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.

“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.