Rejected (Shadow Beast Shifters, #1)(74)

“No!” I cried, trying to jerk my head away, but he held me, forcing his energy into me. Forcing his power to mingle with mine. Forcing me in a way that no woman—or man—should ever be forced.

My knee jerked up in an attempt to hurt him, but whatever I hit wasn’t enough to stop him.

So I bit him. As hard as I could, teeth tearing into his lips with force as blood spurted in my mouth. With a growl, Torin shoved me back, his face thunderous and brows furrowed. “What the fuck, Mera? We’re true mates! You belong to me… What the hell is wrong with you?”

What was wrong with me? WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?

“You’re as delusional as your father,” I growled. “And I belong to no one.”

The grekins had disappeared at this point, leaving just Torin and me in the Torma grounds.

“You’ll learn,” he said, not even trying to hide his narcissism. “I’ve come a long way in the year you’ve been gone, Mera, and the one thing I have figured out is that a shifter is stronger with his true mate.”

A derisive laugh escaped, and I licked at my dry lips, still tasting his blood. “I’m not a trophy to be carted around in the hopes I’ll increase your power.”

He moved toward me, his hands out to grasp my face, but this time, I saw him coming, sidestepping and kicking my leg out to knock him down. If he hadn’t been so focused on kissing me again, he would have seen that move and avoided it. Dick-brain was a man’s fatal flaw.

“I belong to no one,” I hissed as he sprawled on the ground. “I rejec—”

My words to try to sever our bond were cut off by Shadow’s roar, and no lie, it was a relief to know he was fine and could get me the fuck away from Torin. My previous plan of trying to escape and see how far I’d get would definitely have to wait another day. Since apparently, my true mate had now decided he wanted to claim his trophy-mate.

“Shadow,” Torin breathed, looking both panicked and furious. “That’s who you were calling out for? The fucking Shadow Beast?”

With a smirk, I leaned in closer. “I’d take him over you any day, Torin.”

He tried to grab me again, but Shadow was there now, a glorious sight as his flames filled the field with heat.

And who would have ever thought I’d be so relieved to see that giant, scary asshole.

Beasting out, Shadow slammed a single palm against the alpha’s chest, sending Torin flying across the field. A dark satisfaction filled me; stupid asshole deserved that and so much more.

Despite the mortal danger of taking on Shadow—he’d seen this beast destroy his father with barely more than a thought—Torin didn’t hesitate to get back to his feet and try to attack. A bravery I’d normally admire, but in this case, I’d just slot him into the too stupid to live category.

“You can’t have her, beast,” he shouted. “I’m her true mate and I will not release her to you.”

Shadow was furious, his flames growing as his height shot up taller than I’d ever seen. He moved so he was firmly planted between me and Torin, and at the current height, I was all but staring at his ass.

“Shadow,” I murmured, placing my hand on his lower back. Heat engulfed my palm, but it didn’t burn me—I was not Shadow’s target today. “Let’s just go. He’s not worth it. We have the creatures to worry about.”

He ignored me, and this time, there was a small zap of electricity down my arm, a warning to get my hand off him. So I did.

“You can’t ignore the laws you laid down at the creation of shifters!” Torin shouted more bullshit.

I tried to see around Shadow, to determine where the alpha asshole was, but every time I moved, Shadow was somehow still blocking me completely from sight.

“As easily as I created your kind, it would be just as easy to destroy you,” Shadow rumbled.

Torin’s laughter sounded light, but I’d known him for enough years to know he was far from relaxed. “See, I don’t think that’s strictly true. I’ve been doing some research over this past year, and it turns out that we’re now an important part of the power structure of both this world and… of you.

Without shifters, you would not be rocking the current level of energy you’ve grown accustomed to.”

Heat flowed from Shadow with an intensity that told me he was a bee’s dick from losing it completely. “Whom have you been speaking to?” he asked. “There’s no way that knowledge is written anywhere in Earth tomes or scripts.”

Torin chuckled again. “Yeah, see, we have a mutual friend in common. She’s been to your world.

She’s been to a lot of worlds, wandering around, and it didn’t take much persuasion to convince her to spill some of your secrets.”

Wandering. Dannie was a wanderer. That was what she’d always called herself.

This time, I didn’t bother to take it slow, throwing myself to the side so I could get around Shadow. “If you’ve hurt her, Torin,” I shouted, my voice changing as my wolf got involved, “I will kill you.”

Torin’s eyes met mine, and it was the first time we’d really stared at each other since he’d started trying to chase me down. “Come home with me, Mera, and I’ll make sure Dannie comes to no more harm.”

My limbs trembled, and as heat burned through me, I wondered if any of that was from me, or was it all Shadow’s fire? He was all but pressed against my spine.