CHAPTER FOUR

RYLAN'S POV

I slowly stirred awake, the sunlight from the window warming my face and disrupting my rest. I didn't want to leave my bed as it was the first time in a while since I had time to recuperate from the countless council and ministerial meetings we'd been having overtime. I needed a break from all of that.

I turned away from the light, trying to get back sleep but it felt like an effort wasted. I blamed my body for it. The moment I opened my eyes meant I would stay awake no matter how much I tried to pretend to be asleep in order to fall asleep.

The door opened as a string of four servants ushered themselves in. They came in bearing neatly folded clothes, shoes and other things I didn't want to look at. As future ruler, they never failed to drum into my ears the essence of looking the part. The refused me wearing plain shirts and pants, opting instead for intricately designed clothings. Neilla would always wonder the need of wearing such expensive fits when they'd be ripped into shreds the moment one needed to turn.

Neilla again.

She'd been the only prevailing thought in my head even after two weeks of my sudden disclosure of the council's decision. While I expected her angry outbursts, what I didn't expect were her blunt responses. No matter how I'd predicted her replies, they didn't do justice to any of the things she said. I'd hurt her in the most unfair way and no amount of apologies given would suffice for it.

As punishment, my wolf refused to connect with me since I cut him off from reaching to his mate. It was only an animal who didn't understand the dynamics of how things were operated above the fur of its skin. It was a hard decision which had to be done without emotions in the way. Afterall, it was what the council said it required.

'What about you? Don't you have say in this?' The question arose in Neilla's voice in my head.

With a groan, I kicked off the covers with the aim of getting prepared for the long day ahead of me. There was no time to idly reflect over what happened weeks ago. As the seconds ticked by, it brought closer the inevitable deterioration of the Alpha King, my father. Any moment now and I'll be crowned the successor. The responsibilities that came with it had already begun to wear me out.

Sooner than I hoped, night fell and there was a summon for me. I exited my wing, followed closely by guards who flanked by both sides of me. This was the life I was going to be living effective from my coronation and it was nowhere near the freedom I and Neilla had wished to have.

My thoughts fell back to her again. Just when I thought I had gotten over her, she'd come back in my head like a boomerang. The initiation of mates was going to happen tonight and having made my inquiry, I discovered that it was possible for the King to have a leading Luna by his side and his mate if he so wished.

I was queasy on the inside. How would Neilla handle being mated to me and still not be my Luna? Call me a selfish bastard but maybe I didn't want to let her go. The thoughts of somebody else in my place, filling her up -mind, soul, and body- created a sudden void in my chest.

"Rylan."

I raised my eyes from the tiled floor where they had been, bringing them to settle upon Venn. The clandestine lights didn't do justice to the beauty of the woman in front of me. Clad in an embroidered gown with floral patterns, she ambled closer to me with a satisfactory grin and hooking her hand through mine, she brought me out to the garden where everything was being set in preparation for tonight.

"Are you set for tonight?" She asked, leaning close towards my ear. Her body was pressed flush against my side as we walked but I didn't mind her one bit. Instead, my eyes roamed restless for the one face I was hoping wouldn't attend.

A lot of unfamiliar faces passed their greetings as we walked through the throng of crowd with Venn replying most of their questions. I still hadn't said a word since I came out into the open space. I turned my head and there she was, her petite frame standing out in a flattering cream colored patterned dress, her neck and shoulders laid bare for all to see. With an apology, I pulled my hand away from Venn's grip so I could approach her.

She only gave me her attention when I called her name. "Neilla."

Shock reflected in her small frame as she spotted me closing in on her. Her perfect plump lips rounded in an 'o' while her heart thumped hard within her. Her eyes turned imploring, moisture forming around it. "Think right about this, Rylan. I cannot live with myself if you do this."

"But it's been decided." I didn't want to hurt her any more than I was doing. The selection of Luna was done by my ailing father. We needed able allies to further enlarge our coasts and take back the lands stolen from us by rebels and rogues. We found that possibility in the arrangement between Venn and I.

She covered her face in her palm, her body shaking as she sobbed openly. When she uncovered her face, her lips were trembling with efforts not to shed more tears. "There's something you should know before you make a mistake that'll cost you. If only it'll change your mind." She paused, breathing evenly through her mouth. She continued, "There's been an alteration in my body scent and I think --"

"There you are again." Venn appeared from nowhere, wrapping her hands around mine once more. Neilla's eyes followed the movements before snapping back to my face for confirmation. The words she wanted to say now forgotten.

I nodded, exasperation seeping into my being. "Yes. She's going to be my Luna but don't worry," I added rather hastily before she disappeared from my view, "You could still remain my mate. I don't want to lose you, Neilla."

In that moment, I started to regret every decision I'd made against her. I wanted to go back in time to stand up for her during the council meeting and tell them her position in my life. I wished for nothing more than her genuine happiness but as she slowly regained her composure, a hard facade rose like a wall of defense.

"You already have."

I almost stumbled backwards. "What's that supposed to mean? I found a way we can do this without hurting each other. Venn is just going to be a Luna at my side. Gone are those days we pick a Luna because of the mate bond. You know just how many packs have gone into oblivion for that action of carelessness. You should be grateful I didn't severe the mate's bond."

Venn proceeded to speak and fell silent when her eyes came into contact with mine.

A humourless laugh left Neilla's lips. "So I'm to be grateful because I'm going to be a second option in your life now? I have a better idea, enjoy your new found love with your Luna. I pray to the moon goddess that we never meet again."

She closed her eyes, tears sliding down her soft cheeks. "I, Neilla Zaekeri, denounce you as my mate."

"No, you don't." Venn growled beside me. I reached out a hand to stop her from stalking towards Neilla while I dealt with the sudden blow of her renouncement. It stung like hell and it elicited a low hiss from me. Pain ripped into the core of my being, whacking air out of my lungs as I doubled over.

She renounced me without even a second thought, not minding the mate bond we shared. If only she knew the efforts it took to finally accept Venn despite how I tried to make my father see reason.

My wolf scratched at my chest, moaning in pain. He was not having it but he had no say in this.

Just as I raised my head, I saw her walk away with Matteo, his hand placed at the small of her back as he guided her away and soon, they were out of sight. Jealousy hit me in tidal waves.

"If that's what you want," I managed to breathe out, "you can have it your way."

The ceremony began in earnest. I straightened, determined not to let my pain show and let Venn pull me to the front where the oracle was standing and waiting for us. Silence pervaded the atmosphere, a slow hum proceeding from the winds that carried about.

"Thank goddess you're no longer mated to that mean bitch. How inconsiderate could she get?" Venn muttered in a voice only I could hear. I had no response for her but tuned my attention to the proceeding at hand.

The quicker we did it, the better.

The blue light from the wind soon descended, casting an ethereal glow on the people as they stood around in a circle to witness mates get bonded beyond the physicals, in a proceeding that involved sacrifices of blood and ash to the moon goddess in return for her seal upon the mates.

With the gashing wound in the middle of my palm, I proceeded to where Venn stood while bearing the dagger used to draw blood. Her palm sliced open like mine, we joined the open lips of our wound.

The oracle before peppering the ash over our joined hands shook his head at me in a gesture I didn't understand. I searched once more at the sea of faces and found Neilla despite the crowd almost swallowing her. She shook her head slowly and before I blinked to get a clearer view, she was nowhere to be seen.

With a sad longing in my heart, I watched forlornly as my life was soon to take a different turn. A warning rang out in my head that I would come to regret my actions.

"It's for the sake of the kingdom, sacrifices are to be made." I spoke aloud to no one in particular, forcing myself to live in that lie and be content.