Page 56 of My Fated Mate

The knock comes again, softer this time.

"Elowen, please. Let me in."

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. My body aches for comfort—for someone to understand my inner turmoil. But the moment I see Thorne, all I feel is anger and a fresh wave of betrayal.

"Go away," I rasp.

Silence hangs heavy in the air, then the doorknob rattles.

"Elowen," Thorne says, his voice husky. "This is ridiculous. Open the door."

Ridiculous?He thinks this whole situation is ridiculous?

"I said go away!" My voice cracks.

The silence that follows is deafening. Finally, I hear his heavy footsteps retreating down the hall.

Relief washes over me, fleeting but real. But it's quickly replaced by a crushing loneliness.

The night drags on, punctuated only by the occasional howl echoing from outside and the rustling of leaves against my window. Exhaustion finally wins over my anxieties, and I drift to a restless sleep.

I wake with a start, the sound of the door creaking open pulling me from my dreams. Disoriented, I squint at the sliver of moonlight filtering through the window.

"Elowen?" Thorne whispers, his voice barely audible.

I sit up, my heart pounding. This isn't the time for him to be here.

"What do you want?" I snap sharper than intended.

He enters the room, the moonlight illuminating his broad frame.

"Can we talk?" he asks.

I stare at him, my emotions a tangled mess of anger, hurt, and a strange yearning I refuse to acknowledge.

"There's nothing left to talk about."

"Elowen, please," he pleads. "Don't shut me out."

Shut him out? The irony of his words is almost comical.

"You already did that, Thorne," I say, my voice shaking. "When you rejected me."

The mention of the rejection hangs heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the chasm that now separates us.

Thorne flinches, his jaw clenching tight. "That was a mistake. A terrible mistake that I deeply regret."

Words, just empty words. They do little to ease the ache in my heart.

"Regret?" I scoff. "Is that all you have to say? Regret? After you crushed me, humiliated me in front of your entire pack?"

Tears prick my eyes, blurring my vision. I blink them back furiously. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

"Elowen," Thorne sounds desperate. "You have to understand. This is bigger than us. The darkness is rising, and you…"

"Don't you dare!" I cut him off. "Don't you dare try to justify your actions by spouting some fantastical story. I'm not some key in your little game, Thorne. I'm a person—with feelings and a life you so conveniently ripped away from me!"

My outburst seems to take him aback. He stands there, speechless. Then, his expression hardens.

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