Page 37 of Forsaking His Mate

“This is why you rejected me?” I ask, ignoring his question.

His nose wrinkles. “How could I be your mate when this monster exists beneath the surface? Just mating you made me lose control.” His eyes linger on my neck where he marked me with the claiming bite before he tears his gaze away.

“But Tessa handled you better than my magic ever could. She brought you out of it,” Hester says.

I see the confusion in his face even as I feel it down the bond. “She did?”

“Our connection helped me calm you. I think with practice I could do it every time,” I say.

He shakes his head. “It’s too dangerous.”

I move to him and cup his face with my hands. “I know you want to protect me from you, but it’s not you I need protecting from, Abel. You’re my mate. Fate wouldn’t have put us together if we weren’t made for each other. I was meant to mate you to help you with this.”

I bend down and kiss him softly, my mouth searching. I don’t know how it’s possible but he tastes so much sweeter now that our mate bond is in place.

“No more pushing me away.”

“The moon sickness will come every month, Tessa. I can’t control it.”

“No, but we’ll work through it together.”

“What about incidents like tonight? I had no idea mating would trigger it.”

I shrug. “We’ll deal with that, too. We’re meant to be together and I’m not letting you reject me again, understand?”

His eyes lower and pain burns through my chest. “I can’t risk you.”

My hand flies up to my neck. “But you marked me. If you reject me now, I’ll fade away. I’ll never be the same.”

He can’t meet my eyes and I feel agonizing pain work through my body for the second time. This time it’s even worse, the mating bond heightening my feelings.

He winces and closes his eyes. “I’m sorry, Tessa.”

I blink at the tears that are blinding, turn on my heel, and run away.

Chapter 9

Abel

Isleep like shit for the next few days as I try to ignore Tessa and keep my distance.

Leaving the sanctuary would be the best option. Creating distance between us would make that gnawing pain in my gut lessen, but the thought of leaving her here without me makes me sick to my stomach.

Tessa isn’t safe, not entirely. There are hunters still searching for her, wolves who want her dead.

I don’t trust anyone when it comes to my mate, so leaving isn’t an option.

But that constant ache in my body is getting worse as each day passes. The rejection is destroying us both, chipping away at us piece by piece.

I try to ignore it, try to focus on keeping busy, but it’s there, a poison spreading through every cell in my body.

Mates who don’t maintain the mating bond wither away. Some die, some are driven to madness. I can already feel her sadness, her pain growing each day.

My wolf wants me to go to her, to fix this, but I can’t.

How can I subject her to my rage every month on the full moon?

What if it is triggered again when we’re making love?

---