Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 58

Alpha Darius‘ POV

+25 Points

The western ridge stretched before us, rolling hills covered in thick forest. From this vantage point, I could see why it had been contested territory for generations. The hunting grounds were rich, the defensive positions strong, the resources abundant.

Xander, my beta, stood beside me, surveying the land that was about to slip from our control.

“It’s a shame to lose it,” he said, breaking the silence. “Our pack has held this ridge for three Alpha generations.”

“Have we?” I asked, my tone casual.

He glanced at me, confused. “Of course, Alpha. Your grandfather claimed it from the rogue packs that used to roam here. Your father defended it against four different challengers. And you’ve kept it safe until

now.”

“Until now,” I repeated, watching a hawk circle overhead.

“I’ve already prepared the boundary documents,” Xander continued. “Once signed, Ronan’s pack can begin establishing their patrols. The transfer should be complete by the full moon.”

I turned to him, studying his face. Loyal, dedicated Xander. Always following orders without question.

“Tell me, why are we here?” I asked.

His brow furrowed. “To inspect the land before the handover. As you ordered.”

“No. I mean why is this land ours at all?”

Understanding dawned in his eyes. “Because we sacrificed a lot for it. Because we claimed it and defended it against anyone who challenged us.”

“Exactly.” I nodded, turning back to the view. “We took it because we were strong enough to take it. We kept it because we were strong enough to keep it.”

Xander shifted uncomfortably. “But the agreement with Ronan… He won the challenge.”

“Did he?” I asked softly.

“You were there, Alpha. Clara lost the fight.”

“This land or his reputation,” I muttered, almost to myself.

“Alpha?”

I smiled, the plan taking clearer shape in my mind. “Ronan didn’t win fairly, Xander. And he knows it.”

His confusion was evident. “I don’t understand.”

1/3

< CHAPTER 66 1

425 Points

“Clara was drugged,” I said simply. “Heavily sedated before the fight. Enough ketamine to knock out three warriors her size.”

Xander‘ jaw dropped. “What? Why would…”

Understanding dawned on his face, followed quickly by shock. “You drugged her?”

I nodded, seeing no point in denying it. “I did.”

“But why risk our territory?” He gestured to the vast expanse before us.

“I didn’t. I needed Ronan’s pack to believe he had won,” I explained. “I needed them to think Clara wasn’t a threat. And most importantly, I needed Ronan to see that I could even drug my own fighter to ensure his victory if his reputation was at stake.”

Xander was silent, processing this. I could almost see the thoughts turning in his mind, trying to make sense of my strategy.

“Clara is more valuable than this land,” I continued. “You saw what she did to our elite force. Six of our best warriors, taken down in succession.”

The memory flashed through my mind. Clara moving across the fighting ring, her movements precise and deadly. Jarek, my strongest fighter, on his back within seconds. Vex, my stealth specialist, flipped and pinned before she could react. One by one, my elite force had fallen to a woman half their size.

“But she lost to Ronan,” Xander pointed out.

“She didn’t lose. She allowed herself to be defeated,” I corrected him. “The ketamine should have rendered her unconscious within minutes. Instead, she fought through it, matching Ronan blow for blow. She only ‘collapsed‘ when it suited her purpose.”

“How do you know she was faking?”

I couldn’t help the smile that formed. “Because the moment we were alone in the infirmary, she sat up and ripped off every monitoring devices Samuel had attached to her. She was completely lucid and in control.” Xander looked stunned. “She was conscious the whole time?”

“The whole time,” I confirmed. “Through Samuel’s examination, through the blood tests that showed enough ketamine to paralyze a normal wolf, through Ronan’s gloating and departure. She played dead until it served her to stop playing.”

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