The Unwanted Mate

Cassia Rowe

I found myself in a small, empty hall deep within the sprawling estate. I pressed my back against the unforgiving stone wall and let my body slide slowly down to the cold floor. The excruciating reality of my life crushed the breath right out of my lungs. The man chosen by the Moon Goddess to be my destined mate, the other half of my very soul, was standing in another room pledging his eternal devotion to a different woman. The physical ache in my chest felt like a jagged blade twisting repeatedly into my ribs. I wrapped my arms tight around my knees. I tucked my head down. These tears refused to stop.

Darius despises me. He looks at me and sees nothing but a manipulative gold digger.

When my family forced me into this arranged marriage, I felt a twisted sense of relief. I believed I could keep my distance, endure his coldness, and save my heart for my true fated mate. I thought my mate would eventually come and rescue me from this nightmare. Now, the cruel irony of the Moon Goddess's design stared me in the face. My cold, distant husband is my fated mate. He hates my guts, and he loves Nadia.

"Why would you make him my mate if he loves someone else?" I whispered into the shadows of the empty hall. "What kind of sick joke is this?"

My ragged sobs echoed off the high ceilings. I felt like a lost, terrified child all over again. The suffocating weight of my circumstances dragged memories of my past straight to the surface. I remembered the warmth in my father’s eyes before my mother passed away. I remembered how that warmth vanished the moment they lowered her into the ground. Years of neglect followed. My stepmother and stepsister turned my life into a daily cycle of brutal chores and verbal torment. I survived all of that abuse by clinging to the hope of a fated mate. Now, my mate was the one denying me any chance at happiness.

I wiped my wet cheeks with the back of my hand. The tears just kept falling. I felt stranded in the dark. The thought of marching back to Darius and demanding my rightful place terrified me. How could I look him in the eye and tell him the truth when he had just confessed his profound love for Nadia? He would laugh in my face. He would reject me on the spot.

I forced myself to stand up. I needed a distraction to quiet my spiraling thoughts. I smoothed out my clothes and walked straight to the mansion's vast kitchen.

The familiar routine of preparing food offered a tiny shred of solace. I pulled out fresh vegetables and began chopping them on the wooden block. The rhythmic thud of the knife against the board grounded my frantic heartbeat. I focused on the steam rising from a large pot on the stove. I did not hear the footsteps approaching until a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around. Hilda stood there. Her warm eyes scanned my red, swollen face.

"Cassia, what happened? You look like you've been crying." She spoke gently.

I looked down at the cutting board. I debated keeping my mouth shut. “It is nothing, Hilda.”

“Come on, dear, you can tell me. Sometimes, it helps to share the burden.” She stepped closer.

The dam inside my chest shattered. “It is just everything. Darius, this marriage, my life in this house... it is all too much for me to carry anymore.”

Hilda pulled up a wooden stool and sat down beside the kitchen island. She patted the spot next to her. I set down the knife and took a seat. Her unwavering attention made me feel seen for the first time in months.

"I just found out that Darius is my mate." I confessed in a hushed, broken voice.

Her face lit up with a massive smile. “What? This is great news! Your husband is your fated mate.”

"No, it is not great news. He loves Nadia and wants nothing to do with me." The heavy sadness in my tone erased her smile.

Hilda reached out and grabbed both of my hands. Her grip was firm and grounding. “Cassia, you are stronger than you think. The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes. If she chose Darius as your mate, then there is a profound reason for it. You need to fight for your place in his life, for your rightful place in this pack. Claim it.”

I stared at her. A tiny, dormant spark ignited in my chest. “But how, Hilda? He hates me. He thinks I am a gold digger who sold herself for his fortune. He loves her. He will reject me.”

“You have to show him who you truly are, not the person he assumes you are. Be patient, and do not let anyone in this house bully you into believing you are less than you are. This is your life and your destiny. Claim it.” She squeezed my hands harder.

Her words sank deep into my bones. I had spent my entire life playing the role of the passive victim. I accepted the abuse from my family, and I accepted the disdain from Darius's family. I forgot that I possessed the strength to rewrite my own story. Hilda’s fierce belief in me acted as a powerful beacon.

“Thank you, Hilda. I do not know what I would do without you.” I whispered.

She smiled and patted my cheek. “You do not have to thank me, dear. Just promise me you will fight for yourself. Do not let anyone make you feel unworthy of the happiness you deserve.”

I nodded. A fierce determination rooted itself in my soul. I decided right then that I would tell Darius the truth. More importantly, I would stop cowering. I would show him and his toxic family my true strength. I would fight for my place.

The next morning, I woke up with a burning sense of purpose. I dressed quickly, tied my hair back, and headed straight to the kitchen. I prepared a silver tray with a hot breakfast and fresh coffee for Blair. I carried the heavy tray down the long corridor and knocked on her bedroom door.

“Come in.” Her haughty voice sounded from the other side.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Blair sat by her vanity in her silk nightclothes. The moment she spotted me in the mirror, her face twisted into a familiar scowl. She opened her mouth, ready to hurl her morning insults at me.

I did not give her the chance. I walked over to the small table by her bed, placed the tray down with a solid clink, and flashed her a tight, polite smile.

"Good morning, Blair. I hope you enjoy your breakfast." I turned on my heel and marched straight out of the room. I shut the door firmly behind me.

I felt a rush of triumph. I denied her the satisfaction of ruining my day. I walked back down the grand staircase toward the kitchen.

As I rounded the corner, I ran right into Helena. Darius’s mother stood in the middle of the hallway like a stone statue. Her eyes narrowed into sharp slits the second she saw me. She always found a reason to express her disgust for my presence in her home.

