The room was warm, dimly lit by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Seline stirred, groaning as a dull pain throbbed through her body. She tried to sit up, but a firm, calloused hand gently pushed her back down.
 “You shouldn’t move,” a deep voice commanded.
 Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring into amber eyes that seemed to pierce right through her. The Alpha.
 Her mind scrambled to piece together the events of the night. The panther shifters. The fight. His intervention. And now... she was here.
 “Where—” she started, her voice hoarse.
 “You’re safe,” Austin said gruffly, avoiding her gaze. “You’re in the guest room of the pub. You were hurt pretty bad.”
 Seline’s eyes drifted to her arm, where a makeshift bandage covered a deep gash. Her ribs ached, and she felt a sharp sting along her side where another wound had been patched up.
 “Why… why did you help me?” she asked softly, wincing as she shifted slightly.
 He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he busied himself with cleaning the bloodied cloths on the small table beside her bed. The silence stretched between them, heavy and tense.
 “I wasn’t going to let them kill you,” he said finally, his tone clipped.
 Seline watched him, her brows knitting together. Something about him felt off. His movements were stiff, his jaw tight, as though he was holding something back.
 “Thank you,” she said quietly.
 Austin gave a curt nod but didn’t respond. He seemed to be studying her, his sharp gaze flickering over her as though he was searching for something.
 Then, suddenly, he froze.
 “Are you Lycan?” he asked abruptly, his voice low and tense.
 Seline’s heart skipped a beat. Panic surged through her veins, and she struggled to keep her expression neutral.
 “I—I don’t know what you mean,” she stammered, her voice faltering.
 Austin’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching. “Don’t lie to me.”
 Her chest tightened, and she averted her gaze, trying to come up with an explanation. But before she could say anything, he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl.
 “You’re a hybrid, aren’t you?”
 The words hit her like a thunderclap. Her stomach twisted into knots, and she felt a cold sweat break out across her skin.
 “I…” She swallowed hard, her mind racing.
 Austin’s expression darkened, and the tension in the room grew palpable. “Answer me,” he demanded.
 Seline’s lips parted, but no words came out. She felt exposed, vulnerable, as though he could see every secret she had ever tried to bury.
 And then it happened.
 A strange, unfamiliar sensation rippled through her, starting deep in her chest and spreading outward. It was as though a door she hadn’t even known existed had suddenly swung open. Her wolf. The part of her she thought she would never feel, never know, stirred within her, waking from its long, dormant slumber.
 Her breath hitched, and her wide eyes met Austin’s.
 It all made sense now. The strange sensation she’d felt when she first saw him, the pull she couldn’t explain—it was because they were connected. Because they were mates.
 The realization hit her like a tidal wave, and for a moment, hope bloomed in her chest.
 “You’re my mate,” she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
 Austin’s expression hardened, and the hope in her chest began to falter.
 “You feel it too,” she said, her voice growing steadier. “Don’t you? That’s why—”
 “Stop,” he cut her off sharply, his tone cold and unyielding.
 Seline’s brow furrowed, confusion flashing across her face. “What’s wrong?”
 Austin stood abruptly, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His jaw worked as though he was trying to hold back words he didn’t want to say.
 “What’s wrong?” she repeated, her voice breaking slightly.
 He turned to face her, his amber eyes blazing with something she couldn’t quite place—anger, frustration, pain.
 “You should forget we ever met,” he said harshly, his voice like ice.
 The words were like a dagger to her heart. Seline stared at him, uncomprehending.
 “What… what are you talking about?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
 He didn’t answer immediately, his gaze shifting away from her as though he couldn’t bear to look at her.
 “I know what you’re feeling,” she said, desperation creeping into her tone. “I feel it too. We’re mates, Austin. This—this is fate. You can’t just ignore it.”
 Austin’s eyes snapped back to hers, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of something—regret, maybe, or longing. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a steely resolve.
 “I don’t want a hybrid for my mate,” he said, his voice cold and unforgiving.
 Seline’s breath caught in her throat, the words hitting her like a physical blow.
 “What?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
 “You heard me,” he said, his tone sharp. “You’re not a full wolf. You’re not—” He stopped himself, his jaw tightening.
 “Not what?” she demanded, her voice rising as anger and hurt warred within her. “Not good enough for you? Is that it?”
 Austin’s silence was answer enough.
 Seline felt tears sting her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to hold herself together.
 “I can’t bear the idea of having a mate who isn’t even a complete wolf,” Austin said finally, his voice low but cutting.
 The tears she had been holding back spilled over, and she quickly wiped them away, not wanting to show any more weakness in front of him.
 “You don’t mean that,” she said, her voice breaking. “You can’t mean that.”
 But he didn’t deny it.
 Seline’s heart shattered as she watched him turn away, his shoulders stiff and unyielding.
 “Don’t follow me,” he said over his shoulder, his voice cold and final.
 And then he was gone, leaving her alone in the small, dimly lit room.
 Seline stared at the door long after it had closed, her chest heaving as she fought to keep herself together.
 She had thought, for one brief, shining moment, that she had finally found something—someone—who could be hers. Someone who could see her for who she truly was, who could love her despite everything.
 But now… now she was more alone than ever.
 Her wolf stirred again, a low, mournful howl echoing in her mind, and Seline buried her face in her hands, the tears falling freely.
 Fated mates. The bond that was supposed to be unbreakable. The connection that was supposed to transcend everything.
 And yet, it wasn’t enough.