The Rejected daughter chosen by the Alpha (Maya and Atila) novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48

– MAYA

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1 froze for a moment, trying to pull my thoughts together, when Cassian finally stepped closer. He was watching me too intently, as if he were counting each breath I took.

Are you okay? Are you hurt? How did you get here?” The questions came fast, stacked one after the other, heavy with

concern.

I blinked a few times, my body still tense, alert. “I-I’m fine.” I ran my hand down my arm, checking for injuries that weren’t here. “I… got lost in the forest and then…” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “Then I found help.”

He tilted his head, suspicion flickering across his face. “Wait. So it wasn’t your sisters who caused you to disappear?”

What?” I frowned, too surprised to pretend otherwise. “How do you know about that?”

All three of them confessed to Átila.”

My stomach tightened. So he already knew. He’d heard everything. Cassian went on, almost as if he were piecing the story ogether out loud.

They said they threw you into an abandoned well deep in the forest. We went there with them, but you weren’t there nymore.”

Those unsettling blue eyes stayed on me, waiting for an answer I wasn’t sure I should give. The silence stretched until he poke again.

How did you get out on your own? Did someone from the area find you?”

swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes. That’s what happened. A family who lives nearby found me and took care of me for a while.” I took a breath before adding, “Recently, I managed to get a job here at the farm.”

Cassian didn’t reply right away. His gaze traveled over my face, my posture, as if searching for something that didn’t quite it. “Can you tell me the last name of the family who found you?”

stayed quiet a second too long. My heart pounded. “They… prefer not to get involved,” I said, sidestepping the question. Then I lifted my eyes to his. “But tell me something-what are you doing here? You said this is your home. Do you work iere too?”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden change of subject. He glanced around, rubbed the top of his head in an

lmost shy gesture. “Actually… I’m the owners’ son.”

‘So you’re a Stone?”

‘Exactly.” He smiled with his eyes-open, calm.

“Oh.” The word slipped out before I could stop it.

‘You didn’t like finding that out?” he asked, curious rather than offended.

“That’s not it.” I shook my head slowly. “I just don’t want my employers knowing too much about my past.”

He fell silent again, weighing something internally. Then his voice softened. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell my parents anything.” A brief pause. “You can trust me.”

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5:17 pm P W M M

Chapter 48

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A quiet wave of relief moved through my chest. “Thank you.” I took a breath, then gathered my courage. “Can I ask you one more favor?”

“Of course. What is it?”

1 bit the corner of my lip. “Could you also keep my whereabouts a secret? I don’t want Átila to know where I am.”

His expression changed instantly. “Why?” He stepped closer. “You don’t like him? Or did he…” His voice dropped. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.” The word came out too quickly. “Of course not.” I shook my head firmly. “Atila and I have a history. Something… almost inevitable.” I swallowed. “I just want time. Time to put my life in order. I want to meet him again when I don’t need him for anything.” I exhaled. “I want to be proud of myself. And I want him to be proud of me too.”

Cassian didn’t speak right away. The wind moved through the garden, rustling the trees. He seemed to choose his words carefully.

“All right,” he said at last. “I’ll keep your secret. But can I give you my opinion?”

“Yes. Of course.”

‘We wolves don’t care much about status or titles,” he said easily, as if stating a simple truth. “To real men, what matters is who a woman is-not what she does for a living or how much money she makes.” He gestured lightly with one hand. “A woman is like a flower. She should be cherished and protected. That’s how I see it. And I’m sure Atila sees it much the same way.”

I let his words sink in. There was something beautiful there, even if it wasn’t exactly what I needed to hear right now. “Thank you for saying that.” I gave a small smile. “But I’d rather keep things quiet for now. Just for a while. It won’t be forever.”

He nodded and smiled back, gentle and calm. That familiar serenity surrounded him-the same calm I used to feel whenever I saw him roaming near my family’s old home, in his wolf form.

But what were you doing in the stable?” he asked, changing the subject.

My hand flew to my mouth. Heat rushed to my cheeks as the image of Ayla mating with the groundskeeper flashed through ny mind.

‘Oh my God.”

What?” Cassian frowned.

‘If you’re the Stones’ son…” I hesitated. “Then you saw your sister… Ayla…”

His face turned red in a way that was almost painful to witness. He looked away before answering. “Let’s just say my sister can be a little reckless.”

‘It’s okay.” I nodded, trying to sound calmer than I felt. “I was just surprised. I mean… sex is natural, right?”

He held my gaze a second longer than necessary, as if a silent question passed between us. Natural… so have you ever…

The thought seemed to hang in the air.

I blushed instantly. “I mean… that’s what people say…” My voice came out smaller than intended.

Cassian cleared his throat, visibly regaining his composure. “Yes. Sex is natural. You’re right”

An awkward silence followed-too heavy to stay on that subject.

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