Page 67 of My Fated Mate

THORNE

It’s been a week. Seven endless days since Elowen declared her desire to leave. To leave me.

Frustration gnaws at me, a relentless ache mirroring the hollowness in my chest.

I survey the training ground, a vast clearing buzzing with activity. Warriors from both the Silver Crescent Pack and Kain's pack spar with newfound intensity.

Grunts and clashes of steel echo through the air, a war symphony that does little to quell the turmoil within me.

I slam my fist against the hilt of my sword, the leather groaning in protest. Is this it, then? My future—hopeless, endless, dark—all without Elowen?

The blame falls solely on me.

A guttural roar tears through the air, snapping me out of my brooding.

Rylan, my ever-reliable beta, stands across the clearing, his training partner a hulking Moonfall warrior twice his size. But Rylan, nimble and quick, weaves through the brute's clumsy attacks with practiced ease, his own blade flashing like a silver serpent.

A grudging respect for the Moonfall warriors flashes within me. They are strong, undeniably. But strength isn't everything.

I need my mate by my side.

Not just because she's the fated mate but because she's the only one who truly makes me want to fight and win this war. I want to fight for the chance to build a future with her. To have pups running around causing trouble, to grow old with her.

It's the best feeling ever.

But it seems impossible. I've ruined everything.

With a deep breath, I force myself to focus on the ongoing training. The threat of the Dark Moon is real, a looming storm that could engulf all our packs.

I have no time to wallow, especially not now when the fate of our world rests on our shoulders.

A guttural roar shatters the training session momentarily, stealing my thoughts. Kain stands across the clearing, chest heaving with a triumphant smirk plastered on his face.

His sparring partner, a hulking enforcer twice his size, slumps against the training dummy, defeated.

Smug as ever.

I'm about to turn away when his booming, annoying voice reaches me.

"Well, well, well," he rumbles, his voice dripping with mock concern. "Look who's decided to grace us with his presence. The mighty Alpha Thorne, taking a break from... what exactly?"

My jaw clenches. The barb is clear—a jab at my perceived inaction, at the emptiness that has settled in my chest since Elowen's rejection. But I won't be baited.

"Just observing," I growl. "Unlike some, I believe in letting my warriors train without unnecessary interruptions."

Kain throws his head back and laughs, a harsh sound that grates on my already frayed nerves. "Unnecessary interruptions? Or perhaps you're just afraid to get your precious paws dirty, Alpha?"

The challenge is there—a gauntlet thrown down. My hands tighten around the hilt of my sword, the leather straining under the pressure of my grip.

"Trying to rile me, Kain?"

"Just doing what I know best, Alpha," he replies with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Just wondering what exactly does the Alpha of Silver Crescent Pack know how to do? Aside from standing aside like a weakling, that is."

My warriors, sensing the tension, pause in their training, their gazes dodging between us. This isn't the time for a brawl, not with the Dark Moon threat looming. But I can't help myself.

"I know how to handle a whiny cur who can't tell the difference between playful banter and a real threat," I snarl, stepping forward.

Kain's smirk drops, replaced by surprise. But a feral grin quickly returns. "Finally decided to join the party, Princess Thorne? Let's see if you can back up that growl with some real bite."

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