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You're hurting me.
Last Updated:
2024-11-06 22:46:37
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Desired Mate What's your plan?
CATHERINE“So, what’s your plan, Catherine? Do you intend to stay here with him?” Damon’s voice was a whisper in the stillness as he turned to me.I took a step back, surprised by the question. “Why would you ask that?” I managed to voice out. “Whatever I decide isn’t any of your business, Damon.”His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he’d simply drop the subject. But then he leaned closer.“Because if you stay, you’re only putting yourself in harm’s way. I’ve seen what happens to those close to him—”“Stop,” I cut him off, a tremor in my voice. I didn’t want to hear this, didn’t want his warnings clouding my already tangled feelings. “I said it’s not your concern.”His eyes hardened, and his expression twisted into something almost bitter. “You’re so stubborn,” he hissed. “You really think you can handle being his mate? Do you think you’re safe here, Catherine?”I lifted my chin, refusing to give ground. “I’m not afraid of him.”“Then you’re a fool. Besides, that's all lie
Last Updated : 2024-11-06Desired Mate A deal?
CATHERINE Kane’s presence filled the dining room before I even saw him the next morning. He was sitting at the head of the table, looking like he had been waiting. I could already feel the tension brewing as I approached him.“Good morning,” he said, trying for a smile, though it looked strained.I nodded, taking a seat across from him. He cleared his throat, making an awkward attempt at conversation after minutes of silence between us.“Did you sleep well?”I shrugged, focusing on my food, not wanting to engage. It was hard to forget the way he’d cornered me last night, demanded things of me like I had no say. Even if part of me had reacted… well, I was determined not to let him think that gave him any sort of power over me.He tried again. “The staff mentioned that you seem to like the roses in the garden. I had them arrange more roses if that’s what you liked.”I raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, taking a deliberate sip of my tea. His attempt at small talk felt strange, almost
Last Updated : 2024-11-08Desired Mate Keep pretending.
KANEI moved through the castle, hurrying to where my mother was. Damon's message had stirred something uneasy within me. I’d learned long ago that nothing Zelda did was without purpose, and I would not underestimate her now.Her scent led me straight to her sitting room. And immediately I entered, I saw her in there, lounging on a chaise, her arm wrapped in a bandage, arranged as if she’d been gravely injured.“Mother.” My voice was clipped. “What happened?”She turned her head slowly, looking surprised, as if she hadn’t expected me to come. A thin smile played at her lips before she sighed and shifted, resting her hand delicately over her bandaged arm.“Oh, Kane,” she said in that soft, lilting tone she used when she wanted sympathy. “It’s nothing, truly. A maid, a careless, thoughtless girl, nearly poured scalding water on me.” She paused, letting the statement linger as her eyes went wide with mock horror. “I slipped, trying to avoid the burn, and hurt my arm.”I leaned back agai
Last Updated : 2024-11-08Desired Mate Do I look okay to you?
KANEEvery muscle in my body felt like it was drawn taut, straining to hold back the relentless pressure of my beast. The scent of my mother’s blood didn't leave my head for a minute. It taunted me, teasing me at that fragile line of control I fought to keep. It was slipping. I was slipping, inch by inch, like sand through my fingers, and the creature within me was ravenous, clawing to break free.A hand gripped my shoulder all of a sudden. I snapped my head to the side, and i saw Damon., He was assessing me and in no time, he had an idea of what was happening.“Kane, are you alright?” he asked.A bitter chuckle slipped out before I could hold it back. I shot him a sidelong glance, my voice thick and rough, barely mine. “Do I look okay to you, Damon?”He narrowed his eyes, tightening his hold on my shoulder. “How close are you?” he asked, understanding without needing an explanation. “I mean, how close is he?”My jaw clenched, muscles straining against the pull of my beast. “Clos
Last Updated : 2024-11-08Desired Mate Run?
