Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 56

Alpha Ronan’s POV

The drive back to my territory was silent. My pack members sensed my mood and kept their distance, leaving me alone with thoughts that wouldn’t settle.

As soon as we crossed our borders, I felt some tension leave my shoulders. Home ground. My territory. My rules.

My beta, Kane, fell into step beside me as we entered the main pack house.

“So,” he said once we were in my office with the door closed, “you won.”

I poured two glasses of whiskey, handed him one. “I did.”

“The fight must have been glorious. Our Alpha defeating Darius’s champion.” Kane raised his glass in a toast. “The packs will be talking about this for years.”

I forced a smile, letting him believe what he wanted. “It was… decisive.”

“I never doubted you,” Kane said. “No female fighter could stand against an Alpha of your strength.”

“Of course not,” I agreed, the lie bitter on my tongue. In truth, Clara had landed more blows than any opponent I’d faced in years. If not for her sudden weakness near the end, the outcome might have been very different.

“The western ridge will be ours once the paperwork is finalized,” I said, changing the subject. “Darius lost fair and square.”

Kane nodded eagerly. “I’ll prepare the patrol schedules immediately. We should mark the new boundaries

within the week.”

“Not yet,” I cautioned. “Nothing’s official until Darius acknowledges the transfer. For now, we wait.”

“As you wish, Alpha.” Kane tilted his head, studying me. “You seem… distracted. Is something troubling

you?”

I drained my glass, buying time to consider my answer. “I need you to look into something for me.

Discreetly.”

“Anything.”

“Darius’s fighter, Clara. I want to know everything about her. Where she came from. Which pack she belongs to. How she ended up with Darius. Everything.”

Kane’s brow furrowed in confusion. “The woman you defeated? Why would she matter now?”

“Just curiosity,” I lied. “She fought… unusually well for someone with no formal rank. It’s worth knowing

who our adversaries train.”

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Kane nodded, though skepticism lingered in his eyes. “I’ll put our best people on it. Quietly.”

“Good. I don’t want Darius knowing we’re looking into his people.”

Kane headed for the door, but before he could leave, a familiar scent drifted into the room. Sweet jasmine with undertones of vanilla.

Mira.

My chosen mate appeared in the doorway, her smile lighting up her face as Kane stepped aside to let her

pass.

“You’re back,” she said, crossing the room to wrap her arms around me. “I missed you.”

I returned her embrace automatically, breathing in her scent, feeling her warmth against me.

But something had changed.

Where her touch had once brought comfort, now it felt… hollow. Like a shadow of what should be.

“Did you win?” she asked, pulling back to look at me.

“Yes,” I said simply.

She beamed with pride. “I never doubted you would. No one can stand against my mate.”

Clara had. Drugged and at a disadvantage, she’d still matched me blow for blow until the very end.

“Tell us how you defeated her, Alpha,” one of the younger warriors called out during a lull in the festivities.

Dozens of eager faces turned toward me, hungry for details of a glorious victory that hadn’t really

happened.

“A true warrior doesn’t boast,” I said, raising my glass. “But I’ll say this much: Darius’s fighters are worthy opponents. Underestimate them at your peril.”

This earned murmurs of respect and raised glasses around the room.

“To Alpha Ronan,” someone shouted. “Conqueror of the western ridge!”

The cheer was taken up around the room, echoing to the rafters. I smiled and acknowledged them, all while the memory of Clara’s eyes boring into mine haunted me.

“You didn’t win fairly,” those eyes seemed to say. “We both know it.”

The celebration continued late into the night. By the time I could reasonably excuse myself, my patience had worn thin. Mira noticed, placing a gentle hand on my arm as we walked back to our quarters.

“Something’s troubling you,” she said. Not a question.

I considered denying it, then sighed. “Just tired. It’s been a long few days.”

She studied me, concern in her eyes. “You know you can tell me anything, right? Whatever it is, we can face it together.”

The irony wasn’t lost on me.

The one thing I couldn’t tell her was the very thing eating away at me: that when I looked at another woman, my wolf had recognized his true mate.

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“I know,” I said, kissing her forehead gently. “Get some rest. Tomorrow will be busy,”

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