The Rejected Mate (Elaine and Michael) novel Chapter 38

The pack hospital wasn’t far from the Alpha house, but the walk felt longer than it should have. Each step Darius took down the corridor echoed with the weight of his thoughts, his boots striking the polished floor like the beat of a war drum.

His wolf stirred restlessly beneath his skin, pushing against him, urging him to move faster, to run.

She’s awake.

The words pulsed in his mind like a heartbeat, sparking a storm of emotions he hadn’t anticipated. Relief flooded him first, sharp and overwhelming.

After days of waiting, after endless hours of wondering if her spirit would fade completely, she had opened her eyes. Relief quickly tangled with worry. What state would she be in? Would her eyes hold the same haunted emptiness as before? Would her wolf still lie silent within her, broken beyond repair?

And beneath the relief and worry, something else burned–a fierce anticipation he couldn’t name. He wanted to see her, to hear her voice, to know she had truly survived.

His protectiveness surged so strongly it almost unsettled him.

Pack members moved aside quickly as he passed, bowing their heads in respect. Some looked curious, no doubt sensing the urgency radiating off him, but none dared stop him. Darius’s aura was sharp, focused, every line of his body tense with restrained energy.

The closer he drew to her room, the louder his wolf grew. ‘Hurry. She needs us. She is not safe without us.

“She is safe here,” Darius murmured under his breath, earning a strange glance from a young nurse who passed by. But his wolf wasn’t listening. It paced inside him, claws scraping against his chest, restless and impatient.

He forced himself to slow his stride as he reached the final hallway, though every instinct screamed at him to break into a run. He needed to appear calm, steady, controlled–for her sake. Elaine had endured enough chaos, enough fear. She didn’t need him storming in like a hurricane.

Darius paused at the door, hand resting on the handle. His heart, steady as a warrior’s even in battle, now hammered in his chest.

His wolf pressed harder, a low growl reverberating in his mind, urging him to open the door.

One step at a time, he told himself. Don’t scare her. Don’t overwhelm her.

Drawing in a deep breath, he steadied his expression, pushing his emotions beneath the iron mask of an Alpha. Yet no matter how he tried, one thing remained clear: the moment he saw Elaine, all that control might shatter.

And with that thought, he pushed open the door.

The door creaked softly as Darius stepped inside, the sterile scent of herbs and antiseptic brushing against his senses.

The room was quiet, dimly lit by the soft glow of morning sunlight filtering through the curtains. His eyes found her instantly, drawn as if by instinct.

Elaine.

She was propped slightly against the pillows, her frame still far too thin, her skin pale against the white sheets. Her hair spilled loosely around her face, strands catching the light, and though she looked fragile- delicate even–there was something in the way she sat that made his chest ache.

Her eyes. They were open now.

Not lifeless. Not dulled by pain or exhaustion. They held a quiet awareness, though shadowed still by sorrow. And when they lifted to meet his, Darius felt something slam through him–an invisible force that made his wolf howl with recognition. Not the pull of a mate bond, no. But something dangerously close, something that rattled the carefully built walls around his heart.

He froze just inside the doorway, his usually steady composure faltering. His wolf surged forward, demanding to be closer, urging him to cross the distance in a heartbeat. But he held himself still, not wanting to frighten her, not wanting to overwhelm her fragile strength.

She blinked at him, her lips parting slightly, as if uncertain whether to speak.

The simple act of her looking at him–alive, awake–sent relief crashing through his veins so hard it almost left him unsteady.

Darius’s hand curled into a fist at his side, trying to contain the rush of emotions. Anger at those who had broken her. Relief that she had survived. And something else, raw and unyielding, that he dared not name yet.

She’s alive. She’s safe. She’s here.

His wolf’s voice was a growl of satisfaction and fierce protectiveness. ‘Ours to protect.’

Taking a slow breath, Darius finally stepped further into the room, his deep voice breaking the fragile silence.

“Elaine.”

Her name rolled from his tongue like both a promise and a vow.