All Chapters of Desired Mate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

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

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

CATHERINE The following days felt surreal, almost as if I were living someone else's life. I couldn't believe it.Kane, the Lycan King, the same man who once seemed determined to make every interaction a battle of wills, was now doing everything he could to court me. It was the only word I could think of to describe it.It started with small gestures at first, quiet moments over breakfast or dinner, lingering conversations where we shared more than just glances and curt words. Then, there were the gifts: my favorite foods, small luxuries I had never thought to ask for but appreciated. Kane watched me closely, as if gauging my every reaction with the faintest smile escaping him whenever he caught me enjoying something he'd arranged.One morning, he took me to the meadow behind the castle, a place I didn't know existed. The air was fresh, and the environment was a lot calming. And though he tried to mask it, I could see a rare, softer side of him emerge when he looked out over the fi

CATHERINE The second I closed my door, the hairs on my neck rose. Someone was here. Sitting on my bed, facing away, was a tall figure that looked like....“Who’s there?” I demanded, getting all scared.The figure turned slowly, and as his face came into view. I felt a jolt of both anger and confusion. Damon. He sat there, staring at me with an unreadable expression but a piercing gaze."Damon?" I stammered, my voice barely a whisper at first. “What are you doing here? And why are you sitting on my bed?”My voice rose with every word.He stood abruptly and his face clouded with irritation as he approached me. Before I could take a step back, his hand shot out, wrapping around my arm in a grip that was far from gentle.I winced. “Let go! What is wrong with you?”He ignored my words and let his fingers dig into my arm as he looked down at me with something almost different . Something I termed to be possessive. “Why did you take so long to get back here?” His voice was low, yet there wa

CATHERINE "What about you?" I changed the direction of conversation. "What pet do you like?"I watched Kane’s expression change as he seemed to consider my question, his usual confidence flickering for a moment. Then, he cleared his throat, as if shrugging off the thought. “I’m not really a pet person,” he finally said. “A pet is not meant for someone with my nature.”“Your nature?” I echoed as my curiosity was piqued. There was a guarded look in his eyes, one I’d seen before when he was about to dodge a question, but I didn’t back down. “What does that mean, exactly?”Kane ran a hand through his hair and a smirk tugged at his lips. “Nothing too important.” He glanced away, focusing on the water surrounding us. “Maybe I just prefer the company of stronger creatures of I was destined to.”I raised an eyebrow, feeling like he was carefully choosing each word. “Stronger creatures? And here I thought you were about to tell me you keep a dragon hidden somewhere.”He laughed, but it was