Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 63

CHAPTER 58

Clara’s POV

Eventually, we pulled apart. My legs shook as I stood up, muscles aching in that good way that reminded me I’d been well–used.

I watched him clean up. He was quick but not rushed. He picked up his shirt from the floor, buttoned what buttons were left, and fixed his clothes. Even half–dressed with messy hair, he stood tall with that Alpha

confidence.

But there was something else too. His eyes looked softer now.

I didn’t hurry. Let him see the marks he left on my skin, the bruises forming on my hips, the wetness still on my thighs. I earned them. I wasn’t ashamed.

He tossed me a towel from the rack by the door. “You might want to clean up.”

“Worried someone will smell you on me?” I asked, taking it but not using it yet.

His eyes got darker. “I want everyone to smell me on you.”

That shouldn’t have excited me. But it did.

I wiped myself down, found my shorts and pulled them on. My sports bra was too wet with sweat and other things. I pulled my tank top on without it, the fabric sticking to my still–damp skin.

He walked over to me, standing close enough that I felt his heat. His fingers traced a line along my collarbone, gentle and unexpected. Something in my chest jumped.

I didn’t pull away from his touch, but it affected me more than I wanted to admit. This softness after such rough sex felt more dangerous than what we’d just done.

“You’re going to be sore tomorrow,” he said quietly.

“I’m sore now,” I replied with a smile. “Worth it, though.”

He didn’t laugh. Just watched me with those intense blue eyes, studying me like I was a puzzle.

The quiet grew between us, heavy with something unsaid. I could still taste him, still feel him between my legs, but the moment was changing. The Alpha was coming back, replacing the man who’d just fucked me

senseless.

“I didn’t come here just to fuck you,” he said finally.

“I figured.” I gathered my hair back, twisting it into a messy knot. “You don’t usually look for me yourself unless you want something.”

His jaw tightened slightly at that. Good. Let him feel that.

“There’s a rogue wolf,” he said after a moment. “It’s been seen near our eastern border several times this

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CHAPTER 53

week. My trackers can’t find it.”

My interest sparked despite myself. “A lone wolf?”

“Seems that way. Smart enough to avoid my best scouts.”

“And you want me to track it.”

+25 Points

It wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway. “I saw you fight. Your instincts are… exceptional. If anyone can

find this rogue, it’s you.”

Coming from him, that was high praise. I thought about his offer and what it meant. He was trusting me with something important, something his own people failed at.

“I’ll find your rogue,” I said finally. “But I want something in return.”

His expression sharpened. “What?”

“Information.”

“About what?”

I stepped closer, close enough to feel his breath on my face. “About why you drugged me before the fight with Alpha Ronan.”

The air between us filled with tension. He stood straighter, his Alpha instincts not liking the challenge.

“You know why,” he said carefully. “Strategy. I needed Ronan to think he’d won.”

“No.” I shook my head. “That’s not all of it. There’s more you’re not telling me.”

He looked at me for a long moment, thinking about what to say. “Ronan and Jaden have history. Bad

blood.”

“I figured that much. What kind of history?”

“Land fights. Pack politics.” He paused. “And personal grudges. Ronan’s father died in a fight with Shadowcrest Pack about fifteen years ago. Jaden’s father was Alpha then.”

I took in this information, adding it to what I already suspected. The moment Darius said I’d be fighting two alphas, I did a thorough research on them, digging up every dirt I could lay my hands on. Knowledge keeps you alive, they say and it did.

Had I not done tha, I wouldn’t have known Alpha Ronan was the perfect pawn in my game to destroy Jaden. But no matter what, this information was for me alone.

“So you used me to what? Give Alpha Ronan a fake win? Make him think he’d beaten someone from Jaden’s territory?” I pushed, feigning curiosity.

Although I knew a lot about Alpha Ronan, I had no idea why Darius would drug me.

“Yes. And no.” Darius’s gaze was steady. “I needed to see what Ronan would do with an advantage. How

far he’d push it.”

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“And did you get your answer?”

“I’m still figuring that out.”

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I let that sit between us for a moment, turning the pieces in my mind. There was still something missing, something he wasn’t saying.

“That’s not all,” I said. “You risked valuable land for this little test. The western ridge is worth more than whatever information you got from watching Ronan fight me.”

His lips curved slightly. “You’re right.”

I waited, but he didn’t say more.

“Tell me why you really drugged me,” I demanded.

The smile disappeared. His eyes locked with mine, searching, thinking. Finally, he spoke.

“You’re dangerous, Clara.”

That wasn’t what I expected. “Dangerous how?”

“You took down my entire elite force. One after another. No normal wolf could do that, especially not one with your… background.”

I stiffened. “What do you know about my background?”

“Not enough besides your old pack wanting you dead,” he admitted. “And that worries me. I needed to see how you’d react under pressure. Whether the ketamine would affect you like it should.”

“And what did you learn?” I asked, keeping my voice calm even as my heart raced.

His hand came up to touch my face, thumb tracing my lower lip. “That you’re even more dangerous than I thought. And far more valuable.”

I pulled back from his touch. “So the drug was a test.”

“Yes.”

“And did I pass?”

“Incredibly well.” His eyes shone with something like pride. “You should have passed out within minutes of taking that dose. Instead, you fought Ronan almost to a tie and then faked fainting perfectly.”

I thought about this, feeling it sink in my stomach like stones. Darius had been testing me from the beginning. Watching, analyzing, judging my worth to him and his pack.

Just like Jaden had.

Just like everyone always did.

To these men, I’d always be…

Taking a deep breath, I shook off the negative thought.

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+25 Points

“I’ll find your rogue wolf,” I said, my voice cooler now. “But when I get back, I want the full truth. No more games. No more tests.”

He looked at me for a long moment. “You think there’s some bigger truth I’m hiding from you.”

“There is,” I said confidently. “You wouldn’t have risked the western ridge just to test how I handle ketamine. You wouldn’t care this much about my past unless you suspected something specific.” I stepped closer again, meeting his eyes directly. “What are you not telling me, Darius?”

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