The Mate He Hates

Alpha Edward’s POV

I groaned one last time as I released my seeds. The pleasure I felt was second to none, and I couldn’t believe I experienced it from a lady I hate. Looking her way, our eyes interlocked, but she swallowed nervously and looked away. I grunted and put back on my things. Then, I looked at her one more time before leaving the room.

“Tell a maid to get her a new dress. After she is dressed, you can take her back to her cell,” I told a guard, who nodded as he set to do the task. But I called him back. “Don’t drag her; allow her to walk to her cell,” I instructed before walking away.

I arrived at my chamber and collapsed on the couch. A tired sigh left my lips as I massaged my forehead. My head was buzzing with thoughts, making me go crazy. So many things didn’t seem right, and one of them was the uneasy feeling I had in my chest when I thought she was dying. As if that weren’t enough, I couldn’t explain why my heart fluttered with joy when I saw her open her eyes; it felt unreal. Then, to worsen it all, was the pleasurable sex I just had. How could I feel so much pleasure fucking a woman I was supposed to hate? How could I enjoy the sex so much that I released as never before?

“Damn!” I groaned. Something doesn’t seem right, or was I under a spell? Because that was the only explanation or excuse I could come up with.

My thoughts drifted to Elisa, and my heart broke. I wondered what she would think of me, her mate, fucking the lady who murdered her and enjoying it. She would be so disappointed in me, and I knew I had failed her. Rubbing my hand on my face, I groaned in regret and got up. I was sweaty, so I undressed and cooled off in the bathtub.

Seated inside the bathtub, I exclaimed in relief as I rested my head on the headrest of the tub and shut my eyes. My mind was filled with a particular person, and no matter how much I wanted to forget her, I just couldn’t; she kept tormenting me with images of her. I groaned, feeling guilty. My supposed mate was lying cold in her grave, but here I was, thinking of her killer. What kind of mate was I?

“Damn it!” I grunted, opened my eyes, and began washing myself. After I was done, I left the bathroom and dressed in a simple outfit. I got settled on the couch, but just then, a knock landed on my door, and I grunted, annoyed at the presence of the person knocking.

“Come in, Aunt,” I said; I had already picked up her scent.

The door opened, and Aunt walked in. Our gaze met, but I looked away. She took the couch right across from me, and silence hung in the air for a while before she spoke.

“I noticed the way you reacted when you thought she was dying.”

I raised a brow at her. “It makes me feel relieved knowing your kind-hearted heart is still in place.”

I groaned and looked away.

“It was obvious you were really worried about her, and that’s why I want to ask you again: why don’t you take her out of that cell?”

“I won’t,” I interrupted Aunt Victoria.

She shrugged her shoulders. “Like I said, I don’t think she will survive in that cell. If you truly want her alive, then why don’t you place her among the domestic servants? She can be a maid; at least that is better than being locked up in that terrible place,” Aunt Victoria pleaded, but I shook my head. I have made a mistake, and I won’t make another.

“My answer remains the same: I will not release her out of that cell,” I stated firmly.

Aunt Victoria glanced at me, and I knew she wanted to say something, but she held back her words and got up.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

“I will leave you to think about it.” With those words, she turned and left my room.

I frowned at her words, wondering why she was so bent on me releasing Amanda out of the cell, but there was no way I was doing that.

Wanting to get my mind off the troubling thoughts, I decided to mind-link with my beta.

“Where are you?” I asked him the moment we connected.

“I am at the combat ground, having some sessions with the warriors,” he responded, and I nodded.

“I will be on my way,” I said and ended the mind link.

I left my room, descended the stairs, and left the mansion. When the men guarding the mansion saw me, they all approached me.

“Clinton,” I called to my driver, “take me to the combat ground,” I said to Clinton, who nodded and went for a car. He picked up the black Ford and opened the back seat for me, but I declined and opened the front seat door. After getting in, Clinton closed the door, got into the driver’s seat and started the car.

As he drove out of the mansion, I realized that for the past four days, I hadn’t been out of the mansion. I sighed and rested my back on the car’s headrest; I wanted some fresh air, so I pulled down the car window before inhaling deeply.

I closed my eyes, and all that had happened in the past four years replayed in my head. I wished everything was a dream and that I would wake up from it and realize everything was back like they were, but unfortunately, I knew these were no dreams but reality.

We reached the training camp, and I got out of the car. Making my way into the camp, some of the warriors who saw me bowed their heads, and all I did was nod to their greetings as I went to look for Matthew.

I met him talking to the head warrior, and when they noticed me, they bowed.

“Welcome, Alpha,” Philip, the head warrior, greeted me, and I nodded.

“How are things going on here?” I asked. I have been away from the pack duties for a while, and I was curious to know how things were going.

“Everything is fine, Alpha; we just got recruits,” Philip announced, and I nodded.

“I will speak with them before I leave,” I told Philip and signalled Matthew to follow me.

We walked to where the men were training; some were training in their wolf form, while some were in their human form. But for the past four years, I rarely shifted into my wolf, not because I couldn’t but because I felt my wolf was dead since we don’t communicate.

“Is everything alright?” Matthew asked, and I sighed. “Train with me,” I said and threw a spear to him, which he caught.

I took off my shirt and was left with my jeans pants. Matthew and I stood before each other, and we began to train. Matthew is a good fighter, but unfortunately, he wasn’t a match for me when it comes to skills and tactics, and everyone knows that.

We trained for several hours until I called it a day and went for my shirt. After putting it on, I addressed the recruits before heading back to the car, with Matthew tagging along.

“You don’t seem okay,” he sounded concerned, and I sighed.

“I will take care of it, so don’t worry,” I said to him, and he nodded, knowing I didn’t like being bombarded with questions.

“The firework festival is tomorrow, and as usual, we allow the prisoners to celebrate with us. Are you still allowing it this year? So I could inform all cells to get their prisoners ready?” Matthew asked, and I nodded.

“It’s the same as usual; just tell the men to take all precautionary measures.”

“Sure.”

“Alright, see you later.”

Clinton drove me back to the mansion, and when we arrived, I walked into the sitting room, surprised to see Levi seated on the sofa with a glass of wine in his hand.

“Hello, cousin,” he greeted me with his usual annoying smile, and I groaned, irritated by his presence.