles into her defensive stance.

Narrowing my eyes at her, I lean forward like a predator, my eyes focused on her, my hands tingling with readiness. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me,” she challenges, holding her firm expression.

“You really wanna test me, huh?” I arch a brow, and Donna remains unfazed by my attempts to charm her.

“Always, Alpha….”

The way she says my rank, dripping off her tongue like honey, does something to rouse my inner wolf, stir my body into awareness. A growl—not threatening, but alive—ripples through my chest, sending me lunging forward.

Donna sidesteps quickly, light on her feet, agile in human form, the faint glint of her magic flaring around her ankles and wrists. I go for her left, but she anticipates the move, ducking under my arm and jabbing me lightly in the ribs with the hilt of her dagger.

“Point for me,” she says smugly.

I shake my head, a low chuckle rumbling in my chest. “You’re faster than I expected.”

“Maybe you’re just slower,” she retorts.

“Let’s go,” I say, cracking my neck again and preparing for another round.

Donna’s movements are sharp, deliberate, anticipating, and dodging my every move, jabbing me in the ribs and collecting her points. She’s well-versed in combat, blending physical technique with flickers of magic that dance along the blades.

“Let’s face it, I’m better than you at this,” she chuckles, sticking out her tongue at me.

Her teasing tone makes the air thicker somehow, and I move again, faster this time, catching her wrist mid-swing and twisting gently until she drops the blade. She gasps, but before she can retaliate, I sweep my leg behind her thighs and pin her to the ground in one fluid motion.

Her back hits the dirt softly, my hand braced beside her head.

For a second, neither of us moves, our eyes meeting and keeping us both frozen in time, frozen in the moment where nothing else matters except us.

Her breath comes in shallow bursts, and a loose strand of hair falls over her face. I reach out without thinking, brushing it aside with my fingers. The moment my skin touches hers, something electric pulses through me—the bond, dormant but alive, whispering between us.

Her gaze locks on mine, wide and uncertain, and for a fleeting heartbeat, everything around us fades. The world shrinks to the sound of our breathing, the warmth of her body under mine, the way her lips part just slightly.

“Mate….”

My wolf’s voice is a growl in my chest, hungry, insistent.

Donna’s eyes flicker, something unreadable passing through them. Then, before I can blink, she twists her hips and flips us both, magic flaring around her like a burst of wind.

Now I’m the one on my back, staring up at her, stunned. She’s straddling my waist, her palms pressed against my chest to keep me down, strands of hair framing her flushed face.

Her lips curve into the faintest smile. “Ready to admit defeat?”

I laugh breathlessly, caught somewhere between admiration and disbelief. “You cheated.”

“It’s called strategy,” she says, a mischievous spark in her eyes.

The tension hums between us again, heavier this time. Her hands linger on my chest, a beat too long, her breath mingling with mine. The golden shimmer of her magic still glows faintly where her fingers touch my skin, warm and alive.

I swallow hard, resisting the urge to reach up, to pull her closer. “You’re really good at this,” I say quietly, trying to ground myself in something safe, something steady, by attempting to take my attention off her face.

I fail dismally, my heart skipping a beat when she tilts her head, eyes softening.

“I have a good sparring partner. I liked being challenged,” she admits.

The words land deeper than they should, and for a long, silent moment, neither of us moves again.