46 - Mate...

*Nemesia's POV*

The journey back to the rebel camp was uneventful, but tension hung thick in the air as we rode. The victory over the Jaguars, the successful sabotage of David's forces, and the newly forged alliance with the Bears had all brought us closer to our ultimate goal. But the cost… the cost was something I couldn't shake off, no matter how hard I tried.

The camp was a hive of activity as we arrived. Peotius had been waiting for us, likely itching to hear about the success of our mission. The thought of facing him now made my stomach churn. I knew what awaited me—his smug grin, his lecherous comments, and the power he held over our movement.

But I had to go through with it. I had to play the game.

As I approached his tent, two guards stood at attention, their eyes barely flicking in my direction as I passed. I pushed open the heavy flap and stepped inside.

Peotius was seated at a large wooden table, maps and documents strewn about. He looked up as I entered, his eyes lighting up with that familiar, unsettling gleam. He was a man who revelled in power, and the recent victories would have only inflated his ego further.

"Ah, Nemesia," he drawled, his voice dripping with honeyed insincerity. "I've been eagerly awaiting your return. Come, sit with me. Tell me everything."

I took a seat across from him, keeping my expression neutral. "The mission was successful," I began, choosing my words carefully. "The Jaguars have been pushed back, their forces weakened significantly. The Bears have agreed to an alliance, and we've made significant strides in undermining the Lycans' influence on the island."

Peotius leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. "And what of the First Prince? I trust you handled that situation as we discussed?"

I hesitated for a fraction of a second, just long enough to make it seem as though I was weighing my words. "He is… out of the picture. He won't be returning to the Lycan Kingdom anytime soon. The Bears have taken him as their prisoner, and his forces have been scattered."

Peotius's smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Good. Very good. You've done well, Nemesia. Just like I've expected."

I forced myself to hold his gaze, to keep my expression neutral despite the disgust that churned in my gut. "Thank you. The Bears are eager to solidify our alliance, but they're also wary. We'll need to tread carefully."

Peotius waved a hand dismissively. "The Bears will fall in line. Simpletons always do when they see where the real power lies. But enough about that," he said, leaning forward, his eyes raking over me in a way that made my skin crawl. "You've been away for some time, my dear. Surely you must be tired… Perhaps we could find a more… comfortable setting to discuss the finer details?"

I bit back the bile that rose in my throat, forcing a tight-lipped smile. "I'm sure there will be plenty of time for that later. Right now, I need to ensure our forces are settled and that everything is in order as well as care for some of my people."

He raised an eyebrow, his smile fading slightly. "You're always so dedicated. But remember, Nemesia, there are other ways to be useful to the cause. You and I… think how useful it would be to the future of this kingdom if we... were to get to know each other a lot earlier."

The innuendo in his words was unmistakable, and it took every ounce of self-control not to react. "I'm sure it would," I replied coolly, standing up and signalling the end of our conversation. "But for now, duty calls."

Peotius watched me with a calculating look, but he didn't press the matter. "Of course. Go take care of your duties. But don't forget, Nemesia… we're partners in this. You and I."

I forced a nod, turning on my heel and making my way out of the tent. The moment I was outside, I drew in a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of his eyes on me. The encounter had gone as expected, but it didn't make it any easier.

As I walked away from Peotius's tent, I noticed Murphey and Evar speaking near the edge of the camp. I paused, curious, and moved closer to hear their conversation.

*Murphey's POV*

Evar stood with his arms crossed, his eyes scanning the camp as if he were trying to make sense of something that eluded him. I approached him slowly, noting the tension in his posture, the way his gaze kept flicking to the trees beyond the camp's borders.

"Something on your mind, Evar?" I asked, leaning against a nearby tree.

He didn't respond immediately, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I… I don't know," he finally admitted, his voice tinged with confusion. "There's something… something in the air. And my wolf is acting weird... Like something's itchy to him..."

I frowned, not quite understanding. "What do you mean?"

Evar shook his head, his eyes narrowing as if he were trying to catch a scent carried by the wind. "It's a smell. A scent I've never noticed before, but… it's drawing me. It's like… like nothing I've ever smelled. But it feels… familiar."

I felt a prickle of unease. Evar was usually so composed, so in control. Seeing him this unsettled was strange. "Do you think it's a threat?" I asked, my hand instinctively moving to the hilt of my sword.

He shook his head slowly, but there was uncertainty in his eyes. "No… I don't think so. It's… something else. Something… powerful."

Before I could ask him more, a sudden commotion drew our attention. A young woman - from what I noticed from her clothes, one of our newcomers from further camp - beautiful and radiant, burst through the crowd, her eyes locking onto Evar with an intensity that startled me.

*Nemesia's POV*

As I stepped out of Peotius's tent, I saw the scene unfold. The girl, young and full of life, was running toward Evar, her face lit with pure joy.

"Mate!" she cried, her voice ringing out like a bell as she dashed toward him.

Time seemed to slow. I watched as Evar's eyes widened in shock, the realization hitting him like a physical blow. The air between them crackled with something almost tangible, something I recognized all too well.

Pain, sharp and searing, tore through me. It was a pain I hadn't expected, one that stole the breath from my lungs and made my chest ache with a longing I didn't want to acknowledge.

I couldn't watch this. I couldn't stand there and witness Evar—my Evar—being claimed by someone else. The girl's joyful exclamation echoed in my mind, each repetition of the word "mate" driving the knife deeper into my heart.

I turned sharply, my movements stiff as I forced myself to walk away, to not look back. The world around me blurred as I walked toward the forest, the cool air cutting against my skin like ice. I didn't know where I was going, only that I needed to get away, to escape the crushing weight of what I'd just witnessed... Seems it was getting something common for me now...

The forest closed in around me, its shadows offering a refuge from the emotions threatening to overwhelm me. I kept walking, my steps quick and desperate, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

How could this happen? How could Evar, who had been at my side through so much, be taken away by someone else in the blink of an eye? The rational part of my mind tried to reason that this was fate, that this was how things were supposed to be, but it did nothing to ease the agony tearing through me.

I finally stopped, collapsing to my knees beside a large tree. The tears I had fought so hard to hold back now flowed freely, hot and bitter as they streaked down my face. I pressed my hands to my mouth, trying to stifle the sobs that shook my entire body.

Gods... I didn't cry for such a long time but when I broke after my talk with David, suddenly they were more difficult to tame. That made me so angry... I was strong. I was a warrior, a leader. But at this moment, I felt utterly, completely shattered.

"Why?" I whispered to the darkness around me, my voice breaking. "Why does it have to be this way?"

But there was no answer. Only the cold wind rustling through the trees and the distant echoes of a camp where my world had just crumbled apart.

If I had only listened to what I had planned earlier... not to let anyone in... not to open up... Evar became a part of my life in so many ways... He was about to become mated with a lovely maiden... And it means I wouldn't be his whole world anymore...

I curled in on myself, drawing my knees to my chest as I sobbed into the night. All I could think of was Evar's face, the shock, the recognition… the inevitable acceptance of the bond that fate had thrust upon him.

And all I could feel was the crushing, suffocating pain of knowing that I was not, and would never be, his fated mate... as my own fated mate decided to abandon me and cheat on me...

This time, Athena didn't try to comfort me. She retreated into the depths of my mind, leaving me to grapple with the pain on my own as she had to care for her own...

And so, I wept alone in the dark, the reality of my loneliness sinking in deeper than it ever had before.