My Mate Fell For My Sister

I'm Sylvia Frost, and my sacred bond with Nathaniel Skye has been delayed thirty-three times. The latest? A car slammed into me the night before our binding ceremony, leaving me with nineteen broken bones and three stints in the ICU before I finally stabilized.

When I was strong enough to move, I shuffled along the hospital wall, craving a change of scenery. At the corridor's corner, I overheard Nathaniel-my destined mate-and his buddy talking.

"Last time it was drowning, this time a car crash, pushing the ceremony back another two months. What's your next move?" his friend asked.

My blood turned to ice. I froze, clinging to the wall.

Nathaniel, dressed in his white healer's coat, toyed with his phone, his voice flat. "No more delays."

His friend sounded shocked. "So, you're just gonna accept being bound to Sylvia? What about that intern, Lila Summers?"

"When I was a pup, Sylvia came to live with the Skye pack. My dad told me to look out for her, that we'd be bound someday. I've cared for her like she was my mate ever since-it's second nature. But then I met Lila." A spark lit up his eyes. "She's had a rough start, but she's a fighter, never gives just in. I noticed her the moment I saw her."

"So why not chase her?" his friend pressed, confused.

The air grew heavy. Nathaniel's gaze dropped. "Sylvia's mom saved the Skye pack. She's my duty. Those thirty-three accidents? That was me wrestling with it. But now, it's time to step up. As for Lila, I'm content just watching her from afar. I can't ask for more."

Every word stabbed my heart like a jagged blade. I gripped the wall to keep from collapsing. My cheeks itched, and when I touched them, I found tears.

I couldn't listen anymore. I stumbled back to my room, tears streaming silently down my face. Thirty-three accidents-all orchestrated by Nathaniel because he didn't want to be bound to me.

The first time, I got caught in a brawl and took a knife to the side. The second, a snake in the pack's garden bit me, and I nearly died from the venom. The third, Nathaniel took me hiking, and I fell, landing in the ICU for two weeks. On and on, all because he didn't want this bond.

Our bond was set when I was ten. The Skye pack faced ruin-investigations, jail time looming. My mom, an accountant, took the fall, saving them. In return, Nathaniel's dad, Richard Skye, brought me into their pack, promising me to Nathaniel for my future security.

The Skyes, including Nathaniel, always treated me well. They backed me in everything, even my band, which the elite wolves sneered at. I was so sure we were in love. But it was all duty. His heart belonged to someone else.

The dull ache in my chest turned into a sharp, twisting knife, every wound on my body screaming. When Nathaniel came to clean my wounds, he noticed my red eyes and frowned. "What's wrong? Hurting again?"

His concern felt like a mockery now, the word duty echoing in my head, stabbing at my heart. My pain nerves are sharper than most, so even wound cleaning requires numbing. As he reached for the anesthetic, his phone rang. He set it down and answered.

I stared at the cartoon charm dangling from his phone. Years ago, my band won a contest, and I gave him a charm from the prize. He tossed it into a drawer, scoffing, "Too childish."

Now, his phone sported a charm matching Lila's. It swung back and forth, stinging my eyes. Lila's voice spilled from the phone into the quiet room. "Nathaniel, I've got a patient I'm unsure about. Can you come by?"

His whole vibe lit up, warm and eager. "Be right there," he said, his voice bright.

I used to think he was just mentoring an intern. Now, I saw the signs of something deeper. He skipped the anesthetic, grabbing the cleaning tools instead. Pain exploded from my wounds, spreading like wildfire. I groaned, head spinning, sweat pouring like rain.

"Nathaniel, you forgot the anesthetic." I whispered, trembling.

He didn't stop, distracted. "It's better this way. Numbing slows the healing. Just hang on."

My body convulsed, hands clawing the bedsheet, nearly tearing it. "Nathaniel, please, I'm begging you-it hurts so bad."

"Be good, it's almost done," he said, speeding up.

Minutes later, he tossed the tools onto the tray. I collapsed, drenched in sweat, pain radiating. Through blurry eyes, I saw him hurry out, not even waiting for the five minutes it'd take for anesthetic to kick in. It didn't hinder healing-he just wanted to get to Lila.

My heart shattered, tears soaking the sheets. The pain overwhelmed me, and everything went black.