Series: Unforgiven Country Series by Jenika Snow
Total pages in book: 13
Estimated words: 11952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 60(@200wpm)___ 48(@250wpm)___ 40(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 11952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 60(@200wpm)___ 48(@250wpm)___ 40(@300wpm)
“My father and the pack are here,” I say softly and Colt is in front of me a second later, keeping his arm behind him and his hand on my waist.
“They want you, they’ll have to come through me, Jasinda, and that’s not going to fucking happen.”
8
COLT
“Jasinda, it’s time for you to come home. You’ve embarrassed your family long enough.”
I look at the older man who stepped out of the front vehicle. Even if he hadn’t spoken, I would have known he was Jasinda’s father. Their features are strikingly similar from the color of their hair and eyes to the shape of their faces. Although Jasinda is softer and beautiful, where her father comes off cold and hardened.
Then again, that’s usually how an Alpha is. She may look like him, but that is where the similarities end.
“You are trespassing on Unforgiven Territory,” I say in a deep growl.
“Are you the pack leader?” he asks, and that familiar burn returns, but if this scruff thinks the fact that I don’t rule my own pack will stop me from defending and claiming my mate, he needs to think again. I will not allow him to give my female to another man.
I’ll die first.
“I’m not.”
“Then you’re of no subsequence to me, pup,” he responds, waving me off and showing blatant disrespect.
“I am the pack leader of the Unforgiven.”
Wyatt steps out into the clearing, several of my brothers with him and they flank me, Wyatt standing tall beside me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, talking to him through our mind link, but staring straight at Jasinda’s father as his own men get out to gather around him.
“Your mate’s fear, along with your aggression, alerted the pack. You’ve claimed her. She is one of ours now and we’ll protect her no matter what.”
Wyatt’s words ring in my head and cause a burning in my chest. It’s been a while since I felt a part of my own pack. The fact that despite our issues, Wyatt has shown up now means a hell of a lot.
“Jasinda belongs to me now,” I tell her father, and I see his expression grow even harder.
“Daughter, let’s go,” he orders without responding to what I said.
I feel the quiver of fear that runs through her, but she beats it down. She moves from behind me and faces her father, her shoulders pulled back, her chin tipped up in defiance.
“My place is here with Colt now. We’re mated.”
“You’re promised to Stark,” her father says in response, his voice laced with anger.
“As Alpha of the Unforgiven and ruler of this territory, I’m ordering you to leave. Jasinda has chosen her mate’s clan over you and she is now under our protection,” Wyatt declares and something else slips back in place. Something that has been missing for a long time. I feel part of my brothers again. I feel my link with my Alpha slowly thread back together. “Under shifter fate and law, when a mating and claiming has occurred, there is no discussion of fighting. It’s set in stone. You have no power in these parts, and I’m demanding you leave.”
“She’s my daughter,” he growls.
“She’s my mate. I won’t let her go. She belongs with me now.”
“She’s been promised to me. I have claim to her,” another male says, standing beside Jasinda’s father, his face a mask of anger.
My wolf growls and I feel my eyes begin to change as my vision sharpens. It’s all I can do to hold him back. I’m a hair’s breadth from shifting.
“Why do you want me, Stark? We’re not in love. I’ve found my one true mate. You should be happy for me. I hope that one day you’ll find your mate, too,” Jasinda says and I snarl. I don’t like my mate talking to another male. I smell the want he has for her. He may not be her mate, but he covets what’s mine.
He reeks of envy.
“You were promised to me, as well as being Alpha of your clan one day. I will not step aside for that, Jasinda.”
“I’m mated. That can’t be undone.”
“But it can. If I kill your male, the bond will be broken.”
“No! I won’t let you harm him,” Jasinda growls.
“What say you, Beta?” Stark snarls, thinking his use of words degrades me. He wishes to mock me and have me react in anger, make myself vulnerable.
He doesn’t realize that Jasinda is much too important for me to be stupid. He’ll soon find that out, though.
“Wyatt, protect my woman, please.” I reach out to him in my mind. I ask him in a way that I thought I never would again. The word please does not come easy to a strong shifter, and it shouldn’t.
But my mate is all that matters. I need to make sure she’s safe.
“Kendra,” Wyatt calls out and I sense Kendra behind me, her arms going around Jasinda.