Todos os capítulos de Rejected by the Alpha, Chosen by the King: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 19

The Highland air was cold. That was the first thing that hit me properly when the heavy doors of the hall closed behind me. Cold and dark and very quiet compared to the warm noise I had just walked out of. I stood on the stone steps for a second, letting the night air settle around me and waiting for my heart to stop beating quite so fast. The adrenaline was still there but fading. Replaced by the particular feeling of someone who had said exactly what they meant and was now standing in the consequences of it. I looked around. No car. Right. The driver had dropped me off and been told to come back later. I had not exactly planned on leaving two hours early when I got dressed this evening. I spotted a young pack member near the entrance who had been directing arrivals earlier. I walked over, kept my voice completely normal, and asked if someone could let the driver know I was ready to leave. He looked slightly surprised, probably because the gathering was still very much happenin

Isla had a date. She had been getting ready for approximately two hours which I knew because I had heard the hair dryer, then music, then the hair dryer again, then the very specific sound of someone who had changed their outfit at least three times. She came out of the bathroom looking genuinely lovely in a dark green dress and immediately asked if I was okay being alone tonight. "I have been alone before Isla," I said from the couch. "I know but…" "Go on your date." "You sure?" "Isla. Go." She went, but not before squeezing my shoulder on the way out in that way that meant she was thinking about Saturday night and not saying anything about it. I appreciated that more than I could say. The flat was quiet after she left. I made tea. Sat on the couch. Stared at the ceiling for a while. Outside, the Edinburgh sky was doing its grey quiet thing, not raining, not sunny, just practically there. I was fine. Completely fine. I picked up my phone and called someone who I really m

The rain did not stop.I could hear it from the lab , heavy and relentless, the wind picking up every now and then just to remind everyone it was still there. The road outside was completely gone. The car park lights were the only things visible and even those were blurry through the water on the glass.I had been back at my desk for about thirty minutes. My report was almost done , two more sections and I could send it and go home tomorrow and forget about it. The fact that Kael Dravos was in the break room down the hall was something I was not thinking about.I focused on my screen. Down the hall Kael was on his third call.Cole had been first. Short and practical ,he was not making it back tonight, road conditions were bad, he would update in the morning. Cole said fine in the voice of someone who was not surprised and had already sorted everything.Lyra was second."You're where?" she said."Glenfield Health Center."A pause. "The health center.""Yes.""Where Ela

He had four missed calls from Cole the next morning.Cole had stopped calling after Kael texted him at midnight to say he was stuck at the health center and would update in the morning. Cole had replied with a single okay and that had been that. Four calls from this morning meant pack business that needed attention, not concern about his whereabouts.Kael pulled into the Blackstone grounds just after eight.Cole was at the top of the steps with a folder already in hand and the expression of a man who had a list and intended to get through it."Welcome back," Cole said."What happened?" Kael said.They went inside.It was not a long update. Two pack decisions that Cole had handled overnight, Kael confirmed after hearing the details. A report that had come in at eleven that needed Kael's eyes on it. A border patrol incident on the northern edge of the territory that had been resolved by morning but was worth knowing about. Cole closed his folder when he was done. "The

It was almost seven when I heard it.I had packed up for the day, coat already on, bag over my shoulder, keys in hand. Margaret had left a few minutes ago. Dr Harlow had left at six. The health center was quiet and I was the last one to leave. I was already trying to open my car when I heard it. Low and pained. Coming from the direction of the tree line at the edge of the field. The kind of sound that something made when it was trying very hard not to make any sound at all and failing.I told myself it was probably an animal. A fox maybe. Something that had gotten hurt in the forest.I went to check because apparently I don't like minding my own business .I grabbed my torch from my bag and walked to where the sound was coming from. The field stretched out in front of me, dark and quiet, the tree line about a few meters away. I swept the torch across the grass.There.At the very edge of the trees , half in, half out, like whatever it was, had been trying to reach the li