The Mate That Wasn't Mine novel Chapter 47

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Chapter 47

Chapter 47

TESSA POV

Sometimes you just need to wake up and face reality. The stinging slap of truth.

This pack. Alpha Hale, Remy, Hazel. Even Lun Sabrina in her restored self. None of them will ever trust me. I’ll always be a potential let down. A tainted

name.

I’m top of the archery. Second top of scent–tracing. I’m exceeding everything ever expected in these two skills and it’s for nothing. They’ll listen to Maxim

though.

How is that right? How do I exist in such a world?

The way Maxim held onto my fingers, came to my defence has my heart beating a touch too fast for comfort. His amber eyes glowed with pride before Alpha Hale cut me down.

Now Warden Marshall has his hand on my elbow, it is clear any attempt to do anything but go back to my room will end badly.

“Am I a prisoner?”

He shakes his head, his blonde hair doing nothing to dull down the ice in his eyes.

“No.”

“I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I just report the evidence as I find it.”

Opening my door, Pawsome miaows loudly. “A pet? That’s against the rules.”

“It was a stray.”

Warden Marshall rolls his eyes, shutting the door behind me. Pawesome wraps his slinky form around my ankles with outright nonchalance before gliding away.

Someone has opened the window to my bedroom. Maxim never does that. It certainly wasn’t me. Not when I’m addicted to Maxim’s oak and berries scent. I crave its warmth at all times, but now the room is cold and fresh.

The bathroom door whips shut with a bang, almost catching Pawsome. Furious miaowing ensues as he circles my legs. A pretence of affection, he is blatantly searching me for chicken pieces.

“Tessa?” a small voice whispers.

The bathroom door opens, revealing a honey coloured head of hair. A vicious cut down one cheek. Her freckles remain sweet and delicate but her pale green eyes are stricken.

We just meet in the centre of the room and embrace. Together we weep. Hot, angry tears. I cannot look at her face. The bastard. How? How can my beautiful friend be so brutally treated?

“I am so sorry,” I whisper, refusing to let go of her

“I should have spoken up.”

“I should have guessed.”

“You did guess. You knew I was unhappy. I’m a coward. Just…everything he says I am.”

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Chapter 47

Roughly squeezing her, “You’re worth a million of someone like hirm! Don’t for a second let his opinion count!”

“Oh Tessa, I’ve made such an awful mistake….” Irene whimpers, sniffling into her long beige sleeves. I don’t comment on the dried blood inside the

sleeve.

“Come here, let’s sit,” guiding her to the edge of the bed. Carefully I move her hair back so I can see her face. Her delicate features, the sweet little uptum of her nose and freckles cannot be marred by her injury today. The deep, angry red line travelling the entire length of her cheek up into her eyebrow, it will fade with time.

“It’s only a mistake. It’s not forever.”

Irene bends double, breathing heavily into her hands over the side of the bed before her shaky voice whispers.

“But it, isn’t it? We’re stuck together forever. And…and…”

“But he’s not your mate is he?” I offer, my hand stoking down her back. Trying to console Irene with the assurarice she is loved regardless of any error.

“Tessa!” she squeaks.

“Isaac told me.” pointing at the still–growing lump on side of my jaw. “He got me good too.”

“I heard noises and hid in here. I don’t know why I snuck into your room after Princess Hazel came to talk to me. She worked out Isaac was…well…you know-”

“A complete fucking monster?” I offer.

“I didn’t tell her everything though. You know…”

“Why not?”

Irene tuts and tilts her head my way. “You know why. It’s the death penalty for faking a mate bond.”

“Then why do it?”

“That night, after I stole the scent–tracing win from you…Goddess I hated myself for it. But I was desperate. Briggs and I both agreed we had to stop relying on you. But he’s so strong and fierce. I knew he would be okay. Back at home, my wolf could catch any scent. Here, it’s just…I’m just useless.”

“Breathe…breathe,” I soothe. “It’s just us and a cat. I think we can trust Pawesome not to judge.”

Irene finally breaks into a small smile. “Lies, that furry beast is the worst judge of all,” and we smile. We both flop backwards onto the bed. The same bed I lay in with Maxim last night. The one where he spread my legs and made me see the galaxies behind my eyes when I melted for him.

“I’m permanently stuck at the bottom in armoury. Isaac approached me on the way to the packhouse.”

“Promised you everything would be fine?”

“He said as long as I didn’t mind him having a relationship on the side we would just be roommates. I thought that would work!”

Both of us staring upwards, I reach for her hand and squeeze it tight.

“I would never see you get cut, I’d always try to help you-”

“It isn’t your job to save me Tessa.”

I reply sulkily, “But I want to help,” tutting up at the whitewashed ceiling above.

“You and Maxim…you have something so special.”

“Irene…” squeezing her hand a little tighter, focusing my sight on a random cobweb and praying my cheeks remained a normal colour.

Chapter 47

I try not to let myself react to such an idea. We don‘! We can’t have. I’m merely the girl stupid enough to fall in love with a man I cannot ever have.

“No it’s true. I don’t know what you argued out about this month but I hope you g

get back to where you were,”

“We have. Last night, we sorted it out,” trying to fend off the guilt that rises at lying to my friend, even now.

Of course we look good together. A man like Maxim, so cool, confident. Charismatic to the point of annoying, he could sell

any relationship.

My wolf plants an image in my head. A kaleidoscope of his intense, tiger–eyed stares. The first time we met, we kissed, in the scent–tracing barn. Last night. Goddess last night. After he dragged my hips sideways along the wall and hauled my leg over his shoulders.

The way his whole body moved with a tiny shiver after inhaling my scent up close. Those devilish eyes completely focused on nothing but me.

But then when he meets his mate, I bet his eyes are even more spectacular, his kisses and caresses somehow even more passionate.

“Has…Isaac been hurting you this whole time?”

“No. It started out as planned,” she replies, her voice soft and gentle. “We just kept our distance.”

“The pillow bed?”

“My choice.”

“Irene…why didn’t you say anything?”

“How could I Tess? How could I admit I was so afraid to be cut that I gambled everything on a stranger? I even made you all gifts in case he killed me. It’s just stupid, rejected things I made for the armoury but when he hit me…I can’t explain it. Like the hourglass had been turned over for the last time and I had to get things in place.”

She places her hand away from mine, around her waist, hugging her ribs. I wonder if she were to strip off, how much of her delicate skin would be bruised. Goddess I hope Maxim has killed Isaac.

“But you’re safe now. It’s over. I’m so sorry I let you down. Your life is going to restart.”

“I’ve ruined everything.”

“No. Don’t think like that.” I whisper. “I’ll be with you. I’ll come over to your old place. Maxim will understand. No more pillow beds, no more sadness.”

“He sent Princess Hazel I think. She had no reason to find me, but just appeared out of nowhere.”

“What was she like?” trying to hide my curiosity. I know she and Maxim had a relationship. I got to witness her stroking his cheek that first night in the dining hall after all.

“I think I’m the first person she’s ever seen injured,” Irene murmured back. “She looked like she was going to faint. She promised me I’d never see Isaac again. She swore on it.”

“Maxim jabbed a knife into his throat.”

Irene doesn’t say anything but out of the corner of my eye I watch her sweet little face harden into grim smile. Before I can ask any more the door knocks. Matching Pawesome, Irene flies off my bed and hides.

“Who is it?”