The Mate He Hates

Alpha Edward’s POV

After the guard helped me change into dry clothes and get into bed, anger filled my entire being. I felt so ashamed and worthless. The door opened, and Amanda walked into the room, already changed into dry clothes. Our eyes met, and we looked at each other for a moment before she walked over to the other side of the bed and laid down.

An awkward silence filled the room as we both stared at the ceiling, unsure of what to say. Within the span of twenty-four hours, we had sex twice, and I didn’t know what to think about it. One thing was sure: Amanda still hated me, but she still cared for me.

“About the sex…” she cleared her throat and looked my way. “You shouldn’t think much about it. We were just horny and so…” she trailed off. I frowned but didn’t say a word. “So let’s just say we were horny and decided to quench our desires,” she said while I remained silent. Of course, that was not what I felt, but I didn’t want to argue with her over it.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Silence filled the room again as we both stared at the ceiling. The rain had stopped falling, but a strong wind was blowing outside. I wished I could pull her into my arms, but I had no right to do that. I had lost such a right. Suddenly, she moved closer to me and gently placed her head on my chest, causing my heart to race.

“Go to bed, I’m here,” she whispered, and a sigh left my lips. I felt a lump form in my throat as I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close.

I was a mess, physically and emotionally, but at this moment, none of that mattered. All that mattered was Amanda’s presence, her gentle touch, her soft voice whispering “I’m here” in my ear. I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. I didn’t deserve this, didn’t deserve her kindness, but I couldn’t bring myself to push her away. I needed her, needed this, more than I needed air.

As we lay there, the storm raging outside, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. It was fragile, I knew, but it was something. And with Amanda by my side, I felt like maybe, just maybe, we could pass this storm together.

I tightened my hold on her, my arm trembling with emotion. I wanted to tell her everything, to apologize for all the pain I’d caused, but words failed me. All I could do was hold her, cherish this moment, and hope that someday, somehow, I would be deserving of her.

Waking up the next morning, I noticed Amanda sleeping soundly in my arms. A smile spread across my face as I ran a finger across her cheek, and at that moment, I wished I could wake her up with kisses, but I held back. I didn’t want to cross our boundaries and make her angry.

Not wanting to wake her up, I remained still while she slept soundly until a knock came on the door, and I frowned. The door opened, and it was Matthew, who seemed surprised to see Amanda in my bed.

“Apologies, I never knew she was here,” he said, and that woke Amanda from her sleep. She left my arms, and our eyes locked, but she quickly looked away and got down from the bed.

“Good morning, brother,” she greeted Matthew, who had a big grin on his face. “Good morning, Amanda, I believe you had a pleasant night,” he smirked, and I glared at him.

Amanda looked away, not wanting him to see her expression.

“Well, you have an appointment with an orthopedist. He will be here within an hour, so…” Matthew trailed off, and I sighed, looking at Amanda, who held my gaze for a moment before looking away.

“I’ll go check on Liam,” she said and excused herself from the room.

After she left, Matthew folded his arms and gave me a suspicious look. “I believe you had a pleasant night…”

“Shut up and help me get ready,” I snapped, and he chuckled before moving over to me.

Matthew helped me to the bathroom and placed me inside the tub. As I bathed, I felt like tearing up, but I held back. Matthew helped me get dressed, and after that, he wheeled me to the elevator that would take us downstairs for breakfast.

Arriving on the first floor, we got out of the elevator, and as I wheeled myself to the dining room, I heard loud laughter coming from the dining area. Getting closer, I saw Amanda, Levi, and Liam laughing loudly. Levi seemed to have said something that got them laughing so hard, and a pang of jealousy hit me. It was supposed to be me making them laugh and not Levi.

“Are you okay?” Matthew asked when he noticed I wasn’t moving.

“Good morning, godfather, good morning, father,” Liam greeted with a warm smile as I entered the room.

“Morning, buddy,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. I wheeled myself to the table and joined them, the atmosphere light and filled with joy that felt foreign to me.

“Guess what, Godfather!” Liam exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement. “Uncle Levi was telling us about the time he got stuck in a tree when he was my age!”

I forced a smile, trying to engage. “Oh really? That sounds interesting.”

I already knew that story.

Levi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea to climb the tallest tree in the yard. Turns out, getting up was a lot easier than getting down.”

Amanda laughed softly. “And he had to wait until someone noticed and called for help. He was stuck there for almost an hour.”

I know that; I was the one who saw him and called for help.

Liam giggled. “Uncle Levi said he thought he was going to live up there forever!”

Levi ruffled Liam’s hair affectionately. “I was pretty sure I’d have to start making a nest.”

Amanda’s eyes sparkled, and Liam added, “And then, when help finally arrived, they had to use a ladder to get him down. It was quite a sight.”

Levi grinned. “I think I learned my lesson that day. No more climbing trees without a plan.”

They all laughed again, the sound of their mirth filling the room. I tried to join in, but the feeling of being an outsider gnawed at me. As they continued their conversation, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy and sadness.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Amanda asked, looking at Levi.

“I was thinking we could take Liam to the park,” Levi suggested. “Let him burn off some of that energy.”

Liam’s face lit up. “Can we go to the one with the big slide?”

“Of course,” Levi replied, smiling warmly at him.

“That sounds like a great idea,” Amanda agreed. “Liam feels suffocated in here.”

They continued to discuss their plans for the day, their conversation filled with laughter and warmth. I tried to engage, but my mind kept drifting back to the painful reality of my situation. I felt left out, a spectator in a moment of happiness that I couldn’t fully partake in.

My appetite vanished as the cheerful atmosphere only highlighted my sense of isolation. The pain of being an outsider in this moment was too much to bear.

“Excuse me,” I mumbled, pushing away from the table. I wheeled myself back towards the elevator, feeling a mix of sorrow and frustration. As I left, I couldn’t help but glance back, seeing Amanda’s concerned expression before the elevator doors closed.

I wanted to wheel back to my room, but I remembered a certain person and decided to go see her in the dungeon. Arriving at the dungeon, I wheeled up to her cell, stood at the gate, and looked into her cell. She was seated on the floor. A magical cord still wrapped around her, which prevented her from using her witchcraft power or shifting to her wolf. It had been months since she had been kept in this cell. I wanted to sentence her to death, but I didn’t know why I was still keeping her alive.

“You are here,” she chuckled as she lifted her head and glanced at me. I growled and stared at her with anger. I wished I could kill her and make her pay for all she did, but not so soon.

“You came to pay me a visit, huh?” She smirked devilishly, and I grunted, anger simmering inside of me.

“Oops! You’ve lost your legs, what a pity.” She mocked while my anger rose as I clenched my fist.

“Since you are here, I should give you another prophecy.” She smirked and got up on her feet. She tried approaching the gate, but the chain restrained her, and she was forced to stop halfway.

“Get ready, Alpha Edward, you are going to die, but before then, you will watch the woman you love being taken away from you by none other than your cousin!” She laughed loudly, and I swallowed in discomfort.

“You are lying!” I yelled, not wanting to believe her. This witch was playing mind games with me.

“Really?” She lowered her gaze and met mine. “Remember my first prophecy of Amanda being taken away from you? I believe it is happening now, and that is why you are this heartbroken.”