Chapter Two – His Rejection

Hazel’s POV 

“You look pale, Hazel! What’s wrong?” asked Hera the moment I entered our room and closed the door. All my resolve crumbled to dust, and I slumped to the bed, unable to control the tears any longer. 

“Stavros likes a princess. He wants to reject me tonight. He has asked me to meet him at dusk in the Secret Garden.” I broke down as uncontrollable sobs shook my body. Unable to take in the pain anymore, I covered my face with my hands. What had I ever done to deserve this? 

“What rubbish! Did he tell you her name?” I shook my head, and she grunted in disbelief. 

“I’m sure he’s bluffing. He doesn’t like anyone but you. He has always liked you, Hazel.” I removed my hands to look at her. Was she out of her mind?

“No. He hates me. He asked me to go back to Alaska because he would never choose me as his mate. He said he doesn’t like me.” I sputtered as more tears fell from my eyes. Hera sighed and hugged me close. 

“I’ll have a word with him. Maybe something is disturbing him.” She released me and got up to drill some sense into his head. 

“No, Hera. I’ve asked him but he denied it. Nothing is disturbing him. He just doesn’t like me. I think coming here was a mistake. I should return to Alaska forever.” I picked up my phone to book myself a flight back to Fairbanks. 

Hera snatched my phone away from my hands. “No, you’ll stay here with me, Hazel. I won’t let you go because of Stavros’s immaturity.” Tears crept into my eyes again as I gave her a pleading look. 

“Please, Hera. I can’t stay here and cause a rift in your family. Neither can I see him with another. I’m useless here, as I’m not a warrior like you. Please let me go.” Tears pooled in her eyes too as she handed the phone back to me. 

“I wish I could help you. Let’s talk to Zeph. I’m sure he can drill some sense into Stavros’s thick skull. Only Zeph can stop him from making such a grave mistake.” 

“I don’t think anyone can help me. Will you be our witness tonight, Hera? A witness is necessary to sever our fated bond.” I searched Hera’s eyes to see the pain reflected in them. She loved both Stavros and me equally, and it was difficult for her to take sides. 

“Yes, if that’s what you want.” 

I didn’t go down for dinner, having lost my appetite completely. My luggage was ready since I hadn’t unpacked a thing. After Hera left for dinner, I booked myself a flight at midnight, not wanting to stay a minute longer after Stavros’s rejection. I didn’t want anyone’s pity. 

Time ticked by and I stood at the window of our room. I saw a dark figure walking dejectedly towards the Secret Garden. It was my mate Stavros. 

Why did he look so dejected when it was his idea to reject me? Soon a female joined him and I tensed, focusing on them properly. Was that his chosen mate? I tried hard to focus on the female but it was difficult from so far. The way her golden hair shone under the moonlight like spun gold, I knew who she was. 

Was she Princess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Zephyrus’s deceased uncle, Alpha Cornelius? 

My heart filled up with despair. I could never beat Princess Anastasia. She was the perfect epitome of beauty and every unmated male adored her, ready to kiss the ground she trod. No wonder Stavros didn’t like me. I was a simpleton with nothing special in me to attract someone like him. 

I watched them walk away, deep in conversation, and a pang of jealousy hit me. I hated them so much. They looked so perfect together. Strangely, Stavros showed no signs of anger as he strolled with her. It showed how much he loved her. 

Tears pooled in my eyes, and I closed them to block Stavros and Anastasia from my sight. It was good that I was leaving. I couldn’t stay here and see them together. 

Taking deep breaths, I tried to calm myself. I had to prepare myself for the impending storm. When I opened my eyes, Stavros had disappeared from sight. The moon was up now, bathing the palace grounds with its pale, shimmering hue. 

It was time to go to the Secret Garden and face my fate. 

But where was Hera? 

I messaged her to get there soon, but she didn’t reply even after five minutes. Sighing, I walked towards the door. 

As I left the room, my wolf Zea put up a fight. I knew she didn’t want this and neither did I, but we had no choice. 

‘I won’t accept it, Hazel. Let’s leave without a closure. Why do you need to sever the fated bond?’ reasoned Zea. I walked faster, refusing to listen to her. ‘Damn, you’re making it easy for him to mate with another. Let’s not release him.’ 

‘Let’s be practical. Did Vyros, his wolf, connect with you this time? Face it, Zea. He doesn’t want us. He has been blocking us for the last two years. Only we had been blind to not realize it.’ It was enough to quieten her.

I knew Vyros had blocked her out, just like Stavros had done to me. It wasn’t something that happened overnight. For the last two years, I had no connection with my mate. Wasn’t that an indication enough? Yet I believed in his promise like a fool. Yet I hoped he loved me.

At last, I reached the entrance to the Secret Garden and sucked in a deep breath. The moment I was dreading was here. The air was heavy with a blanket of fog hovering around me. Visibility was almost nil, yet I could sense his presence near me. He seemed too interested to end this as soon as possible. The reason obviously was Princess Anastasia. 

I trudged up to the dark figure standing under the arch of the snow-covered stone pavilion in the middle of the garden. Hera was beside him, her features grim and unhappy. Sensing my presence, Stavros whirled around to face me. Even from a distance, for a moment, I thought I saw pain reflected in his eyes, but it was gone before I could refocus. 

He waited as I stopped before him while Hera looked uncomfortable. 

I watched him, waiting for him to tell me this was a mistake. My stupid heart couldn’t stop hoping. Maybe he would admit he played a prank on me or pull me into his arms and confess his love for me. 

But he did nothing of the sort. Why would he when he loved another? His eyes burned into mine as if waiting to get this over and done with. 

Before I was ready, he started speaking while I blinked to focus. “I, Stavros Petrakis, Beta of the Luceres Pack and son of Theodore Bergeron, reject you, Hazel Lavoie, as my mate.” 

I clutched at my chest as a searing pain shot through me. The clear night sky became thicker and an ominous dark cloud covered the moon completely. I knew we had evoked the ire of the Goddess by defying her creation. 

I closed my eyes for a second and held Stavros’s gaze, ignoring the lone tear that trickled down my cheek. “I, Hazel Lavoie, daughter of Atlas Lavoie, accept your rejection.”

The pain transformed into an excruciating, gut-wrenching one that seared through my heart. I doubled up, holding onto my body. The clouds darkened more, shrouding us in its dark haze. 

Through it, I saw the strange glow on Stavros’s face. It was the same one I had seen on his face in the practice arena. What was it? I hadn’t seen it the last time I was here. 

The clouds cleared, and I blinked to find myself all alone in the pavilion. Stavros and Hera had left. It was all over. 

The pain had reduced to a dull ache as I walked towards the main gates. I spoke to an attendant, and he arranged a car for me in return for money. For an added amount, he brought my luggage too from Hera’s room. I quietly left Aromania like a criminal, not even informing Hera this time. I had no one in Aromania to call my own. 

All the way to the airport of Ioannina, I sat frozen in the car, replaying the scene repeatedly in my head like a broken record. My first reaction was to end my life, but I couldn’t take the plunge. 

My dreams and my heart were shattered, yet I was alive. But for how long? I had heard shifters died if rejected by their mate. Would I die too? It would have been easier to die than live with a broken heart.