The DarkNess Within Him | ✔

Chapter Twenty

"You killed your mate?" I force my words out in surprise. Each word cracks as I speak.

I've heard of men who kill their mates but I've never actually met one. So now, as I stare wide-eyed at Matt who is nodding affirmatively, chills ride up the full-length of my spine.

"Was she without her virtue?" I ask, pushing out the only explanation I can think of.

Some men value the virginity of their mates more than they do their actual mates. To some, it's some sort of prize. Especially in the small and middle sized packs. If their mates come and are without their virtue, they reject them or in severe cases, kill them and nobody can really say anything about it because we're supposed to be answerable to our mates or something. It's why, growing up, we were advised to keep it. Especially the girls.

I found it all so stupid. The fact I had to protect my virginity but it was okay for my mate to take others and lose his in the process. It was okay for him to sleep around until he finds me. It never made any real sense to me even if admittedly, I did keep mine for Jayce. Well, that in itself was only because my mother made me take an oath on her life to keep it.

I didn't understand why at the time but now that I know about her story with her own mate, I guess she just didn't want history to repeat itself with me. Either way, this double standard virtue belief is very illogical to me.

"Yes, she wasn't a virgin." Matt replies, pulling me back to reality "But that's not why I killed her. Virginity never mattered to me."

"Then why is she dead?" I press on, my voice still aghast as I flail my hands in the air, searching for an explanation.

"She slept with Max." He pauses, his jaw twitching when he says "my brother."

My mouth makes an 'o' in sudden understanding.

"Before she knew you were her mate or after?" I ask. I mean if she didn't know then the deed can be forgiven, right?

"She knew we were mates." He states, sitting up straighter in his seat. "She deceived me into keeping quiet about our mate bond and lured my brother to bed because she wanted to trap him with a child and become Luna of my pack. I walked in on them and killed her. And before you ask, no, I don't regret it."

I take in a sharp breath and look at Matthew. His eyes are darker than usual and I know all this talk about the mate he killed is riling up his wolf. It's getting to him and I can see that by the way he balls his fists and puffs out his chest within his seat. His muscles are more prominent than usual even.

"Okay." I mutter, biting my lip when I look down at my list "But if Kolton knows what Nicole did then why is he holding it against you?"

"Do you think he cares?" Matthew retorts sharply, his voice lacking the subtlety or slight indifference I am used to from him "Nicole was a conniving bitch with two faces. To everyone, she was an angel. Very few people knew how dark her soul actually was. Kolton and his clan think Max was the one who seduced her and I was wrong to kill her. It almost caused a war between our respective packs. Believe me, Kay, Kolton will not help you. His hatred for me runs deeper than his kindness towards you ever will."

We stare at each other from across the table for a silent moment, eyes against eyes as understanding enraptures me.

"That's Kolton out then." I sigh in defeat "So which of the other Alphas would you say is a good candidate as an ally?"

"What about your mate? Jayce is it?" He questions with narrowed eyes, head tilting to the side and my heart rate speeds up instantly. The ribs confined within my chest feels like they're squeezing together. Bile rises up in my throat amidst my now burning ribs from the name of my mate. My haunter.