Claiming His Unwanted Mate.

Unbound [Chloe's POV].

“Yes?” He curled an eyebrow, probably wondering why I approached him.

The ground felt like quicksand and I was sinking. Why did I come here? What was I supposed to tell him? No, no.

Why am I frozen?

“If you don't have anything reasonable to say, then I'll take my leave,” he said, stuffing his hands in his pocket and turning away.

No, where’s he going?

“Damon, wait,” I called softly, almost in a whisper.

He whipped around slowly.

For a moment, he just stared at me. My heart pounded in my ears, and I felt the bond. “I’m your m-mate.”

I watched his brows furrow and his lips set, stern. “You’re my what?”

I was taken aback. Why was he being mean? “I—I’m your mate. You feel the bond between us, don’t you?”

Damon reeled back two steps when I inched forward. “What nonsense are you talking about? How can I be mated to a pathetic creature like you? Are you insane?”

Now he raised his voice, and the music stopped playing.

“Do you even know who I am?” He stepped forward, and I quickly took a step back. “How dare you say that to me?”

Tears filled my eyes as I stared at him. I’d seen that look before. Unmistakably. Berrilyn’s eyes were always like this when she looked at me—cold, merciless, with a flicker of disgust.

Now, he had the exact same look on his face. My own mate thought I was disgusting.

Damon chuckled before it died down into a sneer. “If the Moon Goddess pairs you up with me, then I’m better off without a Luna. This bond you feel is trash. I, Alpha Damon, reject you.”

The words hit my soul hard. I felt it like a physical blow before I could react. I stumbled back. My mouth opened, but no words came out. I just stared at him, trying to understand what had happened.

“W-why would you reject me?” I stammered in a weak voice. “W-what did I do wrong?”

“Existing,” he replied coldly and walked past me, his shoulder brushing against mine, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the hall, shattered to pieces.

The room seemed to close in on me. When I shut my eyes, tears strolled down my cheeks, and the whispers began. My skin crawled when I felt the stares of the partygoers. The party instantly felt like a nightmare I was trapped in. I clutched my chest, trying so hard to pull myself together.

Damon rejected me.

My fated mate had rejected me because I existed. He was just like the others who thought I was nothing—a nobody.

The whispers became overwhelming, and I ran out of the hall.

I didn’t even know where I was going, only that I had to get away. Away from the whispers, away from the eyes that mocked me. When I finally stopped running, I found myself in the forest.

“Oh no.” I looked around. It would’ve been dark, save for the reflection of the moon.

I collapsed against a tree, my whole body trembling. I had wasted my time thinking my mate would love me, care for me, see me for who I am and not as a weak, motherless maid. The pain I was running from returned, and I screamed.

---

With a broken heart and dried eyes, I dragged myself home. A home with no warmth or love. I knew Berrilyn and Freya were waiting.

“Well, well, well, look who it is,” Berrilyn said with a cruel smile. “How was the mating ceremony, dear? Did you find your mate?”

I said nothing, looking down as I tried to walk past them.

“Aww, don’t be shy. You can tell us,” Freya added with a smirk.

I kept my head down and kept walking.

I couldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. Not now. Not ever.

“Aww, don’t walk away, Chloe. Was it that bad?” Berrilyn said in a mocking tone.

Freya barked her throaty laughter. “Oh my Goddess, she was rejected. I knew it would go down that way. Who would want a mate like her?”

I couldn’t take it anymore. I fisted my gown and hurried upstairs. When I got to my room, I slammed the door behind me and bolted it.

The tears slipped from my eyes, and I collapsed to the floor before I could reach my bed, letting my emotions swallow me.

…One year later…

I stared into the fire, reflecting on the past. It’s been a year… a year since Damon rejected me. And it happened on my birthday. A heartbreak anniversary, I’d call it.

The clock struck midnight, indicating another year around the sun for me and another mating ceremony. Exhaling softly, I brushed the invisible dust off my dress and headed for the door, stepping out for the first time in six months.

As usual, I trekked to the pack’s main hall, and as usual, people stared.

“It’s the girl who got rejected last year.”

“She’s funny, still showing her stupid face here again.”

“Hush now. She might not be here for the ceremony. Look at her dress—she’s a maid.”

I ignored their baseless insults and walked into the pack hall with a confidence I didn’t know I had. I ignored every whisper, feigning confidence until I got to the last floor.

It was clear to me now that I was totally unprepared for this year’s mating ceremony. Unlike the other female wolves adorned in beautiful jewels and dresses to impress their destined mates, I wore the same dress I did a year ago.

Call it foolish, but I did it to mourn my loss over the last year. The dress had little embellishment, so one could easily tell.

I carried myself to my quiet little corner, thankful that no one had occupied it.

An attendant passed by, and I snatched a glass of wine. The glass hadn’t reached my lips before the whispers began again.

“Look, it’s the rejected one.”

“Thought she’d hide forever.”

“Poor thing, can’t find a mate.”

Memories from last year flooded my mind, and I nearly puked the wine. What was I even thinking, coming here?

My eyes stung, and tears threatened to slip from them.

I sniffled softly and turned away. But the trouble was far from over. Freya and her cluster of ladies eyed me. They leaned in together and whispered before pulling away to laugh.