Chained by Fate

Chapter 20: Uncovering the truth

Evelyne barely slept.

Even as exhaustion pulled at her bones, her mind refused to rest. Every time she closed her eyes, the same word echoed in her head—mate.

It didn't make sense. It couldn't make sense.

And yet, the books left her with no other answer.

She had spent hours pouring over every piece of information she could find. The mate bond was something primal, something absolute. It was not chosen. It was. A force that bound two souls together whether they wanted it or not.

But the worst part—the part she refused to acknowledge—was what it meant for Ronan.

If she was his mate, if this wasn't some cruel misunderstanding, then he had been fighting it. Resisting something that, according to every source she found, should have been irresistible.

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep the chill from sinking too deep into her skin.

Why?

If the mate bond was so sacred, so vital, why did he reject it? Why was he angry?

Why did he look at her like she was the worst thing that had ever happened to him?

Her stomach twisted. The kiss had been proof enough—he wanted her. But he didn't want to.

And that realization unsettled her more than anything.

A sharp knock at the door made her jolt upright.

She barely had time to push the nearest book aside before the door swung open, and there he was.

Ronan.

He stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable, his broad frame tense with something she couldn't place. His eyes flicked to the mess of books around her before narrowing in suspicion.

"What are you doing?" His voice was low, rough.

Evelyne hesitated, her pulse pounding in her ears. Did he already know?

She forced herself to sit straighter. "Reading."

His gaze darkened. "Reading what?"

She swallowed, gripping the edges of the book still resting in her lap. "History. About..." she hesitated, "...about werewolves."

Silence. A long, suffocating silence.

Ronan took a slow step forward, and for a moment, she swore the air shifted—thickening with something unseen.

"What exactly are you trying to learn?" His voice had dropped to something quieter, but no less dangerous.

Evelyne knew she should lie. Say something simple, something that wouldn't set him off. But she was tired. Tired of avoiding the truth. Tired of pretending she didn't already know.

She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze head-on. "Mates."

His reaction was immediate.

His entire body went rigid, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. His jaw tightened so hard she thought his teeth might crack under the pressure.

For a split second, something flashed in his eyes—something raw, something that almost looked like fear.

Then it was gone, replaced with cold fury.

"You shouldn't be looking into that." His tone was sharp, a warning.

She refused to back down. "Why not?"