The Mate He Hates

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“I’m so happy that you’re here. We didn’t have time to talk,” I said happily to my mother, who smiled and patted my shoulder.

“I’m here now. Tell me what you want to know, my dear. I’ll be with you for the whole week,” she said, and my smile widened. It was a relief to have her here with me-very thoughtful of Alpha Edward to send for her.

“I heard the case has been withdrawn, but don’t worry, I’ll deal with Killian in my own way,” my mother said, and I frowned. What could she possibly do to him?

“Mother, what do you intend to do?” I asked curiously. She was silent for a moment before she smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“Do you know about my abilities? Did Matthew tell you yet?” she asked, and I shook my head. I always knew there was something special about my mother-there was a fear in both Killian and Father’s eyes when she tried to attack Killian.

“No, he hasn’t told me,” I admitted, my curiosity piqued.

“Maybe I should show you,” she said, her smile turning a bit more enigmatic.

She stood up gracefully, her movements fluid and confident. My eyes followed her as she walked over to the two-seater couch in the corner of the room. To my astonishment, she easily lifted the entire couch with one hand, as if it weighed nothing more than a feather. My eyes widened in disbelief, my breath caught in my throat.

“How…?” I stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. The display of strength was beyond anything I had imagined.

“Your mother is stronger than she looks,” she chuckled, setting the couch down as gently as she had lifted it. “This is just one of my gifts, Amanda. There’s so much more I can do.”

Before I could react, Mother extended her hand in front of us. With a focused expression, she gently touched her other hand to her wrist, and before my eyes, her skin shimmered faintly, almost glowing. The light faded quickly, revealing a perfectly smooth, unblemished wrist.

“What you just saw is one of my gifts,” she explained softly. “I have the ability to heal not only others but also myself. It’s something I’ve kept hidden for a long time, using it only when necessary.”

My eyes widened in amazement. “So you can heal yourself, just like that?”

She nodded, smiling at my reaction. “Yes, but it’s more than just healing. My abilities extend to understanding and sensing the pain of others. I can mend wounds, cure illnesses, and even bring someone back from the brink of death if needed.”

I stared at her, trying to process the extent of what she was saying. “That’s incredible, Mother.”

“It is,” she agreed. “But there’s a cost to it-a balance that needs to be maintained. Healing takes energy, and it’s not something I can do endlessly. There’s a limit to how much I can give before it starts to take a toll on me.”

I nodded, still in awe. “I had no idea…”

“And now,” she continued, taking my hand and guiding it to her arm, “I want to see if you’ve inherited any of my abilities. We should find out together.”

I hesitated. “But I’m not a healer. I’ve never been able to do anything like that.”

“Let’s just try,” she said gently. “If it doesn’t work, we’ll explore other possibilities. But I have a feeling you might surprise yourself.”

With her encouragement, I placed my hand over her arm. She took a small, sharp object and made a quick cut on her forearm, wincing slightly. I gasped but didn’t pull away.

“Now, focus,” she instructed softly. “Close your eyes and concentrate on the wound. Imagine it closing, healing, as if nothing ever happened.”

I took a deep breath and did as she said. I focused all my energy on the wound beneath my hand, trying to picture the skin mending itself. To my surprise, I felt a warm, tingling sensation flow through my hand and into her skin.

I opened my eyes just in time to see the cut beginning to close, the blood disappearing as if it were being drawn back into her body. The skin healed flawlessly, leaving no trace of the injury.

“I did it,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, filled with awe and disbelief.

Mother smiled, her eyes glowing with pride. “You have the gift of healing, Amanda. Just like me. And this is only the beginning. There’s so much more that you’re capable of.”

I looked up at her, a mixture of shock and excitement bubbling within me. “What else can I do?”

“We’ll find out together,” she said, her voice filled with warmth and confidence. “But for now, let’s focus on honing this gift. You’ll need it more than you know.”

