Page 50 of Claiming His Rejected Mate

I can’t escape the throbbing in my pants, the fantasies of her body, the way I fall into the depths of her eyes, the way I pulse and ache for her in the confines of my solitude.

I cannot let her get away. Other than the near insanity I feel being so disconnected from her for so long, I cannot imagine the torture she must feel being away from her Mate.

I have to win her over. I want nothing more than to take care of her, to love her, to lead and conquer by her side.

“She’s impossible.” I stand at the window in my chambers. Alone now. Without a Beta, without my Mate, with nothing and no one but myself and my responsibilities. My wolf is louder now.

What did you expect? You scared the hell out of her, Kieran. She’s not going to forgive you just because you throw shiny things her way.

His words hit a nerve, but I don’t let it show. “I’m trying to make it right.”

Maybe stop trying to control her. Give her space. Let her come to you.

It seems counterintuitive to the usual insistence my wolf would offer. But if this is a way to get to her, we are ready to do it.

The idea grates against everything in me. Space isn’t what I want. I want her here, close enough to see, to touch, to claim. But my efforts have only pushed her further away.

That night, I find myself standing outside Hazel’s new room, the faint light seeping under the door a sign that she’s still awake. I don’t knock, don’t step inside. Instead, I rest my hand against the door, my chest tight with everything I can’t say.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice is barely audible even to myself.

For now, all I can do is wait.

Chapter 16

Hazel

The room feels too small, the walls too close. No matter how many times I try to push away the memory of that night, it clings to me like a second skin—Kieran’s snarl, the blood, the fear twisting in my chest. My hands tremble as I grip the edge of the windowsill, staring out into the estate gardens bathed in soft morning light. The scene is serene, almost mocking in its calmness.

I have always known what Kieran is capable of. I know I can defend myself when it comes down to it, even though my wolf is not at her full strength. I know I can stand my ground. So, this fear that I feel is irrational. Yet it is there. I don’t remember what happened after the club. I remember throwing up and then waking up to a strange man leaning into me. And then Kieran going feral, almost killing him—that is, if he survived.

The look in Kieran’s eyes before he left tells me something has changed.

Then I think of Ayana. Where is she? Did Kieran get her? Did Eldon? Worry starts to settle in my chest.

A knock on the door startles me, and I whirl around just as Ayana steps inside. Her face is drawn with worry, her dark curls falling loose on her shoulders. Seeing her grounds me, a small anchor in this storm of uncertainty.

“Hazel,” she says softly, closing the door behind her.

I don’t respond, my throat tight as she crosses the room and pulls me into a hug. Her warmth is familiar, comforting, and for a moment, I let myself relax against her.

“I’ve been worried sick,” she murmurs, her arms tightening around me. “What the hell happened?”

I don’t know how many days it’s been. I don’t know what they’d done to her. But I’m glad she’s okay. I pull back, my gaze dropping to the floor. “I don’t know. I just woke up and saw a man there. I don’t know who he was. Kieran. He…oh Goddess, are you okay, Ayana? What have they done to you?”

“Don’t worry about me. Are you okay?”

I nod, though the motion feels hollow. “I…don’t know. I can’t stop thinking about it. The way he…the way he looked. Like he wanted to destroy everything in the room, including me.”

Ayana’s expression softens, and she leads me to sit on the edge of the bed. “You were scared.”

I nod again, my hands twisting in my lap. “I’ve seen him angry before, but this was different. It was like…like he wasn’t even human.”

Her brows knit together, and she exhales slowly. “Hazel, I won’t sugarcoat it. Kieran has a lot of power, and when someone like him loses control, it’s terrifying. But you’re still here, and that says something.”

“What does it say?” I snap, my voice sharper than I intended. “That he didn’t finish what he started?” The words leave my lips speaking layers of the pain I feel. “He came to me to tell me he's my Mate! He made me believe he was choosing me! And he couldn't finish even that, the one divine assignment he's entrusted with.”

“No,” she says firmly, her hand covering mine. “It says that for whatever reason, you’re still important to him.”

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