CATHERINE “So rude!” I seethed as I left the restaurant, my heels clicking against the pavement with each furious step. How could Kane just walk away from me like that, without a backward glance? I was angry at him, thinking about it. As I made my way home, I couldn’t help but curse him. “What kind of man just leaves a woman like that?” I muttered to myself, shaking my head in disbelief. Even though he wasn’t there to hear me, I continued to chastise him, imagining his face as I unleashed my frustration. “You think you’re such a gentleman, Kane? What a joke.”Had he been playing me this whole time? Maybe this was all just an act, a facade he wore to charm me into lowering my guard. My heart raced with confusion and betrayal. I had agreed to going out with him, hoping to connect, to see the man behind the brooding exterior. Instead, I was left standing in the wake of his arrogance.Fine! He had an emergency to attend to, but we could as well leave together. I slammed my hand ag
Last Updated : 2024-11-08Desired Mate That's a long time.
CATHERINEOpening my eyes, a dull light filtered through the curtains, and for a moment, everything felt hazy. My mind was blank. The last thing I could clearly recall was being at the restaurant with Kane, and then, nothing. Just emptiness. I struggled to sit up, trying to piece things together.“My lady!” A familiar voice broke through my confusion, and I turned to see Mia rushing into the room, her face a mixture of relief and concern. “You’re awake!”“Mia?” I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy. “What happened to me?”She approached me cautiously, her eyes scanning my face for signs of distress. “You fainted while you were out with the king,” she explained gently. “We were all worried about you. You’ve been asleep for two days.”“Two days?” I repeated, my brow furrowing. That seemed odd. I remembered feeling dizzy, but fainting for two whole days? “That’s... a long time. Are you sure?”Mia nodded. “Yes, it’s true. I was so worried when I heard you’d collapsed. But you’re safe n
Last Updated : 2024-11-10Desired Mate Are you okay?
CATHERINE Immediately the timer dinged, I quickly pulled the cookies from the oven, and the golden-brown treats looked absolutely perfect, just as I had hoped. The sweet aroma filled the kitchen.Mia leaned against the counter, eyeing the cookies with a playful grin as I laid them out on the plates.“Those look amazing, my lady! Where are you off to now?”I adjusted the plate of cookies in my hands, at the thought of delivering them myself. “I’m going to give these to Damon.”Mia raised an eyebrow with a glimmer in her eyes. “You want me to take them to him? I mean, I am your maid after all. It would be best to hand it over to him on your behalf.”I shook my head. “No, I want to give them to him myself. It’s important to me.”“Important? How so?” Mia pressed. Obviously she was curious because knew minute, I wanted to kill them all in that castle but here I was offering cookies with a smile on my face.I hesitated, considering how much to reveal. “It’s personal,” I finally said, fe
Last Updated : 2024-11-10Desired Mate What do you mean unusual?
KANEI blinked and my vision slowly cleared as the beast receded, leaving me kneeling on the forest floor, raw and exhausted. The ache in my muscles was as much from the shift but not with much impact. My hands were bloodied, clawed fingers retracting back to human skin, and for a moment, I just sat there, catching my breath. The rage within me had quieted, but one image was clear and stubborn as daylight, Catherine.I couldn't take my mind off her.She hadn't flinched, not even when I came at her in my beast form. Most people, even Lycans, would’ve run, but she’d held her ground. And then, unbelievably, she’d wrapped her arms around me, as if to soothe the creature that should have terrified her. Her hands, her touch soft, and her eyes, they looked at me like I was still human.It was hard to understand. That kind of faith, that level of trust. She’d looked into my worst, into the part of me that I hate, and instead of recoiling, she’d reached out. I felt the sting of shame claw at
Last Updated : 2024-11-11
Latest chapter
Desired Mate No goodbye.
