The Mate He Hates

Amanda’s POV

Beta Matthew walked into his room and found me seated on the bed. We exchanged glances, and he smiled at me. “Are you okay?” he asked, and I could only respond with a sigh. Everything was becoming exhausting for me. The truth about Elisa’s death had been discovered, but somehow, I didn’t feel at peace. I constantly had the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

“What are you thinking?” Beta Matthew asked as he sat on the other side of the bed. “Are you thinking of telling him the truth?” he asked, and a frown spread across my face. “What truth?” I feigned ignorance. “There is no truth to tell, Beta Matthew. The truth he needs to be told has already been said to him,” I murmured beneath my breath. There was no way I was letting him know that I’m his mate and the one who saved him in the woods. I saw no need in telling him.

“If you wish so,” Beta Matthew sighed and went silent for a moment before he spoke again. “What country would you like to live in?” He threw that unexpected question, and my brow furrowed. “You know you can’t stay here. If you do, he will discover that we are not mates, and that will be a disaster. So, I will tell him I’m sending you away to study and forget all that had happened,” he explained, and my heart fluttered. I couldn’t explain why he held me so close to his heart, why he cared for me so much, knowing he was putting himself at risk.

“Will you like France? My god sister lives there,” he suggested, but I couldn’t say a word. Instead, I just glanced at him, wondering what I did to deserve such help from him.

He held my gaze and flashed me a comforting smile. “I know what’s going on in your head, and you shouldn’t think about it, Amanda, okay? I consider you as a friend, and I will do anything for my friends.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice breaking down with emotion. I didn’t know what would have become of me if not for his help. Perhaps I would still be paying for a crime I knew nothing about.

“It’s okay. Now, tell me, do you like France?” he raised a questioning brow, and I nodded. “Good,” he smiled. “I will arrange for your journey.” He got up and held my gaze. “Don’t worry; you will be fine,” he assured me, and I nodded, having full trust in him.

“I have to attend to some duties; I will be back,” he turned to leave but stopped and looked back at me. “Alpha Edward said something to me downstairs,” he said, and that got my attention. “What did he say? Does he suspect anything?” I panicked.

“Not really,” he paused and got closer to me. “He claims that he has fallen in love with you,” Beta Matthew announced, and my eyes twitched. “In love with me?” I asked in disbelief. “Yes, he told me to leave you for him if I don’t love you,” Beta Matthew confirmed his words, and I scoffed. “How absurd,” A wave of anger flooded my entire being. Such news was supposed to make me happy, but rather, it irritated me. He knows nothing about love; he doesn’t love me, but just loves having sex with me. There are two different things.

“And what did you say to him?” I was curious to know his response.

Beta Matthew shrugged. “I told him you are my mate, and I love you.”

“Thank you. Don’t listen to him; he is just after my body. Alpha Edward doesn’t love me.” Beta Matthew seemed to want to say something, but he decided not to and nodded. “Have some rest; I will be back soon.”

“Alright,” I waved goodbye at him and watched him leave. After he left, I began pacing around the room as his words buzzed in my head. I couldn’t ignore the fact that Alpha Edward had confessed to being in love with me. Despite how much I didn’t believe it, I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. What if he really meant it? What if he has actually fallen for me?

“No, it can’t be,” I cautioned myself. “He just loves having sex with me, and that is all. A man who loves a woman will not have sex with another woman and force her into watching them. His words were lies, and I won’t fall for them.”

I noticed the door opening, and thinking it was Beta Matthew, perhaps he must have forgotten to say something to me. But when the person stepped in, I realized it was Alpha Edward. A frown appeared on my face as our eyes met.

“Amanda,” he called to me so softly as he moved closer to me.

“What do you want, Alpha Edward?” I sounded annoyed to see him.

“Can we talk?” he spoke so gently that I marveled at how the truth had changed him into someone else.

“What is there left to talk about?” I replied, my voice laced with anger.

Alpha Edward sighed, his eyes pleading for understanding. “I know I have wronged you in so many ways, but I want to make things right. I want to apologize for everything I’ve put you through.”

My brow furrowed, unsure of what to make of his sudden change in attitude. I wasn’t prepared to see this side of him.

“Please forgive me, Amanda. All I did, I did because I was consumed with pain. I lost a mate, and thinking I have lost another one made me go crazy and do things I never imagined I could do,” he pleaded desperately. “Amanda, please forgive me,” he pleaded. He seemed sincere, but I couldn’t bring myself to forgive him, if not for anything but for the death of my mother.

“I didn’t send men to kill your mother; I can’t do that,” he lied, and that got me flared up. I hated that he was still denying killing my mother.

Alpha Edward took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. “There is something I think you should know,” he said, and I raised a brow, wondering what he has to say to me.

“I believe you may not know this, but that day in the woods, I tried committing suicide,” he announced, and I looked away. Of course, I knew he had tried committing suicide; I saw him stabbing himself with the knife, but what I didn’t know was why he had attempted to kill himself.

“I believe you must be wondering why I wanted to kill myself,” he sucked in a deep breath, while I patiently waited for him to speak.

“That day, I found out that my first mate had drowned while going on a romantic trip with my cousin Levi,” he paused and closed his eyes for a second before opening them again. When I held his gaze, I could see so much pain in his eyes. Such memories must have really hurt him.

” That very day, I found out that my mate had been having an affair with my cousin, Levi. In fact, she never loved me but had always wanted Levi. They were secretly involved with each other, and I had no clue about it. In fact, my wolf didn’t sense it, perhaps because she didn’t have my mark yet. I just can’t explain it,” He sighed and ran a hand through his already tousled hair.

“That very day, she lied and told me she was going to visit her aunt in another pack, and I believed her, only to later hear the news of their boat capsizing, and she ended up drowning. The truth then came out that she never loved me and was planning to reject our bond…” he paused, and our eyes met. I could feel the pain and anger in his eyes.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I lost my wolf, who was so consumed with the pain of betrayal and the death of his mate. My wolf no longer speaks to me, and that got me depressed, and I decided to commit suicide in the woods but was saved by a stranger…” he gulped in pain. “When I arrived back home, our seer told me that the young girl who saved me was going to be my second chance mate. She told me I would get back the voice of my wolf the moment I mark and mate with her. I was so happy that I was given another chance to be happy. My men told me the girl told them her name, and that was how we came to your home, and I believe you know the remaining part of the story,” he sighed and stepped closer to me. “When I thought you killed Elisa, I became angry and frustrated. Not only was I not going to get back the voice of my wolf, but I had lost a second mate. The thought of that turned me into someone else that I wasn’t; it turned me into a beast. I wanted you to feel the same pain I was going through, but I ended up…” he paused and stepped closer to me, and as I tried moving away, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to himself, our eyes locking with each other. “In the process of hating you, I didn’t know when I fell in love with you, and I don’t think I can let you go.” His confession left me speechless.