His Rejected Mate, Their Secret Child

JEALOUSY

Avelisse’s POV



Watching my mate defend me should’ve felt good. Instead, it burned.

The moment I saw the woman, Brielle, cling to him, my stomach twisted. Valentino and Victorio had already mentioned her over breakfast, their smug voices still ringing in my head. His favorite w***e, they’d called her. And now, seeing the truth of it unfold right before me, something inside me cracked.

Hurt. Then rage.

I forced a polite smile, excused myself from the conversation, and turned away before the storm in my chest showed on my face.

“That vexing name is Brielle,” a gentle voice said behind me. I turned to see Yana, one of the kind women I’d met earlier. “You’ll do well to stay away from her, Luna.”

Luna. The title still felt strange. Heavy.

My gaze drifted back to where Dante stood. Brielle leaned into him, fingers brushing his arm in a way that made my blood boil. She was subtle about it, coy, but I saw it. Everyone did. And he… he didn’t stop her. He just let her touch him like she belonged there.

Disgust rippled through me, hot and bitter. My wolf stirred restlessly, pacing under my skin, begging to take over and tear that woman apart. But I held her back. I wasn’t going to lose control here… not in front of them, not for him.

Still, I couldn’t stop the ache that followed. How long will this go on?

The disrespect. The humiliation. Would I ever grow numb to it? Could anyone truly get used to watching their mate touch someone else?

The music started. Salvatore appeared beside me, all smiles and politeness, offering his hand. “May I have this dance?”

I wanted to refuse, to disappear into the crowd and vanish entirely, but too many eyes were on us. So I took his hand and tried to smile.

The moment he led me into the dance, my thoughts betrayed me. They kept drifting back to Dante… my cruel, beautiful mate whose attention remained fixed on Brielle. The longer I watched, the harder it became to breathe.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

As soon as I saw an opening, I slipped away from the ballroom, out through the terrace doors, and into the garden.

The night air hit me like a balm, cool, crisp, alive with the sound of leaves rustling. For a moment, I felt free. I closed my eyes and let the quiet wrap around me like a blanket.

But peace never lasted long in this place.

A chill crawled up my spine, slow and sharp. My wolf tensed immediately, hackles raised. Someone or something was watching us.

I turned toward the bushes. Two red eyes gleamed from the shadows. They didn’t blink, didn’t move, just stared. My heart hammered against my ribs. I tried to catch a scent, but there was nothing. Nothing but the cold.

I stepped back slowly, eyes locked on the creature. Then suddenly I collided with something solid.

Strong hands caught me before I fell.

“Careful,” a deep voice murmured.

I looked up and froze.

The man was striking. Dark hair, confident smirk, eyes that gleamed with amusement. His presence radiated power, unmistakable and dominant. Alpha. My breath caught.

“Hi there,” he said, his tone light but laced with charm.

“H-hi,” I stammered, forcing myself upright. When I looked back toward the bushes, the red eyes were gone.

“Hello, Luna,” he said smoothly. “I’m Lorenzo. We haven’t been introduced.”

He took my hand and, without hesitation, began leading me back toward the manor.

“You shouldn’t wander off alone,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of warning. “Events like these attract all sorts of danger. Too many outsiders, too many eyes.”

“I just needed some air,” I murmured.

He studied me for a long moment. “You look sad, Luna. Are you alright?”

His gaze was piercing, as if he could see every thought I tried to hide. I looked away, fidgeting with my fingers. “I’m fine, Alpha,” I lied softly.

I turned to leave, but he caught my wrist gently. The contact sent a wave of heat up my arm. His Alpha aura pressed against me, heavy and intoxicating. My pulse jumped.

Then…

A growl shattered the air.

Low. Deep. Dangerous.

I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Alpha Dante.

He stood at the edge of the garden, his expression dark and murderous, eyes blazing with fury. His fists were clenched, his chest rising and falling in sharp, uneven breaths. Even in anger, he looked devastating.

I instinctively tried to pull my hand free from Alpha Lorenzo’s grip, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he looked at Dante calmly, almost tauntingly.

“Alpha Lorenzo,” Dante said in an icy tone that could have frozen blood.

“Alpha Dante,” Lorenzo replied evenly. “I was only speaking with your Luna.”

Dante’s jaw tightened. In one swift move, he grabbed me by the waist and yanked me close, his touch searing through the fabric of my dress. Sparks burst beneath my skin, the mate bond roaring to life.

Lorenzo’s gaze lingered on me far too long. “Any interesting conversation?” Dante asked, his voice thick with warning.

“She was just telling me how happy she is,” Lorenzo said smoothly, a knowing glint in his eye.

Dante’s growl vibrated through his chest. The tension between them was sharp enough to cut through the air.

“We are happy indeed,” he said coldly.

“Then why haven’t you marked her yet?” Lorenzo shot back. “If she were mine…”

“She’s not yours,” Dante snapped, cutting him off. His voice dropped to something dark and dangerous. “We have business to discuss. Meet me in my office with my brother.”

Lorenzo smiled, unbothered. “I’ll see you around, Luna Avelisse.” The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine, it felt like a challenge.

When he finally walked away, Dante turned back to me. His hand shot out, gripping my arm tightly as he pulled me close. His face hovered inches from mine, eyes burning with fury.

“Why were you talking to that bastard?” he growled.

“You’re… hurting me,” I whispered.

The anger on his face faltered. His claws retracted, and he let me go abruptly. I stumbled backward, my leg hitting the edge of a concrete bench. Pain shot up my ankle.

“Damn it,” he muttered, stepping toward me, but I raised my hand, silently telling him to stop.

I lifted my dress slightly to check the injury, my ankle was already swelling. I hissed in pain.

And then, before I could protest, he was in front of me again. His touch was unexpectedly gentle as he knelt and brushed his fingers along my ankle. Warmth spread from his touch, the pain fading into a soft hum of electricity.

Without a word, he scooped me into his arms.

I gasped, looking up at his face. His jaw was tight, his eyes unreadable, his hold possessive. I wanted to hate him. But my body betrayed me, leaning into the warmth of his chest, breathing in his scent.

By the time I realized where we were, he threw me on the bed.

His hands seized mine, wrenching them behind me. Panic surged through my veins as the air grew heavy and suffocating. His touch was rough, cruel, his actions punishing rather than tender. He yanked my dress upward, fabric bunching against my ribs. Cold air hit my skin just before his hand forced its way past the thin barrier of lace, invading my pussy.Then he jerked my head back by the hair, forcing my gaze toward the shadows of the room. His voice followed… low, sharp, cutting through me like a blade.

“Don’t f*****g dare talk to him again,” he hissed, every word laced with cold fury.

Then he left. Just like that. No words and no glance back. The door closed behind him with a dull thud.

“Bastard,” I whispered to the empty room. And even as I said it, my traitorous heart ached for him anyway.