All Chapters of The Alpha's Unwanted Mate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

SageThe candlelight flickered in my chambers, its glow barely keeping the darkness at bay.I sat by the window, hugging my knees as the empire slept around me.I should be happy, shouldn’t I? The oracle had spoken—I had a fated mate, a destiny sealed by the goddess. But all I could think about was how Damien looked at me earlier today.Cold. Detached. Unmoved.When our eyes met, I had waited for something to happen: a spark, a pull, an undeniable force binding us together. But there had been nothing.Not even the faintest flicker of connection.A dull ache settled in my chest, heavier than before.I had spent my whole life wondering about the man fate would choose for me. I had imagined what it would feel like to meet him, how he would look at me with wonder, devotion, and the same longing I had always heard about in stories.But the reality was cruel.Damien did not look at me with awe. He barely looked at me at all.I squeezed my eyes shut, resting my forehead against my knees.Wou

SageMorning arrived, the warmth of the sun spilling through the windows did nothing to thaw the cold that had settled deep inside me. My eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, unblinking, as the echoes of last night replayed in my mind. Every word Damien spoke, every cruel syllable, carved itself into my bones like a wound that refused to heal.A soft knock broke the silence, followed by the hesitant voice of my maid, Lea. “Lady Sage, would you like me to bring you breakfast? You barely ate yesterday.”I swallowed hard, the mere thought of food was making my stomach twist painfully. “No,” I murmured. “I’m not hungry.”Lea hesitated, concern evident in the pause before she spoke again, “But, My Lady, you haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon. You’ll feel worse if you don’t—”“I said no, Lea,” I interrupted, my voice firmer than I intended. Guilt immediately gnawed at me, but I didn’t have the strength to take back my words. “Just . .

SageMany days had passed, and the palace walls seemed to whisper with the murmurs of the maids, their voices a hushed yet persistent echo of the reality I already knew. Damien treated me with an indifference that cut deeper than hostility—his coldness a sharp contrast to what fate was supposed to dictate. Their hushed conversations carried a cruel amusement, feeding on my misfortune. Lately, the rumors had taken a more venomous turn, twisting into speculations about my mother’s origins. I knew exactly who was responsible—the Empress, a woman who thrived on malice and manipulation.The air in Angentha was no different from the empire I grew up in, heavy with judgment and disdain. The glances cast my way—some subtle, others brazen—held a familiarity that made my stomach coil. I had been seeing those same expressions all my life: disgust, doubt, rejection.“There may be some mistakes in the oracle that the elders announced,” one of the maids murmured, the deliberate loudness of her voic

SageThe night Chase promised he would take me away from here, I had held onto his words like a lifeline. It was foolish, perhaps, to cling to something so uncertain. And yet, a part of me—one that had long been buried under years of neglect, pain, and duty—believed in him.Because Chase had saved me. Not once, but twice.And now, as I stood under the moonlit sky, the weight of his presence beside me, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time—hope.There was something different about him, something that made me forget the world outside. He made me feel safe. Not in the way knights patrolling the palace made me feel safe, nor in the way well-rehearsed words of reassurance from nobles did. No, with Chase, it was different. It was raw, unspoken, real.And that terrified me.“Why?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, afraid that if I spoke too loudly, the moment would shatter. “Why would you do that for me?” I turned to him, searching his face for an answer, for something—anythi

SageI had already decided by the time I arrived in the grand dining hall.I would not eat.The long, polished table stretched before me with an extravagant feast. Gold-rimmed plates gleamed under the chandelier’s soft glow, while goblets filled with deep crimson wine shimmered beside lavishly prepared dishes. Roasted meats, fragrant stews, and delicate pastries adorned the table, their aromas rich and enticing.But to me, it all smelled like poison.I moved with careful grace, lowering myself into my seat. The atmosphere was quieter than usual, lacking the overbearing presence of the Emperor and Empress. Without them, the weight of scrutiny was lighter—but not absent.At the head of the table, Damien exuded his usual quiet authority, his blue eyes unreadable. Theoden leaned back lazily to his right, murmuring in hushed tones to a noble, his smirk ever-present. Greyson sat nearby, his posture tense, ever watchful.And then there was Rosana.She was seated a few chairs away, graceful a