Chapter 3

Blossom POV 

It was with that strength that I was determined not to show any outward weakness. I would concentrate on the one bright spot in all of this shameful mess—I was about to be out of my uncle's house and away from my cruel family. I had often vowed to myself that I would seize any opportunity to be out from under my uncle's fist once I came of age. This was my chance. While I knew little of what might lie ahead, there were few scenarios I could imagine that would be worse than the life I had known under my uncle's roof.

I am suddenly aware that someone is speaking. It is the head of the Royal Elders, and he is acknowledging my uncle, much to Alejandro's delight. The senior elder is now formally asking the court to vote on accepting me as the substitute mate for Dean. After some mumbling and a voting process that was far more formal than necessary, their recommendation is unanimously approved. It is now up to Dean to confirm that he accepts the court's decision so that I can be his mate. Many among the Royal Elders felt this was merely a formality once their decision was rendered. No one dared go against the Royal Elders.

But instead of voicing his affirmation, Dean remains silent. There is some awkward murmuring among the elders as the seconds—and then, minutes—tick by.

.......

Meanwhile, Aries stood quietly, and just as expressionless as his son, throughout Alejandro's haughty presentation and the Royal Elder's decision. But he now wondered at his son's continued silence.

He had been willing to allow the court to choose his son's new mate without voicing his protest, at least at the start. But as complications arose, he became much less patient with the entire process. Still, he knew there would be consequences if he forced his son to blatantly disregard the court's decision. For one, his son is the alpha, their rightful leader. The rules of the traditional father-son relationship no longer applied, and they both knew it. His son was likely to respond with fury if he attempted to interfere, especially in such a visible, public way.

The other issue, of course, was that the Royal Elder's decision was, for all practical purposes, the law of the land. It was the Royal Court that operated at the center of their werewolf universe, determining right from wrong, doling out punishment, and controlling a great deal of the wealth of the packs in the process. If Aries were to ignore the decision of the court, there could be any number of repercussions, ranging from devastating embargoes to imprisonment.

There would be far fewer ramifications if the decision to reject this substitute mate came directly as a result of his son's own free will if only that will could be manipulated, he mused. Aries gazed at his son and marveled at Dean's ability to show no emotion. It was likely this particular trait, honed to perfection, that contributed greatly to his son's success as a leader. Neither his enemies nor his men knew what he was thinking, which often turned out to be of great advantage.

But since the death of his mate Eliza, Dean's ability to appear void of all emotion had gone beyond anything his father—or anyone else—could have imagined. Aries was surprised he didn't feel more sympathy toward his son's situation, but the feeling passed quickly. Dean had realized his destiny from a very young age, and Aries saw his role not as a loving father, but as trainer and mentor. From Aries' viewpoint, the harder he was on Dean, the greater Dean's success and stature as alpha.

Dean didn't quite see it that way, however. He knew he was born with the fire in his blood to be the type of alpha that legends are made of, and more importantly, the kind of alpha he was born to be and not some vision that his father or anyone else might hold. To Dean, his father seemed pitiful in his attempts to take credit for Dean's strength, wisdom, and success. Dean was not particularly boastful; he simply saw this as fact.

As Dean remains motionless, the silence is suddenly shattered, not by Dean but by Aries. Despite wondering why his father was suddenly speaking at a time when only Dean should be responding, Dean retains his indifferent expression and still does not turn to glance at me, the young woman who would be his new mate.

"It is my son's decision to accept this substitute mate...or to refuse her," Aries proclaimed. "My honorable son, what do you say?"

As all eyes turn to the stoic Dean, I begin to hear a few titters from the crowd that has formed as well as some of the Royal elders themselves. At first, I feel the blood rise and my cheeks grow hot, but I am as adept at controlling my emotions when desired as Dean is at hiding his.

Some in the crowd then began to jeer and shout out things like, "She is a substitute to a substitute! She is not worthy!" Others seemed more sympathetic toward the beautiful young woman before them. Exclamations of, "Such a beauty!" and "She is tantalizing, the perfect mate!" began to rise from among some of the more sympathetic in the crowd. I showed no reaction. I was not about to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing their words affect me.

Why isn't he saying something?

This is already horrible enough, and now the crowd thinks they need to offer their opinion. And, if my uncle doesn't release my arm, I swear I'm going to pull his hand away myself. I am going to end up all bruised.

I can't believe it was just this morning, I was alone in the bedroom Diana and I used to share. I dreaded this moment, and now it's becoming worse than I had ever imagined. Some might think I'm foolish, giving up a roof over my head and leaving my family to go off into the unknown—as though I had any say in the matter!