The Rejected Mate by Lhainey Novel

Retain 108 Summary Michael enters the Crescent Moon packhouse suite, feeling the finality of the closing doors like a harsh judgment he never accepted. The room is silent, filled with the subtle dominance of the Crescent Moon pack, reminding Michael that he no longer holds the power he once did. Despite his controlled exterior, his inner wolf is restless and tormented by the presence of his son, Nathan, who is being raised by another alpha, Darius.

Michael struggles to suppress his instinctual desire to claim his son, but those around him-Luna Kathy, Beta Calvin, and Roselyn-warn him of the dangers of provoking the Crescent Moon pack. Roselyn expresses her fierce protectiveness over Nathan, revealing the deep conflict between Michael's paternal instincts and the political realities of the pack world. Michael's frustration and pain are palpable as he wrestles with the fact that his son is being raised by another and that he must hide his true feelings.

Kathy urges Michael to focus on the Luna ceremony and avoid contact with Nathan, reminding him of the life and responsibilities he has now, including another son, Leo. Michael admits his uncertainty about how to handle the situation, revealing his vulnerability for the first time. Roselyn's emotional confrontation highlights the strain Michael's past and his unresolved bond with Elaine have placed on their family. As Michael looks out over the Crescent Moon grounds, he acknowledges the life moving forward around him while he remains trapped by his past and his grief.

Despite the internal turmoil, he resolves to maintain control and avoid starting a war, though his wolf's fierce loyalty and desire to claim his son burn brightly beneath the surface. The chapter ends with Michael's quiet vow to protect his blood and his son, even as he struggles to keep his composure. Chapter 108 As the heavy doors of their suite in the Crescent Moon packhouse swung shut behind him, Michael felt the sharp click echo like a final decree. It was a sound that resembled a judge's gavel, sealing a fate he had never agreed to accept.

An oppressive silence filled the room, swallowing every sound. - The warm glow of golden lamps bathed the intricately carved wooden walls, casting soft shadows that danced with the curling tendrils of sage smoke drifting lazily through the air. The faint but unmistakable pulse of Crescent Moon dominance lingered, a subtle reminder that within these walls, Michael was not the strongest male. He was not the one to whom this territory owed allegiance. Once, he had commanded entire rooms with nothing more than his presence and a breath. Now, each inhale had to be measured, controlled, restrained.

He stepped forward slowly, each movement deliberate, almost mechanical. Too measured. Beside him walked Luna Kathy, her presence steady and calm. Behind them followed Beta Calvin and Roselyn, their expressions taut with tension. Attendants moved quietly, taking their bags with respectful efficiency. Crescent Moon escorts waited patiently at the door, ready to guide them deeper into the opulent guest wing. But Michael remained still. His feet were rooted to the floor, his jaw clenched so tightly it threatened to fracture bone.

His fingers twitched-once, twice-and then a third time, the only visible crack in the unyielding mask of alpha control he wore. - Inside, his wolf prowled restlessly, claws scraping unseen against the cage of his ribs, breath ragged and hot. Behind his eyes burned the image of a small boy-wide-eyed, brave, too young to be ensnared in the ancient and brutal politics of their world. Nathan. The future Alpha of Crescent Moon. His blood. His pup. Michael drew in a sharp breath, a battle-hardened warrior forcing discipline over instinct. Not here. Not now.

Kathy's voice came softly, but beneath the gentleness lay steel and fear. "Michael," she whispered, "please, we need to talk about this. Control your wolf. We are here for the Luna ceremony-not for Nathan. And we agreed-you were not supposed to have any contact with the boy." He didn't meet her eyes. His mind-no, his wolf- - was still trapped outside those front gates, watching a child cling closely to Darius's leg. Watching that male stoop down, laying a protective hand on the boy's shoulder as if- His wolf snarled within his mind, raw and feral. He is ours. He should be ours. He is our son.

If you weren't such a cowardly human, I would have my mate and my pup. You took my family from me. Michael's hand trembled before he forced it still at his side. He ground air through his clenched teeth. Anchor. Control. Roselyn stepped forward, eyes sharp and unyielding, her shoulders squared with resolve. "That was reckless," she hissed. "I warned you-you would not provoke them." Michael tore his gaze from the door that led to his son and faced her. "I didn't provoke," he said quietly. "I greeted." Roselyn scoffed, bitterness lacing her tone. "Greeted?

