My Unwanted Mate

Chapter Thirty-Four

                                                                                            Nathan

The door slammed behind the alpha and the slap echoed it.

Tatum stumbled back from the impact, his hand raising to lightly cup the rapidly reddening skin. My chest constricted with panic as my eyes jumped from my twin to the approaching alpha.

"Since when are you allowed to speak to alphas alone?" Malore asked menacingly, stepping closer to Tatum, trying to intimidate him with his size alone. It worked on my twin. His shoulders drew up to his ears, his head down in submission.

"I'm sorry, alpha." Tatum's voice was small, but his words were not good enough for the alpha. I watched the male's hand raise again before the sound of another smack bounced off the walls. This one was harder and sent Tatum to the floor with a sob. I flinched where I stood.

"What's the point of keeping you, if you're going to throw yourself at any other male."

"No!" Tatum protested between sobs as he was lifted off the floor by his hair. My twin did not fight him, only begged for the male to believe him. "I am yours, alpha."

I bristled at his words, vehemently denying them as I stood by silently. Tatum is mine. My mate and not this pathetic, weak male's.

The realization was enough to clear the fog in my mind that kept me rooted in place.

"I told you to get close with the male's omega, not him, bitch."

When had he told him that?

I rushed to follow as he dragged my twin into the bedroom. Tatum continued to cry softly. His cheek already a deep red in the shape of the male's palm. Familiar blue eyes met my own, silently pleading for me not to react, to not interfere. He was willing to accept whatever this alpha would do to him.

How could I not try? How could he expect me to just stand by as he is hurt again, and again. That was not who I am and although Tatum may be used to the pain this male could deliver, he was not used to the beatings. He was good enough to avoid them. He followed the rules given to us and put up no protest. I knew what it was like in front of the fist of this alpha.

Before he could hit my twin again, I put myself between the two. I took the slap meant for Tatum without a reaction, ignoring the slight pain and the warmth that dripped where his nail had nicked skin. The hit was lighter than any he delivered to me.

I pulled myself up to my full height, back straight as I smiled in his face, taunting the male in the way I knew riled him up. In the way I had stopped for Tatum when he had begged me to years ago, when I had seen how much it was hurting him to have to clean me up afterwards.

"Nate," Tatum tried, his hand gripping the back of my shirt. I remember a similar situation to this. A time I had stood in front of Tatum, wanting to protect my twin from a male who we should have never feared. A male I had only wanted to accept us, to see us.

I ignored Tatum as Malore growled, his hand wrapping around my throat before my back was slammed against the nearest wall.

"Please, no!" Tatum continued to plead in my defense, but I egged the male on more.

"You've always been weak." I hissed out with the little air I could suck down around his tightening hand. There had always been something off about this male we had been given to. He had done well hiding it for the first few months after our forced bonding. But I have always been determined to get Tatum away. I wanted him to have a better life. One I could not fuck up for him. I had snooped and eavesdropped and snuck around until I finally found something.