The Unwanted Mate
1158 Words
Arabella POV
I could hear voices. People arguing. Men arguing.
No — mates. I didn't like that. Why were my mates arguing?
I battled with my eyes until I won, blinking them open. It was so bright at first, but everything slowly came into focus. It looked like I was in a hospital room. I looked around and spotted Sam asleep on a couch. Ares and Adonis were arguing back and forth. Ash was just watching them.
"Mates," I slurred, trying to get them to stop.
Adonis and Ash were at my side instantly, smothering my face in kisses. Ares leaned against the wall, watching me with an unreadable expression. Was that relief I saw?
"Bella, I'm so sorry," Adonis said, still planting kisses on me.
"It's okay, guys. I know it wasn't on purpose, and I can feel I'm almost healed," I told them.
I sat up on the bed. Ares gave me a long look before turning and walking out of the room.
"Ares?" I called after him, but he was already gone.
I could feel Royal's sadness. She wanted all of her mates, not just two. I had to remind her that he didn't want us.
Sam woke up and smothered me in a tight hug. I was grateful to have her there.
"What were you guys arguing about?" I asked Ash.
"We chewed him out for cheating on you, causing you pain, and forcing your wolf to push herself out," he said.
The memory of that pain made my head hurt. I could feel that he had known exactly what he was doing — using my pain as punishment. Well, fine then. I wouldn't keep wanting after someone who didn't want me.
Royal disagreed and said he would come around. I supposed we would have to see.
It had been a week since I was released from the hospital, and I had been getting to know my way around the pack grounds. Thankfully, Cassie had been kind enough to give me a full history of the place. Everyone here bowed their heads toward me in respect. Some had even begun calling me Luna, but I was not yet mated or marked. I didn't feel I deserved the title until that happened.
Ash and Adonis introduced me to their family. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and it felt like something I had never had before.
Sam finally moved in with Kyle, and they were marked and mated. I admitted to myself I was a little envious. Everyone could see how in love they were, though it had been rocky with Sam worrying over me constantly — which I kept telling her not to do.
Ares had been avoiding me, and I had been avoiding him just as much. I saw him sometimes walking around with Brianna. Royal stirred with anger every time, but what could I do? I couldn't force someone to want me.
I occupied my time enjoying the company of my other mates. I had moved into their room right after Ares moved out of it. It hurt knowing that one third of my heart felt shattered whenever he rejected me or kept his distance. I tried hard not to let it drag me down.
Ash and Adonis were busy in their office on calls with their dads about the recent vampire attacks. The vampires were apparently searching for something — or someone — but that was all the boys would tell me.
I decided to go for a run in the forest to clear my head. I grabbed some clothes in a bag and shifted to Royal, who was happy to be let out again. Shifting was painless for me now, and I could do it incredibly fast.
I ended up back at the waterfall lake where I had first met Ash in his wolf form. It was quiet here, aside from the sound of the water. The day was beautiful, the sky full of soft clouds. I decided to take a swim, so I shifted back and changed into a swimsuit.
The water felt incredible. I closed my eyes and let myself relax, and before long I was humming, then singing softly to myself since no one was around to hear me. Music always helped with the pain. One of my favorite songs drifted out of me — the one that always seemed to say what I couldn't.
"But you didn't have to cut me off, make it sound like it never happened and that we were nothing. And I don't even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough. No, you didn't have to stoop so low, have your friends collect your records and then change your number. I guess that I don't need that, though. Now you're just somebody that I used to know..."
"Nice voice," someone said from behind me.
I dropped fully into the water from the shock. I came back up, grabbing a rock to support myself.
Fucking Ares. He was standing there with a smirk on his face, arms crossed. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"What do you want?" I asked, irritated.
"What — I can't listen to you sing, little mate?" he said, smirk widening.
That only made me angrier.
"So I'm your mate now, whereas a week ago you said I wasn't. You need to choose a side, Ares. I'm losing my patience with you. Go find that w***e you've been spending time with and bother her instead," I told him, climbing out of the water.
I could see I had gotten to him, but he hid it behind the same smirk.
"I do believe I will. Nothing of interest here anyway," he said, then shifted and ran back into the forest.
I knew he was trying to get under my skin, but I wouldn't let him.
I hate him, I thought.
No, you don't, Royal replied.
I mentally rolled my eyes at her, grabbed my things, and headed back to the pack grounds.
When I reached the room, Adonis and Ash were both stretched across the bed watching TV.
"My guys!" I greeted them, and their faces lit up. They jumped off the bed.
"Bella." "Beauty." They both kissed my wet face.
"Sorry we couldn't spend the day with you," Adonis said.
"Yeah, this vampire situation has been getting worse," Ash added.
"It's okay, my guys. Just handle what you need to handle. I'm fine. I need to shower — be back in a minute," I told them, heading toward the bathroom.
They had arranged for someone to go shopping for me, so I had a whole new wardrobe to choose from, which I was grateful for. After my shower, I dressed in something comfortable and climbed into bed between them.
It was exactly where I wanted to be. They breathed in my scent, and soon we were all drifting off to sleep.
- Writer