You practically declared-" He raised his hand sharply, silencing her without a word. Her chin lifted defiantly. "Don't think you can command me into silence, Alpha. Not here. Not about this. I told you before-my brother loves Nathan with his entire soul. He-" Her voice cracked on the edge of emotion. "-would die before letting you near that child in any way that would confuse him." "This isn't about you, Michael. Provoke my brother and he will declare war on your pack." Michael closed his eyes briefly. His jaw twitched. His wolf bared its teeth in frustration. Mine. Blood. Pack. Pup.

Not Darius's. Not Crescent Moon's. Mine. A son raised to believe another alpha is his father. And yet, he had stood there-swallowing every instinct to fight, claim, and howl-while his son clung to another male's leg, looking up with innocent greeting at a stranger. The memory scraped down his throat like claws. +25 Points Kathy's hand brushed his arm, trembling just slightly. "Michael... breathe." He sucked air into his lungs-too fast, not enough. "I am breathing," he said- but the words came strained, more beast than man.

Calvin stepped between them, steady as a mountain, voice calm but edged with steel. "Today wasn't for pride," he said. "Nor for claims made with mere looks." Michael turned, his eyes sharp and hard. "I made no claim." "Your wolf did," Calvin countered quietly. "And Alpha Darius felt it." The silence that followed was thick and suffocating. Michael's voice dropped, dangerous and raw. "Do you expect me to stand there and pretend I don't see him? Pretend he isn't-" "A child who doesn't know the truth," Calvin cut in gently. "A child being protected.

As he should be." - Michael's chest tightened painfully. His wolf whimpered-a sound as ancient as blood, love, and instinct. Nathan was innocent. None of this was the boy's fault. His fury was not directed at the child, but at the cruel twist of fate that stole fatherhood from him before he even had the chance to hold it. Kathy stepped in front of him now, her voice trembling with equal parts hurt and concern. "And what would you want, Michael? For Nathan to run to you? To call you father in front of everyone?" She swallowed hard. "What about our son at home?

What about Leo?" The world seemed to freeze. His wolf stopped pacing-frozen, carved from stone. "I don't know," he whispered hoarsely. It was the most honest thing he'd said in weeks. Roselyn's anger broke, turning to pain. Tears glistened in the lamp light. "You don't know." Her voice cracked. "Our son adores you. But since you saw Elaine again, since you learned the bond never fully-" "-broke-you've changed. You rejected each other. It's over. But still... it's like you've forgotten me. Forgotten Leo." Her voice thinned, fragile.

"What happened to you, Michael?" - He turned away, unable to face the sorrow in her eyes. His gaze drifted past the window to the Crescent Moon grounds. Outside, warriors trained under the moonlight, pack members laughed quietly, children ran beneath lanterns swaying in the gentle night breeze. Life moved forward. While his heart remained trapped in the past. - "He deserves to know who I am," Michael murmured, voice low and heavy. "My wolf wants to be a father to him. And my wolf lost his mate. Roselyn, you knew from the start-he never accepted us.

He wanted his true mate." Kathy's hand tightened around his. "That's the past. You have a life now. A son. A mate. Responsibilities. Control your wolf-don't let grief turn into destruction." Michael's eyes sharpened, gold flickering like embers. "War is avoided when dignity is respected." The silence stretched-fragile, sharp. Finally, Calvin spoke, voice deep and unwavering. "We came to honor Elaine. To stand with her. Not to reopen old wounds in front of every alpha." He met Michael's gaze steadily. "Don't lose yourself here." Michael nodded once, slow and heavy with unspoken struggle.

"My control is intact." A lie he barely managed to hold together. Still, he stood tall. Steady. The mask of alpha reforged in fire. Beneath it all, his wolf whispered-low, ancient-a vow forged in teeth and blood: Blood. Son. Mine. Michael's hand clenched into a fist so tight his nails bit into his skin. He closed his eyes. I did not come here to start a war... But when he opened them again, golden flames burned fiercely behind his irises. Sara Lili Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion.

She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland's breathtaking cold.