I smiled and stared at my arm, which I had just healed. I couldn’t believe it-a once wolfless and abused girl now not only has a wolf but also a remarkable gift of healing. I thought of Alpha Edward and how proud and happy he would be to realize that I have this gift.

“And your wolf-have you shifted yet?” Mother asked, and I shook my head, seeing the confused look on her face. “Why? Are you scared of the first shift?” she asked, and I shook my head again. I wasn’t scared of that, but how do I tell her the truth without sounding foolish?

“Tell me, what’s stopping you?” she asked while I hesitated, not knowing how to say it. She noticed my hesitation and moved closer, giving me a comforting squeeze. “I know we are just getting to know each other, but I really want us to be close, like a mother and daughter should be. So tell me, Amanda, what’s wrong?”

I swallowed hard and looked up at her. “It’s Alpha Edward. I want him to teach me my first shift,” I whispered and saw the concerned look on her face. “You’ve fallen in love with him,” she said, and it wasn’t a question.

Not knowing how to respond, I looked away.

“I heard all that happened between you two from Matthew. I’m so sorry that you had to go through all that, Amanda. Whatever decision you decide to take, I will support you. If you want to be with him, that’s fine, and if you don’t, that’s also fine. But I want you to know that no man is perfect-not even our mates….” She paused and took a deep breath. “You know, my relationship with your father was the best, at least in the early stage of our marriage, but when I couldn’t get pregnant, we went through tough times. Your father got another wife, and within a few months, she conceived. I felt like an outcast and wasn’t getting your father’s attention, but I knew he still loved me. Years later, Matthew came, and everything went back to normal. But after your birth and disappearance, I went mentally insane. I destroyed things and caused havoc…” She paused and inhaled deeply before continuing. “Everyone asked your father to send me away, and he could have-he had a good reason to-but he never did. He always stuck by my side. Even when Matthew wanted me to come with him, your father refused. He said I was his mate and he wouldn’t let me out of his sight,” she said, her voice trembling slightly with the weight of the memories. “He stood by me through it all, despite the pressure from others, despite the madness that had taken hold of me. It took years for me to recover, but he never gave up on me. And that’s something I want you to remember, Amanda-sometimes love is not perfect, and neither are the people we love. But if they are willing to stand by us in our darkest times, that’s what truly matters.”

I listened to her words, feeling a lump form in my throat. I could see the pain in her eyes but also the strength that had carried her through those difficult years. Her story made me think of Alpha Edward and all the things we had gone through together. He wasn’t perfect-far from it-but there was a part of me that still believed in him, that still wanted to see the man he could become.

“I understand, Mother,” I said softly. “But it’s so hard to know what to do. He’s hurt me so much, but at the same time, I can’t help but feel drawn to him. I want to hate him for everything, but I can’t. And now, with Liam and all these new things I’m discovering about myself… I don’t know where to turn.”

She nodded, her expression sympathetic. “It’s okay to feel conflicted, Amanda. You’ve been through so much, and it’s natural to have doubts. Just remember that you are not alone in this. You have me, you have Matthew, and most importantly, you have your own strength. Don’t rush into any decisions. Take your time to understand what you truly want and what is best for you and Liam.”

I nodded, appreciating her advice, but the uncertainty still gnawed at me. My mind drifted back to Alpha Edward, to the moments of tenderness we had shared despite the pain. The thought of him teaching me how to shift for the first time sent a mix of fear and excitement through me. Was I crazy for wanting that? For wanting him to be a part of such an important moment in my life?

I’ll think about it,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But I do want to learn, and I want to be strong-for Liam, and for myself.”

Mother smiled, pulling me into a gentle hug. “That’s all I want, Amanda. For you to be strong, to find your path, and to know that you are loved no matter what.”

As I held on to her, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Maybe I didn’t have all the answers yet, but I was starting to believe that I could find them. I wasn’t the scared, broken girl I once was. I had a wolf now, I had a gift, and I had a mother who was ready to stand by me every step of the way.

And maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to reconcile the pieces of my heart that still belonged to Alpha Edward, and the woman I was becoming.