The Mate He Rejected Was His Uncles

When I woke up, sunlight was already pouring through the massive windows.

For a second, I didn’t know where I was.

Then the memories came back all at once.

The castle.

Lucien. His hands. His voice.

The way his eyes had turned gold.

My body instantly tensed beneath the blankets.

A low groan escaped me before I could stop it.

The door opened immediately.

Lucien walked in carrying a tray of food.

And the moment he saw me awake—

his entire expression changed.

Guilt.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

His voice sounded rougher than usual.

Like he hadn’t slept.

I pulled the blanket tighter around myself instinctively.

Lucien froze at the movement.

Pain flickered across his face.

“I’m sorry.”

The words came quickly.

“I lost control.”

I stared at him silently.

This man terrified half the country.

Yet right now he looked almost… ashamed.

“That should never have happened,” he continued quietly. “Not like that.”

His jaw tightened hard.

“I’ll take responsibility.”

The words should’ve comforted me.

Instead, my chest hurt again.

Because responsibility wasn’t love.

And I had already learned that lesson once.

Lucien stepped closer slowly and placed the tray beside the bed.

“You should eat something.”

I looked away.

“I should go home.”

“No.”

The answer came instantly.

Too fast.

His own expression darkened slightly, like he surprised himself.

Then more calmly:

“You’re safer here.”

Safe. I almost laughed.

Before I could answer, my phone suddenly started vibrating on the nightstand.

Cassian.

My stomach twisted violently.

Lucien noticed the name immediately.

Something cold entered his eyes.

I hesitated before picking up.

Cassian didn’t even greet me.

“Where are you?”

My fingers tightened around the phone.

“At home,” I lied automatically.

“Well, hurry up and get ready.”

His tone sounded irritated, like I was inconveniencing him.

“The engagement ceremony starts in three hours.”

Engagement.

Right. Today was the day.

“Selene wants you there as her bridesmaid.”

Every word felt unreal.

I closed my eyes briefly.

“Cassian—”

“You owe her that much.”

Then he hung up.

Just like that.

I sat there silently for several seconds before realizing Lucien was still watching me.

“What happened?”

I forced myself to stand.

“I need to attend their engagement ceremony.”

The room suddenly felt colder.

Lucien’s expression became unreadable.

“You don’t have to go.”

“Yes,” I whispered. “I do.”

I really do feel guilty toward Selene. I never knew what happened to her. I always thought she was living a good life.

An hour later, I stood outside the Ashford Grand Hotel wearing pale silver chiffon instead of white.

Bridesmaid colors.

Not bridal colors.

The irony almost made me sick.

The ballroom downstairs buzzed with voices.

As I walked through the hallway, whispers followed me everywhere.

“That’s the original fiancée.”

“I heard Cassian found his real mate.”

“They’re twins, right?”

“Poor thing.”

I kept walking.

Every word felt like glass under my skin.

By the time I reached the bridal suite, my hands were shaking again.

I knocked softly.

“Come in.”

Selene’s voice sounded sweet.

When I entered, she was sitting in front of the mirror while makeup artists adjusted her hair.

She looked radiant.

The room emptied quietly after she waved the staff away.

Then we were alone.

Selene smiled at me through the mirror.

“So.”

Her eyes moved slowly over my body.

“I heard Father already sent you to Lucien.”

I stayed silent.

Her smile widened slightly.

“What’s it like?”

She tilted her head mockingly.

“Marrying a wolfless cripple?”

Something sharp twisted in my chest.

“He’s not crippled.”

The words left my mouth automatically.

Selene actually laughed.

“Oh?”

She turned around slowly.

“So you’re defending him already?”

I looked down.

“I didn’t know what happened to you after you left,” I whispered quietly. “If I had known—”

“Known what?”

Her voice suddenly snapped cold.

“That I was starving?”

“That Mom worked three jobs?”

“That men touched me before I was even sixteen because we couldn’t afford rent?”

