The Rejected Mate (Elaine and Michael) novel Chapter 34

“Mom, what are you doing here?”

Darius’s voice was low, controlled, but the sight of his mother waiting in his office tugged at him. After speaking with Dr. Grey about Elaine, he had only wanted a moment of solitude to gather his thoughts. Instead, the familiar figure of his mother, Seline–the previous Luna–sat gracefully in the chair across from his desk, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her eyes sharp with worry.

“I was informed you were back but went straight to the hospital,” she said, her voice calm but threaded with unease. “I asked Marcus, but he is not saying anything. What is going on, Darius?”

He let out a long breath, forcing his shoulders to ease. “Nothing is wrong, Mom. We have a new pack member who needed immediate medical attention. That’s why I went straight to the hospital. I wanted her looked at right away.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Her? Who is she? A new pack member? But you just went to Silverblade Pack the mating ceremony of their future alpha and luna.”

Darius hesitated, already anticipating where this was going. His mother’s intuition had always been sharp, sharper than most gave her credit for. Before he could form a reply, a firm knock sounded on the door, and without waiting for permission, it opened.

Darius’s jaw tightened.

“Enter,” he said flatly, though the intruder had already stepped in.

His father, Blaine, the previous Alpha, filled the doorway with his broad frame.

The air shifted instantly, authority radiating from the older man out of sheer habit, though this was no longer his domain.

Darius leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply.

“This is my office now,” Darius reminded, his tone edged with steel. “You can’t just come and go as you please.”

His father only lifted a brow, unmoved. His mother, however, brushed off Darius’s rebuke and leaned forward again, her focus unshaken.

“Who is she?” she pressed. “This new member you rushed to the hospital for.”

Darius hesitated for a heartbeat, then answered evenly. “Her name is Elaine. She’s the daughter of the Silverblade Pack’s Beta.”

His father’s sharp eyes narrowed. “Daughter of a Beta? Then how is she here? Is she your mate?”

“No,” Darius said firmly. “She asked for a transfer. I agreed.”

“A transfer?” Blaine’s voice carried disbelief, edged with suspicion. “Impossible. The daughter of a Beta doesn’t leave her pack unless… unless her Alpha agrees under very specific circumstances. And the only reason an Alpha would agree is if you are her mate.”

His father’s gaze bore into him, testing, demanding.

Darius’s patience frayed. He knew his parents would not stop pressing until they had the full truth. So, with deliberate calm, he told them what had happened in Silverblade. He spoke of Elaine’s suffering, of the betrayal she had endured at the hands of her Alpha, Luna, her family, even her own sister. He kept his voice steady, though every word rekindled the rage simmering inside him.

Seline gasped softly, her hand flying to her lips, tears pooling in her eyes. “Oh, my Goddess… How could they do such a thing?”

“I don’t know,” Darius admitted, his tone low and sharp. “They claim it was for the peace and unity of their pack. Perhaps they convinced themselves of that. But to spit on the Goddess’s blessing?”

His fist clenched against the desk, the wood groaning under his strength. “It is unforgivable.”

Blaine’s expression darkened with fury.

“Then you know what must be done. You need to cut our alliance with them. We do not stand beside packs who dishonor the bond of mates, who disgrace the will of the Moon Goddess!” His voice thundered with righteous anger, the Alpha in him still alive.

But Darius shook his head. “Elaine asked me not to.”

Both his parents stared at him.

“She does not want the alliance to end,” he explained quietly. “She said there are innocents in Silverblade- children, families who had no part in her suffering. She does not want them to suffer consequences meant for others.”

Blaine bristled, his fists tightening at his sides. “You would allow her wishes to outweigh what is best for this pack?”

Before Darius could respond, Seline spoke, her voice calm yet resolute. “She is speaking as a true Luna.”

Darius blinked, startled. “How can you say that, Mother?”

“Because I know what it means to carry the weight of both strength and compassion,” Seline said softly.” An Alpha thinks of protection, of defense, of alliances forged and broken to keep the pack safe. But a Luna … a Luna sees deeper. She sees the children who would go hungry, the families who would suffer quietly under punishment they do not deserve. Yes, Elaine’s pack betrayed her. Yes, they are guilty of cruelty. But her heart still considers those untouched by that betrayal.”

Her words struck him like a bell. It was exactly what Elaine had said. He remembered the fire in her voice, the quiet pain, but also the strength of her conviction.

“That is what she said to me.” He admitted, almost in wonder.

Seline smiled faintly, her eyes glistening. “Then I was right. Spoken as a true Luna.”

Silence stretched across the room, heavy with meaning. Darius leaned back, his thoughts tangled. His parents‘ presence, their questions, their judgments–they all seemed far away for a moment, drowned out by the echo of Elaine’s voice in his mind. A woman betrayed, wounded, yet still thinking of others.