Elena's POV
I looked around my room with a sense of warmth slowly creeping into my cold heart. In this very same room last year, I was left alone by my husband on our wedding night, feeling cold and alone.
Instead of the cuddles and kisses I was expecting, I received hurried words of goodbye from him, for the King called him to fight in a battle against the Rogues.
And for the year that came, I was in charge of all the pack issues as I awaited for his comeback.
Standing in front of the empty halls, I stared at the picture of the only family I had left, my husband, the Alpha of Swiftridge Pack – Bryson Renner.
Yes, the only family I had…
Years ago, my father and six brothers died in an unfortunate attack from the Rogues alongside most of our pack’s significant members. With their absence, my in-laws treated me well. So, when my father-in-law was injured in a war, I didn’t think twice about using every means I had to help the new family I had, the Swiftridge Pack.
Though no one asked, I worked to be the best Luna they needed. I would even use my own inheritance to improve the living of their packs and ensure that Bryson’s mother, Courtney, who was sick, was well taken care of. I’ve looked around for the best doctor to check on her and brought every medicine she needed, no matter what the cost.
Although I’ve been a full-time housewife who’s very different from the warrior I’ve been brought up to be, I’m still looking forward to my bright future after reuniting with my Alpha husband.
I smiled as I admired his photo on the wall. He’s a great warrior on the battlefield, but when he was with me, he was nothing but sweet and gentlemanly.
Due to my mother’s last wish, I turned my back from being a warrior and heeded her wishes for me to get married, have children, and lead a peaceful life.
And on her last day in the hospital, Bryson came to her bedside and vowed to her that he’d treat me well for the rest of his life.
Now, the war had ended, and he won another battle that brought glory to the kingdom. Joyful of his return, I held a grand celebratory event to welcome him back.
I was wearing a beautiful midnight blue gown with sparkles on its hem, and I did my makeup and hair. I prepared so well for this, but as I walked toward the hall where the celebration was being held, my in-laws couldn’t even look at me, and the other elders and high-ranking members stared at me with sympathy.
What’s happening? I wondered in confusion.
My questions were then thrown out of the window the second I saw Bryson coming down the stage. A smile immediately formed on my lips as I watched him walk closer and closer to me.
His brown eyes were sparkling with…
My eyes narrowed.
“Elena, I need to talk to you,” he spoke so earnestly that his baritone voice brought a chill to my spine.
"Elena, I've found my fated mate." His words hung in the air after he repeated them, and I saw him smile with a depth of joy I had never seen before.
His hazelnut eyes sparkled with unbridled joy, a stark contrast to the storm raging in my heart, as he continued, "…and I am marrying her."
My wolf, Ava, whimpered inside of me while I froze in bewilderment.
When I opened my lips, ready to refute, he thoughtlessly handed me a letter with the familiar seal of the kingdom.
A cold sweat formed on my forehead, and my legs almost became weak at the sight of it. The last time I received that letter was when the kingdom showed their earnest gratitude and apology when my father and six brothers died in war.
"W-what's that?" I asked.
The last time I received it, I lost the people I love. What would I lose now?
As I grabbed the letter and read it, Bryson spoke, "The King, himself, granted a verdict for my marriage with Glenda. She'll be joining our pack."
It wasn't a question or a suggestion. It's a statement.
Glenda… So, she's his fated mate. How could I not know her? She's, after all, a well-known warrior.
Straightening up my back and keeping calm, I asked, "Glenda… She's a respected warrior from the kingdom, looked up to by every woman and valued by the royal family’s safety forces. Will she be willing to marry you without any title?"
“Without a title? Of course, she’ll be my legal wife and Luna, just like you. You and her will be equal in everything, standing side by side in handling our pack’s affairs.
Legal? Same as me?
I sneered in utter disbelief. “The same? Do you really think making things legal won’t change the fact that she’s a mistress?”
“Don’t call her that! She’s my fated mate, and we earned this marriage by battling through death in the rogue war. You just have to live with that!”
Live with that? That phrase made my ear twitch as it repeatedly echoed in me.
The audacity he had to say such a thing right in my face was beyond me.