I froze.

Selene stepped closer.

“You grew up in mansions while I learned how to survive.”

There was no softness left in her eyes now.

Only hatred.

“So tell me, Lyra…”

Her lips curled.

“What exactly does your apology fix?”

I had no answer.

Because she was right.

Nothing I said could undo fifteen years.

Selene leaned closer until we were nearly face to face.

“I want every good thing you ever had.”

Her voice lowered into something poisonous.

“Piece by piece.”

The door suddenly opened.

Cassian walked in.

Immediately, Selene’s entire expression changed.

Her eyes widened slightly.

And before I even realized what she was doing—

she stumbled backward.

“Lyra…”

Her voice trembled.

“I’m sorry if I upset you—”

Cassian instantly moved toward her.

“What happened?”

Selene shook her head quickly.

“It’s okay. She’s emotional, I understand—”

I wanted to argue back, but the words died in my throat almost immediately. If this would make Selene happy… then maybe I deserved to stay silent.

Cassian’s gaze snapped toward me.

And the disappointment in his eyes hit harder than anger.

“You’re doing this again?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

I had prepared myself for this moment, but seeing Cassian trust Selene without even a second of hesitation still hurt more than I expected..

“Cassian—”

“Enough.”

His voice hardened instantly.

“Stop making everything difficult.”

Then he saw the faint bruises near my collarbone.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Where did those come from?”

Panic flashed across me.

But before I could answer—

another voice spoke behind him.

“What are you guys doing?”

The entire room went silent.

Lucien Ashford stood in the doorway.

The atmosphere shifted the second he entered.

Cassian straightened automatically.

Even Selene looked nervous.

Lucien’s eyes moved toward me briefly.

Then to the bruise on my cheek.

The bruise Cassian gave me.

Something dangerous flickered beneath his calm expression.

Cassian cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Uncle.”

Lucien ignored him completely.

Instead, he walked toward me slowly.

Then stopped beside me. Too close.

Cassian’s expression darkened immediately.

“She’s my childhood friend,” he said coldly. “Whatever issues we have are between us.”

Lucien finally looked at him.

And somehow that was worse than shouting.

“Is that so?”

Cassian’s jaw tightened.

The tension in the room became suffocating.

But Lucien suddenly turned toward me instead.

“What do you want?”

The question stunned me.

Nobody had asked me that in years.

Selene immediately stepped forward softly.

“I just want my sister beside me today.”

Her eyes filled with fake tears again.

“I want her to witness my happiness.”

My chest tightened painfully.

Lucien’s gaze stayed on me.

Waiting.

I lowered my eyes slowly.

“…I’ll stay.”

Something unreadable crossed Lucien’s face.

Then he nodded once.

Without another word, he turned and walked out.

Cassian followed after him several seconds later.

The moment the door closed—

Selene’s smile disappeared completely.

Silence filled the room.

Then she laughed quietly.

“You really are pathetic.”

I looked up slowly.

Selene stepped closer.

“Even after sleeping with him…”

Her eyes swept over me cruelly.

“…he still refuses to acknowledge you.”

Humiliation burned through me instantly.

Because deep down—

I had thought the same thing.

If Lucien truly wanted me—

why hide it?

Why say nothing?

Why not claim me publicly?

Selene smiled knowingly.

“You gave your body away for nothing.”

The words landed exactly where she intended.

My chest hurt again.

But weaker this time.

Distant.

Then the door opened once more.

Cassian returned.

The moment he saw Selene, his entire expression softened immediately.

Like instinct.

Like gravity.

He walked straight toward her and pulled her gently into his arms.

Then kissed her.

Right in front of me.

I waited for the agony.

For the unbearable tearing inside my chest.

For the mate bond to destroy me again.

But this time—

the pain was smaller.

Still there.

But survivable.

I stared at them silently.

And for the first time—

a terrifying thought entered my mind.

What if Cassian really wasn’t my mate anymore?