Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 267

Clara’s POV

The warriors attacked immediately.

The huge one went straight for Darius. They collided hard, and Darius stumbled back. The fast one

targeted Killian, landing a quick jab that snapped his head to the side. The cold–eyed one caught Lucien

with a kick that made him grunt. The bored one swept Ronan’s legs, nearly dropping him.

My stomach dropped.

They were losing.

The four of them moved like they’d never fought together before. Darius threw a punch that forced Killian to duck out of the way. Ronan moved left just as Lucien tried to flank right, nearly colliding. They looked

uncoordinated, sloppy even.

The warriors pressed their advantage. They worked as a unit, one distracting while another struck from

the side. When Darius pressed forward, another warrior was there to blindside him. When Killian tried to

get space, he found himself suddenly fighting two instead of one.

Blood appeared. Darius took a hit to the ribs that made him stagger. Killian’s lip split from a punch. Lucien

absorbed a kick that should have shattered bones, dropping to one knee. Ronan stumbled back from a

combination that had him struggling to stay upright.

The watching crowd murmured. Some sounded satisfied, vindicated. Others whispered concern.

My heart was racing. Through the bonds, I felt their pain, their struggle. This was my fault. The mating

bonds had weakened them somehow. Four powerful Alphas reduced to this because of me.

I opened the bonds fully, desperate to help.

“Left!” I sent to Darius as his opponent wound up for another strike.

“Duck!” I warned Killian before a high kick came.

“Behind you!” I told Lucien as the cold–eyed warrior circled.

They responded, but barely. Still taking hits. Still looking overwhelmed.

This couldn’t be happening. These were some of the strongest Alphas in our world. Darius was known as a

warlord. Lucien had never lost a challenge. Killian was legendary for his combat skills. Ronan had built his reputation fighting.

And they were losing to Hendrik’s warriors.

“Darius, drive yours toward Killian,” I sent frantically through the bonds, trying to coordinate them. “Killian,

swap on my mark!”

They moved, but it looked forced. Awkward. The warriors easily adapted, pressing harder.

< CHAPTER 242+ –

Hendrik was smiling now. That satisfied, vindictive smile of someone watching their enemy fail.

The crowd’s murmurs grew louder. Disappointment. Judgment. Some were already turning away,

convinced this was over

My chest felt tight. I’d done this. The bonds had ruined them. Made them weaker instead of stronger.

Then I caught it.

The tiniest smirk on Killian’s face as he took a hit and went down hard.

My breath caught.

Through the bonds, I felt something I’d missed before. Not pain. Not struggle.

Amusement.

I looked closer. Darius blocked a punch, but the movement was too controlled, too calculated. Lucien

took a kick, but he’d positioned himself to take it on the thickest part of his thigh, not where it would

actually damage.

Ronan caught my eye for just a split second, then winked.

They were playing.

Claim

The realization hit me. They’d been toying with the warriors this entire time. Making it look good. Making

everyone think they were losing.

Why?

Then I understood. They wanted to show the crowd what happened when people underestimated us. Wanted Hendrik and everyone watching to think they’d won, just before pulling the rug out.

Darius caught Killian’s eye across the circle. The barest nod passed between them.

Then everything changed.

Darius stopped blocking. The huge warrior threw a massive punch at his head. Darius caught his fist

r mid–air, just stopped it cold. The warrior’s eyes went wide.

“Our turn,” Darius said quietly.

He twisted. The crack echoed across the stone circle. The huge warrior screamed and dropped, cradling

his shattered wrist.

At the same time, the other three Alphas moved.

Killian’s entire demeanor shifted from defensive to predator in a heartbeat. The fast warrior came at him with another combination. Killian didn’t dodge. He stepped inside the guard and drove his fist into the warrior’s solar plexus. Once. The warrior folded, gasping for air that wouldn’t come, and collapsed.

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