Page 32 of Rejected By the Alpha

“Be good,” he said, then disappeared down the hallway.

When he left the house, I grabbed all my art supplies and hurried into the backyard to start on my custom piece. I didn’t get many that often anymore. I couldn’t keep up with all the marketing and business side of stuff.

But I loved doing art pieces.

After I set up and started on the piece, I spotted the foxes from yesterday scurrying around the yard, eyeing me up. Whenever they were comfortable, they began pouncing on each other and running closer.

Once the background was finished, I started on the wolf.

While he might’ve been an asshat, Davix’s wolf was actually … very pretty. Thick black fur. Piercing golden eyes. Large, thick canines. I shivered. Imagine what he could do to me with them …

Heat exploded between my thighs, and I bit back a giggle.

After a moment, I cleared my throat. Obviously nothing. I didn’t like him like that.

Obviously.

“What are you doing?” someone asked from right over my shoulder.

I screamed and jumped up, spilling the dirty paint water by my feet.

Hazel stood behind me, giggling behind her hand. “Sorry. I thought you’d heard me.”

“Oh my God,” I said, hand over my heart.

I thought I was being taken by the Grim Reaper right here and right now. Jesus.

“Is that a wolf?” she asked, staring wide-eyed at my painting. “He looks familiar.”

After steadying my breathing, I stood beside Hazel and stared at the painting. “How’d you know it was a he?”

She smirked. “I just know. Anyway, why are you painting a wolf?”

“It’s a custom piece,” I said.

“For who? Davix?”

I scrunched my nose. “Ew, no.”

But it was his wolf, and I wondered if …

Nerves bubbled up in the pit of my stomach. “Do you think werewolves are real?”

Hazel widened her eyes, mouth open ajar. “Why do you … think that?”

“This might sound crazy … but … I think I saw one.”

“Who?”

“Your brother.”

We both stared at each other for a couple of moments in silence. My heart pounded so loudly that I could hear it in my ears. She shifted on her feet, glancing out into the forest. I set the paintbrush down.

“Is that why you have a mark on your neck?” I asked, looking down at the scar on her neck. It kinda looked like the one that Cade had and a couple of the other people I had seen in Black Hollows. “Are you one too?”

Wait, does that mean Cade is a werewolf too?

Hazel nodded. “Yes, I have a wolf.”