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22.The Hunt
Last Updated:
2025-02-17 14:18:31
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Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 23. Rockcellar Pack
Chloe“Shit, shit, shit,” I muttered to myself, desperately clinging on to the back of my horse. I’d taken lessons over the last few days, but I still wasn’t confident in my abilities.“Princess Harper!” Caden called behind me.“Double shit!” I turned my horse to the right and dug my heels into its side, urging the horse away. It took every bit of my newfound skill not to fall off. I’d fallen off several times over the last couple of days.“Don’t pull back so hard on the reigns!” Alexander called out on my first day of lessons.Of course, I pulled back harder on instinct and Jolie, my horse, reared up on her hind legs. I screamed and slid right off her back and onto my ass. Jolie righted herself and turned to me with a horsy frown. She snorted at me in indignation.“You’re doomed,” Knox howled with laughter from the other side of the arena.I stood carefully, making sure nothing was broken. I brushed off my ass and turned to my brothers, both of whom were still giggling.“I could have
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 24. Kill her
KnoxChloe's look of surprise confused me. It took me a moment to realize I'd lifted my gun and was pointing it in her general direction. I had no memory of doing so, but my rifle was definitely pointed at her chest now.I knew that I never had any plans to actually shoot her, though. She annoyed me, but not enough to commit murder. Since her arrival in the palace, I’d tolerated her presence for my family’s sake, but I’d never gone out of my way to get to know her. I simply didn’t care. She was an interloper, an intruder who had infiltrated my family.My mind flashed back to the day Father told us about Chloe."Sons," Father said, clearing his throat at breakfast.He set down his fork, and I followed suit, turning to face the King. He looked nervous, which made me nervous. I couldn’t remember the last time something had unsettled Father and seeing him being so openly vulnerable concerned me. We weren’t a particularly touchy-feely family and kept our emotions in check.I glanced at my
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 25. Disappointment
AdrianIf I didn't know better, I'd say Chloe was avoiding me. Besides our brief exchange this morning before we mounted our horses, it seemed like she’d gone out of her way to be as far away from me as possible. Actually, she might have just been trying to stay as far away from Elizabeth as possible. I didn’t blame her; the woman was insufferable."And then I just about died from laughter!" Elizabeth tittered next to me. I had absolutely no idea what she’d been yapping about. I was ready to go deaf if it meant I didn't have to listen to another word Elizabeth said. Unfortunately, she had an endless stream of words she was spouting, barely breathing as she spoke. I’d assumed over the years that, at some point, she would realize I never listened to her, but she hadn’t happened as of today. I wasn’t sure what more I could do to show her my disinterest. I was pretty sure Alexander had a betting pool for that very event.I shared a glance with Alexander over the top of Elizabeth’s head. I
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 26. Mom
ChloeI held onto Jolie's saddle horn with a death grip, desperate not to fall off. It was one thing to fall off when we weren't moving, but it was an entirely different thing to fall off when she was sprinting and holding nothing back.I was still shocked that Knox had shot at me. On some level, I recognized that if he'd wanted to injure - or, god forbid, kill me - he could have. No, he'd shot wide, missing me by a huge margin. It didn't make me forgive him, but it was nice to know he didn't want me dead.I screamed and ducked as we entered the tree line, a low-hanging branch nearly knocking me off. I only barely managed to stay on my horse.Jolie wove in and out of the ever-denser trees, not slowing at all. I knew it was only a matter of time before I was knocked off. I wasn't a skilled enough rider to stay on.Just as I’d predicted, a large branch nailed me in the chest. I flew backward, landing on my head, the world instantly going black.It was a warm summer day, and the soft bre
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 27. My wolf was back
ChloeWith my heightened senses on loan from my wolf, I was able to run through the forest much more nimbly than I could have on my own. Despite the absolute terror I felt ripping through my body, I also felt exhilarated. My wolf was back – well, kind of. It’d been so long since I felt any bit of her that this connection was almost too much for me to handle.I jumped over a root that was sticking up in the path gracefully as if I had done it every day.I reached my senses out, trying to pick up on any sound behind me from other feet. I couldn’t tell between my deep breathing and the sound of my heartbeat in my ears, but I was pretty sure I was still being followed. I pushed myself to go faster, hoping that if I couldn’t outpace the animal, I could at least outrun it. I’d been a long-distance runner in school; I could make it a great distance before I needed to take a break.Mate, my wolf hissed inside my head. I was so surprised that I tripped over my own feet, falling forward onto th
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 28.Blood
