Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 175

CHAPTER 159

Alpha Darius’s POV

“I don’t remember,” I admitted.

“You don’t remember?” Her voice rose slightly. “What do you mean you don’t remember?”

“I haven’t been hungry,” I said weakly.

“Haven’t been hungry?” Clara repeated, and I could see the storm building in her eyes. “Darius Kincaid, are you telling me you haven’t eaten since I disappeared?”

Xander chose that moment to speak up. “He threw a paperweight at me when I tried to bring him tea.”

Clara’s head swiveled toward my beta, her expression dangerous. “He threw things at you for bringing

food?”

“Several things,” Xander confirmed. “I think there’s broken glass all over his office floor. And a picture

frame.”

Clara turned back to me, and I could see she was furious. Not at the situation, but at me.

“You stopped eating because I was gone?” she asked, her voice deceptively calm.

“I couldn’t,” I said honestly. “Not when you might have been hungry somewhere.”

“Oh, you stubborn, impossible man,” she said, but her voice broke slightly on the words. “What if something had happened to you while I was gone? What if you’d collapsed from hunger?”

“Nothing else mattered without you here,” I said.

Clara stared at me for a long moment, and I could see tears gathering in her eyes. Then she pulled me

down for a fierce kiss that tasted like coming home.

“Kitchen,” she said against my lips. “Now. And you’re going to eat everything I put in front of you.”

I smiled for the first time in days. “Yes, Luna.”

(

Thirty minutes later, we were sitting at the small table in the kitchen while Clara supervised the preparation of what looked like enough food to feed a small army. She’d insisted on making sure I got all my favorite dishes, as if she could make up for the days of missed meals in one sitting.

The kitchen staff moved around us with quiet efficiency, clearly happy to have their Luna back and eager

to help restore their Alpha to health.

“Eat,” she commanded, placing a plate piled high with roasted meat and vegetables in front of me.

I picked up my fork, but my stomach cramped at the thought of food Days without eating had apparently affected my appetite more than I’d realized

Clara noticed my hesitation immediately. “Having trouble?”

< CHAPTER 19-

“My stomach feels strange,” I admitted.

+25 Points

Without a word, she moved her chair closer to mine and took the fork from my hand. “Then I’ll help.”

She cut a small piece of meat and held the fork up to my mouth. “Open.”

I felt ridiculous being fed like a child, but I was also touched by how gently Clara was taking care of me. Each bite she gave me was followed by quiet encouragement, and gradually my stomach began to

remember what food was for.

“Better?” she asked after I’d managed to eat about half the plate.

“Better,” I confirmed, feeling strength returning to my body with each bite.

“Good,” she said, finally taking some food for herself. “Because we have a lot to talk about.”

r

After we’d both eaten, Clara insisted we go to our room. I was more than happy to comply, needing the

privacy and the familiar space where Clara’s scent was strongest.

We walked through the packhouse hand in hand, neither of us willing to let go of the other. I kept glancing at her as we walked, still hardly able to believe she was really here. Pack members we passed smiled and nodded, clearly relieved to see their Luna safe and their Alpha looking more like himself.

Once we were in our room with the door closed, Clara finally seemed to relax completely. She sank onto the edge of the bed and pulled me down beside her.

“I missed this,” she said, leaning against my side. “I missed you.”

“I thought I was going to lose my mind,” I admitted, wrapping my arms around her. “Every minute you were gone felt like torture.”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“It’s not your fault,” I said firmly. “None of this was your fault.”

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, just holding each other. I could feel the tension leaving Clara’s body as she settled into the safety of our room, our space.

But I could also feel her mind working, could sense that she had things she wanted to discuss.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked.

“Jaden,” she said, and her voice hardened. “I promised him war, Darius. And I meant it.”

“Then we’ll give him war,” I said without hesitation.

“It won’t be easy,” Clara warned. “He has a full pack behind him, and he’ll probably try to get allies to help

him.”

“So will we,” I said. “What are you thinking?”

Clara was quiet for a moment, clearly organizing her thoughts. “We need to be strategic about this. Jaden isn’t just going to sit back and wait for us to attack He’ll be preparing, gathering support, trying to

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strengthen his position.”

“What do you suggest?”

+25 Points

“Allies,” she said immediately. “We need other packs on our side. People who will stand with us when the

time comes.”

I nodded. It made sense. While Shadowfang Pack was strong, going up against another full pack without

backup would be risky.

“Who are you thinking?” I asked.

“Ronan,” Clara said. “I know you have complicated feelings about him, but he has reasons to hate Jaden.

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