The Rejected Mate (Elaine and Michael) novel Chapter 29

When Elaine stirred awake, the first thing she noticed was the sterile scent of herbs and antiseptic. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar, pale white, and lined with faint cracks. The air was heavy with quiet, the kind of silence that follows after chaos.

She tried to sit up, but her body felt as though it had been drained of all strength. Only fragments of memory returned to her–pain, blinding and merciless, like fire ripping through her veins. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to piece together what had happened.

Her wolf… she reached inward, desperate for comfort. But her wolf was not there to meet her as usual. Instead, she lay curled deep in the recesses of Elaine’s soul, unmoving, drenched in sorrow. All Elaine could feel from her was overwhelming grief, sadness so suffocating it made her chest tighten.

What happened? she thought desperately. Why does it feel like I’ve lost everything?

“Elaine?”

The low, steady voice pulled her from the haze. She turned her head and saw him–Alpha Darius sitting in a chair beside her bed, his imposing form softened only by the concern in his eyes.

“What happened?” Her voice cracked, raw and weak.

Darius leaned forward slightly, his expression grave. “Don’t you remember? We were at the ceremony.”

And then it came rushing back–the altar, Michael’s golden eyes pleading for forgiveness, Kathy tilting her head, the sound of cheers, the searing pain of betrayal. The marking. The bond shattering. And then… the pup. Her wolf had said it–we’re with pup.

Elaine’s breath hitched. She clutched her stomach in panic. “My pup–what happened to my pup? Is it okay?”

Darius’s jaw tightened, the muscles ticking with restrained emotion. His expression darkened, unreadable, but his voice was steady. “I’ll call the doctor to speak with you.”

Her heart sank. If the news were good, he would have said so already.

Confusion and fear gnawed at her. She tried again to reach for her wolf, but found only silence. The emptiness was unbearable.

‘Why won’t you talk to me?‘ She pleaded inwardly. But her wolf just lay there, drained of all energy, drowning in sorrow.

Darius returned with the doctor moments later. He remained in the corner of the room, arms crossed, his presence heavy, protective–like a wall between Elaine and the world.

Elaine’s voice trembled, but the words tumbled out. “How is my pup? Please… tell me about my pup.”

The doctor’s expression faltered. He sighed heavily, pity in his eyes, before he spoke. “Elaine… I am sorry. The pup did not survive.”

Her body stilled.

“The pain you endured was too much for it. Your wolf was already weakened by the constant stress and heartbreak you’ve been suffering these past weeks. She did everything she could to protect the little one, but… it was not enough.” His voice dropped, heavy with sorrow. “I’m truly sorry.”

Elaine stared at him, unblinking. Her face was blank, her eyes empty. It was as if the words did not land, as if she couldn’t process their meaning. She heard them, but they echoed hollowly inside her head.

Her heart had already been shredded at the altar. Now, whatever fragments had remained were ground into dust. They had taken everything–her mate, her family, her dignity, her place in the pack. And now, the final piece of her soul, the life she hadn’t even known she carried.

Gone.

The doctor shifted awkwardly, his pity heavy in the room. “Your family is waiting outside. They wish to see you. In times like these, it is best to be surrounded by loved ones.”

Elaine’s gaze flicked toward him, dull and lifeless. “I don’t want to see them.”

Her words were flat, stripped of all emotion. It was not anger. It was nothingness.

The doctor hesitated, but Darius stepped forward. His voice was curt, commanding. “Leave us.”

The doctor bowed his head quickly and excused himself, leaving the two alone.

Darius came closer, his presence filling the space beside her bed. His voice softened, though it carried an edge of urgency. “Elaine, I need to know what happened. Trust me. Let me help you. I am on your side.”

Her lips trembled. For a moment, she searched his eyes, weighing his words, gauging the truth in them.

“Alpha… can you really take me away from here?”

Darius didn’t hesitate. “As I told you, I will do anything. You will leave with us tomorrow.”

Elaine studied him for a long moment, then let out a shaky breath. Something inside her decided. If there was anyone she could tell, it was him.

“My mate,” she began softly, her voice like cracked glass. “My fated mate… was Michael.”

Darius stiffened, his eyes narrowing, but he remained silent, letting her continue.

“When I found out, I was so happy. I thought I had everything I ever wanted. We mated that night… but he didn’t mark me. I thought he was waiting for our mating ceremony. But the next morning, I learned the truth. He already had a chosen mate. And that chosen mate… is my sister, Kathy.“Her voice broke, but she pushed on, numb and detached. “Because she was already pregnant, my parents, the Alpha, the Luna–they all decided. Michael would mark Kathy. They called it ‘for the good of the pack.‘ They all agreed. And when they turned against me, so did the rest of the pack. I had no one. Nothing.”

Her hands clenched the sheets weakly. “And now… after they took my mate, after they made me watch him mark my sister, they took my pup too. I didn’t even know I was with pup until my wolf told me, minutes before I lost it. She saved every last shred of her strength to protect it. But in the end… even that wasn’t enough.”

Her voice was soft, stripped of everything. No anger. No tears. Only emptiness. She sounded like a ghost of herself. A girl who had lost the will to live.

Darius’s rage built with every word. His hands tightened into fists, his jaw hard as stone. His aura rippled with the feral fury of his wolf. To spit on the Goddess’s gift–to destroy the sanctity of the mate bond–was unforgivable. To crush Elaine in the process was beyond redemption.

His voice, when he spoke, was low and deadly. “I’ve changed my mind. We are not waiting until tomorrow. We leave today.”

He stood, his body taut with controlled fury. “I’ll speak to your Alpha briefly. Then I’ll return for you. Rest until then.”

His eyes lingered on her one last time, softer now, protective, before he turned and strode from the room.