Forbidden Mate, Bound by Fate

Chapter 12

SYDNEY

Alpha Gray's eyes locked onto mine, his gaze piercing as he stumbled forward, his chest heaving with each breath. "You... did something to me," he accused, his voice low and menacing. "This morning... I felt weak... and now... now it's happening again.”

The pack members around us began to murmur, their voices filled with worry and concern. They had never seen their alpha like this before—vulnerable and struggling to breathe.

As Alpha Gray's legs gave way beneath him, he crashed to the cold floor, his body trembling with each ragged breath. The pack members rushed to his side, their faces etched with fear and uncertainty.

"Alpha!" one of them cried, trying to help him sit up. But Alpha Gray pushed him away, his eyes never leaving mine.

"You," he growled, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're doing this to me. I can feel it.”

I shook my head, disagreeing with his accusations. The pain and fear of losing my mate swirled inside me, threatening to consume me.

Angry gazes pierced me as the pack members looked in my direction, their eyes filled with suspicion and accusation.

Even from afar, I sensed my mate's racing pulse, a reflection of his distress. As Alpha Gray's condition worsened, the pack members' whispers turned into urgent calls for help. They didn't know what was happening to their alpha, but they knew it was something serious.

And I was the only one who knew the answer. But I didn't want to tell them because I was sure they wouldn't believe me.

I knew why Alpha Gray was in pain, and it wasn't because of anything I'd done. As his mate, I felt his pain too, and Katrina, my wolf, was stirring within me, sensing the danger that threatened our bond.

The mate bond was a mysterious thing, one that connected us on a deep, primal level. When one mate suffered, the other felt it too. And right now, Alpha Gray's pain was echoing through me, making my chest ache and my breath catch.

But as I looked at Alpha Gray, I realized he didn't understand the bond between us. He was questioning why he was in pain, why he was feeling weak and vulnerable. That meant he didn't recognize me as his mate and didn't acknowledge the bond that tied us together.

Katrina's protective instincts surged, a low growl rumbling deep within me as our bond was threatened. We were vulnerable, exposed, and Alpha Gray's rejection of our bond made us even more so.

I wanted to reach out to him, to tell him that I knew what was happening and that I felt his pain too. But something held me back. Maybe it was fear, or maybe it was pride. Whatever it was, I kept silent, watching as Alpha Gray struggled to breathe while the pack members around him tried to help him.

The pain was growing stronger, and I knew I had to do something. But what? And how could I reach out to Alpha Gray when he didn't even recognize our bond?

The pack members were frantic, trying to revive their unconscious alpha. I watched helplessly, my hands and legs still tied to the whipping post. I wanted to go to him, to see if I could help, but I was trapped.

"Katrina, we have to do something," I whispered to my wolf, feeling her anger and frustration.

"Why should we?" Katrina growled, her voice low and menacing. "He rejected us and humiliated us in front of the pack. Why should we help him now?”

"Because he's our mate," I replied, trying to reason with her. "We share a bond, and if we don't do something, he might not survive."

"Good riddance," Katrina spat, her anger and hurt evident. "Let him suffer, Sydney. He deserves that because he did it to himself. Maybe then he'll understand what it's like to be rejected and humiliated."

I sighed, knowing that Katrina's anger was justified. But I couldn't just stand by and watch Alpha Gray die—not when I knew I could help him.

"Katrina, please," I said, trying to appeal to her softer side. "Let's just try to help him. For our sake, if not for his."

Katrina snorted, her disdain clear. "You really think he'll appreciate it? After what he did to us?"

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. But before I could respond, one of the pack members approached me, a look of suspicion on his face.

"What did you do to him?" he growled, his eyes narrowing. "You're the only one who seems to know what's going on."

I shook my head, trying to explain. "I didn't do anything. He's my mate, and I think... I think the bond between us is what's causing this."

The pack member's expression turned skeptical. "Mate? You expect us to believe that?”

The pack members' faces twisted in anger and suspicion, their voices rising in a cacophony of accusations.

"You're lying, Sydney!" one of them shouted. "You're behind Alpha Gray's condition!"

Beta Slade stepped forward, his expression grim. He gently lifted Alpha Gray's unconscious body into his arms, cradling him like a child.

"I'll take him to the pack's medical center," he said, his voice firm.

As Beta Slade walked past me, Alexis rushed forward, her face contorted in grief and rage.

"You ruthless monster, Sydney!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "You're jealous of me, aren't you? Jealous that Alpha Gray loves me, not you! You drugged him to ruin our engagement, and now you're lying that you are his mate!”

Her words cut deep, but I stood tall, trying to defend myself. "That's not true," I said, my voice firm. "I'm telling you, it's the mate bond. I'm not doing anything to him."

But Alexis wasn't listening. She was beyond reason, consumed by her own pain and anger.

"You're even worse than I thought, Sydney," she spat, her voice cracking from tears. "How could you betray me like this?”

My sister shot me a deadly glare and gritted her teeth in anger. “You'll pay for what you've done to us, Sydney!”

“Stop lying, Alexis. We know the truth: I'm innocent!” I shouted.

“You are the one lying here, Sydney!” Alexis loudly responded. “Ask anyone around you; did any of them believe your lies?”

The pack members murmured in agreement with my sister's words. Their faces twisted in anger and hatred. I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized the danger I was in. They believed Alexis, not me. And they would stop at nothing to punish me for what they thought I'd done.

Alexis's cries echoed through the room, her words piercing and accusatory. "I'm Alpha Gray's mate!" she wailed. "We share a bond, a bond that's strong and true. How can Sydney possibly be his mate?"

The pack members' faces turned ugly, their anger and outrage boiling over. They surged forward, their fists flying as they beat me mercilessly. I stumbled backward, my hands still tied to the whipping post, unable to defend myself.

Slaps, punches, and kicks rained down on me, each blow landing with precision and malice. The pack members' words cut deeper than their physical attacks, their venomous taunts and insults piercing my heart.

"You're a liar!”

“You're a monster!”

“You're not worthy of being in this pack!”

I tried to shield myself, but it was no use. The pack members were relentless, fueled by their anger and loyalty to Alpha Gray. My parents stood by, watching as I was beaten and battered, their faces expressionless.

But what hurt the most was seeing them standing beside Alexis, who had collapsed to the ground, pretending to be unconscious to prove that she shared the bond with my mate and that she was feeling the pain too.

Her act only seemed to enrage the pack members further, their anger and hatred toward me intensifying.

As the beating continued, I felt my strength waning, my body numb and bruised. I closed my eyes, the pain and humiliation overwhelming me.

My parents are here watching how I have been punished for a crime I didn't commit, but why didn't they stand up for me?

Why did they let this happen?

I have started to doubt if they are my real parents because if they were, they wouldn't let anyone hurt me like this.

The questions swirled in my mind, but I knew the answer: they didn't care about me, not really. I was just a tool, a means to an end. And now, I was paying the price for being Alpha Gray's mate.