My Mates Chose The Other Girl novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5

On the eve of the Drawing, most unmated she-wolves lay awake, sick with fear. The thought of being sent to the

Tideborn kept them awake all night.

Word of my visit to Father spread quickly. Someone knocked hard on my door.

Rufus barged in first, his face dark. ‘Elara! What did you tell your father now?!”

Gale stepped in behind him, frowning as he glanced around the room. He stopped when he saw my things scattered

across the floor.

Aquila hung back, watching me silently.

Normally, I would have jumped to my feet, shouting until Father came to defend me. Now, I just felt exhausted.

I slowly folded worn rabbit pelt. Aquila had hunted it for me, years ago. I had loved it once.

Answer me!” Rufus snapped, disgust clear on his face. “What can you do, besides run to Daddy? If you get Ivy sent to the

Tideborn, I’ll-

“You’ll what? Kill me?”

Rufus choked on his words.

Silence descended. Gale stepped forward, his voice soft and pleading. “Elara, stop this. Just tell us what you told the Chief.”

I looked up, my mind a blank. If I explained, would they even care? Would they want me to stay?

I already knew the answer: No.

A laugh escaped from me.

“Yes. I want Ivy gone.”

The three of them froze, stiffening. My fingers clenched around the fur.

‘I’m jealous. I hate her for taking you away from me. So I begged Father to do something about it.’ I paused. ‘I told him that as long as Ivy’s here, I’ll make everyone’s life hell.”

Rufus’s jaw clenched, a vein throbbing at his temple. “Elara! You wouldn’t-

“I would.” My voice came out flat. “Father’s always given me whatever I wanted. All I had to do was cry a little, and he’d

cave.”

Aquila’s eyes bore into me. “The Chief won’t just take your word for It.”

I smiled bitterly, pulled the rabbit fur from my pack, and dropped it on the floor. “You’ll find out in the morning

anyway.”

The three of them left, their faces grim.

Chanter

4 35

Once they were gone. I grabbed my pack Father was waiting by the cart, his eyes red-rimmed He draped a thick pelt

over my shoulders and pressed a heavy bag into my hands.

“Medicine, food, everything you’ll need. The winters are harsh there-take care of yourself.”

I climbed onto the cart and looked back at the clan one last time, pale morning light washing over the familiar rooftops. When I turned away, my resolve solidified.

“Okay.”

Not far down the road, Rufus stopped dead. “Was I… too harsh back there?”

“Don’t look at me like that.” He ran a hand through his hair, refusing to meet their gaze. “Something was off about her.

The way she acted-it wasn’t right.”

Gale said nothing, but his eye jaw tightened. He couldn’t stop thinking about how cold her room had been when they

walked in, like all the warmth had been drained from it.

The scattered belongings, the hollow look in her eyes-doubt crept in for the first time.

No one spoke for a long while.

“Did we go too far?*

Aquila, trailing behind, finally spoke. He said what they were all thinking.

Rufus kicked the nearest tree hard enough to make it tremble, then spun around. His voice shook with

anger.

contained

This is your fault!” He jabbed a finger at Aquila. “You’re the one who said we needed to teach her a lesson. Make her

appreciate us, make her independent. You insisted on this whole charade! And you made me the villain!”

He paced, then stopped suddenly. He stared down at his hands-the same hands that had gripped my throat.

“What if she…” His voice cracked. “What if she really hates me after this?”

His words hit the other two like a splash of cold water. Doubt flooded in all at once.

“No!” Panic crept into his voice. “The Drawing’s tomorrow. Every unmated female has to participate. What if-what if Elara gets chosen? I have to go back. I have to get to her!”