Fated To Not Just One, But Three

Chapter 495: The Mate He Is Refusing

Calvin’s POV

FOUR YEARS BACK

The morning had been peaceful until I looked up from my plate.

Nora was standing across the table, holding a tray, serving breakfast like a maid. The sight made something inside me snap. My wolf growled low in my head, his anger rising just as sharply as mine. She was more like a friend to Olivia, so why was she serving us breakfast?

My chair scraped the floor as I stood. "Who asked you to serve breakfast?"

Every eye at the table turned toward me. Nora froze mid-motion, her hands trembling slightly as she held the jug of milk.

"I—"

"You are not a maid," I cut her off sharply, my voice dropping low, commanding. "You’re a guest in this house. Know your place. Get out."

The silence that followed was heavy. Even Mother paused mid-bite, her eyes flicking from me to Nora with quiet suspicion.

Nora looked at me—no, through me—with those soft hazel eyes that had haunted my dreams for months. I could see the flicker of hurt behind her calm expression, but she bowed slightly and turned to leave without a word.

The moment she disappeared through the door, I realized my hands were shaking.

Mother’s tone was gentle but probing. "Calvin," she said, her brow arching slightly. "That was rather harsh. What exactly did that girl do to make you so angry?"

I clenched my jaw. I didn’t answer. How could I tell her that every time I saw Nora, my pulse quickened—that every night, I dreamt of touching her, kissing her, claiming her? That the reason I was angry wasn’t because she was serving us but because her presence rattled me.

My wolf scoffed inside me. "All this is on you. You’re the one refusing the bond."

"Shut up," I muttered under my breath.

He growled back. "You think ignoring it will make it go away? She’s your mate, Calvin. You can smell her in your soul."

I shut my eyes, forcing a deep breath, trying to drown the voice. But even then, her scent lingered—sweet jasmine with a hint of rain. It pulled at something primal inside me.

Mother was still watching. "You seem... unsettled," she observed softly. "Is there something I should know about this girl?"

I shook my head quickly. "No, Mother. Nothing."

But she didn’t look convinced. Her lips curved slightly, the way they always did when she sensed I was hiding something.

I grabbed my cup, downed the rest of my drink, and rose from the table. "If you’ll excuse me, I have things to attend to."

As I left the dining room, my wolf continued. "You can lie to her, to yourself, to everyone... but you can’t lie to me."

I stopped in the hallway, hands clenched. "I don’t want her," I hissed under my breath.

my mind. "Then why does her name make your heart

deep down, I knew the truth I didn’t

I told myself it was better this way. It was better I kept my distance so I wouldn’t get my heart broken for

peace didn’t

for my liking. "Alpha Calvin," she said, breathless but

hit me like a blow

Leaving.

Tomorrow.

Nora... gone.

slowly, forcing my voice to stay even. "Olivia wants you both

She said she’s

Olivia being pregnant. In fact, that didn’t

this should have been good news. Out of sight

her leaving

pretending to shuffle through some papers.

morning," Lolita

Tomorrow. That soon.

slithered through my head, amused and taunting. "So she’s really

But I wasn’t.

her you guys can’t leave

Lolita blinked. "What?"

up at her, keeping my tone sharp and authoritative. "It’s not

brows furrowed.

thinking fast. "My trackers reported rogue activity near the borders two nights ago. They’re still investigating. Until they confirm it’s clear, no one leaves the

Those were lies.

"But...

make her flinch. "You’ll both

clearly unsure whether to argue or

once, curtly. "Yes. Tell her it’s my

bowing before hurrying

door shut, I exhaled slowly and leaned back in my chair, dragging a hand down

in my chair, staring blankly at the papers scattered across my desk. The words blurred together. My mind wasn’t on pack business. It was on the sound of her laugh, the way she

I muttered, dragging a hand through my

wolf chuckled low. "You already know what’s

patrol reports, met with warriors, even sparred in the training yard, but nothing helped. Every time the wind shifted, I swore I could

I couldn’t sit still any longer. I needed

last rays of sunlight bleeding

I

tree near the fountain, a book in her hands, her legs folded neatly beneath her. She

my attention was who

you saw one, you’d see the other.

My brow furrowed.

I called,