The Mate He Forgot Chapter 12

The Mate He Forgot Chapter 12

The photo lit up her screen. 

Arabella stood in a white mermaid gown, smiling sweetly at 

the camera. Behind her, Rhett looked down at her with the 

kind of tenderness that used to belong to Isla. 

A perfect picture of newlywed bliss. 

The next few shots followed: a close–up of the engagement 

ring, and a family portrait–with both sets of parents smiling 

proudly in the center. 

Isla’s grip on the phone tightened. 

She didn’t need a caption to know what Arabella was trying 

to prove. The message was crystal clear–Rhett had chosen 

her. Arabella had won. 

Then came the texts. 

[This is the dress I went with in the end. Pretty, right? I 

actually liked another one better, but Rhett said this one showed off my waist, so… he bought both. Same with the rings–I told him a smaller one was fine, but he insisted.] 

[I was going to invite you to the mating ceremony, but Rhett 

didn’t want to see you. Said he didn’t want you there on his 

happiest day. Mom and Dad agreed. Said you’d bring bad 

energy.] 

[It’s official now. We’re marked. Whatever you and Rhett had 

-if it ever meant anything–let it go. I’m his mate. I’m your 

sister. And from now on, he’s your brother–in–law. Don’t 

forget that.] 

Isla stared at the screen, Arabella’s smug tone practically 

echoing off the words. She could almost see the smirk on 

her sister’s face. 

She didn’t reply. Just shut the app and tossed her phone 

onto the bed. 

A memory rose up, uninvited–Rhett brushing her hair back, 

tracing the shape of her brow. 

“You must have beautiful eyes,” he’d whispered once, back 

when he was blind. “Doesn’t matter what you look like. I’ll 

know it’s you. You’re the most beautiful thing in my world.” 

Back then, she’d blushed so hard her ears burned. She’d 

believed him. 

She’d actually pictured a future with him. Marriage. A home. 

Maybe even pups one day. 

And sure, she’d let go of that hope long ago. 

But seeing it paraded in front of her like this still stung. 

Meanwhile, in the sacred altar of Echelon Pack- 

Just before the mating ceremony began, a little boy came 

barreling out of nowhere, holding a cup of grape juice. He 

crashed straight into Arabella, soaking the front of her 

pristine gown in dark purple. 

Arabella gasped, recoiling like she’d been slapped. “My 

dress!” 

“Whose kid is this?! Who let him in here? Get him out–now!” 

The outburst caught Rhett’s attention. He hurried over, only 

to freeze in place when he saw her expression–irritated, sharp–edged. Not the sweet, composed Arabella he knew. 

In his memory, she had always been calm, gentle. 

Even–tempered. 

But now, there was something… off. 

“Rhett?” she chirped, noticing him. Her voice softened 

instantly. “Didn’t see you there.” 

He blinked. 

Her tone was light again, her face all sugar and silk, as if that 

flash of temper had never existed. 

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay,” he said slowly. 

“Arabella?” 

“I’m fine. A little grape juice, no big deal. I’ll go change–wait 

here, I’ll be right back.” 

He nodded. 

But as she walked away, something tugged at him. That 

feeling again. That whisper of wrongness. 

It wasn’t new. It had been creeping up on him for weeks. 

Something about Arabella wasn’t the same. Or maybe–just 

maybe–something about her never was. 

Sometimes, without warning, Isla’s face flashed in his mind 

instead. 

He clenched his jaw. 

She was gone. She was just Arabella’s little sister. That’s all. 

Just… Isla. 

But then he remembered the small box she’d handed him 

that morning. 

She’d looked so pale. So calm. Said her goodbyes like they 

were final. 

He hadn’t opened the gift. Hadn’t even glanced at it. 

Now, suddenly, he needed to. 

Rhett headed down to the parking lot and tore through the 

car, searching every inch. Nothing. 

He turned to his Beta. 

“The box I gave you this morning–where is it?”