“Where are you coming from?” She demanded.

“Blair’s room.” I replied with a steady voice.

“Why were you there?” She took an intimidating step toward me.

In the past, I would have dropped my gaze to the floor and shrunk back against the wall to appease her. Today, I stood my ground. I met her harsh glare with equal intensity.

“To hand her breakfast.” I stated.

Helena clenched her jaw. She lunged forward and grabbed my wrist. Her manicured nails dug deep into my skin. “Did I not tell you to stay away from my children?”

I did not flinch. I flexed my arm and pulled my wrist free from her grasp with surprising force. Helena stumbled back half a step, her eyes wide with shock at my sudden defiance.

“Yes, you did. But your daughter ordered me, and only me, to bring breakfast to her room every single day. So, you see, I do not have an option in the matter.” I kept my voice deadpan and unwavering.

Helena stood frozen. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She could not find a single word to counter my logic.

I spun around and left her standing alone in the hallway. I pushed through the swinging doors into the kitchen. The lingering adrenaline made my hands shake a little, but I felt more alive than I had in years.

I walked over to the sink to wash my hands.

“Good morning, Cassia.” Hilda called out from the stove.

“Good morning, Hilda.” I turned and gave her a genuine smile.

She picked up a steaming tray of bacon, eggs, and black coffee. She walked over and shoved the tray right into my hands.

“Mr. Thorne asked for his breakfast to be brought to his office. I think you should take it up to him.” She said.

I stared at the food. The memory of him holding Nadia in his office crashed back into my mind. “Me? Why me?”

“Dear, I told you yesterday. You must start fighting for your place here. He is your mate and your husband. You should be taking care of his needs. It is time to stop running away.” She placed her hands on my shoulders and gave me a firm push toward the door.

“But...” I stammered, my courage faltering.

“No buts. Just go.” She instructed.

I gripped the edges of the tray and made my way toward the grand staircase. My heart hammered against my ribs with every step I took toward the second floor. His deep, affectionate voice confessing his love to Nadia echoed in my head. He loved her. A dark voice in my mind whispered that no matter what I did, he would never look at me with that kind of adoration.

*He will love us.*

A sudden, powerful voice boomed inside my head.

I gasped and stumbled, nearly dropping the heavy tray. I looked up and down the empty corridor.

*Who are you?* I thought.

*I am Raeve, your wolf.* The voice announced with fierce pride.

*Raeve? My wolf?* I stood frozen on the top step.

*Yes. And Darius is our mate, our husband. Nadia may be someone he loves right now, but the Moon Goddess chose him for us. She chose us for him. He married us. We must fight for him and claim our rightful position in his life.* Her presence vibrated through my veins, filling me with a raw, wild energy.

*But what if he rejects us for her?* I asked.

*He will not. Just tell him the truth.* She urged.

*Okay.* I agreed.

I stood before the imposing mahogany door of his office. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and knocked twice.

“Come in.” His rough, deep voice sounded from the other side.

I turned the brass knob and pushed the door open. Darius sat behind his massive desk. He stared intently at his laptop screen. He wore a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. I walked over to the small sitting area and placed the tray on the glass coffee table. I stood up straight and turned to face him.

“Good morning.” I said.

He finally looked up from his screen. His piercing gray eyes locked onto mine. A wave of bitter annoyance rolled off him in waves.

“What do you want? I have already sent the funds to your family. So drop the pathetic act and get out.” His tone dripped with venom.

His words struck me like a physical blow. The sheer cruelty of his assumption shattered my polite facade. He honestly believed my simple greeting and the breakfast I brought him were part of some scheme to extract more wealth from his bank account. After all the torment I endured under his roof, he still viewed me as a greedy parasite.

I swallowed the lump of hurt forming in my throat. “I want to talk to you about something.”

“I said, get out.” He leaned back in his leather chair. “I do not want to waste my time talking to a gold digger like you.”

The final thread of my restraint snapped. The anger I had suppressed for months erupted from my chest like a volcano. I clenched my fists at my sides. I narrowed my eyes and glared right back at him.

“Why did you marry me if you think I am just a gold digger?” I fired back.

He stopped moving. He snapped his gaze back to me. The sheer intensity of those gray eyes usually made me cower and look away. Today, I refused to submit. I held his stare.

“You know very well why I married you.” He ground out, his jaw muscle ticking.

“You should have refused the arrangement if you hated me so much! At least I would have been freed from all this torment.” Hot tears of frustration blurred my vision, but I refused to blink them away. “From the very day I came here, I agreed to everything you commanded. I worked day and night in your company, compensating the exact money you sent to my father. I endured all the brutal bullying and verbal abuse from your mother, your sister, and Vanessa without a single word of complaint. I have earned my keep in this mansion every single day! So, do not you dare call me a gold digger!”

My chest heaved with exertion. I hated crying in front of him, but the overwhelming mix of anger, hurt, and exhaustion forced the tears down my cheeks. I swiped them away angrily.

A heavy, suffocating silence filled the vast office. Darius sat frozen in his chair. His sharp gray eyes remained locked onto my face. The sheer shock of my outburst wiped the annoyance from his expression. We stared at each other. The seconds ticked by. Neither of us broke eye contact.

*Tell him why you are here!* Raeve roared in my mind. Her anticipation sent sparks down my spine. *Tell him right now!*

I dragged a shaky breath into my lungs. I braced myself for the terrifying fallout. I knew this revelation would change everything between us.

“I actually wanted to tell you...” I paused, letting the truth gather on my tongue. “... that... you are my mate.”