The Rejected Mate by Lhainey Novel

**Chapter 127** The dawn of a new day arrived with a deliberate slowness, almost as if the world itself was reluctant to wake. A thin veil of light draped over the council grounds, casting everything in a muted gray-blue hue. Mist lingered close to the ground, swirling around trees and pathways like spectral fingers reaching out to caress the earth. The birds, usually the heralds of morning, remained silent, as if they too were respecting the fragile tranquility that enveloped the compound. Kathy sat in a chair beside Michael's bed, her body weary and her mind restless.

Sleep had eluded her, leaving her with a raw edge of exhaustion. One of her hands cradled Michael's lifeless fingers, their warmth long gone. At some point during the night, she had wrapped herself in a blanket, but the chill still seeped into her bones, a constant reminder of the void that now filled the space where Michael once thrived. When the door creaked open, she remained fixated on Michael, unwilling to break the fragile silence that surrounded them.

The soft sound of footsteps and the faint scent of the Silverblade pack drifted into the room, and she instinctively recognized the presence before she lifted her gaze. Calvin stood there, his expression unreadable, yet a familiarity lingered in the air. "Kathy," he said, his voice low and steady. She blinked, drawing herself back to the present. "Did she answer?" Her heart raced, a mix of hope and anxiety coursing through her veins. Calvin nodded once, his face a mask of composure. "Elaine agreed." Kathy felt a hitch in her breath, a weight settling heavily on her chest.

It was not relief that washed over her, nor was it fear; it was the crushing inevitability of the moment. "She asked to meet you in the council garden," Calvin added, his voice firm. "Alone." Kathy's gaze drifted toward Michael, torn between the man she loved and the sister she had lost. He lay motionless, a mere shell of the vibrant wolf he once was. The silence of his presence felt like a chasm, an emptiness that echoed through her heart. "I'll stay with him," Calvin assured her, his tone gentle yet resolute.

"You need to go." With a slow, deliberate motion, Kathy rose to her feet, her legs stiff from hours of sitting. She brushed her fingers tenderly over Michael's cheek, a final silent promise, before stepping out of the room and into the world outside. The council garden greeted her with a serene stillness, the only sound the gentle rustle of leaves swaying in the morning breeze. It was a sanctuary of peace, adorned with small stone pathways, nightflowers that bloomed only under the moon's gaze, and a fountain carved from ancient granite that whispered secrets of the past.

And there, by the fountain, stood Elaine. Kathy halted, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of her sister. Elaine was strikingly beautiful-not in the fragile way of youth, but in a manner forged through trials and rebirth. Her posture was straight, exuding a strength that radiated from her very core. The wolf within her stirred with a confidence that only a true Luna could possess, one who had found her rightful place in the world. Yet, when Elaine's eyes met Kathy's, they were filled with a depth of pain that transcended their shared bloodline.

"Kathy," she said, her voice cautious, a careful balance of warmth and distance. Kathy swallowed hard, the knot in her throat tightening. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me." Elaine remained silent for a moment, her gaze flickering toward the stone bench beside the fountain. "Sit." Kathy complied, the weight of years of separation heavy between them. For several moments, they sat in the tranquil garden, two sisters ensnared by the passage of time and unspoken words. Finally, Elaine broke the silence.

"Why did you ask to see me?" Kathy clasped her hands tightly together, her eyes fixed on her trembling fingers. "Because there are things that should have been said long ago." Elaine waited, her demeanor calm and patient, as if she understood the gravity of the moment. "I'm sorry," Kathy whispered, her voice barely audible. "For everything." Elaine's expression remained stoic, prompting Kathy to gather her courage and continue. "I'm sorry for letting them push us apart. For not standing up to Alpha Efrein. For allowing Mother and Father to agree to a mating that could bring so much pain.

For not fighting harder for you." Her voice cracked under the weight of her remorse. Elaine's hands tightened in her lap, her breath becoming shallow. Kathy could sense her wolf stirring restlessly beneath her skin, a reflection of the turmoil within. "You don't need to apologize for what Efrein did," Elaine replied softly. "He was the alpha. His command bound us all." "No," Kathy shook her head vehemently. "You were right when you said that both Michael and I could have refused. We could have fought harder. I could have stood my ground. Mother and Father could have said no.

