Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 52

CHAPTER 49

Alpha Ronan’s POV

My celebration was cut short when Clara suddenly collapsed.

One moment she was pushing herself up, eyes burning with defiance, the next she crumpled to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.

The crowd’s cheers died instantly.

Darius was at her side before I could move, kneeling beside her motionless form. His smugness vanished, replaced by something I rarely saw on his face–genuine concern.

“What happened?” I asked, stepping closer.

Darius pressed two fingers to her neck, checking her pulse. “She’s breathing, but her heartbeat is erratic.” He looked up at his beta. “Get Samuel. Now.”

The beta took off at a sprint while Darius carefully gathered Clara in his arms. Despite her skill in the ring, she looked small and fragile against his broad chest.

“The infirmary,” he said shortly, already moving. “Follow me if you want answers.”

I did want answers. More than he knew.

The crowd parted as we hurried through, murmurs of concern rippling through Darius’s pack members. Even my own wolves looked troubled by this unexpected turn.

Darius laid Clara on an examination table just as an older man with silver–streaked hair rushed in, healing bag in hand.

“What happened?” Samuel asked, already checking Clara’s vitals.

“She collapsed after the fight,” Darius replied. “No warning.”

The pack healer’s experienced hands moved quickly, checking her pupils, pulse, and breathing. He frowned, his expression growing concerned.

“Her symptoms suggest sedative overdose,” he said. “We need to check her blood levels immediately.”

Darius’s jaw tightened. “Run whatever tests you need.”

Samuel turned to his assistant. “Blood test. Now. And get me the herbs.”

As they worked, I studied Darius’s face. The concern seemed genuine, but something didn’t add

23

CHAPTER 49

+25 Points

1. up. If he’d drugged her as I suspected, why was he surprised by her collapse? Had he given her something stronger than intended?

The assistant returned minutes later with a tablet displaying test results. Samuel scanned them,

his eyebrows shooting up.

“She’s got enough ketamine in her system to knock out three men her size,” he said, looking bewildered. “How was she even standing, let alone fighting?”

Ketamine. A powerful sedative. My eyes cut to Darius, whose face had gone very still.

“Will she be alright?” he asked, his voice carefully controlled.

“She’s stable,” the pack healer assured him. “Her body is metabolizing the drug at an impressive rate. I’d say she’s just sleeping it off now. She should wake in a few hours with nothing worse than

a headache.”

“Ketamine,” I repeated, watching Darius closely. “That’s not something fighters typically take before

a match.”

Samuel shook his head. “Absolutely not. It would be suicide in combat. Impaired coordination, reduced reflexes, disorientation… I’m amazed she fought as well as she did. By all rights, she should have been unconscious before the first punch was thrown.”

The implications sank in. Clara had fought me–had nearly beaten me–while drugged with a sedative powerful enough to incapacitate multiple warriors.

What would she have been capable of at full strength?

The thought made my wolf growl uneasily.

“I want to know how this happened,” Darius said, his voice deceptively calm. “And who’s

responsible.”

But I’d seen the flash of guilt in his eyes. He knew exactly how it happened.

“Perhaps she took it herself,” I suggested, testing him. “Performance anxiety before facing an

Alpha?”

Darius’s glare could have melted steel. “Clara doesn’t get anxiety. And she doesn’t take drugs.” “Then someone gave it to her without her knowledge.” I let the accusation hang in the air.

His jaw clenched. “It would seem so.”

“I’m assuming this wasn’t part of your plan when you said you’d ensure my victory?” I pressed, keeping my voice low enough that only he could hear.

23

III

CHAPTER 49

His eyes flashed a warning, but I was beyond caring about his temper.

“I won our wager,” I continued. “The western ridge is mine now. I want it formalized before I leave.”

Samuel, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. “She needs rest now. I’ll monitor her vitals, but I expect a full recovery. Perhaps you alphas should continue this discussion elsewhere?”

Neither of us moved.

“The western ridge will be discussed after Clara recovers,” Darius said, each word sharp as a blade. “Your victory today means nothing if you won by default.”

“That wasn’t our agreement,” I challenged. “You said-”

“I know what I said,” he cut me off. “And now I’m saying this: Clara’s health comes first. Territory comes second. Or have you forgotten how to prioritize as an Alpha?”

The insult stung, but the message was clear–push this now, and our alliance would suffer.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify