Shattered Illusion

“No way. There’s no way her mate is here!

But that intoxicating scent, fresh rain and wild grass, it fills her senses, so strong, she feels as if she could drown in it. It’s undeniable, overwhelming, and she knows instantly what it means.

Her mate is here.

A spark of hope flickers to life within her as her eyes frantically search the room. Her heart races, her hands trembling with the possibility that this nightmare might end. Her mate is here.

Her mate is here.

And then, she sees him. Piercing red eyes stare back at her, intense and unblinking. His gaze is captivating, his aura so powerful it commands the room. 

Claire feels warmth bloom in her chest, her whole being lighting up with an indescribable joy. She knows her own eyes must be flashing blue, her bond instinctively calling out to him.

Her mate is breathtaking, gorgeous, with an air of command, he’s dressed simply in a white shirt, sleeves rolled up, exposing strong, toned forearms. He looks like he’s stepped straight from a magazine, a vision of strength and poise. 

Her heart races as her imagination runs wild, unwanted thoughts rushing into her mind, thoughts she shouldn’t be entertaining, considering the dire situation she’s in.

But she isn’t afraid anymore. Not with him here.

Her lips, still bound, curl into a small, hopeful smile. Her mate is still staring at her, and she can’t help but feel that this moment was crafted by the hands of destiny itself. Could it be the goddess’s way of bringing them together?

Her pulse thunders in her ears as she realizes—she’ll soon know everything. 

She’ll understand why she was taken, why he’s here. But none of that matters, not really. All she knows is that her mate is here, and he’s going to save her.

But then… something shifts.

Her mate’s intense gaze softens. His head tilts, studying her in a way that sends a shiver down her spine. And then, just like that, he looks away.

Claire freezes, a cold dread clawing up her spine as she sees him turn to the woman standing beside him. Her heart drops, disbelief and horror flooding her veins as she watches him lean down.

In a moment that feels both impossibly slow and brutally swift, her mate’s lips meet the other woman’s, capturing her in a deep, possessive kiss.

Claire’s world stops.

Her entire being feels like it’s collapsing as she watches her mate, her destined bond, wrap his arm around another woman without a single acknowledgment of her existence.

Her heart shatters into fragments as she continues to watch her mate kiss the woman standing beside him.

 How had she not noticed her before? The truth stabs deep, cold and unrelenting, as she takes in the sight before her.

The tears she had fought to hold back finally slip down her cheeks, a silent testament to the pain clawing at her heart. A numbing sensation spreads through her body, freezing her in place, rooting her to the spot as if trapped in a twisted nightmare. 

She can’t look away from him, even as he breaks away from the kiss. Even as he turns, flashing that same smile, the same charm, towards others, never sparing her a second glance.

Her lips tremble against the gag, a choked sob desperate to break free. Her mate… has just rejected her. Silently. Openly. Unforgivably.

Her chest feels hollow, a void where her heart had been only moments ago, so full of hope and belief in something sacred. She wants to scream, to shout, to demand he sees her. But he doesn’t, and the betrayal burns through her. Her mate, her destined bond, has cast her aside like she’s nothing.

The years she had spent holding onto the dream of finding him, the countless nights lying awake, clinging to the stories her mother used to tell….of love that defied odds, of mates who would sacrifice everything for each other—all of it feels laughable now. Bitter. Broken.

How many times had she whispered to the empty darkness, praying he would be out there somewhere, hoping that, maybe, he was waiting for her too? 

She remembers the countless nights she spent in her cramped, lonely room, daydreaming about the moment they would meet, about the life they would build together. But now, those dreams feel like nothing more than childish fantasies, each memory twisting into something ugly and cruel as she watches him.

She blinks through the haze of tears, struggling to comprehend the sight before her. His laughter rings out across the room, echoing in her ears, ripping her deeper into despair with every carefree sound. 

He’s laughing, smiling, living, while her world crumbles around her. He’s talking to people, basking in the luxury and charm of his surroundings, oblivious to the silent scream echoing in her soul.

She bites down hard against the gag, the sharp pain grounding her for a fleeting second. The bitter taste of reality settles on her tongue.

She blinks, her vision blurred, but her gaze remains locked on him. Her mate. Her supposed savior. He is supposed to be her other half, the one who completes her. Yet, here he is, looking every bit the perfect stranger, someone who could care less if she existed at all.

Is this really it? Is this the end of everything she held onto?

A heavy silence hangs over her as she stares at him, as he laughs with the woman by his side, as he smiles and moves without a single glance in her direction. Her heart breaks, over and over, the pieces falling apart with each passing second, each breath, each stolen glance she risks.

Suddenly, the hum of conversation fades, replaced by the echo of footsteps. A man steps onto the stage, gripping a microphone, his voice slicing through the stillness like a blade.

“Welcome to today’s auction.”