18. Rejection

*I belong to no one but myself*, Sona wanted to snap, but she was shoved by the innkeeper into the Epsilon’s chest, who spun her around into the hallway. She shouted for Arden and he shouted for her, but what good did that do? Shifting into their wolf forms would do nothing but cause chaos and spill blood. If they wanted to escape Redbone territory, they had to be smart about their actions. Unfortunately, that included complying. 
“I know how to walk,” she snapped at the Epsilon. He just grunted as she descended the stairs and ended up back on the street. The late afternoon sun limned the massive male body standing mere feet away. 
“Trinket,” Taos purred with a fanged smile as he closed the space between them in two strides. Sona took a hasty step back only to bump into the Epsilon, who growled. Suddenly the smile was a snarl. “Do that again and you’ll lose your throat.”
Sona wasn’t sure who quailed more. But the Epsilon had the choice of dipping his head and backing off. She did not, and forced herself to remain still even when Taos was a mere two feet away from her. At least he smelled tolerable now, though still like fur and dust and blood. If she inhaled deeper…something more appealing.
Mentally she shook her head violently. *No. Don’t look for anything redeeming. Especially not how*…
How fucking majestic Taos Redbone looked.  
He’d changed into garb worthy of an Alpha leader. Tight black trousers that sat on his hips, uncovered by his lack of shirt, and a white-furred pelt slung over his shoulders and held into place by the four-tiered chains of thin rope strung with small bones and skulls. The highest tier, however, supported the skull of a young stag—rather small, with sharp nubs where antlers started to grow—resting just below his collarbone. Was it some kind of trophy? More bones encircled his right forearm and left bicep. His deep red hair, previously unkempt, was slicked back on the top, revealing a close shave on either side. 
And that lack of shirt? It fully displayed each and every scar. Sona hadn’t looked too closely before in the bathhouse, but now that he was so close, she was drawn to them—as a curious healer, she reminded herself. 
Thick and thin, some ropey, others mere nicks. The biggest ones were hard to miss. Across his ribs diagonally were three slash marks from a clean swipe of a clawed paw; the other was a vicious bite mark over his left shoulder as if his opponent clamped their jaws into his flesh and held fast. 
If Taos really expected her to fix his scars, that one would take some reworking.
A savage king. A barbaric tyrant. That was all he was. Just a bloody, cocky, grinning bastard.
“Do you enjoy the sight of me, trinket?” Taos rumbled.
Sona averted her gaze. “The skulls are morbid.”
“Really?” He sounded genuinely confused. “You aren’t attracted to me?”
“Because of them? No.”
“Hm. Wearing the bones of our catches exhibits our prowess and skill.”
Her gaze snapped back to glare. “Any werewolf’s catches are for our survival and not glory. Killing is non-celebratory.”
His dark brows furrowed deeper. “Not in Moonvalley or Goldwater perhaps, trinket, but in Redbone, we value the talent gifted by our gods. So quick to judge, tsk tsk.” Taos’ lips curved upward when she bit the inside of her cheek in shame. “I fault you not, healer. It will take time for you to adjust. Plenty of time to look me over whenever you’d like.”
“I didn’t—”
The Alpha leaned in close enough for Sona to see the flecks of gray in his irises. When he spoke, she watched his lips. “I know what admiration looks like on a hungry wolf, Sona Mai,” he murmured. “Don’t you see mine?”
Sona couldn’t have said what her body’s true response was. She’d only just cheated on her mate. She was mateless for a mere day. Sooner or later she would have to accept she no longer felt romantic or sexual feelings for Conri. When she and Arden made rough love, her body yearned for his. She loved her oldest friend…but was she in love with him?
Either way, Taos was not in question.
Sona stopped him from coming closer with a hand to his chest—reflex. His smile broadened further and she retracted it quickly. “You’re a sycophant.”
“I grant few compliments to anyone, trinket,” he said, stepping back. “You are special. Let’s get to work, shall we?”
She broke into a walk before she could be shoved. Taos kept his stride short to accommodate hers as he led her down the decrepit street. Werewolves—some in their base form, others their wolf—looking worse for wear walked by as if in dazes. And Taos ignored their bleary gazes his way as if hoping he would simply notice them. But he was totally oblivious, pointing out the shops around them as if a cheery tour was appropriate. Beyond the stench of many things at once, Sona strained her nose to scent for wolfsbane—sure enough, every wolf she passed had a trace. 
Every time she tried to drift toward one, the Epsilon hauled her away.
“Don’t worry about them yet, healer,” Taos called without looking back. “We’re on our way to work on a cure. Ah, here we are. Would you like anything from the trinket shop, trinket?” he asked as he stopped at a dismal kiosk selling accessories and such by a grizzled elder. 
Sona granted an ounce of attention; all that was being sold was crude, red, and bone-related, and she didn’t want to know about the wolf pelts. Surely some were fabricated from shed fur, but if Redbone was as ruthless as Sona knew, at least one had to be…skinned.
Why would they want to flaunt other wolves’ fur as fashion?
A glimmer of gold caught her eye. She picked up the little decorative egg despite knowing it wasn’t Goldwater. It was light; when she set it back, gold dust came off her fingertips. She shot another glare at Taos. “I want nothing but to heal your wolves and leave.” 
“Oh,” he crooned, “I know you want much more. A letter to Grayhide, I hear? I can send something more impactful than a request for a piece of paper.” 
“No violence,” she added quickly.
“Of course not. I’ll just return that body with my own paper message.”
It was all so wrong. But she had to comply to get what she wanted. “Fine.” 
“Great. It’s already done.”
Behind her, the Epsilon thrust a letter at Sona. She snatched it when she saw Conri’s handwriting. “What is this?”
“I sent a letter. He sent one back.”
*I won’t bargain with an enemy of Moonvalley or Leto, much less a Redbone himself. Artem and Amaris Roshan are dead, Arden Roshan is a fugitive, and as Gamma, I, Conri Grayhide, will act as Alpha until determined otherwise. With the Moonvalley pack in chaos, it is my duty to restore order. Bargaining with you is, unfortunately, low on my priority list.* 
*Regarding former Beta Arden Roshan, if he is found, return him at your leisure. He is ill-equipped to reinstate order within Moonvalley.* 
*Regarding the Goldwater healer Sona Mai, she is being held responsible for the former Alpha and Luna’s death. Whether in Moonvalley or her birth pack, Goldwater, she will face trial and judgment, which, if tried, will be sentenced to death by death, in this particular case being a poison yet to be determined. Even with my power and influence, I cannot offer pardon. She no longer has custody of her son nor permission to see her grandfather, Auryn Mai.*
*Lastly, whether Sona Mai is able to read this or not, relay this message: she and I are no longer soulmates, and I no longer feel the presence of her piece fitting into my soul. I reject her as a mate*.