The Mate He Hates

Alpha Edward’s POV

I paced in the living room as I waited for Matthew to arrive with Elisa’s mother. I needed her confession and to make her look me in the eyes and confirm all that I had just been told.

The door of the sitting room opened. Matthew walked in with the men who accompanied him. But Elisa’s mother wasn’t with him.

“Where is she?” I asked with a raised brow.

“She has run away. I believe she knew we would come for her, so she ran away,” Matthew responded, and I growled. “Then we will have to send men to look for her; she cannot hide from us.” I grunted, and Matthew nodded.

“I have already talked to the airport security; she hasn’t left the country yet, and if she attempts to leave, she will be caught,” he announced, and I nodded. “I will send hunters to go look for her. I believe she is not far.”

I sighed and sat back on the couch; My head was pounding with a great headache.

“But we brought someone,” Matthew announced, and I lifted my brow. “Who?” I asked curiously.

“Go get him,” he said to the guard, who nodded and left. I patiently waited, and in a few moments, the guard walked in with a man I recognized.

“This is Amanda and Elisa’s father,” Matthew introduced while I got up. I approached the older man, who bowed his head to me.

“Good day, Alpha Edward,” he greeted, which I ignored.

“Where is your wife?” I demanded, and I saw him lift his head and look at me. “I have no idea, Alpha. She left even before I woke up; I woke up and met an empty house,” he responded, and I groaned. “Have you tried making a mind link with her? Ask her where she is,” I urged, and he lifted his head and looked at me. “No, Alpha…”

I grunted and held him by the collar. I would have hit him, but he was old enough to be my father, so I was forced to hold myself back.

“You knew Elisa didn’t save me that day in the woods. You were also aware that Elisa isn’t my mate, yet you planned with your wife and daughter to deceive me into thinking she was my mate!” I yelled through gritted teeth and saw him shake his head in fear. “No, Alpha Edward, I have no idea she wasn’t your mate; I knew nothing…”

“Liar!” Amanda yelled from behind, and I turned to see her walking towards us. “You are lying, father; you were fully aware of everything happening; you knew I…” She paused and swallowed nervously. “Take a grip on yourself,” Beta Matthew, standing beside her, whispered, and I saw her nod.

“You knew I didn’t kill Elisa; you knew I would never kill her, but you stood there and allowed me to suffer for a crime I never committed,” she spat in pain, tears trickling down her cheek. “You were my father, but you never treated me as your daughter; right before your eyes, I was being maltreated, and you didn’t do anything; you just sat and watched!” She choked on her tears, and my heart clenched at the sight of them. Looking at her, I could sense that she had gone through a lot at the hands of her family, and as if that weren’t enough, I inflicted more pain on her for a crime she never committed.

“I’m so sorry, Amanda. I think I’m under a spell. He tried defending himself, but Amanda cut him off.

“I don’t care. I don’t care if you were under a spell or not. I have ceased to be your daughter from the first day you allowed them to take me away. Right now, you have only one daughter, and that daughter is Elisa, who is dead,” Amanda spat and turned towards me, her eyes filled with anger and pain. “My innocence has been proven, so I see no need to be here,” she stated, and an uncomfortable feeling hit my chest. “I believe you do not doubt my innocence, right?” She questioned while I remained numb, not knowing what to say.

I knew she was innocent, which meant she was free to leave.

“I will be leaving tomorrow morning; you have no right to keep me here any longer, Alpha Edward,” she declared, and a hard gulp passed down my throat. I knew she was right; I had no right to keep her here, and the thought of it was killing me.

“Good luck in finding your savior and mate.” With that, she turned and left.

As I watched her leave, a torrent of emotions surged through me. Guilt, anger, regret-they all mingled in my chest, creating a heavy burden I couldn’t shake off. I had been so focused on inflicting pain on her that I didn’t realize I had grown fond of her presence. The thought of her leaving and probably never seeing her again was a hard pill for me to swallow.

Right now, I wasn’t bothered about my mate or savior like I should have been. I wasn’t so eager to find my mate, but all I thought about was Amanda leaving and not being able to see her again.

I was so worried about it and couldn’t hold myself from asking. “Where is she going?” I threw that question at Matthew, who was quiet for a moment before he spoke. “We haven’t decided yet; is there a problem?” He raised a brow, and I swallowed. How do I tell him that I don’t want Amanda to leave? How could I tell him that the thought of not being able to see her again was driving me crazy?Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Why doesn’t she stay here? You are her mate, and you live here. Do you want her far from you?” I suggested, hoping Matthew would agree to it. I just wanted her here.

“The place holds painful memories for Amanda, and I can’t let her stay here,” he stated firmly, and I sighed. Of course, I knew this would be his response.

“I will take her to my home,” he stated, and I sucked in a deep breath. Staying in his apartment meant she was still nearby, which was a good thing, but then I wasn’t at rest; I didn’t want to let her go.

Turning to Amanda’s father, I frowned. “What am I hearing about sending men to kill Amanda’s mother?” I questioned and saw him swallow in pain.

“Answer me!” I demanded when I didn’t get a quick response from him.

“You didn’t send those men?” He asked, and that got me flared up. “Of course, I didn’t. What makes you think I would ask you if I did?” I spat.

Amanda’s father seemed confused as he stared at me. “It was rumored that three men sent by you invaded her apartment and beheaded her,” he mumbled, and my eyes widened.

“I? Who said such a thing? I sent no one,” I yelled.

“The men said it; they said it was your order to kill Amanda’s mother for the sin of Amanda; the eyewitness who was with her told us.”

My blood boiled with anger; I could endure anything but be accused of something I never did was a big No for me. “Who was the witness?” I asked. “Stella, Amanda’s younger sister,” he replied.

I turned to the head of my guard. “Take him with you; he is to show you where the lady is, and once you get her, bring her here.” My head guard nodded and left with Amanda’s father.

Matthew and I locked gazes, and I didn’t know what to say to him. I didn’t know how to start apologizing for what I did to Amanda, his mate. I believed he must have gone through a lot of watching me torture her. “I’m sorry,” I apologized sincerely, and he nodded. “I will forgive you only on one condition,” he stated, and I raised a brow. “Which is?” I asked.

“Set Amanda free from this marriage; you can’t remain married to my mate.”

A hard gulp passed down my throat as his words sank into me. Of course, I was supposed to free her from our marriage, but why was it making me restless? “Can you do that?” Matthew asked, and I swallowed again. “She has to be set free,” he demanded.

“I see no need in doing that; our marriage wasn’t real,” I tried giving an excuse.

Matthew scoffed. “You two took the holy vows and exchanged rings before the servants of the goddess. What makes you think it isn’t real and sacred?” He questioned, and my words got seized in my mouth.

I stared at Matthew, who was waiting for me to say something, but I couldn’t say a word. My mind was messed up; I couldn’t bear letting Amanda go despite knowing she belonged to another.

“Matthew, I have a question for you,” I muttered, and Matthew raised a brow. “What is it?”

I sucked in a deep breath before summoning the courage to speak. “Matthew, do you love her?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Matthew didn’t respond immediately; instead, he glanced at me with a curious yet cautious expression. “Why do you ask?” he countered, his tone guarded. I hesitated, grappling with my own emotions before finally admitting, “I think I have fallen in love with Amanda,” I confessed and saw Matthew’s eyes widen from my confession.

“So, if you don’t love her, why don’t you let her be with me?” I pleaded desperately, sounding so stupid and insane.