Michael's wolf begged him to refuse, but we didn't. And now Michael is..." She inhaled sharply, the words catching in her throat. "Broken." Elaine's expression flickered, a whirlwind of pain, anger, and sorrow colliding within her gaze. "Kathy," she said gently, "I don't hate you. Not anymore." Those words struck Kathy like a physical blow, reverberating through her very being. Elaine turned her gaze away, her focus drawn to the rippling water of the fountain, as if seeking solace in its depths. "I hated the situation," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I hated the pack.

I hated myself for not being enough to be chosen. I hated Michael for prioritizing safety over destiny." She exhaled shakily, the weight of her confessions heavy in the air. "I hated you because you were my sister. We were supposed to stand by each other's side. But I felt so alone." Tears gathered in Kathy's eyes, threatening to spill over as she struggled to contain her emotions. Elaine continued, her voice now a fragile whisper. "I never blamed you for loving him, Kathy. He was yours. You were both ready to build a life together before I came along.

But fate twisted everything." She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "And because of that, I lost everything I loved in Silverblade. But you lost too, Kathy. You lost me, your sister. And now you're losing Michael, especially with what has happened to his wolf." The air between them felt heavy, yet it was no longer hostile. Silence enveloped them, thick and palpable. Finally, Kathy whispered, "Elaine... he's dying inside." Elaine's hands went still, her expression shifting as the gravity of Kathy's words sank in.

"His wolf," Kathy explained, her voice breaking, "is shutting down. The healer says he's healing physically, but emotionally-and spiritually-he's... gone. The rejection, the bond breaking twice, Leo calling Darius 'father'..." She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "He can't bear it anymore." Elaine's throat tightened, her eyes shimmering-not out of sympathy for Michael, perhaps, but for the tragedy of their shared fate. "I know," Elaine said after a long, contemplative pause. "Darius felt it when Michael's wolf... it wasn't dominance; it was mercy.

His wolf sensed Michael collapsing and tried to ground him, to halt the downward spiral." Kathy inhaled sharply, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. "Is there anything-anything-you can do to help him? Even if it's just speaking to him? I know this is a lot to ask, but I must. My son is still too young to lose his father." Elaine closed her eyes, as if searching deep within herself for the strength to respond. And in that fleeting moment, Kathy glimpsed the girl she once knew-the one who had always been there to support her, protect her, and fight by her side. Her sister.

When Elaine opened her eyes again, they glimmered faintly with the golden hue of her wolf. "I will speak with him," Elaine promised, her voice steady. "Not to reopen old wounds, but to remind him that he still has something to fight for-in you, in your pack, and especially in Leo." Kathy released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, relief flooding through her. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice laced with gratitude. Elaine stood gracefully, wiping her cheeks before her tears could fall. "But, Kathy...

after this, you must prepare for whatever comes next." Kathy nodded slowly, the weight of Elaine's words settling over her like a heavy shroud. "I know." "Michael may rise again," Elaine said, her voice firm yet gentle. "Or he may not. But whatever he becomes... it cannot depend on me. It must come from him." Kathy absorbed that truth, the reality cutting deep but necessary. "We'll go together," Elaine stated, her voice resolute. Kathy stood, steeling herself for the uncertain path ahead. For once, her sister did not retreat when Kathy approached.

Their shoulders brushed lightly, tentative yet significant-an initial bridge rebuilt between them. Together, they walked toward the infirmary in quiet unison. Inside, Michael lay still. Too still. Both sisters froze in the doorway, their hearts pounding in shared dread. The healer was at his side, brows furrowed and eyes sharp with focus. Michael's body trembled-barely perceptible, but undeniably wrong. His breath came in shallow, ragged draws. His wolf-once faint-now flickered wildly beneath his skin, like a candle struggling against the wind. "Kathy," Aramis called urgently, "get over here.

Something is happening." Elaine's wolf surged forward in alarm, sensing the urgency of the moment. Michael's eyes snapped open. And they were not the eyes of a man. They glowed-feral, broken, desperate. Then, with a violent jolt, his body arched. "His wolf is fighting," Aramis shouted. "He's trying to surface-but he's trapped. He's caught between shifting and shutting down entirely." Elaine gripped Kathy's arm, steadying her as panic surged within. Kathy's heart hammered painfully in her chest. "Michael!" But he didn't hear her. He didn't hear anything. Because his wolf... Was dying.

And he was fighting with every ounce of strength left in him not to follow. 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.