“Are you hearing yourself?” I asked, looking at him with eyes filled with betrayal. “Have you forgotten what you promised me on our marriage a year ago?”
He was stunned for a bit. His eyes dimmed as he got lost in thoughts before they glinted with guilt that quickly vanished.
A year ago, right after our marriage ceremony, he brought me to the lakeside near the venue where our ceremony was held.
The moonlight shone before us, and he pulled me beside him, holding me by my waist while we stared at the moon.
He slowly turned his head and whispered his vow right into my ears, which brought butterflies to my belly and warmth to my heart.
“Remember this day, my Love. From today onwards, I’d love no one else but you. You’ll be the only woman in my life.”
My heart was pumping so wild with happiness. I turned my head and met his gaze. “What if you find your fated mate?”
Holding my chin with his thumb and index finger, he lifted my head up and made me stare closer at him. “It won’t change a thing.”
I thought I was very lucky then, but it turned out. It was just a blissful dream I was so cruelly woken up from.
That same man who promised me a lifetime was now looking at me with indifference as he firmly said, “Forget about that. I was clueless then. I love Glenda, and the moon goddess blessed us. We were meant for each other.”
I felt like something in me vanished, and I felt so empty. But despite that, I need answers. Staring at him, I indifferently said, “I want to talk to her.”
“Elena!” he growled protectively.
He took a threatening step toward me. “Don’t you dare cause any unnecessary trouble! You are still a Luna. As long as you properly serve my family and this pack, I promise to give you a child in the future.”
I looked at him in disbelief.
I never thought he’d be so arrogant, totally different from the person he was when he asked my mother for my hand in marriage.
A child? Serve? What did he take me for, a servant? And since when did a child become a piece of reward?
The more he spoke, the more absurd he sounded to me. It’s ridiculous!
Raising my head high, I took a deep breath and pursed my lips as I uttered with conviction, “Then, as the current and only Luna of this pack, I am commanding that you bring her to me.”
Chapter 2Elena’s POVAfter the celebration ceremony, I have not seen Bryson for days. He didn't bring Glenda over, and I wasn't keen on going to them since my Luna work was piling up.Right now, I was flipping through countless books and pages to keep track of this year's finances when the landline on my desk suddenly rang.Sighing, I placed the file down and answered, “Hello?”“I’m sorry, Luna, but I can’t do this anymore. I won’t be treating Mrs. Courtney any further, and I hope you understand.” Dr. Montgomery decided to announce it, which took me in shock.“Thank you, Dr.” That was all I could say as I personally left my office and met him in the corridor to formally thank him for all his help.He took a glance back at Courtney’s room and sighed. “This family is just too selfish! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have lasted long in here.”Oh… So, that’s what happened. Dr. Montgomery had been our family doctor for years. Aside from terrible remarks he must have gotten from them, G
Chapter 3Elena’s POVSilence momentarily filled the air after I said that as if they were weighing things out and had come to a realization.Severing our ties completely would be the best solution for all this mess.For the entire year, I had been an exceptional Luna, bringing improvements to our pack in every aspect. I was even using my own money to finance everything because the Swiftridge Pack didn’t have enough finances of their own.Well, they must have realized it.If I leave, the pack would feel my absence so bad, and that would cause a massive stir in the pack as the members would significantly feel the impact of my absence.I watched as Bryson clenched his teeth in frustration as if contemplating what he should do.And by the looks of it, he wasn’t the only one who fell into a dilemma because not even a second later, I observed Glenda’s hold on his arm tighten.She pulled Bryson aside and boldly talked to Elena with a raised chin. “I don’t think you’ll be daring enough to do
Chapter 4Elena’s POV“Let me in!” I shouted from the top of my lungs.The kingdom’s guard trembled with hesitation as he blocked my path. “Luna, you don’t have an invitation or access to the kingdom. You can’t…”“You’re much more powerful than these guards. Just push your way in!” Ava insisted, but this just wasn’t the power one had.We were in the kingdom, and there were rules to follow or great consequences would be faced. As much as possible, I didn’t want to use violence.Standing in front of the massive wooden border gate of the kingdom, I stood with grace while wearing clothes I never thought I’d be wearing again.I wore my booths, brown leggings, and high-class thin armor. Though it was lightweight, it could suppress even a silver sword. Wearing this, I was reminded of my days when I trained to be a warrior, my skills excelling even better than those of other male wolves, even my brothers.“Tell the King that I ask for his time. This is urgent and of great importance,” I insis
Chapter 5Bryson’s POVAfter the party and facing Elena, exhaustion got the best of me. That was partly due to the number of people I needed to entertain but primarily because of Elena's stubbornness.I could understand where she was coming from, though. She was right. I indeed vowed to her that I wouldn’t marry and love another woman aside from her. But that was before I met my fated mate.But what really took me by utter surprise was when she managed to block my hand. I could almost not move my hand when she grabbed it, but I think it was only because I was shocked by her action.“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.” My wolf mocked me.I tried not to mind him and just sighed. Soon enough, when Elena sees her fated mate, she’ll probably understand me.“Really? Will you?” Drake, my wolf, suddenly asked me.On cue, a sudden jolt of unknown pain cursed through my heart. Would I really be fine? But I mean, we were already married, she couldn’t go to him, right?But that thought aside, bein
Chapter 6Elena’s POVReacting quickly, I shifted to the side and dodged his arm, which was about to touch me. Then, I tightly grabbed hold of it and twisted his arm onto his back.He was momentarily shocked, but he moved by instinct as well and maneuvered his body to face me and free from my hold. As soon as he faced me, I raised my leg and sent a fierce kick that sent him to his back and knocked the tall vases behind him, causing a loud noise to echo everywhere.“What’s happening here?” Courtney, escorted by Glenda, rushed inside the room with a furious expression as she found her son fixing his dusted clothes in the middle of the shards of the broken vase.“Why don’t you ask your son?” I fired back and grabbed my phone from my desk before turning around and leaving, but Courtney suddenly spoke.“Wait! Don’t leave yet. I have something to say to you.” Courtney reached out and held my hand tightly as she called me out, successfully halting my steps.“What is it?” I asked coldly.She
Elena’s POVStanding on the podium of the pack, everyone was cheering for either Bryson’s victory or mine. We were wearing our training gear and mouthpieces as we circled each other calculatingly.“Just give up. Don’t hurt yourself, Elena,” Bryson warned.I smirked. “Put your worry to yourself instead.”With that, I made the first move and sent a hard punch to his stomach, which made him back away and whimper. He looked at me with utter surprise, unaware that I could fight.When many of the members stood up from their seats to cheer, I saw Bryson’s jaw clenched in anger, and the light in his eyes dimmed with seriousness.Okay, now we’re really on.We moved at the speed of light, sending punches and kicks to each other several times, but every time, I’d succeed in hitting him while I managed to block most of his attacks.When the right time came, I taunted, “Don’t take it to heart.”After saying that, I used my leg to put pressure on his until he fell, and then I used my arms to hold h
Elena’s POV“Wait, don’t—" Bryson looked at me in panic as he took a step forward near me. He reached out his hand, seemingly wanting to hold me, but I moved with agility and stepped back.Standing tall, I decisively and firmly uttered the formal separation of our bond. “I, Elena Dooley, Princess of Lycan Kingdom, reject you, Bryson Renner, Alpha of Swiftridge Pack, as my mate.”“Aghhh!”Bryson clutched his chest and bent down as he fell to his knees. His face grimaced, and his breathing became rugged. He couldn’t help but shout while his other fist was punching the ground, as though all of his actions would lessen the burning pain he was in.I froze on the spot and fisted my hands together while my breathing hitched. Though the pain would be felt more by the rejected mate, I still could feel a bit of pain and a slight sense of emptiness in me as the string that attached us was cut off.Courtney pushed me to the side and attentively crouched down to hold Bryson. Gazing up at me, she s
Bryson’s POVI looked at the woman who was taking steps away from me and wondered why I was frozen in my spot. The pain was still cursing through my body, and yet I felt so numb as I stared at her retreating figure.Why was I feeling affected?My eyes flickered when I saw Elena’s footsteps halting midway, but then my heart immediately tingled with unexplainable emotions when she continued walking until she vanished from my sight.My heart cramped in pain again, almost making me crawl if it weren’t for Glenda, who hastily supported me.“Bryson, are you okay?” Glenda asked, but I kept silent.‘No, I’m not,’ I thought as I pushed her away and went back to my study room in hopes of relaxing.“Here, drink this, Alpha. The pain should subside and be more bearable in a few minutes.” One of the pack doctors gave me a potion, which I immediately gulped down.The drink burnt through my throat, but it was incomparable to the burn and pain the mate rejection had brought my body.“What should we d
Elena’s POVQueen Liz and I laughed at Zara’s sudden outburst.“Seemed like I wasn’t the only one triggered by the Duchess’ words,” Queen Liz said, making all of us laugh.Suddenly, despite the scorching heat outside and the torment the Duchess tried to throw at my way, being in here made things feel a bit lighter.“This juice is a lifesaver. I thought my skin would melt on that walk back,” I exaggeratedly said as I gulped another glass in one go.Leaning back to her seat with her head back and arms spread, Zara complained, “Oh, tell me about it, Princess. I can barely feel my legs!”“But seriously, the same woman now dreads your next visit. Elena, you’ve just made life here in this dull palace a whole level more exciting,” Queen Liz uttered before taking a sip of her drink.She didn’t even look fazed by all that was happening to it. It seemed like drama was a normal thing in the palace, and it had now become more like an entertainment than an actual problem, from how often it happene
Elena’s POVMy smile got even brighter as I stared at her innocent eyes and lovely smile. She has that bright sunshine around her like I used to have before. Looking at her was like seeing a walking beam of joy.“What do you mean by fate? It’s not sure yet?” she asked so innocently, making me laugh a little. Shrugging, I smiled gently and teased a little. “It means I’ll definitely be your sister if your cousin doesn’t change his mind.”She giggled at my words before letting out a joking scoff. “He’d be a fool if he did that. Everyone talks about how amazing you are! You’re the most admired general now.”I patted her head and shook my head. She’s so adorable. “What a sweet tongue you have.”Tapping her nose, I added, “I only did what must be done. And don’t tell that to your cousin, he’d be jealous. He’s the best of all.”She pursed her lips and touched her chin while thinking for a bit before shrugging as she gave in. “Well, you’re right, but still, you’re the best female general.”H
Elena’s POVMy eyes shifted to the door just as the Duchess’ eyes did. And there, a girl peeked from the door with a huge smile on her face.Her eyes wandered around first before she stepped fully inside, showcasing her beautiful cocktail dress, styled with glitter on the hem.“Mom, I hear Princess Elena is here!” She came in and jumped in joy as she confronted her mother.She’s about 5 feet tall, and I’d say around fifteen years old from her appearance and demeanour. Her eyes were glistening with curiosity, and she was all giddy, making little jumps in place.Duchess Diana wasn’t even given enough time to reply with all her energy as she turned around and looked until her eyes met mine.She froze for a little while, staring at me like she was starstruck.“Princess Katherine.” I bowed a little and greeted her with respect. Despite our same title and age difference, she’s still a full-fledged princess and deserves respect. Besides, she’s also Deacon’s cousin, so… Might as well.“You ar
Elena’s POVI wanted to laugh at the Duchess’ remark. I didn’t ask her for forgiveness, and yet she felt like I had committed a grave sin that needed forgiveness, and wanted to act like the better person.Going with the flow, she sat, I played with it and bowed my head a little out of respect while keeping my dignity. “Thank you, Duchess Diana.” Looking back up at her, I smile and kindly add, “But about my marriage with Deacon… It’s something the two of us will decide. I am willing to marry him, and should he continue with it… I guess no one else has the right to determine my worth.”“Ha!” Hearing my words, Duchess Diana’s patience snapped. She slammed her hand on her chair as she stood up, looking at me with narrowed eyes.Dripping with disdain, she smirked devilishly and commented sarcastically, “What a humble servant at best, playing a goody-two-shoes act. Mark my words, you insolent woman, once whatever potion you gave my son wears off, he’ll abandon you like he did to others befo
Elena’s POV“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Duchess Diana,” I formally greeted and lowered my head in traditional respect.I heard her scoff as her nails made sounds as she tapped them on the gold armrest of her chair. “Raise your head. I want to see the face that bewitched my son.”I forced a smile and internally stopped myself from showing the annoyance that was slowly building up within me from the real meanings under her words that I vividly understood.She leaned her back to the chair and raised her chin with her thumb and index finger while she narrowed her eyes and looked at me from head to toe like she was examining an object she wanted to buy from an auction.“Hmph. Seductive, yes…” Standing up, she slowly approached me and walked around me. With a sharp tongue, she leaned forward and hissed beside my ear, “But seductive doesn’t mean worthy.”I kept my composure and met her eyes without fear. “That wasn’t my intention, Duchess. I didn’t seduce your son, nor do I have any plans
Elena’s POV“I’m so glad to see you again, Elena. I heard about you and Deacon…” Queen Liz greeted me with a huge smile on her face as she led me to the balcony of her room.“Yes, it just… It happened.” I smiled brightly as I walked gracefully to the balcony and leaned my arms on the fence while looking out at the magnificent view outside.Since Deagon and I started this, we might as well make it as real as possible.Shrugging my shoulders, I added, “Deacon and I went to war together… We fought side by side and faced obstacles far beyond what one could imagine… It’s almost like a sweet-blooded fairytale if that makes sense.”The queen and I both laugh at our statement. “And that’s the weirdest yet loveliest description of love I ever heard.”I laughed even harder at the Queen’s statement. “Well, that’s it. Our camaraderie developed into something deeper, so when we came back and he proposed… I had nothing more to say but yes.”We chit-chat a little and shared a few laughs before she w
Deacon’s POVI couldn’t believe that my mom would be moving so fast that she had already summoned Elena. Now, I couldn’t be more thankful to myself that I had warned her early about my mom, but I’m pretty sure that she was still surprised by it, especially with how early she had to face her.Shaking my head, I stood up.“Where are you going, Prince Deacon?” Tyson asked, looking clueless as he stepped aside from the door and followed me with questions in his eyes.“You… You’re not planning to go to the Duchess and stop her, aren’t you? Because I think that will only make her even more irritated and have her hate Princess Elena even more,” he cautiously said as he tried to give me some advice.Halting, I looked at him and gave him a smirk. “She’s my mother. I know her much more than you do.”Tapping his shoulder, I added, “Don’t worry, it’s not her I’m going to.”Furrowing his brows, he followed me, asking, “Who then? The king, I don’t think he’d help, though.”Smirking wider, I answere
Elena’s POVI was relaxing in the comfort of my bed after having a long conversation with Jayden and Zara, feeling completely exhausted.They were very worried about me, which was why I had to make them understand that this decision of mine was for the best.Hence, after everything was settled, including the manners concerning the marriage, I couldn’t help but feel relieved.But all that relief vanished when Jayden knocked on my door a few hours later to say that a messenger from the palace came and handed over a letter“What is it about?” I asked, following him downstairs to receive the letter.The messenger said he didn’t know what it was about either and simply handed the letter to me.Sitting down, I unsealed the envelope to get the letter and unfolded it, but the content of it brought me to utter shock.Countless questions ran through my mind.“What is it?” Jayden asked in worry upon seeing my reaction, but I felt so speechless that I only handed the letter over to him instead of
Deacon’s POVI stared at my mom, waiting for what more she had to say because her laugh was the last thing I expected from her.But when that laugh turned into sarcasm and into mockery, that’s when I shook my head.What else did I expect from her?She continued, “That’s what it is, isn’t it? You admire her swordsmanship, her rough ways? But can’t you see? A woman like that is exactly the opposite of what should fit as your wife! How can you bring disgrace to our name?”By now, she was beyond hysterical. She waved her hand and called for a servant, who served her another cup. Just that this time, instead of tea, she was served with a glass of wine in which she finished in one gulp, making the servant turn back around to refill her glass before she could even go further.Heaving a sigh, I tried to reason with her. “Mom, if you think I care about such things you and so many people label as disgraceful, then you’ve truly forgotten who I am.”With my legs open, I leaned my elbows on my kne