Fated To The Enemy

Old Wounds

The scent of vanilla and jasmine still clung to the night air, wrapping around me like a cruel reminder of what I couldn’t have. I stood at the edge of the forest, my chest heaving, the world blurring in the chaos of my thoughts.

Lila Swan. The name tore through me like a blade, sharp and relentless. She was my mate—fated by the Moon Goddess herself. The one meant to stand by my side, to make me whole.

And she didn’t want me.

My fists clenched as the memory of her rejection replayed in my mind. The way her voice had trembled with defiance when she tried to sever our bond. I, Lila Swan of the Swan Lake pack, reject—

I’d stopped her before she could finish, my hand covering her mouth, my wolf Max roaring in disbelief.

“She’s ours,” Max growled in my head, pacing with restless fury. “You should’ve claimed her right there. Made her see she is ours.”

I shook my head, trying to silence him. “She doesn’t want this,” I muttered, my voice harsh in the stillness of the night.

“She’s scared,” Max argued, his tone softening but no less insistent. “She doesn’t understand the bond yet. You can’t let her walk away.”

“She’s his daughter,” I snapped, the bitterness in my words spilling over. “Victor Swan’s blood runs through her veins. She’s tied to everything I hate, everything that’s taken from me. How can I accept her after what her father’s done?”

Max let out a low, rumbling growl. “Her father’s sins are not hers. She is your mate. You know it as well as I do.”

I couldn’t argue with him, not when every fiber of my being screamed for her. Even now, with her scent fading into the distance, the bond burned brightly, pulling me toward her like a moth to a flame.

But how could I let myself give in?

For years, I’d suspected the truth. Even as children, there was something about Lila that set her apart. A connection I couldn’t explain, a pull I couldn’t ignore. And now, knowing she was mine, the truth hit harder than I ever imagined it would.

I hated myself for wanting her.

I hated her for making me feel this way.

“She doesn’t get to reject us,” Max growled again, his voice rough with anger. “And if you’re too weak to handle this, let me take over.”

“You think forcing her is the answer?” I shot back, my frustration boiling over. “Do you think I want a mate who despises me?”

“She doesn’t despise us,” Max countered, his tone firm. “She’s confused. Hurt. You’re an Alpha—you can show her what this bond means.”

I let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh in the quiet. “She tried to reject me, Max. She looked me in the eyes and said she didn’t want me. How do you come back from that?”

“You don’t,” Max said, his voice quiet but steady. “You don’t come back. You fight. You prove to her, to yourself, that this bond is stronger than her fear.”

I closed my eyes, the image of her turquoise gaze flashing in my mind. The way it had flickered with anger, fear, and something deeper—something she wasn’t ready to admit.

She didn’t want this any more than I did.

But the difference was, I couldn’t run from it like she could.

“You’re pathetic,” Max snapped, his frustration bleeding into my own. “You’re letting her slip away, and for what? Your pride? Your hatred for her father?”

I slammed my fist into a nearby tree, the bark splintering beneath the force. The pain was sharp, grounding, but it did nothing to quiet the storm raging inside me.

“What would you have me do?” I demanded, my voice a harsh whisper. “Drag her back here? Force her to accept me? That’s not how this works, Max.”

“No,” Max growled, his tone low and dangerous. “But letting her go isn’t the answer either.”

The wolf inside me raged, his anger a mirror of my own. I hated him for being right. For reminding me of what I already knew but couldn’t bring myself to admit.

Lila was my mate. The one chosen for me by the Moon Goddess. The one I was meant to protect, to cherish, to fight for.

And I’d let her walk away.

The guilt clawed at me, sharp and unrelenting. But beneath it all, there was something deeper. A longing that refused to be ignored, a connection that refused to be severed.

I turned away from the forest, my footsteps heavy as I headed back toward the packhouse. The battle wasn’t over—not with Lila, not with myself.

Max growled in frustration, his presence simmering beneath the surface. “You’re a fool, Derek. And if you don’t fix this, don’t expect me to forgive you.”

I didn’t respond, the weight of his words settling over me like a shroud.

The path ahead was uncertain, the choices unbearable. But one thing was clear—I was going to have to work hard to make Lila change her mind.