Page 97 of Rejected By the Alpha

We had just been attacked by multiple packs, but I couldn’t find a single shit. All I cared about was finding more information on the Crimson Order.

The more I knew about them, the better I could understand their motives. And the better I could understand their motives, the easier it could be to understand why they had taken Ember and why they returned her.

What did Dr. Yoder have to do with it? He was her doctor, taking blood samples. And he was working with the Order? Something wasn’t adding up.

And while I didn’t want to do this, I knew Nurse Janice was my only shot. I had to do anything in my power to get as much out of her as possible. Whatever it took. However I had to.

Sure, results might be private.

But I had to know. Now.

I opened the prison cell door to head in the direction of Silver Moon Medical Center, but before I could make it anywhere, Linda was in front of me, about to enter the prison.

“Alpha. Just the guy I’m looking for.”

“I don’t need your shit right now,” I growled, shoving past her.

She dragged her claws across my chest. “Yes, you do.”

“No, I⁠—”

After moving closer to me, she pressed her body to mine. “Yes, you do. You can’t keep running from Ember unless you have someone else to think about, someone else to take her place, someone else to use.”

“Linda,” I said, my voice softening.

I didn’t mean for it to, but I knew she was right. I couldn’t let this go on and on forever. I had to do something, even if I wanted to protect her … she was in the weakest position she could be right now.

Not mated. Always going into heat. Human.

I had to choose, and I had to choose now.

Could Ember ever be my mate? Not if I wanted to protect her. Not if I wanted her to have a long and happy life, even if it was without me.

“Come with me, Alpha,” Linda murmured, grabbing my hand and pulling me in the direction of her home. “Come with me and let me help you.”

So, I took her hand and followed her.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Ember

“Why is he so annoying?” I growled and sipped my tea at Java Junction. The light hum of conversation in here was really getting on my nerves today, or maybe it was just stupid Davix. I kicked my legs underneath the table, my brows scrunched. “I hate him.”

Hazel popped some of her banana bread into her mouth. “That’s Davix for you.”

“Has he always been this annoying?”

“Yep.”

I snatched a piece of her bread and balled my hand into a fist. “Of course.”

“He’s been a dick since our mom died,” she said, eyes filling with tears. “Not caring what he says or who he hurts. All he cares about is making sure our pack survives, but I … I don’t know at what cost.”

My chest tightened, and guilt flooded through my system. I didn’t fully understand how packs or wolves worked—this world was all so new to me—but from what I gathered, wasn’t that a good thing? Shouldn’t he care more about his pack’s survival rather than his own desires?

Shoulders slumping forward, I averted my gaze from the table toward the forest outside the window and blew out a breath, feeling so … so selfish. I was angry at him for not choosing me when he had hundreds, if not thousands, of people relying on him.

“Tell me about her,” I said.