The Mate He Hates

Amanda’s POV

The moment Alpha Edward left the table, my mood suddenly changed, and I felt a pang of guilt. The look in his eyes before he left was that of a man whose world had been taken away from him, and I understood why he would feel that way.

“Excuse me, I will be back,” I said, getting up from the seat. I left and took the stairs to his room, but when I got there, it was empty. Thinking he might be in the garden, I went over there but couldn’t find him. I went back into the mansion and asked a guard where he was, who told me he was in the gym room.

Confused, I furrowed my brow, wondering why he was in the gym room. Out of concern, I made my way there, and upon stepping in, I saw Alpha Edward punching a dummy. I stood at the door and watched him hit it with so much anger. He was so engrossed in his anger that he didn’t notice me coming or standing by the door.

I walked over to him and tried talking to him, but he ignored me and kept punching the dummy with his hands, which were now injured.

“Edward, stop! You’re hurting yourself!” I pleaded, stepping closer and grabbing his arm to stop him.

He finally paused, breathing heavily, his face contorted with rage and pain. “Why do you care?” he spat out, pulling his arm away.

“Because I do care, Edward. Seeing you like this… it hurts me too,” I admitted, my voice softening.

Edward looked up at me for a moment before he shook his head. “Just stay away from me, Amanda!” he spat with anger and pain.

Anger bubbled inside of me. I was supposed to be the one angry; he was the one who caused me pain, but yet here I was trying to console him because ridiculously I was having feelings for this man.

He tried to punch the dummy again, but I quickly stood before him and almost got punched, but he was quick to stop. “What the fuck! I could have hit you.” He yelled through gritted teeth, and I frowned. “Stop all this, Alpha Edward, what the fuck is your problem!”

“You are my problem!” he yelled. “You are my fucking problem, Amanda! You have messed up my mind. I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t breathe when you are not near me. Everything about you drives me crazy, yet you are peace. Your arms feel like the safest place in the world, and this shit is fucking crazy!” he spat with an outburst.

I stood there, stunned by his outburst, my heart pounding in my chest. For a moment, a tense silence filled the room as I struggled to find the right words.

“Edward, I-” I started, but the door swung open, and Levi stepped in, breaking the moment.

“It’s time to go out. Liam is waiting for us,” Levi said, not clearly bothered that Alpha Edward and I were in the middle of a discussion, but his eyes flicked between us, taking in the scene.

Edward’s jaw tightened, and he turned away from me, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Please leave,” he muttered, avoiding my gaze.

Levi looked at me, a hint of question in his eyes. “Amanda, are you coming? Liam’s waiting.”

I nodded, feeling broken. “Alright,” I said softly, giving Edward one last look before following Levi out of the gym room.

As we walked down the hallway, Levi glanced at me. “Are you okay?”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. “I’ll be fine,” I replied, though my mind was still reeling from Edward’s confession. The depth of his feelings had caught me off guard, and I couldn’t ignore the way my own heart reacted.

We reached the living room, where Liam was waiting with Aunt Victoria. His face lit up when he saw me, and I forced a smile, pushing aside my turmoil for his sake.

“Ready to go to the park?” Levi asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Liam nodded eagerly, and I took his hand. “Yes, let’s go,” I said, trying to forget about Alpha Edward and the words he had said to me.

As we headed out, I couldn’t help but glance back, wondering if I should really leave or just go back to Alpha Edward and have a word with him. I think we should really talk and sort things out.

As we made our way to the park, I tried to keep my focus on Liam and Levi. Liam’s excited chatter and Levi’s attempts to lighten the mood helped distract me, but my mind kept drifting back to Alpha Edward and his anguished outburst.

“Look, Mother!” Liam pointed excitedly at a group of ducks swimming in a pond. His enthusiasm was infectious, and I forced myself to smile and engage with him. We spent the afternoon playing games, exploring the park, and enjoying a picnic. Levi and Liam seemed to bond more with each passing minute, which brought me some comfort.

However, despite the pleasant atmosphere and the efforts to keep my thoughts occupied, a nagging sense of unease gnawed at me. Edward’s words echoed in my mind, and the raw intensity of his feelings left me feeling both flattered and unsettled. I couldn’t shake off the image of him punching that dummy, the pain, and rage in his eyes as he confessed how much I affected him.

Levi noticed my distraction and tried to draw me into conversations, making jokes and telling stories, but my responses were often absent-minded. I appreciated his efforts, but I couldn’t help the restless feeling that something was wrong. My heart wasn’t fully in the moment, and the guilt of leaving Edward behind gnawed at me.

“Are you okay, Amanda?” Levi asked quietly as Liam ran ahead to chase after a butterfly.

I sighed, my shoulders slumping. “I can’t stop thinking about Edward,” I admitted. “His words, his anger… I feel like I should be there for him, but at the same time, it’s so confusing.”

Levi smiled and moved closer to me. “You are indeed an incredible woman, Amanda. Despite all he did to you, you still fell in love with him.”

I furrowed my brow. In love? Who said I was in love with him?

“Let’s go back to the mansion,” Levi suggested.

The walk back to the mansion was filled with Liam’s happy chatter, but my mind was elsewhere. When we arrived, the atmosphere had shifted dramatically. The once serene environment was now filled with frantic movement and worried faces.

“What’s going on?” I asked a passing maid, who seemed on the verge of panic.

“It’s Alpha Edward,” she replied, her voice trembling. “He collapsed in the gym. They think it might be serious.”

My heart dropped. Without another word, I handed Liam to Levi and rushed inside, my mind racing with fear and guilt. I shouldn’t have left him. I should have stayed and talked things through.

Reaching his room, I saw doctors and healers surrounded Edward who was lying on the bed, unconscious. My chest tightened at the sight. His face was pale, and there was a visible bruise on his knuckles from hitting the dummy earlier.

“Edward!” I cried, pushing through the crowd to get to him. My heart pounded in my chest as I knelt beside him, reaching for his hand. “What happened?” I demanded, looking around for answers.

“His body couldn’t handle the stress,” one of the medics explained. “He’s been pushing himself too hard, both physically and emotionally.”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I held Edward’s hand, my mind racing with worry. “Is he going to be okay?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“We’re doing everything we can,” the medic assured me, but the uncertainty in their eyes did little to calm my fears.This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

As they worked to stabilize him, I couldn’t help but replay our conversation in the gym over and over in my mind. His words, his anger, and the way he had looked at me with such intensity. I realized now how much he was hurting, and I felt a wave of guilt for not being there for him when he needed me most.

Matthew appeared at my side, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Amanda, he’s strong. He’ll pull through this.”

I nodded, though my heart was still heavy with worry. “I should have stayed,” I whispered, feeling tears slip down my cheeks. “I shouldn’t have left him alone.”