The Rejected Mate (Elaine and Michael) novel Chapter 118

The aftermath of Michael and Darius confrontation lingered in the corridors like smoke— acrid, clinging to every breath.

“I’m sorry about this, Elaine. I didn’t know he would do this.” Kathy’s voice was small, trembling at the edges, as though it might crack if she spoke any louder. Her eyes darted once toward the direction Michael had vanished before she followed him toward the guest suite, torn between duty, fear, and a grief she didn’t yet have words for.

Elaine exhaled slowly, trying to steady the storm inside her chest.

“I can’t believe he did this,” Roselyn muttered, pacing in tight, angry strides. The soft lanterns lining the hall flickered with her movement, shadows rippling around her like restless spirits. “I had a feeling he was planning something after how he reacted when you left Silverblade. But to go to the council? To force their hand like that?” She paused, pressing a hand to her forehead as her dark curls swayed with the motion. “What on earth is he thinking?”

Though she wasn’t directing her question at anyone in particular, the words hung in the air, piercing the silence and striking everyone present. Calvin, who stood nearby yet seemed miles away, finally broke the quiet.

“I don’t know, mate,” he said quietly, his voice rough and low, a hint of something wild simmering just beneath the surface. “I’ve never seen him like this before. He looks…” He faltered, searching for the right word. “…out of control. Especially his wolf.”

Alpha Darius remained rigid, arms folded tightly across his chest, his broad shoulders squared as if he were holding up the very foundations of the pack house itself. His anger radiated from him like a cold, sharp blade, barely restrained by years of hard-earned discipline.

“I know he’s your alpha, Calvin,” Darius said quietly, but with a deadly edge. “But I cannot allow this to slide. He’s threatening our son—the future of our pack. This is unforgivable.” His dark eyes locked onto Calvin’s with such intensity that the air seemed to thicken around them. “I warned him already, but whatever happens next… the responsibility lies with him.”

Calvin lowered his gaze, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on his shoulders. “I understand, Alpha.”

The celebration reluctantly resumed, though none of them felt the joy it was meant to inspire. Music played softly, dancers spun beneath the glow of starlit lanterns, and guests laughed—unaware of the storm brewing just beneath the surface. Darius and Elaine forced smiles as they greeted elders and allies, striving to keep the pack calm. Yet every few moments, Darius’s eyes flicked toward the path leading to the guest suites, his jaw tightening in silent tension. Each time, Elaine squeezed his hand gently, grounding him, reminding him to breathe.

Meanwhile, Nathan, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents swirling around him, spent the evening practicing small sparks of his power under watchful eyes. They kept him close but out of earshot, shielding him from the painful reality of Elaine’s aching desire to reclaim him.

***

Morning dawned heavy with fog and unspoken dread. The sunlight struggled to break through the thick gray clouds that blanketed the grounds, as if even the sky sensed the looming conflict.

At the front gates, the alpha couple stood side by side, bidding farewell to their guests. Carriages were being loaded, young wolves chased each other through the dew-covered grass, and elders exchanged blessings before departing.

Nathan was absent from the scene. It had been decided—firmly—that he would remain indoors with Seline and Blaine.

No risks today. Not now.

As the Silverblade delegation approached for their own departure, the atmosphere shifted palpably. Conversations dropped to hushed tones, and warriors instinctively closed ranks, forming protective arcs around Darius and Elaine.

Michael led the group, his face pale from sleepless nights and inner turmoil, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion. Kathy followed closely behind, her fingers twisting nervously, betraying her anxiety. Calvin stood on her other side, his expression a tangled mix of sorrow and duty. The pack behind them moved as one uncertain entity, sensing danger but remaining loyal to their alpha.

Darius and Elaine stepped forward, meeting Michael’s gaze with unwavering resolve.

“We’ll see you at the council,” Darius said, his voice cold enough to freeze the air between them. “And I hope you’re prepared for the consequences of your actions.”

Michael swallowed hard, his wolf pushing against his skin, darkening his eyes with a fierce hunger. “Alpha Darius, all I want is to know my son. My wolf wants to know him,” he said, his voice cracking with raw emotion. “We don’t want to take him from you. We want him to understand the truth—that we never abandoned him.”

“I am not your mate,” she said softly but firmly. “Not anymore. What we were supposed to be… it’s long gone. You have a mate—Kathy. She is your luna. You have a son, Leo. Do you want him to grow up fatherless? Because if you keep going down this path, that’s exactly what will happen.”

Michael’s wolf bared its teeth. “My human is weak. The luna you speak of—she has her own mate. He rejected her. And Leo… Leo is not my son. He is my human’s son. I have only one, and he’s not with me. I will change that. No matter the cost.”

The threat lingered in the air, poisonous and heavy.

Darius stepped forward, power crackling around him like a storm unleashed.

“Then prepare to die, wolf,” he said, each word sharp and cold as a blade. “Because I will kill you before you take a single step toward my son.” His voice dropped lower, dangerously calm. “And stop calling my mate yours. She is not yours. If your human was weak, then so are you—because you let him make those choices. You let him betray her.”

He gestured toward the gates. “Get out of my territory. We will see you at the council. And after that… be ready to die.”

Kathy’s eyes brimmed with tears. Calvin looked away, shoulders heavy under the weight of the inevitable war.

The Silverblade wolves turned and walked away, swallowed by the thickening fog as they disappeared into the gray morning—heading toward the council, toward judgment, toward a fate none could evade.

As they vanished, Elaine felt Darius wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close—not out of tenderness, but pure instinct.

Because a wolf who believes he’s already lost everything is the most dangerous enemy of all.