Page 17 of Alpha's Rejected Warrior
That’s when Thea discovered that she was not human, but was in fact the so-called “hybrid” prophesied to save their pack from some big genocidal event. I let her tell this story, staying quiet for the most part, really just trying to digest it all.
She pauses after a while and looks at me carefully. “Sorry. I’m sure all of this sounds insane.”
“It’s a wild story” is all I can really say. “Who knew there was a whole werewolf society living somewhere outside of Creek Falls?”
She blinks, and I can tell that what I said doesn’t sit right. “Well,” she says, “it’s a bit more than that. It isn’t like Clarion is just down the road. It’s a whole other world. . .or dimension, I think.”
A whole other dimension?I let that one settle without trying to poke at it.
Thea continues, “The good news is that, for the moment, you’ve been allowed to stay.” She pauses. “The bad news is that I don’t know if that will be a permanent thing.”
I don’t like the way she hesitates when she says that. “Care to explain what that means?”
“It’s a matter of law. Humans are strictly prohibited from being in Clarion. You weren’t supposed to be brought here in the first place, but Rhiannon didn’t know what else to do. They were supposed to kill you the minute you discovered them in my apartment.”
The scratches on my neck start to itch a little. I think back to the moment when Rhiannon hesitated, when the big one stopped her with a photo of Thea and me. That’s why she was questioning my relationship to Thea.
“So, if I’m not supposed to be here, are they going to send me home?”
She shakes her head, and alarms go off in my mind.
“Thea, I’m thrilled that I get to see you and that I know you’re okay now, but I need to get back to my life at some point. They can’t keep me here.”
“Keeping you here is the best option of the two, right now.”
I study the remnants of all the food we’d just eaten. “So, the only other option is to kill me after all, isn’t it? Maybe not now, but eventually...”
She shakes her head quickly. “You’re special to me, and that means Xander is compelled to keep you alive. I’ll make sure it never comes to that. Even if I have to take on Rhiannon myself.”
Rhiannon. The beauty with a chip on her shoulder. My brain is pulled in a different direction. “She’s a big deal around here, huh?”
“Commander of the guard.” Thea’s eyes drift down to my bruised and clawed neck. “I hope she didn’t hurt you too badly.”
“Nothing a Tylenol and a good night’s rest won’t cure.” I pick over the crumbs on my plate as the details of Rhiannon’s face float to the forefront of my mind. Eyes like amber honey and a smoky stare, the kind that could trip a man up if he was caught in it. It’s weird how I’m inexplicably attracted to a woman that tried to kill me. “She seeing anybody?”
Thea raises her eyebrows and laughs. “Oh, no. Ethan. You— you aren’t serious, are you?”
“I mean, she’s a little aggressive. And I’mdefinitelynot her favorite person in the world at the moment. But it can’t hurt to ask, right? Maybe she’s got a shitty boyfriend and just needs somebody to treat her right.”
Thea quickly looks down at the remains of her sandwich.
Ah-ha. “Okay,” I say. “So there is a shitty boyfriend. Got it.”
“No.” Thea shakes her head and her voice seems tinged with sadness. “She’s single. As far as I know.”
“As far as you know? What does that mean?”
“It means you should stay away from her, Ethan.” Thea leans forward, her blue eyes suddenly serious. “Better yet, don’t hook up with any of them. Lycans aren’t like humans. They’re stronger, faster, and their emotions run hotter. Rhiannon could literally rip your head off if she wanted to.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Go on.”
“I’m not joking! She’s not exactly known for her patience or even temper. Everyone is terrified of her.”
“So what you’re saying is she’s powerful, passionate, and doesn’t take shit from anyone?” I grin. “That sounds incredibly sexy.”
Thea stares at me for a beat before breaking into laughter. I join in, and for a moment, it feels like we’re back at Cid’s Diner, gossiping during our break.
“You’re impossible,” she says, shaking her head.
