All Chapters of Awakening the Rejected Queen: Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

Eden’s POVI woke up with the sun on the morning of the mating ceremony. I lazily stretched my arms. My maids brought me coffee and croissants in bed, and I nibbled away contently. The maids watched me, a stern look on their faces.“Mistress Eden,” one of them finally said. “Are you finished your breakfast yet? We have to get you ready. And that will take a lot of work.” They giggled at the comment.Sheepishly, I handed over my tray. They were right. I couldn’t just lounge around in bed all day! I had to get ready!The maids ran me a hot bath full of fragrant petals. Afterwards, they rubbed lavender oil into my skin. I had to admit, I enjoyed being pampered. It had been a lot of work preparing for this ceremony, so it was nice to just relax and let the maids tend to me.They sat me down at the dressing table and got to work. Two maids gave me a pedicure while another two painted my fingernails. They were rather rough while they scrubbed my feet.“You need shoes,” one of them snapped,

Eden’s POVOne moment, I was the happiest I’d ever been.And the next?I was shocked.Someone had objected to my coronation? Like Zane, I scanned the crowd to see who would dare do such a thing! I was the rightful queen! I was Zane’s confirmed mate! I was pregnant with his child!Why would someone object? On what grounds?Everyone in the crowd looked around. But then the crowd parted and made way for the woman who had voiced the objection.She stepped forward.Chloe?Was that really Chloe?I couldn’t believe it! She’d caused us so many problems back at the palace! Her father, Alpha of the Redstrike Pack, had all but begged Zane to marry his daughter. And for a brief spell, I’d believed she was the perfect match for Zane.Elegant. Well-mannered. The daughter of an alpha from a very strong pack. Plus, she was drop-dead gorgeous.But she’d convinced me that Zane wanted to kill me! She’d lied to me. She’d told me that Zane and her were engaged when they were no such thing!I’d been innoce

Eden’s POVChloe looked smug. Everyone else stared at me. I felt humiliated.I had asked Zane a direct answer: was Chloe telling the truth? Had Zane really slept with her? His reluctance to reply told me everything I needed to know. It was true.A whirlwind of emotions went through me. First, I was shocked. How could that be? Zane had sworn up and down that there was nothing between him and Chloe. He’d told me she was lying about their engagement. I’d believed him.Apparently, though, there had been something between them.“It’s true,” Chloe reiterated, placing her hand on her stomach. “I’m pregnant with his child. Just like you are, Eden.”I felt the eyes of the crowd boring into me.My grandfather stepped forward, coming to my side. I stepped away from Zane, towards Alpha Miles.“Eden, wait,” Zane said. He looked sad, defeated.But I didn’t want to talk to Zane. I didn’t even want to look him in the eyes. This was a betrayal, plain and simple. The worst kind of betrayal.And we’d ju

Zane’s POV“CHLOE!”My voice ripped through the halls of the palace. I’d just overheard a maid tell another maid that Chloe had arrived at the palace.I needed to see her immediately!I’d left the Silvermist Pack at Eden’s request. I hadn’t wanted to go, but she was so upset with me I didn’t see any other option. I completely understood where Eden was coming from. Chloe had just shown up, unannounced and uninvited at the mating ceremony. Then she dropped a bomb shell.She was pregnant with my child. It was the worst case scenario. Of course Eden was devastated. Who wouldn’t be? It hurt my heart to know that I’d hurt Eden. Which is why I left without arguing. She needed her space. And I had to sort out this whole mess with Chloe.I’d sent for Chloe. My warriors had gone to Redstrike Pack to fetch her. Now she had arrived.My blood boiled at the thought of her name. She was a meddling bitch, and I was beyond frustrated with her constant shenanigans. But I had to know the truth.Was I re

Eden’s POV“Grandfather?”I knocked lightly on the door to my grandfather’s Alpha office. I needed to talk to him. I’d just spent the past few days wallowing in bed, suffering and stewing over my broken heart. I had been a shell of a person, overwrought by Zane’s betrayal and the pain he’d caused me.But then…In a moment of clarity, I’d seen what I had to do.I had to rise above this, rise above my pain. I was the Alpha’s granddaughter! I had an obligation to my pack. And our poor pack had been through a lot lately.We’d lost Adrian, who was supposed to succeed my grandfather as Alpha. We’d lost our Gamma, Storm. They were both out there somewhere in rogue territory. We’d been attacked at our border, and a lot of our warriors had died at the hands of some strange poison.Caleb and Scarlett were still on the loose. I had a feeling this wasn’t over. Were they really in contact with witches? Were they really poisoning our warriors with witch’s potions?And what about Alpha Skylar? Alpha