Page 46 of Claiming His Rejected Mate

The scent of calming lavender hangs heavy in the room, mingling with Hazel’s, earthy, sharp, delicious. The faint thrum of Hazel’s heartbeat has me worried. She passed out right after she threw up, her body limp and weak, and slightly cold.

She lies on the bed, her hair fanned across the pillow, her face pale but peaceful in a way that feels unnatural for her. Hazel is rarely still—she’s always pacing, arguing, resisting. Seeing her like this makes me regret last night.

Why did I let her do this? I should not have approved of her spending time outside of the estate. What if she was poisoned? The pack healer says she hasn’t been, but I can’t get the thought out of my head.

Ayana sits on the edge of the bed, her hand gripping Hazel’s limp one like it’s the only anchor keeping her steady. Her worry is etched into every line of her face, her dark eyes flicking between Hazel’s face and me with suspicion and, I’m sure, anger.

“She needs rest,” Ayana says, her voice trembling with barelyrestrained emotion. “And peace. Not this…this mess you’ve thrown her into.”

My wolf growls low in my chest, agitated and restless. His instincts claw at me, insistent and primal. Protect her.

“She’s safe here. No harm will come to her in my territory unless I say so,” I say, my voice even.

Ayana’s gaze sharpens. “Safe? You think this is safety? She’s been dragged into your war, treated like an outsider, humiliated at every turn. That’s your idea of protection?”

Her words hit harder than I want to admit. I can’t deny that I’ve failed Hazel in more ways than one. My choices, my distrust, my insistence on putting the pack above all else—it’s all led to this. It’s all my fault. And if anything happens to her, I can’t help but blame myself.

I asked the healer about her seal, how to break it. The healer says she is exhausted. That she has a lot of stress in her body, and that her wolf is not strong enough to heal her from behind the seal. The type of seal is one unlike others she has seen. She doesn't know any way to break it. She said that Hazel needs her Mate to encourage her healing and that her heat is near. She needs to recover enough before then because the seal heightens the pain beyond what an unsealed wolf feels.

She’s not awake yet. It’s been four hours of her being this way. Over four hours of agonizing over whether I will see her gorgeous grey eyes again, full of the storm that I have grown so used to.

“Eldon would have killed her by now if she weren’t under my protection, no matter how he gloats that he wants her.” We know this is the truth, and I see it in her eyes that she knows this too. Eldon has a ruthless streak and will not hesitate to discard anyone who is no longer of use to him. Even the thought of him seeing Hazel as just a tool to satisfy his sick cravings makes me tighten my jaw.

But Ayana snorts, shaking her head. “And you think that makes you better than him? At least Eldon’s intentions are clear. You hide yours behind orders and control.”

I step closer, not minding that she is glaring daggers at me. “Watch your tone,” I warn, though my voice lacks its usual bite. My heart is still heavy with concern for Hazel.

She doesn’t back down though, her grip on Hazel’s hand tightening even as she stands. “Or what? You’ll throw me in a cell, too? Tear me to shreds? Go ahead, Alpha. See how far that gets you.”

Before I can respond, there’s a sharp knock at the door. Ian steps in, his expression grim as he hands me a folded report.

“Alpha,” he says, his voice low. “You need to see this. There is evidence to show this in your office.”

I glance at Ayana, then Hazel, before taking the report. I had asked Damon to investigate the true nature of Eldon's connection to Hazel. The words on the page make my blood run cold.

Hazel Callister, in collaboration with Ayana Cole, has been leaking sensitive information to Nightclaw operatives, compromising Moonfang’s security and aiding Eldon’s efforts. It has also been confirmed that Hazel is Eldon's Mate.

The paper crumples in my fist as my wolf snarls, his rage barely contained.

Ayana stands, her eyes narrowing. “What’s that?”

“A report,” I say, my voice cold, “that you and Hazel have been working against my pack even as I gave you the benefit of the doubt.”

For the past two years, we have had no reports or attacks from the Nightclaw. Just when I thought I could let my guard down with them, something had come up. Fucking Nightclaws. I might as well just eradicate them and rid myself of their constant threats. My pack comes first and I will not let them ruin what I have had to build from the ground up. But then I look at Hazel and my chest constricts.

I look away from her to see Ayana glaring at me, her chest heaving. “I don’t care what’s in that report. It’s not true. Hazel has done nothing but survive—against you, against Eldon, against every goddamn obstacle thrown her way, even her own pack. You see the seal on her shoulder, and you still have the guts to lay treacherous claims against her?”

“A packless wolf cannot be trusted. There’s nothing that leads me to believe that you both aren’t looking for a way back into the Nightclaw.”

Ayana takes a step forward, her voice rising. “She has no pack! She’sbeen cast out, abandoned, just like me. And now you’re turning this on her because it’s easier than admitting your mistakes.”

My wolf growls softly, his presence pressing against the edges of my control.

I rub a hand over my face, the weight of everything pressing down on me. The logic she presents is damning, but something doesn’t sit right. Ayana is right. There is no reason for Hazel to want to return to Nightclaw. She will be a pariah if she dares set foot in there.

And it is just like that day, two years ago, when I was first faced with accusations against her.

And it feels like I have to make that choice again. Like I have to choose between her and my pack again. But just like then, something doesn’t feel right. It nags at me. And my wolf feels it too, pulling at me to protect our Mate at all costs.

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