KANECatherine had finally fallen asleep, her chest heaving as she breathed in slumber. I could feel her worry radiating off her even as she slept with the way she clung so tightly to me. Gently, I shifted her in my arms and laid her down on the couch. I smoothed a strand of hair from her face, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.She might not know it, but I understood her well enough even if she tried her best not to show her worry deeply. She tried masking it not wanting to burden me. I knew her that well at least."Sleep well," I whispered. She stirred for a moment but didn’t wake.Straightening up, I made my way to the door, pausing only briefly to glance back at her peaceful, albeit tear-streaked face. The sight made my chest tighten, but I forced myself to step outside, closing the door quietly behind me. Camille was already waiting. I had nudged her earlier informing her to let us talk outside before laying Catherine off my chest."What’s the plan?" she asked
Desired Mate I'll come back for you.
CATHERINE Back in the house, Kane paced back and forth, his heavy footsteps echoing against the hardwood floors. His brows were furrowed, as he was thinking. Each time he turned, frustration radiated off him in waves. We had made sure nobody left the camp after the incident, not even Davina and her team."Damn it," Kane muttered under his breath, filled with anguish. "I can’t just stand here while those kids... while more people suffer because of me."I sat at the edge of the couch, thinking too. Camille perched beside me, her gaze bouncing between Kane and me. I knew she was struggling to piece together what she’d just learned since she had no idea how Kane's relationship with Zelda was or who Esme really was.Finally, Camille broke the silence cautiously. "Catherine, explain this to me again. From the beginning. I need to understand what’s really happening here."I drew in a deep breath before diving into details. "Esme isn’t who we thought she was. She’s one of Zelda’s pawns, sen
Desired Mate Do you know her?
CATHERINE “Esme,” I muttered. I didn't even know when the word left my lips. She was one of Zelda’s closest allies, a woman Kane and I both knew too well. Well, Kane knew her more than I did. I only got the chance to know her because of the mating ceremony which was of course, ruined.Seeing Davina’s face change into Esme’s was like being struck by lightning. My legs felt weak, and for a moment, I thought I’d collapse. The world spun as I struggled to reconcile the two faces. How could this have happened?Camille’s voice broke through my haze of disbelief. “Catherine, what’s going on? Do you know her?”I turned to my sister, my voice shaky. “She’s… she’s Esme. Zelda’s friend. I saw her when I was preparing for the mating ceremony with Kane. She was there. I… I can’t believe this.”Esme’s sly smile only added to the knot of unease in my chest. I pointed a trembling finger at her. “What are you doing here? What is the meaning of this?”Esme’s lips curled into a sly smile. “Delivering
Desired Mate A good feat.
KANEThe scent my beast picked up wasn't just a normal odouror something. It was a feeling. But I didn't have the chance to decipher what it was. Fear? Intimidation? I wasn't sure. But it was a very good feat for me nevertheless. It led me to someone because as soon as it disappeared, it returned. My wolf prowled close to the surface, growling with anticipation, urging me to act, to find the truth buried in the fear-stricken crowd. I could feel the lies hanging in the air, the deceit woven among these so-called helpers. And I so much would tear it out, root and stem, no matter the cost.“Bring them forward,” I barked thunderously, pointing to some of the people ahead. If they weren't going to talk willingly, I might as well try another method.The men I gave the orders to dragged the first suspect into the center of the clearing. It was a young medic, pale and trembling, his glasses askew on his nose. I paced in front of him like a predator.“Name,” I demanded.“D-David, sir,” the ma
Desired Mate Speak now!
KANEThe camp was buzzing with intense activity as everyone scrambled from one place to another, trying to help the other children. I stood at the center, thinking, calculating, observing what everyone was doing. What if this whole thing they were all doing was just a facade and would probably just lead to more death? What if Zelda's minion did his job already and left? So many what ifs crossed my mind incessantly.At this point, I couldn't help but howl, a loud guttural one that evhoed through the air, demanding attention. Everyone froze, and their hands stilled, their eyes snapping to me as I stood tall, coldly glancing at them. Whatever it was, I have to figure it out.I turned to six strong men I trusted since we worked together all along. “I want every new person in this camp, everyone who wasn’t here before the outbreak, out in the clearing. Now.”The men hesitated for a beat, exchanging uneasy glances. One of them, a wiry man with greying hair, dared to ask, “Even the doctors
Desired Mate What does that mean?
