The Rejected Mate (Elaine and Michael) novel Chapter 127

The next morning came slowly.

A thin veil of dawn washed the council grounds in a muted gray-blue. Mist clung low to the earth, curling around trees and walkways like ghostly fingers. Birds had yet to begin their morning chorus, as though even nature hesitated to disturb the delicate hush that hung over the compound.

Kathy hadn’t slept. She sat in the same chair beside Michael’s bed, one hand loosely holding his lifeless fingers. At some point in the night she had draped a blanket around herself, but the chill still seeped into her bones.

When the door opened, she didn’t look up right away.

The soft rustle of movement, the faint scent of Silverblade pack… she knew before she lifted her eyes who stood there.

Calvin.

“Kathy,” he said softly.

She blinked, straightening slightly. “Did she answer?” Her heart raced, a mix of hope and anxiety coursing through her veins.

Calvin nodded once, his face a mask of composure. “Elaine agreed.”

Kathy felt a hitch in her breath, a weight settling heavily on her chest. It was not relief that washed over her, nor was it fear; it was the crushing inevitability of the moment.

“She asked to meet you in the council garden,” Calvin added, his voice firm. “Alone.”

Kathy’s gaze drifted toward Michael, torn between the man she loved and the sister she had lost. He lay motionless, a mere shell of the vibrant wolf he once was. The silence of his presence felt like a chasm, an emptiness that echoed through her heart.

“I’ll stay with him,” Calvin assured her, his tone gentle yet resolute. “You need to go.”

With a slow, deliberate motion, Kathy rose to her feet, her legs stiff from hours of sitting. She brushed her fingers tenderly over Michael’s cheek, a final silent promise, before stepping out of the room and into the world outside.

The council garden greeted her with a serene stillness, the only sound the gentle rustle of leaves swaying in the morning breeze. It was a sanctuary of peace, adorned with small stone pathways, nightflowers that bloomed only under the moon’s gaze, and a fountain carved from ancient granite that whispered secrets of the past.

And there, by the fountain, stood Elaine.

Kathy halted, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of her sister.

Elaine was strikingly beautiful—not in the fragile way of youth, but in a manner forged through trials and rebirth. Her posture was straight, exuding a strength that radiated from her very core. The wolf within her stirred with a confidence that only a true Luna could possess, one who had found her rightful place in the world.

Yet, when Elaine’s eyes met Kathy’s, they were filled with a depth of pain that transcended their shared bloodline.

“Kathy,” she said, her voice cautious, a careful balance of warmth and distance.

Kathy swallowed hard, the knot in her throat tightening. “Thank you for agreeing to meet me.”

Elaine remained silent for a moment, her gaze flickering toward the stone bench beside the fountain. “Sit.”

Kathy complied, the weight of years of separation heavy between them.

For several moments, they sat in the tranquil garden, two sisters ensnared by the passage of time and unspoken words.

Finally, Elaine broke the silence. “Why did you ask to see me?”

Kathy clasped her hands tightly together, her eyes fixed on her trembling fingers. “Because there are things that should have been said long ago.”

Elaine waited, her demeanor calm and patient, as if she understood the gravity of the moment.

“I’m sorry,” Kathy whispered, her voice barely audible. “For everything.”

Elaine’s expression remained stoic, prompting Kathy to gather her courage and continue.

“I’m sorry for letting them push us apart. For not standing up to Alpha Efrein. For allowing Mother and Father to agree to a mating that could bring so much pain. For not fighting harder for you.” Her voice cracked under the weight of her remorse.

Elaine’s hands tightened in her lap, her breath becoming shallow. Kathy could sense her wolf stirring restlessly beneath her skin, a reflection of the turmoil within.

“You don’t need to apologize for what Efrein did,” Elaine replied softly. “He was the alpha. His command bound us all.”

“No,” Kathy shook her head vehemently. “You were right when you said that both Michael and I could have refused. We could have fought harder. I could have stood my ground. Mother and Father could have said no. Michael’s wolf begged him to refuse, but we didn’t. And now Michael is…” She inhaled sharply, the words catching in her throat. “Broken.”

Elaine’s expression flickered, a whirlwind of pain, anger, and sorrow colliding within her gaze.

“Kathy,” she said gently, “I don’t hate you. Not anymore.”

Those words struck Kathy like a physical blow, reverberating through her very being.

Elaine turned her gaze away, her focus drawn to the rippling water of the fountain, as if seeking solace in its depths.

“I hated the situation,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I hated the pack. I hated myself for not being enough to be chosen. I hated Michael for prioritizing safety over destiny.” She exhaled shakily, the weight of her confessions heavy in the air. “I hated you because you were my sister. We were supposed to stand by each other’s side. But I felt so alone.”

Tears gathered in Kathy’s eyes, threatening to spill over as she struggled to contain her emotions.

Elaine continued, her voice now a fragile whisper. “I never blamed you for loving him, Kathy. He was yours. You were both ready to build a life together before I came along. But fate twisted everything.” She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “And because of that, I lost everything I loved in Silverblade. But you lost too, Kathy. You lost me, your sister. And now you’re losing Michael, especially with what has happened to his wolf.”

The air between them felt heavy, yet it was no longer hostile.

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