Page 55 of Claiming His Rejected Mate

And as I cum, as I feel him come up to me to kiss me with a mouth that tastes like desire and passion, I fear that I may be doomed to live with resentment for the only one who can make me feel this way.

He fills me up with his cock and I am awash with need and pleasure. His strokes are rhythmic, precise, geared to own me, claim me. And I want him to. I feel his lips graze where his mark should be, where his teeth should sink into my skin instead of a seal to cage my wolf, where his love should be made manifest.

And yet, as I crave him to mark me, as I hunger for it with the intensity of the scorching sun in the desert, as he moans my name as he empties into me, and incomprehensible words leave my lips as I am drowned in his pleasure, I cannot give myself to him. Not in that way. My heart still aches at the thought of the ways he hurt me. The memories burn like an unending fire.

I feel him drip down my thighs. And I know I should be happy. I should feel something other than the relief my body feels. But now that the heat is not coursing through me like lava in my veins, I can still feel the heaviness in my heart. And my wolf whines and sulks at the pain that we will have to bear.

Afterward, the room is quiet, the air thick with unspoken words. I sit on the edge of the bed, my back to him as I pull the sheet around me. My skin is still flushed, my body aching in delicious ways I don’t want to think about.

“Hazel. You were–”

“Don't say anything to me.”

I don't dare turn to see his face. I don't even risk touching him again. I can't even bear to look at myself and remember that this body will always attune to his touch, will always give in to this need, and will always betray my hurt.

“I'm sorry,” he blurts out.

I turn sharply, my hair whipping around with me. The emotions burning in my chest make my lips curl.

“Don't you dare. Don't you dare think that a flimsy apology can undo the damage between us?”

I feel his heart break. But I can't care. He didn't care for me when I needed him most.

I stand, gathering my clothes and heading to the bathroom without a backward glance. I can't stand being around him knowing that whatever affection he has for me, he's acting on it because he thinks it's best for the pack. Not for me. Not just for us.

I hate that this is my life. The sobs swell in my throat, and I am trembling with all the things I've bottled up.

In this moment I miss my mother. I miss the comfort of her hugs.

As I close the door, I lean against it, my chest tight and my eyes stinging. I’m alone in this feeling, in this pain. Not even Ayana can make me feel better.

What could possibly help me reconcile the fact that my Mate is using our bond as an element of pack politics? He wants me as his Luna just because it's what he's supposed to do. Even the love I know he feels for me is tainted by politics and duty.

How can I trust him treating me so differently now? It all feels so overwhelming.

He would please everyone else, fulfil every other duty, except the one bestowed by the Goddess. He will do it all except dedicate himself to me.

This bond, this connection—it’s a curse. And I don’t know how much longer I can endure it.

The faint click of the door reaches me, and the loss I feel in his absence weighs me down like lead.

Chapter 18

Kieran

The air in my office is heavy, oppressive. The faint scent of books, wood polish, and the ever-present traces of the pack's energy can’t drown out the sour tang of betrayal that hangs over me. My wolf paces restlessly, his growls low and constant, a reflection of the turmoil churning in my chest.

The evidence from Ian and Kai's investigation sits on the desk before me, damning and undeniable. They found out Hazel had been harassed and even physically assaulted by Eldon and his men while she was in Broadstone. My mind goes back to the day I saved her from that attack at the bar, the night I brought her back to my estate. What was I thinking?

My wolf is livid with rage at the thought of how much Hazel had to fight to stay alive. All with her wolf sealed and no one to protect her. Eldon will pay for this in blood. But right now, what I need to deal with is Damon and his treachery. It doesn't help to go through scrolls of correspondence, coded messages intercepted by our patrols, and a map marked with Eldon’s movements—all tied to Damon. My Beta. My confidant.

In addition, the spy revealed that he had been receiving ordersfrom Damon, and the last order was to end Hazel. The thought of him harming my Mate enraged me. My wolf was ready to tear his head from his body. This was the man I had trusted with everything.

My fists clench, the edges of the desk digging into my palms as I stare at the evidence. I’d been blind—willfully, perhaps. Damon’s loyalty was something I never questioned. And now, that loyalty is nothing more than a knife buried deep in my back.

The door creaks open, and I don’t bother looking up.

I had ordered the guards to bring Damon in. He has to answer for his crimes.

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