Page 29 of Unloved Mate

“Kane and I created this together. It's going to be really hard to decide what I want to do with it.”

“Mm. I also want to remind you that this is your own body and you're free to make your own decisions.”

“Thanks, dad. I think I should get back to the pack house. I've literally spent the entire day here.”

“Alright. I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, dad.” I laid a kiss on his cheeks and left him again. Now I was feeling a little better than how I was yesterday, and I knew I could get through this on my own, being unloved. As I sauntered down the dark hallway, I heard a movement behind me, and I turned on my heels, but I couldn't find anyone. I sighed and continued in the hallway, walking to the elevator. I headed out of the building after arriving on the last floor and when I was halfway through the premises, I heard an explosion and it was from my father's floor.

17

Kane

The wolfsbane injury I had sustained from Kalyani’s dagger had spread from my palms up to my arm. We had returned from the mountains to the pack, and Rohan and the others were showing the newly arrived Lycans the houses where they'd spend the night. I was in the kitchen, cutting my flesh to bleed out the poison. After Leda had unbound my wolf and I became an Alpha, I developed the power of invulnerability to poison.

Hearing incoming footfalls ahead of me, I raised my gaze to Leda, who was now leaning against the doorjamb. “Are you here to talk to me about Valor again?” I demanded even before she said the words.

“Definitely yes. I need to know everything that happened.”

“I saw him. I saw everything.” He murmured with complete sadness in his eyes.

“Or maybe that's what Zeke wants you to see.”

“Zeke is dead. I killed him.” I let out.

“If you did, then how did it go down with Valor?” She inquired and stepped closer. “What does your beast say about this?”

“We haven't communicated for almost a week.”

“Whatever Zeke did to you. It must have affected Creed.” She was saying as I finished bleeding myself out. The cuts healed, and I twisted the faucet, letting the water wash the black blood down the drain. I rinsed my hands and wiped it with atowel, heading out of the kitchen.

“Are you seriously walking out on me?”

“I don't know what you want, Leda.” I shrugged and turned to her. She stepped closer until she took my hands.

“I want you to realize the mistake you've made, and I'm sorry that it has to go this way.” She sighed and before I understood what she meant, I dropped to the floor, my vision clouded by darkness.

When I woke up again, I was in a room illuminated by the golden yellow flames of the candle glow. My hands and legs were bound by some tree roots and when I tried to fight it. The roots tightened. I heard voices in the room and the scent of the people present. “Get me out of here.” I growled and struggled against the grip. I was shirtless and beads of sweat covered my entire body. “Rohan, fucking untie me now. I command you.” I roared, and my eyes glowed crimson.

“I’m sorry, your Alpha aura won't work. I'm in charge.”

“Both of you are going to regret this.” I snarled with desperation in my field of vision, still struggling. Turning my gaze to the left, I saw Leda, and she was mixing some sort of ingredients in a bowl. She wheeled to me after she had finished the pasty mixture, her thumbs coated by the gray substance. She sauntered toward me and put her hands on my temple, muttering some sort of enchantment. “I knew something was wrong. He manipulated your memories and used some sort of weapon to bind your wolf. That is why you can't fight his deception,” Leda declared, her eyes moving from my trashing body to Rohan. “Stop moving and it hurts less.”

“Is there anything you can do to help?” Rohan inquired.

“I can help him, but after that, we have to find whoever's helping Zeke get these weapons.”

“Kane used to have them, but we couldn't get them fromthe Eclipse after we found him.” Rohan explained.

“We need to secure every single one of them, so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands.” Leda proclaimed, and I lay against the table breathing heavily, my vision blurring as I tried to keep my heavy eyes open. The candle lights lengthened and Leda started her chant. A sharp ache attacked my head from every corner, and pain pulsed through my entire body. I let out a groan, screaming and thrashing as crimson appeared in my eyes. Black fur covered my arms and my nails extended into claws, my teeth turning into fangs. I fought until I broke free from the chains, falling to the ground and curling as every single bone in my body broke. Leda didn't stop chanting. I grunted out, my limbs stretching backward, my spine bulging and twisting back, darkness seeping into the crimson in my eyes.

“Kane.” Creed, my beast, hummed within me. I shifted into my Lycan form, the memories of what had happened with Zeke burning through my mind. The way I talked to Valor afterwards breaking me completely. The things I said to him. All those memories came rushing back to me until all I could see was complete darkness.

Waking up, it was past midnight and Leda was still in my room watching over me as I slept. I grunted and palmed my forehead, supporting myself on the bed with my elbow. “I, uh, I passed out.”

“Yeah. Don't ask me how I got you back here.” She chuckled. It took some time before I remembered everything, and tears sprung from my eyes.

“I sent him away,” I cried, completely overwhelmed by the consequences of my actions. “He’s never going to speak to me again.”

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