Mated to Another, Imprisoned by Him Chapter 03

Mated to Another, Imprisoned by Him Chapter 03 “We’re Done.”​
The moment I reached him, I froze in the doorway.
Winder had Sally cradled in his arms, his fingers gently massaging the spot where she winced in pain.
So that was it. She was reacting to his pheromones. Her wolf spirit was unstable.
Ever since I turned eighteen, every full moon, my wolf spirit ached in agony. I would curl up on the floor and endure it alone.
The only thing he ever did was toss me a bottle of painkillers.
“Pack business tomorrow. I need you to handle it.” No concern. No warmth. Just that cold, flat command.
And back then, I had actually been touched by it.
I had naively thought he was grooming me to be his Luna. That it meant he loved me.
I set the medicine down on his desk, my face expressionless, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out across my brow.
“Alpha, the stabilizer you requested.”
He didn’t even look at me. He picked up the vial and coaxed Sally to drink it.
This wolf spirit stabilizer was potent—one dose could quell the most violent unrest. But it was rare. The Silver Moon Pack had only one.
Years ago, when my wolf spirit was unstable and I writhed in pain at his feet, it never once occurred to him to give it to me.
But for her, he gave it to her without hesitation.
I swallowed the bitterness flooding my throat and turned to leave. Sally suddenly shot to her feet.
“Stop right there!” Her eyes raked over me. “You’re… Micah’s sister?”
I turned. Before I could speak, she slapped me.
My head buzzed. My cheek swelled instantly.
Winder surged up, startled. “Sally, what are you doing?”
Tears welled in her eyes as she pointed a shaking finger at me. “She’s your best friend’s sister! And now she’s here, willingly serving you. And you expect me to believe there’s nothing between you?”
The air turned to ice.
Winder glanced at me, then looked away. He pulled Sally into his arms, wiping her tears.
His tone was resigned, but his voice was thick with indulgence. “It’s one-sided. My heart has only ever had room for you. You are the only Luna I will ever want.”
A flash of triumph lit her face. She leaned into him, voice syrupy sweet. “Then kick her out. I never want to see her again.”
Winder’s brow furrowed, conflict flickering in his eyes.
Sally saw it. With a snarl, she hurled the empty glass vial at me.
Glass shattered. Shards exploded in the air.
“Ah! Winder, it hurts!”
She shrieked, clutching a finger that was barely scratched, milking every ounce of pity.
Winder’s face went dark.
His icy gaze speared into me, completely ignoring the long, bloody gash on my bare arm where the glass had bitten deep.
“Get the car. Now.” He wrapped an arm around Sally, his voice softening. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“No!” She shoved him back, hysterical. “Say it! Are you kicking her out or not?”
Winder exhaled sharply and signaled a Beta. “She assaulted my fated mate. Next time, lock her in the Silver Cage. And—”
“Make it clear to the entire pack: no one bullies Sally.”
The Beta shot me a nervous glance, his voice dropping. “But Alpha, Miss Nina is about to…”
He didn’t get to finish. Sally screamed again.
“Winder! If you care so much about keeping her, I’ll leave! I’ll never come back to bother you again!”
Winder’s pupils contracted. He ignored the Beta, crushing Sally against his chest.
“Sally, don’t… please…”
Then his eyes turned to me, cold as a blade.
“One more time, Nina. One more incident, and you’re out. Even if your brother Micah himself kneels to beg me, I won’t show mercy.”
Blood streamed down my arm. My unstable wolf spirit convulsed in fresh agony, a howl building in my throat. But I stayed silent.
My voice was steady.
“Don’t worry. There won’t be a next time.”
He hadn’t expected that. He froze, then wordlessly swept Sally into his arms.
“Let’s go to the hospital.”
His eyes flickered to my bleeding arm, his frown deepening.
“You too.”
My wolf spirit was weak. My healing was nearly gone. Fearing infection, I followed him into the car in silence.
The second I sank into the back seat, my phone vibrated.
A message from Winder.
[I was rash. But I’ve lost Sally once. I can’t lose her again. Name your price for compensation.]
I stared at the screen, then looked at the man in the front seat, fussing over Sally with tenderness.
A hollow laugh escaped me. I raised my hand to block him.
Then, a friend request popped up.
Nick. Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack. My fated mate.
We were meant to be. Engaged since childhood, our bond confirmed when we came of age.
But I fell for Winder. So I rejected him.
Nick accepted it. He let me go.
But for all these years, he remained without a mate. Waiting.
I let out a slow breath and hit Accept.
A second later, an ecstatic little wolf pup emoji popped up.
…
The car stopped at the ER entrance.
The moment I stepped out, a vampire lunged.
Instinct took over. I shoved Winder out of the way.
Winder, in turn, yanked Sally into his arms, shielding her.
Me? Razor-sharp claws punched through my shoulder blade.
Agony detonated.
Blood instantly soaked my clothes.
The vampire wrenched its claws free, tearing through bone and muscle, then aimed for my heart.
My legs buckled. I hit the road.
Winder moved like lightning.
He dropped Sally, flashed behind the vampire, and snapped its neck with a single, brutal twist of his claws.
Three seconds.
The vampire crumpled into black ash.
“Winder…” Sally whimpered, tears streaming.
“Sally!” Winder’s voice was raw with panic.
Sally swayed, her face draining of color, and collapsed into his arms—fainted from shock.
I lifted my head weakly.
Winder scooped Sally up and rushed into the hospital, forgetting I existed.
My wolf spirit was shattered. My healing was gone.
The wound was too deep. Blood poured out, invisible against my black clothes.
I was going to bleed out.
Summoning every ounce of strength, I screamed. “Winder! Help me!”
“I’m dying… I’m going to die…”
My voice faded to a whisper, then nothing. I could only twitch a finger.
Winder looked back. Hesitated.
Then, in his arms, Sally stirred, murmuring, “Winder… it hurts… it hurts so much…”
Panic flashed across his face. Without a second thought, he turned and carried her away.
So that was it.
In Winder’s world, my death was worth less than Sally’s discomfort.
As the blood drained out of me, the world went grey.
Buzz.
The phone beneath me vibrated.
My countdown alarm.
Five o’clock. My application to leave the pack had been granted. I was finally free.
But I wasn’t going to survive it.
Just as the darkness closed in, a tall shadow fell over me. Strong arms held me.
Nick.
His voice shook. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
I leaned into him, my voice a thread of what it was. “Nick. Take me away.”
“Okay.”
—
In the car, Nick fed me a priceless witch’s healing draught.
The wound began to knit. My wolf spirit steadied.
As exhaustion pulled me under, my phone started vibrating violently.
Winder.
I glanced at the screen and declined.
It rang again.
Declined.
Again.
…
Silence for two seconds.
Then the texts flooded in. Starting with entitlement:
[Where are you? Answer me.]
[Stop this tantrum. Sally is unwell. I had to bring her home first. You’re always getting hurt. You could’ve managed for a bit. You could’ve left on your own.]
I stared at the screen, a cold laugh catching in my throat.
Every injury I’d ever had was because of him.
Then, the panic set in.
[Why is there so much blood where you were lying?!]
[Nina! How bad is it? Answer the phone! Tell me where you are!!!]
He was scared now.
Too bad.
Too late.
I couldn’t even be bothered to spare him a punctuation mark.
One swipe. I blocked him.
The screen went dark. Whatever was left between us died right there.
The car surged forward, crossing the pack border for good.
“Winder. We’re done.”