Page 139 of Rejected By the Alpha

“I don’t want to hear it,” Silas said. “You’re an alpha. Mark her.”

“I just rejected her this morning,” I said. “She’s not going to want me to⁠—”

“If it’s the only way to keep her alive,” Silas said, “then mark her. She’ll forgive you.”

Laughter from inside the packhouse drifted out into the backyard. I straightened my shoulders and nodded. I knew I had to do this; I knew Ember would hate me for it, but I knew it would keep her alive.

Even for a bit longer.

“I’ll find Pavel,” Silas said. “And Dr. Yoder.”

“And Lilliana? She can’t be at the packhouse.”

“I’ll get Matt to keep an eye on her and Hazel elsewhere.”

After another curt nod, I stepped back into the packhouse. Both Lilliana and Hazel looked over at me.

“Get out,” I said through my teeth. “Get out of my packhouse right now. Off my property.”

“Stop being such a dick,” Hazel said, standing between us. “What is wrong with you?!”

“What is wrong is, that bitch you brought home is a fucking zombie.”

Hazel smacked me across the cheek. “She’s not a bitch. She’s our sister!”

“Our sister is dead, Hazel! Fucking dead!”

Hazel’s canines grew past her lips, and she pressed a claw into my chest, as if she could take on an alpha, as if my orders wouldn’t make her sit right back down if I wanted to use them on her. She was weak compared to me, and I wasn’t going to let her guilt me into this.

“Get out of my packhouse,” I growled at Lilliana, then peered at Hazel. “You too.”

Hazel looked between me and Silas, then back, shaking her head. “You’re not … you’re not serious.”

“If you want to keep protecting her, then get out. Off my property and out of my pack.”

She returned her gaze to Silas. “Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Davix is your alpha. Don’t disobey him, Hazel.”

Fire burned in her eyes. “Are you fucking serious, Silas?!”

“Don’t make me use my alpha command on you, Hazel,” I growled. “I will.”

“You won’t,” Lilliana said. “You’ve never used it on us.”

“Get out of my packhouse,” I commanded.

Hazel’s self-determination disappeared, and she walked to the door, though I could tell she didn’t want to. But Lilliana stayed planted, her eyes showing just as much fire, if not more than Hazel’s once had.

Goddess, she wasn’t restrained by an alpha command anymore …

Or else … she was strong enough to resist it altogether.

“Don’t leave, Hazel,” she commanded Hazel, and Hazel actually stopped.

Pain covered Hazel’s face, as if she was physically being pulled in two separate directions. What the fuck was this? How the hell did she have the power to stop Hazel in her tracks, to command her back?

“Get out, Hazel,” I commanded again. “Now.”