The Rejected Mate novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: The Line

The border between Ironwood and Stormvale was a shallow creek with a stone footbridge.

By one in the morning Willa was standing on the Stormvale end of it.

Kirk had caught her in the yard in her nightdress and boots.

He had looked at her face, said a word she had not known he knew, and put on a coat.

"I'll stay back at the trees," he said. "If you want me, say my name once."

"I won't want you."

"Say it anyway."

She walked down the path alone.

The howl had stopped by then, and in its place she heard someone panting, hard and wet.

A big dark-grey wolf stood in the creek on the Ironwood side with water streaming off his legs.

He lifted his head when she came out onto the stones.

His eyes were hazel, and she knew them.

The wolf shuddered, and bones slid and fur pulled back, and Caelen went down on one knee in the water with nothing on but a pair of torn trousers.

Sweat ran down his face.

His skin was grey under the moon, and his breath rattled.

"I'm not asking to cross," he said. "I know I can't. I only needed to see you."

"You look terrible."

"It's worse when you're far away."

He tried to laugh and coughed.

Willa walked out to the middle of the bridge.

He rose on shaking legs and came to the far end, and only the width of the creek lay between their hands.

"How long have you been out here?"

"Since the rite. They locked me in the east wing. I went out the window."

His eyes searched her face.

"Willa, I'm sorry. I said it, I said every word, and you were the only one who..."

"Why did you?"

"My father gave me the order."

"I saw. I saw you do it. Why didn't you break it?"

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