Rejected Warrior Book 3

RILEY

It’s been days since our fight, and this evening he just goes straight to his room while I go to mine.

I grab a blanket to sit in the chair and just look out to the treeline. I sit there, tracing my finger along the window when I feel a sharp pain in my chest.

I can feel that Jonah is near, but I just don’t care anymore. I just watch when I see him appear in the treeline. He knows he cannot talk to me or interfere for another year.

I just see him watch me when the tears start, and I just turn to look away. The pain and sorrow I feel for trying too hard with Jack to just be shunned away.

I know he can feel the pain I am feeling, and he takes it away. There’s no pain in my chest or my heart.

I just feel calm.

I can hear screaming, and soon my door bursts open with Theo and Michael running in. Michael gets down on my level, looking at me and can see I have been crying.

“Was Jonah here, Riley? Did he contact you? Where is Jack?”

“Yes, he was here in the treeline. No, he didn’t contact me, but he did take away my pain for me. I have no clue where Jack is, and don’t fucking care anymore.”

“Michael, you stay here with Riley, I think I know where Jack is!”

***

THEO

I have a good idea of where he is, and I mind link Morax and Argon to meet me at the pub. When I get there, they look at me confused.

When I open the doors, I see Jack passed out drunk, sleeping on the table. Aaron just points, shrugging his shoulders.

I look behind the bar for a pail and fill it with ice-cold water. Even added ice in it for extra measure. I walk over and dump it down on Jack when he jumps up, bracing himself with the table.

“What the fuck was that for!”

“Well, while you were here getting shit-faced, our enemy was comforting your mate. And you know what she said? She said she didn’t care anymore! What the fuck is your problem, Jack!”

“Look Theo, there is shit going on you don’t know about!”

“Then why not fill us all in?”

“Look Theo, we didn’t want to say anything because of what a big deal this is. Only Jack, Michael, and I know what is going on.”

“Jack was never supposed to survive getting rid of Kyro. Except we needed him to stay alive to have the boys.”

So we sent Kane to replace Kyro for the time being. Except Kane was never supposed to be here in the first place.

I had to get permission from Michael to do this to keep the plans moving along. Now his time is coming to an end. When the battle comes, he will not survive.

He is trying to help with the transition to ease the pain for Riley, but he’s doing a shitty job of it.” Morax explained.

I just sit down in a chair, looking at Morax like his head just rotated in a full circle.

How could they keep this shit from us, let alone Riley of all people? To keep her in the dark while she is treated like shit will not be tolerated in this palace.

If he wants to start easing things, then fine. They need to figure out what will happen after.

“Does Cora know? What will happen afterwards? Once Jack is gone, then what?”

“No, Cora doesn’t know. We were hoping to keep it a secret till it happened so the transition would be quick. Once he is gone, then Riley will be able to be mated to whoever.”

“Except you obviously forgot one thing! She is already mated to Jonah. So, unless he dies before Jack, once Jack is gone, then the bond with Jonah solidifies.”

“She then will go through a mate bond breaking with Jack, then again with Jonah? Couldn’t that kill her?”

Jack looks up at Morax when he starts to turn pale.

Yeah, someone obviously didn’t think this shit through, did they!

Morax now sits down, saying something, and soon Michael appears. Morax directs him to sit down, and when he does, he looks at Jack and is instantly pissed off.

“Your fucking mate is up there not giving a shit what happens to her, and you’re here, shit-faced, not giving a care? Fucking hell, Stern, get your shit together!” Michael yelled.

“We have a problem, Michael! One we didn’t even think of. Once Jack is gone, Riley already has another bond with Jonah.”

“If both die, then she won't survive. Now how do we transfer a bond before the other has a chance to take over?”

I look over at Michael when he stands up and steps away, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Obviously, he didn’t think this through either. Or no one had planned for this to happen, and since the wheels were already turning, no one was watching the road.

“I can’t do this, Morax!” Michael whispered.

“Michael, is there a way to fix this or will she die as well? Only you know the answer to this!”

“There is a way, Morax, but I can’t! I already made this decision!”

“Then you better unmake it! Riley cannot pay with her life for unknowingly being in the middle! What can you do to fix this, Michael!”

“Michael, please, if there is a way, I will do anything to have this work for Riley!” Jack added in.

I see Michael turn around, and we all just wait in anticipation for him to state what needs to happen.

“When the time comes, Jack will know when it’s getting close. There is a way to transfer a bond.”

“In that transfer, it will break all previous bonds, and that one will only remain. Except it has to be done at the same time of her rejection.”

“Jack would have to stand there and reject her at the same time she is making a bond with someone else.”

“There is only one person who can cause this to happen, and in doing so, Jack will take their place, and live,” Michael stated softly.

“Okay, great, where do we find this person?” I asked.

“You’re looking at him!” Michael responded.