AUTHOR'S POVAfter hours of treating the children and stabilizing their symptoms, one of Davina’s team members, a scientist named Dr. Elena, approached her, holding a clipboard in one hand and a phone in the other. She was the one Davina said she would reach out to earlier."I’ve analyzed the samples," Dr. Elena said briskly showing the clipboard to Davina. "It’s not smallpox, though it mimics it in many ways. It’s a viral strain, an offshoot of the Orthopoxvirus family."Davina frowned. "What does that mean? How is it similar but not the same?"Dr. Elena adjusted her glasses, explaining further. "The virus shares genetic markers with smallpox but has mutated in a way that makes it less deadly and more treatable. Its symptoms are similar, fever, rash, and fatigue. But the pustules it forms are superficial. They don’t penetrate the skin deeply like smallpox does. Technically, it’s an engineered virus, possibly accidental, but it’s much weaker."Davina narrowed her eyes. "Engineered? Me
Desired Mate Everyone, leave.
CATHERINE Things began returning to normal little by little as Davina sprang into action. She gave out instructions to the parents and volunteers who were hovering helplessly around the tent."I need everyone to leave this tent immediately," she announced strictly in a way that left the parents no choice but to obey. "If you are not directly assisting, you’re only adding to the confusion. Parents, please step outside and wait. I will provide updates as soon as I can."Reluctantly, the parents began to move out of the tents, with worry and tear-streaked faces. A few resisted at first, clinging to their sick children, but Kane’s intervention at the entrance helped to expedite the process. He stood there like a sentry glancing at them all intimidatingly.If there was anything about Kane that scares me, it was how his looks commands things. Just one look and things were already where he wanted them or how he wanted them to be without him evening snapping his fingers sometimes.Once the s
Desired Mate Gather everyone.
CATHERINE The car door swung open, and a young lady, assumed to be Davina stepped out. She was a striking woman in her late thirties, with jet-black hair that fell in soft waves around her shoulders. Her almond-shaped eyes, scanned her surroundings before they landed on the old woman who was outside already. She was dressed in practical yet stylish clothing, a fitted blazer over a patterned blouse, paired with dark jeans. One other thing, she carried herself with an air of quiet authority. That couldn't go unnoticed."Mara!" she exclaimed and hurried up the steps, pulling the old woman into a firm hug. "It’s been too long. How have you been? And why are you looking so stressed? I thought we talked about this!"Mara chuckled softly, patting Davina’s back. "Oh, Davina, you know me. Stubborn as always. But I’m managing just fine. You, on the other hand, look like you’ve been working yourself to the bone again. When will you learn to take a break?"Davina pulled back slightly, her eyes
Desired Mate The answer to the prayers.
CATHERINEThe old woman gestured for us to take a seat as she also say onto the worn wooden bench outside her modest home. She exhaled slowly, rubbing her lower back before speaking to us once again.“Like I said, you guys are lucky,” she began. “There’s a doctor named Davina coming into town today.”My heart lifted slightly, though I caught the wary glint in Kane’s eyes as he leaned forward. His imposing frame cast a long shadow over the woman.“What’s she coming to town for?” he asked, suspiciously.The old woman looked at him, unbothered by his intimidating demeanor. “She’s here for her usual round. I’m diabetic, you see, and she checks up on me every few months. A kind soul, that one. Always makes sure I’m doing all right.”Camille clasped her hands together, her face lighting up with relief. “Thank heavens! That’s exactly what we need right now. Thank you so much for telling us, ma’am.”But the woman held up her hand, stopping Camille mid-celebration. “Hold on, young lady. Davin
