Refusal

Celine POV

The weight of exhaustion settles deep in my bones as Dolton holds me against his chest. His arms are strong, protective, and his fingers trace a soothing pattern along my spine. I can’t find the energy to move or speak. I’m drained, my body aching from the hours they spent with me. The temptation to give in to sleep is strong, but their whispered voices keep me tethered to consciousness.

“Father may agree,” Dolton says, his voice heavy with sorrow. There’s a rawness to it that tugs at something deep inside me. I want to tell him not to worry, to let him know I’ll be fine. I’ll get my life back, and even if he never sees me again, I’ll remember him. But I can’t bring myself to say it.

“Father will not agree. Remember why she was sent here? Remember why she’s different? Do you really think he’ll agree?” Alex’s tone is sharp, cutting through Dolton’s hope. I silently agree with Alex—I don’t want to stay here. I want to be free, even if I don’t fully understand what freedom looks like.

As they argue, my thoughts drift. I learned the truth after I arrived here: my mother had been hiding me all my life. We moved constantly, and she kept me locked away in houses, away from the world. At the time, I thought she was cruel, but now I understand. She was protecting me.

She told me the images in my mind, the strange thoughts and visions I had, made me a target. If the wrong people found out, they would kidnap me, chain me down, and exploit my powers to serve their own ends. It wasn’t freedom, but it was safety. And I didn’t hate her for it.

“Then… what if we go with her?” Dolton’s voice pulls me back. There’s desperation in his words, a plea to keep me in his life. I know it’s impossible. Even I understand that his father would never let him leave this place.

“How? Come on, Dolton,” Wes scoffs, though there’s no humor in his voice. “Are you going to go to the highest bidder and beg them to let you go because you’re her mate?” He lets out a bitter laugh, the sound like a knife twisting in my chest.

“You were warned, Dolton. Don’t get attached. Don’t let the bond get so strong that you feel like you can’t live without her. She’s gone tomorrow. It might not even be a werewolf that buys her,” Alex adds, his tone colder than I’ve ever heard.

My heart races as their words sink in. Sold? My mind reels, the weight of exhaustion making it hard to process. I thought I was being set free, but now I understand—they were careful with their words, careful not to say the truth. I’m not being freed. I’m being sold.

“She’s special,” Dolton whispers, his fingers still tracing my spine. There’s pain in his voice, a kind of longing that makes me want to cry.

“Special or not, she’s gone. Think, Dolton. If she wasn’t shielded, if she wasn’t tied down in the ways she is, we’d all be dead,” Wes counters, his voice rising.

I don’t understand what he means. My exhaustion weighs me down, making it impossible to think clearly. I want answers, but my body won’t cooperate. They’ve drained me of everything.

“People may hurt her,” Dolton whispers, his voice trembling.

“We can’t stop it,” Alex snaps. “She’s not ours. We have no right to keep her, Dolton. You don’t listen. She’s not our mate. She’s different. We were just watching her until her father found a way to get rid of her.”

“This hurts all of us, Dolton,” Wes adds, his tone softening slightly. “The difference is, we didn’t let her in like you did. She’s going, and you need to accept it.”

I feel Dolton’s hands tighten on me, his wolf growling low in his chest. “She could die,” he whispers, his voice breaking. “She could end up with vampires.”

“Then she dies or ends up with vampires,” Alex snaps. “Enough! We reject her in the morning, and she’s gone.” The door slams, and the room falls silent.

Dolton’s hands remain on me, trembling slightly, and I finally drift into a restless sleep.

A loud bang jolts me awake, my heart pounding.

“Say your goodbyes, now!” Richard’s voice booms as he storms into the room, his gaze fiery and cold. Wes and Alex stand behind him, their heads bowed. Dolton shifts beside me, starting to speak, but Richard raises a hand to silence him.

“I know about the bond. Get it done,” Richard commands, his eyes darting to Wes and Alex.

Wes steps forward, pulling me up roughly. His eyes bore into mine, anger and pain swirling together. “I, Wes Elune of the Risewater Pack, reject you, packless rogue Celine Destiny,” he says, his voice firm but laced with something unspoken.

“Say you accept,” Richard barks.

“I accept your rejection,” I whisper, the words trembling as they leave my lips. Pain sears through my chest, an unbearable tearing sensation that leaves me gasping. Wes stumbles slightly, gripping his side as if the rejection hurt him too.

Alex steps forward without hesitation. His face is cold, detached. “I, Alex Elune of the Risewater Pack, reject you, packless rogue Celine Destiny.” His words cut through me, sharp and precise.

“I accept your rejection,” I manage through gritted teeth, tears spilling down my cheeks as the pain compounds. My legs threaten to give out, and I feel like I’m being torn apart from the inside.

They turn to Dolton, their expressions grim.

“No!” Dolton shouts, stepping forward. “I can’t, and I won’t!” His entire body shakes as he glares at Richard. “Just let her stay. Please!”

Richard steps forward, grabbing Dolton by the collar. “Reject her now!” he snarls, but Dolton shakes his head violently. He crumbles to his knees, screaming in pain but no nothing is hurting him.

“No! If she leaves, I’ll follow her!” His voice cracks, and tears stream down his face.

“Fine,” Richard sneers. “If your pain won’t make you reject her, maybe hers will.” He turns to me, and suddenly I’m engulfed in agony. My body burns as if consumed by fire, and I collapse to the floor, screaming.

“Stop!” Dolton cries, trying to reach me, but Wes and Alex hold him back. “Please!”

“Fine!” Dolton screams. “I, Dolton Elund of the Rosewater Pack, reject you, packless rogue Celine Destiny!” His voice is frantic, and I realize the trick too late.

“I accept your rejection,” I sob, and the pain fades. But he didn’t reject me properly. He said Rosewater instead of Risewater. Elund instead of Elune.

Richard storms out, leaving the room silent. Wes and Alex follow, their goodbyes cold and distant.

Dolton rushes to me, pulling me into his arms. “Shh,” he whispers. “I’ll find you, Celine. I’ll follow whoever takes you and find a way to get you back.” He kisses me gently, his lips trembling against mine.

“I love you, Celine,” he whispers. “Remember this. You’re not just a werewolf. You’re the Queen Goddess. You’re all species combined. You have power, Celine. Please fight. Don’t forget. Feel your wolf. Feel your magic.” His words are desperate, and I nod, clinging to his hope even as the door opens and our time ends.