The Mate He Forgot Chapter 22

The Mate He Forgot Chapter 22

Rhett spent the next week doing two things: hunting for Isla and haunting the abandoned pack house where he’d once 

lived blind and forgotten. 

The place was barely livable. The roof leaked when it rained, 

and the walls were constantly damp. But despite it all, he 

felt… calm here. 

Because Isla had once lived here too. Her scent still lingered 

in the corners, and somehow, it eased the storm inside his 

chest. 

He sat in the center of the room, eyes tracing the worn 

furniture, each object tugging at a thread of memory. It felt 

both achingly familiar and painfully distant–familiar because 

Isla had filled this space with warmth, and distant because 

he had never truly seen it before. 

It was Isla who had shown him the way. Patiently, over and 

over, teaching him how to walk without stumbling. She’d 

rearranged things to match his habits, making sure he could 

move easily, never needing to ask. 

She’d loved him–not just with words, but through every 

quiet action. He hadn’t seen it back then. But now, in the 

silence, he felt it with devastating clarity. 

Tears slipped down his cheeks before he even noticed. 

Then his Beta called. 

“We found her. She’s in Koorana. Interviewing for a design 

firm.” 

Rhett’s entire body tensed. 

For days, he’d been restless, his mind spiraling. Now, with an 

address in hand, he didn’t feel relief–he felt fear. 

What if she didn’t forgive him? 

He hadn’t recognized her. He’d hurt her in ways no apology could fix. Why would she ever want to see him again? 

“Book me the fastest flight,” he said immediately. “I’m going to her.” 

“But, Alpha… your body’s not in any condition for long flights,” the Beta hesitated, voice low. 

“I don’t care.” 

Rhett stood up, tossed on a jacket, and headed for the door. 

The Beta didn’t argue again. He just ran ahead to get the car ready. 

They drove straight to the airport. 

The plane sliced through the clouds, leaving behind a streak 

of white across the sky–like Rhett’s heart, caught 

somewhere between hope and dread. 

In Koorana, it had just begun to rain. 

Isla frowned as she looked out the window. She’d planned to celebrate passing her interview by grabbing dinner with 

Riven. Now the rain had ruined that. 

Riven noticed her disappointment and grinned. “Hey, aren’t you a decent cook? Who needs restaurants? Let’s stay in and 

do cheese fondue. Oh–and my friend just brought back some real comfort food from home. You’ve gotta try it.” 

Isla’s eyes lit up. “No way. I’ve been missing proper food for 

weeks. You seriously just saved my night. I’ll even make my famous grilled beef ribs.” 

“Deal. I’ll handle the dishes.” 

With that, they grabbed an umbrella and headed out to the 

grocery. 

As they walked, a jeep sped past, splashing muddy water 

toward the sidewalk. 

Without thinking, Riven pulled Isla into his arms. 

“Careful!” 

The world paused. 

They were close. Too close. 

Their noses brushed, breaths mingled. Isla could smell the 

faint, woodsy cologne he wore. 

She looked up, eyes locking on his lashes–long, dark, unfairly 

pretty. She got caught in the moment. 

Riven’s face turned crimson, but he didn’t move. Didn’t 

speak. 

The bond between them flickered–just a whisper, but strong 

enough to make her pulse stumble. 

“Isla?” he said softly. 

She blinked, startled back to reality. 

“Uh–w–we’re almost there. Let’s go before the rain gets 

worse.” 

She pulled away, flustered, and picked up the pace. Riven 

followed, holding the umbrella above her in silence. 

He couldn’t help but smile quietly to himself. 

Good thing his umbrella had broken this morning.