The Rejected Mate (Elaine and Michael) novel Chapter 89

The air in Alpha Michael’s office felt heavier than Elaine remembered. The polished mahogany desk gleamed in the soft amber light spilling through the wide window, and the faint scent of pine and smoke lingered–an echo of the Crescent Moon territory itself. She stood in the middle of the room, her eyes scanning every corner as old memories stirred, uninvited and merciless.

The last time she was here, the world had been different. Back then, she had been told that Michael and Kathy would have their marking ceremony, and after that–her own rejection would be made official. She remembered how she had walked out of this very room feeling hollow, every step pulling her farther from the bond she once thought sacred.

But the rejection never happened. Not as planned. What came instead was pain–searing, consuming, merciless. First physical, then emotional, when she was told her pup hadn’t made it.

Elaine’s breath hitched as the memory clawed its way back into her chest. It didn’t matter that she had never held that pup, or that she hadn’t even known she was carrying it. The loss was carved into her soul. A mother always knows.

The ache of failure still lingered. She had failed to protect her pup. The thought alone could still tear her apart if she let it. But she had been granted one mercy: her wolf had saved Nathan. The miracle she clung to. The reason she learned to breathe again.

That was why her wolf had been silent when she first arrived at Crescent Moon–she was using all her energy to save their remaining pup.

As if sensing her turmoil, Darius stepped closer. His presence was a steady warmth beside her, his scent grounding her like the earth itself. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her gently into him.

“Are you all right, love?” His voice was a low murmur, tender but laced with worry.

Elaine forced a small, sad smile, resting her head briefly against his chest. “Yes,” she whispered. “Just some unsavory memories.”

Michael, standing behind his desk, watched them quietly. Her words hit him like a blade turned inward. Unsavory memories. He didn’t need her to say more–he was one of those memories. Perhaps the worst one.

Clearing his throat, he stepped forward slightly, a small attempt to gather their attention. Elaine and Darius both turned toward him, their hands still linked.

“Will Kathy not be here to see this?” Elaine asked, her voice calm, almost detached.

Michael shook his head. “No. She was supposed to be, but she suddenly felt unwell. She wanted to at least see you, but I told her to go back to our room to rest.”

Elaine only nodded. “I see.”

A tense silence followed. The ticking of the antique clock on the wall sounded louder than it should have.

“So…” Elaine began, her gaze steady. “We just need to say the words and reject each other?”

Michael hesitated. “Yes, that’s what Lucius said. But-” His voice faltered, uncertainty flickering across his features. “Before we do that, I wanted to ask you something.”

Darius’s posture straightened, his shoulders tensing instinctively. Elaine frowned, eyes narrowing slightly but motioned for Michael to continue.

Michael took a deep breath. “I wanted to speak with you about Nathan.”

The room went still.

Darius froze beside her, his alpha aura flaring without warning, the air thickening with dominance and threat. Elaine reached up, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “Darius,” she murmured, her touch enough to calm him, though his eyes still burned with warning.

Turning back to Michael, she met his gaze–cold, unwavering. “There is nothing for you and me to talk about regarding Nathan,” she said, her tone steady but edged with steel. “He is Darius’s and my son. That is all you need to know.”

Michael’s composure cracked. “But he’s not just your son, Elaine.” His voice trembled with something between desperation and regret. “I can feel it–he’s mine. And no one told me he survived. I was informed that you’d lost the pregnancy. I just… I just want to know him.”

Elaine’s eyes shimmered–not with tears, but with the restrained fury of a mother protecting her child. “I did have a miscarriage, Michael,” she said quietly. “Nathan is a miracle. My wolf managed to save him–and Darius saved us. If I had stayed here, under this pack, under your father’s command, Nathan wouldn’t have survived. No matter how hard my wolf tried, he would’ve been lost to this pack and its cruelty.”

Her voice trembled now, but only with conviction. “You lost the right to call yourself his father the moment you betrayed me. You threw away the bond the Moon Goddess blessed us with. You can’t undo that now. You can’t claim what you abandoned. You’re not my mate.”

Michael’s shoulders sagged, shame washing over him like a tide.

“We were ordered, Elaine,” he said weakly. “We didn’t have a choice. Every move was watched. Every action dictated. We-”

“Everyone has a choice, Michael,” she cut in sharply. “You and Kathy chose to obey your father. You chose to hurt me. To disregard me. To stand by while I suffered. Don’t call that a lack of choice–call it what it is.”

Michael’s voice broke. “I just want to meet my son, Elaine. I want him to know me–not the version of me you remember, but the man who’s trying to make amends.”

Elaine’s expression softened just slightly, but her resolve did not. “When he’s older,” she said firmly. “When he can understand the full truth, we’ll tell him everything. And then he can decide if he wants to meet you. But not now. He’s happy. He’s safe. I won’t risk confusing him or reopening wounds he doesn’t need to bear.”

Her tone was final.

Michael nodded slowly, the fight leaving his eyes. He knew better than to push further- especially under Darius’s watchful, protective gaze. He understood what was at stake. If he pressed, Darius could sever their alliance, and though Silverblade was powerful, even the strongest packs needed allies.

He swallowed hard and looked down. “I understand,” he murmured. “I’ll wait.”

As the silence returned, Elaine turned slightly toward Darius, drawing strength from his steady presence. Michael’s gaze lingered on her one last time, haunted by what might have been–and what he could never reclaim.

One day, he told himself, there would be a chance to see his son. One day, perhaps, Nathan would look at him not with confusion, but with understanding.

But that day was not today.

Today was the day he faced the consequences of the choices he made–and the mate bond he lost forever.