Page 69 of My Fated Mate

This has been the story ever since she joined the Moonfall Pack.

Every attempt to talk to her, to understand her decision, has been thwarted by Kain's constant presence, a physical manifestation of the barrier that separates us even now.

"Move, Kain," I growl, a low rumble vibrating in my chest.

He simply smirks. "Why should I? She's part of my pack now, Alpha Thorne. You don't get to dictate her movements anymore."

His words hit me like a gut punch. He's right, of course. Elowen chose to leave—to join his pack and become their healer.

Even though I know that Kain doesn't want my mate, not with his own right there, who he can't keep his paws off of—it grates on my nerves.

Jealousy flares, a green fire consuming me.

"Elowen," I force myself to sound calm. "We need to talk."

Elowen meets my gaze, and I detect a brief second of regret before she masks it with cool indifference. That indifference? It kills me every time.

I can handle anger, sadness, and any emotion really—anything but this.

"There's nothing left to say, Thorne," she replies. "As the Alpha here pointed out, I belong to this pack now, and you don't get to order me around."

The bitterness in her voice stings, a stark contrast to the warmth and vulnerability I remember.

My heart feels like it's being squeezed in a vice. Why? Why did she choose them? What could they possibly offer her that I couldn't? Was this all because she truly wanted nothing to do with me anymore?

I've really fucked this up, and I have no idea how to fix it.

A thousand questions churn within me, a vortex of confusion and despair. But before I can even process them, Elowen, Lela, and Kain walk away, leaving me stranded in the middle of the training ground. My heart feels like a lead weight in my chest.

She doesn't even glance back. Is she really going to forget me? Forget I ever existed? Can I let that happen?

As I watch them disappear towards the tents, frustration knots my stomach. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

The full moon hangs heavy in the night sky, its silvery light bathing the camp in an ethereal glow. Sleep eludes me. The usual symphony of crickets and rustling leaves is replaced by a gnawing restlessness that claws at my insides.

I toss and turn in my makeshift bed, the wolf within me restless and agitated.

Suddenly, a warmth envelops me, a gentle tug that jolts through my body.

It's a fleeting sensation, a whisper of a pull, but the familiarity slams into me like a tidal wave. Elowen.

I bolt upright, heart hammering against my ribs. How? The bond between us is severed, a gaping wound inflicted by my own betrayal. Yet, the phantom sensation of her pull lingers, a ghost of memory etched onto my soul.

Was it wishful thinking? A cruel trick of the moonlight? No, the certainty within me is undeniable. It was Elowen. But where? How?

Ignoring the throbbing ache in my muscles, I scramble out of bed, throwing on a cloak as I race out of my tent.

My territory bustles with activity, warriors preparing for the night patrol under the watchful eye of the full moon.

"Viktar!" I bark, spotting my enforcer by the fire. "Have you seen Elowen?"

Viktar, ever-observant, raises an eyebrow. "Not since dusk, Alpha. Why?"

"I… I felt something," I stammer. How to explain the inexplicable? "A pull, a warmth… like Elowen."

Viktar's expression turns serious. "Did it feel like a summoning?"

I shake my head, the memory replaying in my mind. "No, just a… a tug. A brief touch."

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