Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 21

Lisa's pov

The warmth of the sun barely touched my face before I felt Calla’s hand shaking me gently.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," she said in her usual sing-song tone.

I groaned and rolled over, hugging the blanket tighter. "What time is it?"

"Time to stop sleeping and start living," she chirped. I peeked one eye open, only to see her standing by the edge of my bed holding a folded stack of clothes.

She looked far too excited for someone awake this early.

"Calla, if this is another 'bond with the maids' activity, I swear I might faint on purpose," I mumbled.

She laughed. "You’ll like this one, I promise. Now up!"

I finally sat up, stretching my limbs like an old cat. "Alright, alright. I’m up. What’s with the clothes?"

"No questions. Just dress up. I picked this out myself." She laid the clothes beside me: a pair of dark blue palazzo jeans, a soft black turtleneck top, and a surprisingly sleek pair of black boots.

It looked... cool. Like something a confident, put-together girl would wear. Definitely not me, but hey, I wasn’t in the mood to argue with fashion.

She helped me get dressed, fussing over every detail. She tied my hair into a loose bun and even dabbed a little gloss on my lips.

"Okay, now you’re ready," she said proudly, stepping back to admire her work.

I raised a brow. "Ready for what exactly? Are we staging a coup? Because I don’t think I’m ready to be a revolutionary."

"No," she giggled, grabbing my hand. "It’s a surprise. Come on."

Before I could protest more, she dragged me out of the room, down the hallway, and straight out the pack house. The chilly morning air kissed my cheeks, and I tugged my sleeves down to cover my hands. I kept trying to guess what she was up to, but she refused to answer.

We made our way through a path I hadn’t explored before. The trees here were thicker, the scent of pine stronger. I could hear birds chirping and something that sounded suspiciously like a whinny.

My feet slowed as we turned a corner—and I stopped dead in my tracks.

A ranch.

A literal ranch.

Horses. Saddles. Hay bales. Girls laughing. The unmistakable smell of manure. It was like stepping into a storybook I never belonged in.

"Calla," I whispered, eyes wide. "Are those real horses?"

"No, they’re robotic spies," she teased. "Of course they’re real. Come on."

I stayed rooted. "Wait, I thought horses were like... reserved. For high-ranked wolves or warriors or something. Isn’t riding them against the rules? Won’t Alpha Enzo have me lashed for this?"

Calla gave me a look. "Relax. These horses are assigned to the members of the pack—especially those who help maintain the stables. It’s sort of a reward. We clean, we get to ride. Fun, right?"

"I... suppose." I looked around. The girls were already waving us over, and I noticed a few of them brushing the horses or tightening straps on saddles. Everything looked casual. Normal. Even joyful.

"Do I have to ride one?" I asked warily.

"Eventually, yes," she said, nudging me forward. "But don’t worry. We’ll train you first. I promise you’ll be riding like a pro in no time."

I seriously doubted that.

Still, I followed her over. One of the horses—a chestnut-colored one with a white patch on its forehead—was led forward by one of the other maids. She introduced herself as Mira. Not the healer Mira, a different one apparently. Mira-the-younger.

"This one’s named Clover," she said, patting the horse’s side. "Gentle as can be. Perfect for beginners."

I stood in front of Clover, staring into her dark eyes. She stared right back.

Calla leaned over. "She won’t bite. Probably."

I scowled. "You’re not helping."

She smiled and handed me the reins. "Let’s get you started."

The next hour was filled with instructions I barely understood, a lot of holding onto things I wasn’t sure were meant to be held, and a handful of near-stumbles. But eventually, I managed to climb onto Clover’s back and sit without falling off.

Victory.

Everyone clapped as if I’d just invented fire. I even cracked a smile.

"Look at you!" Calla said proudly. "Riding on your own."

"Barely," I said, gripping the saddle. "Feels like if I sneeze, I’ll be on the floor."

She was about to say something when a sudden sharp sound cracked through the air.

A stone.

I didn’t see it, but I heard it. It hit the ground near Clover’s feet—or maybe it grazed her. Either way, she reared up with a wild cry and bolted.

"Whoa! WHOA!" I screamed, clutching the reins. "SOMEONE HELP!"

The world blurred as Clover tore through the field, hooves pounding, wind screaming past my ears. I couldn’t even think. My body was in pure survival mode. I was barely holding on.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure running. Fast. Ridiculously fast. And then—

A thud. A loud, jarring stop.

Clover neighed as someone grabbed the bridle, pulling her to a halt. I was thrown forward slightly but managed to stay on. My heart was beating so fast I thought I’d pass out.

I looked down. I saw a dark and silver piercing running towards me.

Chest heaving, clothes covered in dirt, a shallow cut bleeding across his arm—but otherwise standing tall.

He’d stopped the horse. He’d saved me.

"You okay?" he asked, voice low, eyes scanning me.

I nodded quickly, too shaken to speak. My fingers were still clutching the reins like my life depended on it.

He noticed. "You can let go now."

I blinked. Slowly pried my fingers off. My hands hurt. My thighs ached. My soul was probably halfway across the ranch.

"You’re bleeding," I croaked.

"It’s fine," he muttered, wiping at the scratch. "Been through worse."

Calla and the girls caught up seconds later, panting.

"Lisa! Oh moon goddess—you okay?" she asked, helping me down.

"I think I lost a year off my life," I whispered.

"And Kael—Kael, you’re hurt," Mira said, reaching for his arm.

He shrugged her off gently. "It’s nothing. Just a scratch."

I stood there, wobbling, still trying to process what just happened.

Kael turned to me again. "Maybe riding isn't your thing."

I let out a weak laugh. "I’m starting to think you’re right."

“Thank you for saving my life, I'm Lisa,” I said, offering my hand for a handshake.

“I know who you are” he muttered with a smile, taking my hand into his while giving it a light squeeze.

“I'm Kael” he introduced with a wide grin on his face.

He gave me a nod and walked off, limping slightly. Mira chased after him with a cloth, scolding him for being reckless.

Calla looped an arm through mine. "Well… you rode a horse."

"I almost died."

"Yeah," she grinned. "But you lived. And you’ve got a story now."

I shook my head, still trembling. But somewhere, deep down, under the fear and soreness, a tiny spark of pride flickered.

I did something today.

Even if it almost killed me.