Adrian“Adrian!” I heard Alexander call after me as I rode away. I ignored my brother. Nothing was going to stop me from finding my mate. She might not know that I was her mate, but I’d felt the way her heart had picked up when we touched. I’d be damned if I let anything happen to her before we could figure out our happiness.I didn’t know how, but I just knew something terrible was about to befall Chloe. I had to get to her as quickly as possible. Call it a sixth sense or simple intuition, but I knew something was about to happen to my mate. I wondered if a one-sided bond like ours could still convey information to me. I wished, for the millionth time, that we had acknowledged the mate bond already. If we had, I could have pulled on it and followed it to wherever Chloe was. Since we hadn’t, I was stuck simply tracking her scent like an animal.My heart ached in my chest, the same as if I had a physical wound. A mate bond was dual-sided – it could be the most amazing thing in the worl
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 29.Princess Harper
ChloeIt took my brain several seconds to process what had just happened. I had been hurtling full force towards the edge of the cliff, unable to stop even though I knew I was about to tip over the edge and then... then someone had grabbed the back of my arm and yanked me around. The giant brown wolf that had saved my life had landed on top of me, knocking the air out of my lungs.By the time I'd regained my bearings, the wolf had transformed back into Adrian. His arms were still wrapped around me, holding me tightly as if he was scared I'd disappear if he let go.His scent wafted over me, and I shuddered. He smelled amazing.Incorrectly assuming my shudder was from pain, Adrian asked, concern lacing his voice, "Are you alright?""Yes." I wanted to say more, but I didn't know how."Thank god," Adrain groaned, dropping his head into the crook of my neck. It was a far more intimate feeling than I expected with his heavy breathing against the sensitive skin. Each breath felt like a gentl
Last Updated : 2025-02-17Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 30. King Charles’ plan
ChloeBy the time we returned to the starting point, a crowd of people had formed and were waiting for us.“Oh no,” I muttered, straightening my spine so I wasn’t lounging against Adrian anymore. My head spun slightly, and I swayed.“Be careful,” Adrian directed. “You have a head wound.”“Harper!” King Charles said, rushing over to us before I could answer. “Are you okay?”“She needs to go to the Healer,” Adrian said. “Father, help her down. I don’t want her to fall off. My horse is much taller than hers.”With both of their assistance, I slid from the back of the horse with much more grace than I would have been able to exhibit on my own.“You’re bleeding,” King Charles said, his eyes crinkling in worry. He reached out to touch my head but pulled back before he actually made contact. I appreciated the restraint.“I hit my head when I fell from my horse,” I admitted. Speaking of my horse, I glanced around and found Caden coming out of the trees with Jolie in tow. “Someone should proba
Last Updated : 2025-02-17
Latest chapter
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 73. Pregnancy test
CadenI had been giving Chloe space, wanting her to settle back into her old home comfortably. It had been over a week since I last saw her, and our communication was limited to the occasional text message to check in on her.I decided to stop by her house with some takeout on the following Friday, thinking it would be a nice surprise.As I approached her door, I hesitated, briefly wondering if I should have called first. But then I reminded myself that a friendly visit was a good idea. When Chloe answered the door, I was relieved to find she looked surprised but happy to see me.We chatted casually as I followed her inside, catching up on the past week. As we walked into the kitchen, I noticed something on the kitchen counter: a positive pregnancy test. My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, I stood there, frozen.Chloe, noticing my gaze, immediately turned pale. She bit her lip, looking at me with a mixture of fear and uncertainty.I d
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 72. The reality
Chloe The car ride was excruciating in its silence. I wasn't sure if Caden knew my heart was shattering into a million tiny pieces, but I appreciated that he didn’t pry. We were almost back to the Blackstone pack territory before I spoke. "What are we going to tell everyone?" The question had been rattling around the entire ride, but I’d been unable to ask before this. Caden shrugged, his eyes never leaving the road. "Don't worry; I've got it handled. No one will say anything to you."I blinked, surprised. "You've already planned out what you're going to say?"He finally glanced in my direction before quickly returning his gaze to the road. "Chloe, I've already had the discussion with the pack. There's nothing left to discuss.Everything is settled. No one is going to bother you."My mouth fell ope
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 71. City borders
AdrianI knew Chloe was gone the moment she stepped outside of the city borders. Because we hadn’t broken the mate bond, I was still connected to her, although the clarity with which I felt her presence weakened the farther she traveled. I felt like I was losing a piece of myself, and I wondered for the first time if I should break the mate bond. We didn’t have to be together for one of us to do it.My father visited after dinner. I’d refused to go down, instead staying in my rooms. After my conversation with my brothers earlier, I was confused.“You didn’t come to eat,” Father said, joining me on the window seat I’d been sitting in for the last hour.“I know.”“Why?”“I wasn’t hungry,” I said, keeping my eyes fixed out the window at the gardens down belo
