Denied by Destiny: Trapped in the Shadows of the Mate Bond novel Chapter 572

“No Cleo, they live for you and Ares.”

“Perhaps, I also didn’t want Ares’ alpha title to be affected.” I sigh out, truths were being spoken that should have been said a long time ago.

Death creating a time to ponder on the past, on the mistakes made.

“Is that what you think of us, that we wouldn’t have looked after our own.”

“For all I knew, I was pregnant with a man’s child that had a fated mate. It would have ruined everything…”

“My son is the only one at fault of that.”

“No, he cannot take all the blame. Looking back I felt the bond all my life, I just didn’t believe I was worthy of him, that I deserved him.” Silent tears start to cascade down my cheek.

“Oh Cleo.” Her hand reaches out to mine, wrapping it around both mine and Alora’s.

“It wasn’t just the bond, I needed to leave in that moment, I couldn’t cope with the disappointment on Mum’s face.”

“Your Mum may be lost at times Cleo, but she never loses faith in you.”

“Maybe, I just wish she wouldn’t let the darkness in.”

“It’s being here….it’s being near the Amber Desert pack. It brings back bad memories for her.”

“How so?”

I see hesitation in her eyes, but I need to know…I need to understand why Mum has a darkness in her…what if it takes me when I become a mother. What if it is hereditary.

“When she was young, younger than you are now. The Amber Desert pack was surrounding the borders of the Dark Phanton pack in an attempt to claim me back. I had escaped, finding out that I was pregnant with Than’s child…and that once I gave birth he would have harvested my organs to save Alora.

His warriors scattered the borders, Hector refusing to give me up. Rosa was looking for your grandfather at the borders, one of the warriors coaxed her off the pack grounds…pretending to be her mate.”

“What?”

“He….he took advantage of her youth and naivety at not being able to feel the mate bond, but believing that he could.

It ruined her…until your Dad visited and claimed her as his mate.”