<h4>Chapter 511: 511-My Shattered Mate Needs Me</h4>


    <strong>Haiden:</strong>


    We walked back into the mansion to speak with Fauna’s father. I tried tofort myself, keeping my eyes on the surroundings and my mind in the right ce.


    Ever since I spoke with Ian and his father and we decided that I should reject Fauna, there had been an unease inside me that I could not shake.


    Although I tried to act like nothing bothered me, that was not entirely the truth. Something was bothering me. Even the word rejection made me feel strange.


    "All set for breakfast? It seems like you guys did not take the news of his death very well. What is it? A business thing or what?" my uncle asked, pointing out that we had been leaving the mansion to go into the garden to talk quite often.


    At this rate, we also figured that the next time we went out, they would probably send someone to listen to our conversations because it was clearly rming to them.


    "It was not really a deal. We just needed to know something about business," the headmaster replied, his hands tied behind his back, his eyes fixed on me as he waited to see what I had decided.


    I cleared my throat and began to speak.


    "I want to talk about Fauna," I said.


    As soon as I said her name out loud, my heart missed a beat. I shoved my hands into my pants pockets and stared at everyone, especially her father, her sister, and her mother.


    Her sister’s eyes were swollen and red. It did not look good. Something had happened. Her father was trying his best to hide it.


    "We have already talked about it, have we not? Come on, have breakfast with us," my uncle said as he pulled out a seat for me.


    He tapped the backrest and stared at me with a raised brow. I already knew he was challenging me.


    "No, thank you. I would like to speak with Fauna first," I replied firmly.


    My uncle’s shoulders slouched as if he could not believe how insistent I was.


    "And before you tell me again that she is in the prayer to look for a mate, let me put your mind at ease," I spoke confidently, watching them nce at each other.


    "She’s my mate."


    The moment I said those words, her mother and Mariana looked at each other, then back at me with wide eyes, unsure whether they were shocked that I had said it or that I was her mate.


    "Haiden, I know that is not the truth. If you were her mate, you would have paid attention to all of this. It sounds like you just want to meet her so you can hurt my daughter more, and I will not allow that," my uncle said, his fear showing.


    He openly resisted and used me of something he did not even know I would do. I was not a child who would ask to see someone in prayer just to mock her.


    "Uncle Patrick, if you do not let me see my mate, I will have to call the council. If they do not step in, I will call on all the alphas and let them know things have reached a point where alphas are not even allowed to meet their mates."


    As soon as I said those words, I watched the color drain from their faces. Mariana looked happy. I noticed her hands twitching as if she wanted to p.


    "You are not an alpha," Uncle Patrick replied with a smile.


    "Not yet, because I have not challenged you. But technically, I am the alpha of this pack," I hissed, holding my ground and keeping my stance firm.


    The headmaster and Ian stepped up beside me, making it clear that if he tried to call his warriors on us, we would unleash the monsters inside us, the same ones that fought the monsters of the North.


    "What do you want to speak with Fauna about?" Patrick grunted, avoiding my other ims and steering the focus away from the crown.


    At that moment, I saw the hopeful looks in Fauna’s mother and sister’s eyes as they stared at me. But I had to break their hearts because the decision had already been made.


    "I have to reject her so she could find a second chance mate."


    My words brought a slight smile to Patrick’s face, while Mariana and her mother lost theirs. Disappointment showed clearly in their eyes.


    The happiness Uncle Patrick showed proved that whatever they were hiding about Clementine and Nook was far worse for them than the idea of me marrying his daughter and keeping the crown in the family.


    He seemed happier that I was going to reject her.


    "Fine then, let’s do it quickly," he said. "But I have to tell you something before you see her."


    As we moved toward the second floor where her bedroom was, her father stopped me.


    "She had a bad fallst night. She injured herself quite badly."


    I froze at his words. Ian narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.


    "She was finest night. What do you mean she had a bad fall? Didn’t you say she is in the prayer?" he grunted, questioning my uncle, who clearly did not like it. He never did.


    "Well, she’s not today. That is why I decided to sit her down for a prayer, because I thought maybe if she has a mate, he will take better care of her."


    Uncle Patrick always had answers, and he was quick toe up with them. But something was not right.


    "Bring her out," I demanded.


    "Yeah, sure. I will bring her out so you can reject her, and then you will be on your way. I opened my home to you all, and now you are bing a nuisance. So after the rejection, you can see yourselves out and have a good–have a good day," he finished arrogantly, making it clear that we were not wee to stay and eat breakfast.


    Her mother hurried toward the basement for some reason. My frown deepened, but I stayed calm because I remembered Patrick once saying that if he had to put his daughters in prayer, they would be in the basement so there would be no distractions.


    I kept looking around, watching everyone and everything, until my eyesnded on Fauna when she was brought out, and my entire body froze at the sight of her.