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 70. Queen Luna
AdrianI was a block away from the hotel when my anger finally faded enough for me to realize something wasn't adding up. I stopped walking in the middle of the sidewalk, nearly getting run over in the process by other pedestrians.Something wasn't right with Chloe's story, and I hadn't realized it initially because I'd been too shocked by Chloe admitting to having an affair with Caden. Or rekindling their relationship - whatever you wanted to call it. It felt like an affair to me, but I wasn’t about to argue the semantics.I turned on my heel and stormed back to the hotel, breezing past the front desk and back up to Caden's room. I banged on the door repeatedly, and after several moments, Chloe opened the door with a frown, still wearing Caden’s shirt. The sight made my stomach roll in disgust."Adrian?" Her voice was soft, and I could still see the fresh tear tracks stai
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 69. Ceremony
ChloeCaden and I spent the few hours between me barging in and Adrian’s arrival to plan out what we were going to do. I hated the idea of deceiving my mate, but I couldn’t think of any other way to make him leave me. He was far too forgiving where I was concerned, and I knew he’d look for any excuse not to leave me and break the bond.Unfortunately, since we’d done the marking ceremony, the only way to break our mate bond was to have one of us desire to break it with all our heart. It didn’t seem like a trick, except for the fact that the very last thing I wanted was to break the mate bond. I loved Adrian and always would. The only way to break the bond was to make him hate me enough to want to. The thought sickened me.Adrian arrived right at three. I didn’t know what his father had told him to get him here, but I had a sinking feeling from the angry banging on the do
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 68. Your mother
ChloeI spent all night tossing and turning, unable to sleep. What I could do, though, was cry, and I cried until I had no tears left, and my pillow was soaked.I knew, deep in my heart, that Adrian deserved someone better than me to be his Queen Luna. I loved him so deeply that I’d ignored the glaringly obvious: we were from two different worlds.The closest I came to being royalty was having a dead stepfather who was a Beta in my old pack. He’d been a kind man, but he’d been unpolished, too. I came from a different life, and I’d be a fool to stick around and destroy everything by being a terrible Queen Luna.Not to mention, if we stayed together Adrian would have to constantly be explaining our relationship to everyone. He was expected to marry a polished woman who knew how to play the game, not a nobody like me.When the dawn broke, I kn
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 67. Queen
Chloe“You’ll be upstairs today, Chloe,” the head maid said, scanning her list. “The yellow and blue sitting rooms are yours.”I blinked at her in surprise. Since I’d been demoted to maid, I’d stayed out of the more public spaces in case someone recognized me. The yellow and blue sitting rooms were fairly busy spaces. “Alone?” I squeaked.She looked up and gave me a sharp look. “No. Since it’s your first day cleaning these two rooms, Hannah will be with you.”I nearly sighed in relief. Hannah was nice, even if I did think she chattered too much. I got it, though. If I was a talkative person, it’d be so hard to spend the workday alone.Once the head maid had given everyone their assignments, Hannah flounced over to me, a wide smile on her face. “Are you ready?”
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 66. Crazy old men
ChloeEven though I’d been given a room downstairs with the other maids, I spent every night wrapped in Adrian’s arms in his rooms. He’d gallantly offered to stay a night in my room, but I only had a twin bed, and while I enjoyed cuddling with him, it was a bit too close in my new bed. Luckily, it hadn’t been too hard to convince him that his king-sized bed was superior.I knew Adrian had had some sort of fight with his father because he’d found me afterward. While he’d only muttered about crazy old men, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to put together that he was speaking about the King. I had a feeling the conversation was about me, and I wasn’t looking to find out the details. The King’s rejection still stung, even if I understood it.“How do you feel about completing the marking ceremony?” Adrian asked as casually as one would ask abou
Rejected, Princess Mate Selection Game 65. Worst moments
AdrianI wasn't expecting a summons from my Father, and receiving one immediately put me on edge. A summons meant business, and more often than not, it was unpleasant. I couldn't ignore a summons, and he knew that.I entered his office without knocking. He was seated at his desk; however, his chair was turned to the window. I didn't think he was actually looking at anything out there."Sit," Father sighed, turning to me."No, thank you."He raised an eyebrow at this. I ignored him."I had a meeting this morning," Father said.I blinked in surprise. I was usually included in his meetings, especially now that my assentation to the throne was so near."And why wasn't I invited?""Well," Father paused. “I didn't know what he wanted to say, and I feared you might end the discussio
