**Chapter 3: The Unwanted Bond**

His eyes widened, the revelation hitting him like a bolt of lightning. He stood there, stunned, as the meaning of the word sank in. This girl, this beautiful stranger, was his mate. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of awe and confusion swirling within him.

A Mate? For him? Again? After all these years? He had already had a mate once, a bond that had been the center of his existence. But that bond had been severed, violently and irrevocably, twenty-five years ago. The pain of losing her had been unbearable, a wound that had never fully healed. Since then, he had lived in a state of perpetual mourning, a solitary existence devoid of hope for such a connection again.

How was it possible? To have another mate? And a human? This was unheard of, an anomaly in the world he knew. His mind battled with the concept, emotions warring within him. He had never expected, nor wanted, to feel this way again. The agony of loss was something he never wished to revisit, and the thought of opening himself up to such vulnerability was terrifying.

He looked down at Scarlett, her peaceful face a stark contrast to the turmoil inside him. She was human, fragile and ephemeral. How could he, a werewolf, protect her from the dangers of his world? More importantly, how could he protect himself from the pain that loving her might bring?

His wolf was insistent, the primal part of him that recognized the bond and accepted it without question. But the human part of him, the part that had suffered and endured, was hesitant. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to retreat into the emotional fortress he had built over the years.

He remembered the way his first mate had smiled at him, the way her touch had soothed his darkest fears. He remembered the warmth of her presence, the way her laughter had filled their home. And he remembered the day he lost her, the searing pain of her absence, a void that nothing had ever filled. His love for her was eternal, a flame that burned within him even now.

Could he truly let go of that love? Was it fair to Scarlett, or to himself, to try? He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, as if by accepting this new bond, he was betraying the memory of his first mate. She had been his everything, and moving on felt like a betrayal of that sacred bond.

Yet, as he stood there, the bond with Scarlett pulsed insistently within him, a connection he couldn't ignore. He wanted to reject it, to push it away and shield himself from the potential heartache. But his wolf wouldn't let him. The primal part of him yearned for the companionship, the completion that only a mate could provide.

His emotions raged like a storm within him. The fear of loss battled with the hope of new beginnings. He wasn't ready to let go of his past, but he couldn't deny the pull he felt toward Scarlett. The possibility of love, of happiness, was a tantalizing promise, but it came with the risk of pain, of losing someone he cared about all over again.

He knelt beside Scarlett, watching the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. She looked so peaceful, so unaware of the chaos she had stirred within him. He reached out, hesitating before brushing a strand of hair from her face. The contact sent a shiver down his spine, a spark of connection that was undeniable.

"I'm not ready," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I'm not ready to let go of her."

His wolf growled softly in his mind, urging him to embrace the bond, to trust in the connection they shared with Scarlett. But he couldn't. Not yet. He needed time to reconcile his past with his present, to find a way to honor the love he had lost while accepting the possibility of new love.

Standing, he took a step back, his heart heavy with the weight of his conflicting emotions. He would protect Scarlett, that much he knew. But he couldn't promise anything more, not until he had made peace with his past and found the strength to open his heart once again.

With a final glance at Scarlett, he turned and walked away, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

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