Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 190

CHAPTER 174

Darius’s POV

I was in my office reviewing alliance agreements when it hit me like a punch to the gut.

Lust. Raw, desperate need. Desire so intense it nearly knocked me off my feet.

The emotions weren’t mine. They were coming through the bond, flooding my system with Clara’s feelings. My wolf snarled in my mind, pacing restlessly as possessiveness surged through me.

What the hell was she doing?

I dropped the papers and switched directions, heading straight for wherever Clara was. The emotions were getting stronger with each step, and by the time I tracked her scent to the strategy room, I was fighting the urge to shift and tear apart whoever was making my mate feel this way.

I grabbed the door handle and flung it open, ready for a fight.

Instead, I found Clara and Killian sitting at the table with a respectable distance between them. She had a

fork in her hand, picking at a tray of food, while Killian sat in the chair beside her looking perfectly

innocent.

The scene was completely normal. Harmless.

So why had I felt like Clara was about to be devoured by someone who wasn’t me?

“There you are,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady as I took in the scene. Killian sitting beside her, the intimate tray of food, the way they seemed comfortable with each other.

“Killian brought me lunch,” Clara said, and I caught the slight strain in her voice. She was trying too hard to

sound casual.

“How considerate,” I replied, keeping my tone perfectly polite while my wolf continued to pace anxiously.

Killian stood gracefully, not looking embarrassed at being caught. If anything, his smile grew wider, like he

was enjoying some private joke.

“Just taking care of a valuable ally,” he said. “Clara’s wellbeing is important to all of us.”

“Indeed it is,” I replied, studying his face for any sign of what had really been happening here.

The two of us stared at each other for a moment. I could see the territorial instincts warring beneath his

civilized facade, and I was sure he could see the same in mine.

“I should get back to my warriors,” Killian said finally. “Clara, thank you for letting me share lunch with you. I hope we can do it again soon.”

The emphasis on ‘again‘ made my teeth clench, but I said nothing until he left.

After the door closed, I came to sit in the chair Killian had vacated. It was still warm from his body heat,

< CHAPTER17

and that fact irritated me more than it should have.

“Enjoying your meal?” I asked.

“It’s very good,” she said honestly. “He said it was his grandmother’s recipe.”

Claim

“I’m sure it was,” I said dryly. “Along with the family history and personal stories designed to make you feel special.”

She looked at me sharply. “You think he’s manipulating me?”

“I think he’s courting you,” I said bluntly. “And doing it well.”

The word ‘courting‘ seemed to hit her like a physical blow. I watched her process the implications, saw the moment she realized what I’d been trying to tell her.

“You’re jealous,” she said, sudden understanding dawning in her eyes.

“Of course I’m jealous,” I said without hesitation. “You’re my mate. Watching other Alphas try to seduce you isn’t exactly comfortable for me.”

My honesty seemed to catch her off guard. I could have lied, could have played it off as simple concern for an ally. But Clara deserved better than that from me.

“They’re not trying to seduce me,” she said, though even she didn’t sound convinced.

I raised an eyebrow. “Clara, you’re beautiful, powerful, and single as far as anyone outside this pack knows.

Of course they’re trying to seduce you.”

“I’m not single,” she protested. “I’m with you. Plus, I carry your mark.”

“True. But foolish people would still fail to take the hint since we haven’t had a public ceremony,” I pointed

out. “To the outside world, you’re just an unofficially marked Luna. That makes you fair game in the eyes of other Alphas.”

I watched the reality of the situation sink in. Her scent shifted slightly, carrying notes of realization and

concern.

“So what do we do about it?” she asked.

Before I could answer, there was another knock on the door. This time it was Xander

“Alpha,” he said, looking between us. “Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve got the weekly supply report ready for

review,”

“Of course,” I said, standing. The timing couldn’t have been worse, but pack business couldn’t wait. “Clara, we’ll continue this conversation later.”

She nodded, but I could see the wheels turning in her mind. The question I hadn’t answered yet was clearly weighing on her.

The rest of the day blurred into a series of meetings, strategy sessions, and coordination calls with other

< CHAPTER 24-

Claim

packs Xander briefed me on supply routes that needed securing. The head of intelligence reported suspicious movement near our eastern borders. Three different pack leaders called wanting updates on

our alliance agreements.

Through it all, I found my mind drifting back to that moment in the strategy room. Not just the conversation, but what I’d felt through the bond beforehand. That surge of desire had been real, intense,

and definitely not directed at me.

Which meant Killian had been doing more than just sharing his grandmother’s recipes.

During a break between meetings, I caught sight of Clara through my office window. She was in the

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