Adriel POV
The king's voice intervened, firm but not unkind. "Are you declining your Luna's offer, child? In my presence?"
I quickly bowed my head. "No, my king, I would never..."
I was stopped by a soft laugh from the queen.
"Derrick, stop it. You're scaring the poor kid." Her voice was still soft, but her eyes sparkled with laughter. "Don't worry, kid. Take the dress. You deserve some kindness, especially today. Something in what she said made me feel something, a need for the love and affection I hadn't had in a long time. Tears appeared again, but they were not tears of sadness.
"Thank you, my queen," I panted, taking the dress from her trembling hands. She smiled so kindly, and in that moment, I felt… understood.
As we approached the castle, I hugged the dress to my body, still wrapped in the warmth of the queen's kindness. A desire to run away was overcome by a small spark of hope. Maybe, maybe I wasn't as alone as I'd thought
The moment I entered the dining hall, the weight of countless eyes fell upon me. Whispers seemed to fill the air, but all I could hear was my own heart slamming shut. My wolf ran rabidly through my head, a sweet and bitter ally that soothed and dismayed me both. I swallowed hard, my frantic eyes scanning as I hid behind the servant of the Moon Goddess, who was quietly intoning above the sacred water.
Werewolves came to the basin one at a time, lapping the water that would tell them their fated mates. Mine came and, with trembling hands, I ladled the cold water to my lips.
As I swallowed, the cold water seemed to run through me, mixing with the heat of my apprehension. The moment I stepped back from the water, my heart started racing, my mind spinning.
What was I expecting? The queen's spontaneous act of benevolence had left me more receptive than ever before, cherished in ways that I hadn't been for years.
And then I saw him...Alex.
He moved through the crowd of people with a poise that demanded all respect, but it was his eyes that locked on mine. My wolf within me stirred, her voice screaming as though in savage combustion.
My body acted in an instant, heat emanating from my core as my toes curled to launch into motion towards him, each fiber of my being reaching for him. But I didn't get a chance to take a step before he walked towards me.
He was gorgeous.
Alex wore a black, tailored suit that accentuated each tough line of his muscular body. The midnight material shone subtly in the light, edged with silver threading that declared him to be royalty.
His broad shoulders and chiseled chest were highlighted to perfection by the deep cut of his jacket, and the white shirt underneath seemed to glow on his tan skin. A pendant hanging from his neck carried the royal crest, glinting softly against his shirt.
His scent hit me first, before he even spoke—a seductive blend of cedarwood and musk, overlayed with clean rain. It was overpowering, taking over all my senses.
I breathed it deeply into my lungs, my wolf calming immediately under the spell. His scent was riveting, his energy radiating power and control, wrapping around me like an unspoken rope. My legs became weak, as if the earth beneath me was shifting, but I couldn't tear my gaze from him.
The closer he came, the calmer my wolf became, as if he could be the one to calm the storm raging inside me alone. There was no longer any use in denying it now—I knew, then,
Alex is my mate
But before I could even begin to accept the knowledge, his expression shifted to one of disgust.
"Adriel?" His voice was like ice, his tone as unyielding as steel. "You…?" The shock was so powerful as if the Moon Goddess herself was heartless enough to deceive him.
I was stiff, my heart thudding against my chest. I had opened my mouth to say something, but words clogged in my throat.
"How could I be your mate?" he snarled, retreating as if the very thought of me repulsed him.
The people watching in front of us could feel the tension. They stared at us, their whispers circulated. I could feel their judgment, their pity.
"I, Alexander, disown you, Adriel, as my mate." The words pierced me, each syllable a knife to the heart.
"Why?" I growled, struggling to find my voice. "Alex… what have I done?"
He didn't look at me, his jaw clenched tightly as though the very sight of me disgusted him. "You didn't do anything," he said flatly, turning his back on me. "You're just not enough."
Not enough.
Those. Those. Those. words echoed in my head like a stuck record, growing louder and more torturous with each click of the second.
I had always known I was not the strongest wolf, not the most dominant within our pack, but I had loved him with all my heart. I would have defended him, fought for his side, through sickness and in health.
But now, it mattered not.
Tears filled my eyes, and my body convulsed with the all-consuming pain, emotional and physical.
The rejection was tearing apart the bond once shared between us, vanquishing something sacred and leaving me hollow inside. My wolf cried out in pain, retreating to the farthest corners of my mind, leaving me alone.
"Is it because of my rank?" I ventured, my voice breaking. "Tell me the truth, Alex."
He stood silent for a moment, with his back to me, and then spoke the words, the coldness in his voice more biting than ice. "No, I need someone stronger, one that is better suited to stand by my side. You're just… weak."
Weak.
I recoiled, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces. He did not deny it. He reminded me of my moment of weakness before all the people without giving a thought to what we shared previously. I had fought so hard to be strong, to prove myself worth, but all of that did not count.
"I gave you my virginity," I was able to utter, couldn't help but put the agony in my voice. "I would've given up everything for you."
He glanced back at me once more, but for once, there was no regret, no remorse in his eyes.
"That is the problem, Adriel. You went and offered your virginity to anyone because of a flirt you have. And I don't want someone who hands themselves out shamelessly.".
Without a word, he turned and walked away, and I remained there, broken, the wind howling around me alone. My vision became cloudy, and I sank down onto my knees, cradling my chest as the full impact of the rejection came crashing home.
I had been rejected
My breath was trapped in my chest as the bond was severed in me. Seething pain coursed through my body, and I sank to my knees.
Tears welled up, but I forced them back not here.
Not in front of him. Not in front of everyone. One final, tear-streaked look at Alex, and I turned and fled the castle, the weight of heartbreak pushing down on her chest. I don't glance back, can't bear to see him.