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Chapter 22
publish date:
2026-07-02 00:17:21
Latest chapter
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 22
Jolene The weekend came as a much-needed breath after the emotional storm of the week. I needed normalc, something soft and uncomplicated to push the memory of Seth’s eyes out of my head. So I texted Jessica: Coffee at the park with the boys? I want to meet my nephews properly. Bring Aurora if she’s free. Girl time plus kids.Her reply was almost instant. YES. I’ll pack snacks. See you at 10?The park was bustling with weekend energy when I arrived, blankets spread under a shady oak. Jessica was already there, chasing two energetic toddlers while Aurora sat nearby drawing. My nephews, little carbon copies of Jasper with Jessica’s bright smile, toddled toward me the second I approached.“Auntie Jo!” the older one squealed, latching onto my leg. I laughed, scooping him up despite not being fully used to the title yet.Jessica pulled me into a warm hug. “You look like you need this as much as I do.”“I really do,” I admitted, settling onto the blanket. Aurora immediately crawled closer,
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 21
The morning after the dance, I moved through my classroom on autopilot, arranging crayons and wiping down tables that didn’t really need it. Sleep had been almost nonexistent. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Cal’s frustrated face or heard Aurora’s quiet sobs against my shoulder. The weight of it all pressed on my chest like a stone I couldn’t shake off.I was still rattled when the first students started trickling in. Then Aurora appeared in the doorway, her usual bounce missing. Her eyes were a little puffy, and she clutched her backpack straps like they were a lifeline. My heart twisted.“Good morning, sweetheart,” I said softly, crouching to her level as she approached my desk.She looked up, and just like that, her face lit up. The transformation was instant. “Miss Falls!” She threw her arms around my waist in a tight hug. I hugged her back without thinking, breathing in the faint scent of strawberry shampoo.“Did you have fun after I left?” I asked gently, guiding her to her s
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 20
Jolene The name hit me like ice water. JoleneI froze mid-step, the air suddenly too thick to breathe. Jolene Falls. The girl who was never meant to be my mate. The one I’d rejected without a backward glance all those years ago. My chest tightened painfully. Jessica,my little sister,couldn’t stop talking about how happy she was to have her best friend back. Mad at first, sure, but they were working through it. And Aurora? She wouldn’t shut up about ‘Miss Falls this’ and ‘Miss Falls that.’ The clay wolves, the stories at circle time, how she helped with the dress tonight.Cal watched me carefully. “Yeah. She’s back in Crove. Been teaching at the school for a bit now. Aurora’s completely taken with her.”I sank back into my chair, staring at the photo again but seeing something else entirely. Jolene. Back after seven years. The girl who used to blush every time I walked into a room in high school. I’d thought it was just a stupid crush back then,harmless, fleeting. Then the mate bond s
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 19
SethThe evening light had long since faded from the windows of my office, leaving the room bathed in the warm glow of a single desk lamp. I sat in the heavy leather chair, a glass of whiskey in my hand, the ice long melted into a watery amber. My thumb traced the edge of the silver frame on the desk, the photograph that always pulled me under.Aurora’s second birthday. She was perched on my shoulders, tiny hands tangled in my hair, her laughter frozen mid-bubble. Kaira stood beside us, one arm wrapped around my waist, her head tilted back in that carefree way she had when the world felt light. Her smile lit up the whole damn picture. It was one of the last truly happy moments before everything turned dark. Before the weight of the pack, the endless responsibilities, and then the sudden, cruel emptiness two years ago.I took another slow sip, the burn sliding down my throat but doing nothing to loosen the knot in my chest. Some memories you cling to because forgetting would be worse t
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 18
Jolene At the school gymnasium, the decorations were simple but sweet, twinkling lights, paper lanterns, and a small stage for performances. Parents and daughters milled about in their finery. I spotted Aurora immediately near the refreshments table, wearing a pale pink dress with little sparkles that caught the light. Her hair was in careful curls, but her face looked anxious as she scanned the growing crowd.“Miss Falls!” she called, running over the second she saw me. She did a little twirl. “Do you like my dress? Daddy picked it out special.”My heart squeezed. I crouched down to her level, smiling wide. “Aurora, you look absolutely beautiful. Like a little princess. That color makes your eyes shine.”She blushed, ducking her head with a shy giggle. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”“Really really,” I promised, tapping her nose gently. “You’re going to have the best time tonight. Want to show me your moves before it starts?”We practiced a silly dance together, her small han
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 17
JoleneThe days blurred together in a rhythm I hadn’t expected. Every afternoon around three-thirty, the classroom door would creak open and Cal would step inside, his broad shoulders filling the frame. At first I kept my responses short,polite nods, quick updates about Aurora’s day, nothing more. “She did well on her spelling quiz. She shared her snack with another student.” Professional. Safe.But Cal had a way of chipping at the walls I’d built so carefully. He’d linger, leaning against the desk with that easy half-smile, asking questions that pulled more than one-word answers from me.“Rough day?” he asked on Tuesday, watching Aurora carefully pack her clay wolf into her backpack like it was made of glass.I shrugged, wiping down the whiteboard. “Not really. Just long. You know how it is with twenty-five six-year-olds.”He chuckled, low and warm. “I can barely handle one. You’ve got superpowers, Jolene.”The compliment landed softly, unexpected. I felt my cheeks warm despite mysel
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 10
Jolene The drive to my parents' house felt shorter than it used to.Or maybe I spent too much of it trying not to panic.The roads were familiar. Every tree, every turn, every cabin hidden between the woods carried memories I never asked to keep. Some good.Most are painful.I kept both hands tigh
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 9
By the time I got home, exhaustion sat heavily in my bones.The porch light was already on.Aunt Clara opened the door before I even reached it."You’re late.""There was a goodbye dinner." She stepped aside to let me in before immediately pulling me into a hug.I melted into it quietly.My aunt h
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 8
Jolene Seven Years Later"Miss Falls, do you have to leave?"I looked down at Noah's small pout and tried not to smile too hard."I do," I said, crouching beside his desk."But that doesn’t mean the world is ending""It feels like it," he muttered,goodness, he is so cute.Across the classroom, sev
The Unchosen Mate Chapter 7
JoleneBy night fall I was already dressed for the rituals.Everyone was expected to be in a white dress with pearls and our family name tattooed on our hands. Jasper did mine this afternoon after the the graduation and it's hurts like hell.My white dress hugged softly at my waist while the skirt
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