CHAPTER FIVE

Aegis's P.O.V – That same day.

“Aegis.”

My head whipped around, instantly locking with green eyes.

All the air was knocked out of me at the sight of him—his built, muscular body tense with emotion. I straightened up immediately. No matter how horrible or awkward I felt right now, it was better to be composed.

“We need to talk.”

I nodded. All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind. He took a deep breath and released it before moving away from the doorway to let my parents and Sheila into the room.

I turned to Elias, my voice trembling with the question. “What’s going on here? Had he told her?”

His focus was on my sister, who slipped her hand into his, unable to meet my eyes. She bit her bottom lip, staring at the floor.

Mother and Father entered with grim expressions on their faces, glaring at me in… contempt?

Finally, Elias looked up at me. His jaw twitched, muscles taut as he tightened his hold on Sheila.

The tighter he held her, the tighter my lungs felt, and the harder it was to breathe.

“This is not going to work,” he said suddenly.

My world came apart immediately, but I kept my eyes trained on him. I didn’t look away, even as tears ran a dejected course down my face—even as my heart shattered into bits and pieces.

“I was never going to accept you, Aegis.”

Every word replayed over and over in my head like a broken record. The invisible weight clenched around my heart, tightening even more.

I looked around the room and realized something—no one here was on my side.

I was all alone in a room full of people.

In a room filled with my family.

The silence thickened with animosity. The tension was suffocating. The shock had distracted me from my parents’ reactions, but now that I looked at them, they didn’t even seem bothered. Their faces were blank, devoid of any anger or disappointment.

It didn’t shock me. It hurt me.

Most parents would be furious if one of their pups was rejected. For crying out loud, my father was a Beta—his reaction should have been more aggressive. But there was nothing.

Instead, he looked relieved—relieved that my mate had chosen my sister. Like I was dead weight that would’ve held Elias down.

The pain multiplied.

It felt like I was on a water slide leading straight to my death, and no one was ready to help me. No arms outstretched to pull me out.

This isn’t going to work.

I’m never going to accept you, Aegis.

I shook my head at the words taunting me. He couldn’t mean them. He had to be joking. No wolf could ever say that to their own mate. I searched his eyes, desperate to find something—anything—to salvage my broken heart.

But there was nothing.

My already battered heart broke further when I saw the pity in his eyes.

He felt sorry that I was his mate.

He looked at me like I was a stranger—a stranger he pitied.

I tried convincing myself he was rejecting me because of who he was and what he wanted, but that somehow hurt even more. He knew what he wanted. He had already made up his mind before finding his mate. And yet…

He still came to my room.

He still had his way with me.

He didn’t even care that he was breaking my heart.

“Bu-but Elias, I—I’m your mate! The Moon Goddess mated us together for a reason. We already mated, Elias. Please. You can’t do this. Please, Elias. Please—” I pleaded, sobs wracking through my body.

Taking a step forward, I reached out to touch him, but he flinched.

I disgusted him.

Tears blurred my vision, but I could still make him out perfectly. His fists clenched as he looked at me, then he took another step back, positioning himself protectively in front of Sheila.

“Stop it, Aegis. You’re embarrassing yourself. I told you yesterday, but you wouldn’t stop. I guess they were right about you being… cheap.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“I didn’t seduce you, Elias! You touched me. You took my virginity, and now you’re saying I seduced you? Really? That’s what you’re saying?”

“As I was saying, you should be punished for seducing your Alpha-to-be, but out of consideration for your soon-to-be Luna, I’ll overlook your disrespect.”

Sheila looked up at that, smiling at me. She expected me to be grateful. Were they both high?

I looked on in disbelief. My wolf refused to believe he had called her Luna.

“Understand this isn’t a request. I love your sister. The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake pairing us together, but I can’t abandon Sheila. I can’t leave her—not for you. Come on, you’re not even true Beta blood. Bond or not, Sheila is my choice. You have to accept that. I won’t let some bond dictate my life.”

He swallowed nervously, glancing at everyone in the room.

“That’s how it has to be.”

His eyes were blank—completely void of emotion. He didn’t care. I looked at their clasped hands, then at my parents. He had support. He had people to comfort him.

I had no one.

“What about me?” Hot tears trailed down my face. I didn’t bother wiping them away. I knew they’d just keep falling.

“You have Sheila, but what about me? I didn’t do anything. You say you don’t want the bond, but—” I sucked in a shaky breath.

“Why do I have to be punished? Why are you punishing me for something that’s not my fault? You may not want a mate, but I do. Wolves only get one mate, Elias. No wolf can ever be truly complete without their soulmate. I—I only ever wanted my mate. Who will I have if you don’t want me?”

My voice cracked at the end, all strength leaving my body. I was suddenly so tired—tired of everything.

“Aegis, I’m sorry, but my mind is made up,” he stated, unable to look me in the eyes. His resolve would surely waver if he did. His eyes flickered between their normal green and pitch black, then back to green again. Much as he tried, his wolf was fighting for control—for his mate.

I took a long look at my sister. She hadn’t said a single word through all of this. I begged her silently to understand. She knew better than anyone how much I longed for a mate.

Sheila shook her head. Grabbing Elias’s arm, she wedged herself into his side.

“I’m not giving him up, Aegis,” she replied, burrowing further into his chest. “He’s mine. I met him first, Aegis. You’ll find someone else one day, but Elias is mine. Find someone of your own.”