Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 16

Clara’s POV

+25 Points/

I froze, my heart hammering so violently against my ribcage I was certain he could hear it. Footsteps approached from above, and then he appeared at the garden entrance, his amber eyes narrowing to dangerous slits when they landed on me. The two men who had been with him–Beta Xander and another wolf I didn’t recognize–flanked him on either side.

“You,” Alpha Darius growled, stalking toward me with the predatory grace of a wolf hunting its prey. His face contorted with rage, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “What are you doing out here?”

My mouth went dry as sand. “I was just-”

“Eavesdropping on pack business?” His voice rose to a thunderous roar that made me flinch backward. “Poking your nose into matters that don’t concern you?”

His face was a storm of fury, eyes flashing gold as his wolf pushed close to the surface. The other wolves stepped back, giving their Alpha space as if they knew what was coming. Even

Beta Xander, who seemed unshakeable, looked concerned.

“You think you can wander around my territory spying on private conversations?” He towered over me, his presence suffocating as he invaded my personal space. “How dare you disrespect me in my own land!”

His hand shot out, gripping my upper arm with bruising force. I gasped, instinctively trying to pull away, but his fingers only tightened.

“You will return to your room and not come out until you’re summoned!” he snarled, his face inches from mine. I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin, see the elongated canines that betrayed how close he was to shifting.

The only thought in my head was that he was going to kill me.

I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself–a reflex to hide my mounting terror–and muttered under my breath, “Trust me, your crappy plans weren’t worth poking my nose into anyway.”

I turned to leave, but his hand shot out, gripping my arm with such force that I cried out. He spun me back to face him, his movements so abrupt that I stumbled.

“What did you just say?” His voice had dropped to a deadly whisper that was somehow more terrifying than his shouts.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, heart racing as I realized my mistake. I waved my free hand

1/3

< CHAPTER 15

+25 Points

dismissively, trying to appear casual despite the panic clawing at my chest. “Absolutely nothing, Alpha.”

“Don’t lie to me.” His grip tightened until I felt my bones might snap under the pressure. His eyes had shifted fully to wolf now, the amber replaced by an unnatural gold that seemed to glow with inner fire.

“It was nothing important,” I insisted, voice trembling slightly as I tried pulling away again. “I should probably wait in my room until dinner like you said.”

Before I could take a single step, Alpha Darius yanked me against his chest with such force that the air rushed from my lungs. His other hand shot up to grasp my jaw, forcing me to meet his gaze. His fingers pressed into my skin hard enough to leave marks, and I couldn’t stop the small whimper that escaped me.

“If I ever ask you a question,” he growled, his face so close I could see nothing else, “you will answer it. Or trust me, I’ll chop off your tongue and you’ll never have a reason to speak again. Do you understand me?”

The anger in his voice made my blood run cold. This wasn’t the controlled trainer from earlier today. This wasn’t even the Alpha that other packs feared. This was something darker, more primal–a predator who’d found prey in his territory.

My chest constricted with terror as I realized how dangerous my position truly was. I wasn’t a guest here; I was at the mercy of a man who could end my life with a flick of his wrist and face no consequences.

“I understand,” I whispered, not bothering to hide my fear anymore.

“Now, what did you say?” He didn’t release his grip on my jaw, keeping me pinned against

him.

I swallowed hard. “I said your plans weren’t worth eavesdropping on because they’re flawed.”

Something shifted in his expression–not softening, but changing from blind rage to cold,

calculating assessment.

“Flawed?” The word came out as a dangerous purr. “You presume to know better than my scouts and strategists?”

“I- I know those caves,” I stammered, acutely aware that his hand had moved from my jaw to my throat, where it rested in clear warning. “There’s a fourth exit you didn’t mention. If you go in with your current strategy, you’re walking into a potential ambush.”

Alpha Darius held me for another long, terrifying moment before abruptly releasing me with

2/3

< CHAPTER 15

+25 Points

enough force that I stumbled backward. I raised a trembling hand to my throat, certain I’d find

bruises there tomorrow.

“Beta Xander,” he said, his voice suddenly controlled and eerily calm, “how many exits do

those caves have?”

“Three, Alpha,” Beta Xander replied with absolute certainty. “We’ve scouted them thoroughly over the past week. Main entrance, east passage, and west exit.”

I scoffed before I could stop myself, then immediately tensed, expecting Alpha Darius to lash out again. But he merely watched me with keen focus, looking like he was waiting.

“Your scouts missed one,” I said, hating how my voice quavered.

“And how would you know this?” Alpha Darius asked, crossing his arms over his broad chest,

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify