Chapter 3
Elena’s POV
Silence 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 that. Just to remind you, there’s a consequence in rejecting a mate. You might be a Luna, and Bryson might just be your chosen mate. That’s why you think you can handle it, but let’s face it: your body isn’t as resilient as a warrior’s body.”
It’s true. Rejecting a mate would severely damage your bond with each other, and it's like losing another part of you. Most higher ranks, like the Lycan family, the Alphas, Lunas, and Betas, usually find rejections manageable because of our natural strength, but it would still hurt so much.
Some low-level members like Omegas even died from it.
I smirked in confidence after hearing their so-called concerns. “Really?”
I was a direct-born pup from alpha, and I’m far more trained than warriors my age. I think I could handle it just fine.
Looking at Bryson with a smug expression, I arrogantly asked, “Do you think the same? Between the two of us, who do you think will suffer most from a rejection?”
Of course, I could be smug about it. I had been taking care of his sick mother for a year and all of the pack members. Even if they combined all of the pack’s money, they couldn’t probably pay what I’ve spent for them.
But then again, they probably think that I was obliged to do all that – to go far and beyond for them.
Trying so hard to keep his cool, he replied, “Is that even a question, Elena?”
Spreading his arms, he motioned to the entire pack. “Where else could you belong but here? Do you really think you can have somewhere to go if we reject each other and you leave here?”
My eyes suddenly went blank in pain as I was reminded of the family and pack I’d lost.
“That’s why…” He took a sigh, sympathizing with me. “I won’t reject you and put you all through that pain. It’s for your future, Elena.”
“Look, Bryson is already being so generous with you. You should be thankful.” Glenda clung her arm to Bryson again. “Don’t play tricks, okay? Don’t say such words like rejection, like you’re talking about the weather, just to seek sympathy from the members. It will make you look more… pathetic.”
Couldn’t handle her endless interruptions anymore, I finally spoke up.
“Who are you to interrupt us? This is a conversation between me and my husband!” I asked nonchalantly and signed for Zara to come forward.
Immediately, Zara approached us and bowed her head.
“Luna”, she greeted.
I nodded in Glenda’s direction. “Send this outsider away.”
“Right away, Luna.” Zara didn’t waste any time and came rushing to pull Glenda away.
As soon as her hand touched Glenda, I saw Bryson taking protective but hesitant steps.
Zara then halted a second and looked back and forth between Bryson and Glenda as she scolded them, “You two are very ungrateful!”
I watched her in stunned as she did that, and so was Bryson. He’s an alpha, so I knew he would burst because of that.
Immediately, I took a step forward to protect her. As he raised his hand in the air and was about to slap Zara, I moved in between them and grabbed his wrist, totally stopping him effortlessly.
I heard gasped from Courtney and Glenda while Bryson was looking at me with wide eyes, not to mention his jaw almost dropped from shock. However, I didn’t care how surprised they probably were that I was actually strong.
After all, they didn’t bother enough to actually get to know me.
“How dare you hit my people?” I asked in a cold yet calm voice that brought chills to their spine before I pushed him back and blocked his path from Zara.
My demeanor changed utterly as I exuded Luna’s power while I looked at Bryson with blaring eyes.
If Bryson weren’t an Alpha, he’d probably shiver as well.
“She’s the one who—”
“I don’t care what she has done or what happened. When it comes to my people, my Omega, I’m the only one who can punish them.” My gaze turned sharp. “They answer only to me and no one else.”
With that, I turned around and pulled Zara with me, leaving them in a haze of shock.
“Luna, are you okay?” Zara worriedly asked while watching me pace around the room as I sorted my thoughts.
I raised my hand and told her to wait for a second.
After a while, I heaved a sigh and went serious.
Looking at Zara, I saw her observing me, and I let out a small smile as I looked at her with conviction.
“I know what to do now.”
“That is…”
I smiled. If he couldn’t reject me because he needed me, then I’d tie his hands like he did to me.
Staring at Zara, I determinedly voiced out, “I’ll meet with the Lycan King.”
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 POV“Home sweet home,” I commented as I got out of the car. I stood in front of the massive steel gates covered with vines and dust, a vivid symbol of how long I’ve been gone.I looked up at the sky and closed my eyes, feeling the cold breeze brush against my skin, and the familiar scent of the pine woods from the forest filled my nose.I miss this place.The first place I stopped by was the place where my family was buried. One after another, I placed flowers on their graveyards that surprisingly looked clean.“Whose there?” I shouted in alertness as I stood up and looked around.I couldn’t be wrong. I’m pretty sure someone was staring at me. Squinting my eyes, I observed every blow of wind, every movement of grasses and trees, and every sound in the surroundings.Shifting, I looked at the bushes not so far from me. “Come out! Now!”My eyes widened.“She’s just a child…” Ava uttered in shock.The little girl looked at me cluelessly, but her eyes were filled with fear. She kep
Elena’s POV“What did you say?” I furrowed my brows and looked at him calculatedly.My heart pounded loudly in my chest when he said that, but those were the kind of words that shouldn’t be said so quickly. “Jayden, this is not a small accusation. You shouldn’t be saying this like this recklessly.”Unfazed, he stood up straight and confidently shook his head, explaining, “I’m not, Alpha Elena. I’ve been thinking about it, and after reminiscing about the past, I can’t help but think there’s more to what we know.”The past? What made him think so?I leaned back on my chair and gave him my full attention. “Elaborate.”“When your father, Alpha Daco, and your brothers successfully won the battle against the rogues, the Rogues didn’t attack us for revenge. Why wait for a year before they attacked us?”I remembered that. For decades, the Rogues and the kingdom had been fighting at the border to claim the Withered Hinterland, which was rich in Blood Cress and Mountain Mace—the golden herbs fo
Elena’s POVI laughed it off, thinking he was joking. I simply set my utensils down and finished my water. Leaning back in my seat, I looked at him seriously. “You’re really the one criticising them first?”“You’re being too kind. I’m being serious. They’ll be living with us. For how long, I don’t know. But what I’m sure of is that they could be challenging to handle,” he explained.The gears in my head started moving as I tried to process his words. Seeing the seriousness in his face, I knew he was really worried.But how bad could they really be? I managed to handle Courtney, and I don’t think anyone could suppress her rudeness and greediness.Besides, Deacon’s mother was the Duchess, and his cousin was technically a princess. They were of royalty. With those titles, it’s no surprise if they had some attitude, considering they literally had a crown on their heads.Seeing how down-to-earth and kind Deacon was a real surprising fact.Feeling his worried gaze lingering on my face, I de
Elena’s POVShit! What in the world did I just say?I closed my eyes in embarrassment, hands discreetly pinching the side of my legs at how my reply to him ended up sounding more excited and desperate than what I was intending to show – which was annoyed and frustrated. Without a doubt, his proposal was the best solution so far for this matter regarding marriage. Besides, every time I found a reason to reject him, he always managed to refute it and turn the tables in such a way that everything became favorable to us getting married.If it wasn’t obvious how much devoted he was to that one girl he loved, I would be feeling all over the moon right now. I don’t love him. I’m sure I didn’t.At least, not right now. But the attraction was there. And hopefully, I won’t be biting my own head off for agreeing to this marriage without room for divorce despite knowing I had no room in his heart.The good thing was that we had talked about this marriage like a business matter, making everything
Elena’s POVI thought Deacon would feel dejected from my straight answer, but to my surprise, he leaned back with ease, a smirk forming on his lips. “And that is exactly why you should marry me.”My brows furrowed. Am I too stupid for Deacon’s mind?Seeing my confusion, he chuckled a little. “Do you think Desmond would rather see you marry someone like Bryson if you decided not to marry him?”I stared at him, and disgust immediately rushed through me upon hearing Bryson’s name and remembering my messed up marriage with him.Scoffing, I shook my head with great disdain, exclaiming, “Now, that’s an unearthly terrifying thought!”Deacon shamelessly laughed at my reaction. I watched him in admiration as he freely laughed, unlike the emotionally restricted person he was during the battle.After a few minutes, he finally calmed down. Pointing at me, he smirked as if I had just proven his point, which I might indeed have. “That’s exactly why. No matter what his real intention was, I think De
Elena’s POV“How long do you plan to make him stay there?”Jayden’s voice echoed, pulling me out of my deep thoughts. Sitting on the patio of the graden of the backyard, I put my hands behind me on the pavement and leaned back to look up at Jayden, who had worry pasted all over his face.Sighing, I told him, “I just need to sort my thoughts is all.”He nodded his head in understanding before crouching down to my level and handing me a glass of wine. Winking knowingly, he commented, “I guessed you might need some boost.”Laughing a little, I asked, “Boast of confidence to make rejection?”Standing up, he bobbed his head in laughter and seriously said, “More like confidence, to be honest.”With that, he turned around and left me with my jaws dropped on the ground.I think I’ve given them too much freedom to speak their mind, and they have become too bold. Nonetheless, I always appreciate his and Zara’s honest comments and advice.Staying seated on the step of the porch of the backyard g
Elena’s POVI sat in there, in front of Deacon, utterly dumbfounded and stoned on my seat while looking at him blankly, trying to process what I heard from him as I couldn’t believe my own ears.Did he say what I think he said?He never ceased to surprise me, making me feel all kinds of emotions I never felt before, but this was the first time I actually felt like I was at a complete loss for words.“I… ahh…” I stuttered, not knowing how to reply.In the end, I could only blink a couple of times in disbelief and uttered in pure shock, “What?”With my heart still pounding in my chest and oxygen seemingly being pulled from my lungs, I let out an awkward laugh filled with disbelief.Shaking my head and crossing my arms in a subconscious move to keep my emotions safe from these butterflies he’s giving my stomach, I commented, “You can’t be serious, Deacon. You and I…”Pointing at him and me back and forth, I continued, “We… we barely knew each other before this war.”I admit he brought me
Deacon’s POVShe froze for a second as she was caught off guard by my calm but serious reply, making me hold my breath as I awaited her reaction.After a short pause, she blinked her eyes, unfreezing from her daze and leaned back in her seat. She tilted her head and stared at me, studying me. “That’s… far from many reasons I expected for your visit.”My hands clasped tighter, building up my courage, and I tried to sustain my calmness.Hundreds of battles. Liters of blood. Countless dead bodies had come my way, but I had never felt as nervous as I was now, sitting opposite the woman I’ve always looked forward to marrying while she studied my every movement.Taking deep breaths, I pulled myself together and tried to speak in a calm and gentle tone, not wanting to scare her off.“The Lycan King, my brother, has given you three months to choose a husband.” I stared cautiously, watching her every reaction.When she didn’t say anything and her face remained blank of emotions, I continued, “
Deacon’s POVNo one could possibly imagine how hard I tried to hide my fast beating heart from the excitement I felt the moment I locked eyes with Elena and found her looking at me with so much admiration.I woke up early and did my best to look like the version of me she hadn’t seen yet, the prince. And to say that I was satisfied with how she reacted was beyond words. Needless to say, I could proudly state that the time I spent making sure I look my best was all worth it.She tried to play it cool, and believe me when I say that she wasn’t the only one because it’s taking every bit of my control not to stride toward her and pull her into my arms.Especially when she’s out of her military attire and back to being the princess that she was, she’s wearing a strapless, deep blue, flowy dress that fell about an inch or two below her knee paired with a white long sleeve blazer where the body part only lands until her breast line. Was it called a crop top or something?Whatever it was call
Elena’s POV“You’ve been pacing all morning, Princess Elena.”Zara’s words brought me out from my own thoughts while I paced around. Halting by the window, I crossed my arms after opening it to let the morning breeze and sunlight calm my nerves.Glancing at Zara, who was arranging the flowers on the vase on the living room table, she smirked at me and teasingly noted, “It’s rare for me to see you this anxious. Is it because Prince Deacon is coming?”Trying hard to hide my inner feelings and the turmoil I’m having in my mind, I scoffed and turned away to face outside, pretending to admire the lawn. “Anxious? Hardly.” I let out a fake laugh, which sounded more like a terrible scoff. Clearing my throat to save myself from self-humiliation, I added, “I’m just… curious.”Last night, at a late time, one of his personal messengers came in the pack and informed that he’d be visiting the pack first thing in the morning and asked for my presence. The thing was, he didn’t specify why he was com
Deacon’s POV“What do you mean? What did you get?” I asked with full attention. I even motioned for him to sit down as I thought this would be a long talk.Abiding by my command, he sat down and rested his one arm on the table, looking worried and completely at ease.This time, he wasn’t merely talking as my Beta, but as my best friend. “I think the King’s true intention behind this marriage with Princess Elena isn’t as easy as it seems. I think he wants to use her as leverage against you.”My brows furrowed, and my body stiffened. Gazing at him sharply, I coldly said, “Explain.”He shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, everyone close to you with an eye could see that you got a thing for Pricness Elena. Though no one could probably tell how deep it was, I think the King knows as well. And as you may know, Princess Elena is no ordinary woman.”I leaned back in my seat as I considered his words. What he said actually made sense, especially thinking back on the King’s actions and double-meani