Semua Bab The Rejected Mate's Curse : Bab 41 - Bab 50

Ryker froze, his frame stiffening like a statue, before he stepped forward and pulled the figure into a firm embrace. The motion was gentle yet powerful, as though he had been holding onto this moment for years. From where I stood, I couldn’t make out much, but I could tell the person was a girl—smaller than him by far, her head barely reaching his chest. My vantage point didn’t allow me to see her features, but her youthful stature and slender build were apparent.Something gnawed at me as I watched them. Jealousy. A biting, irrational envy bubbled up in my chest, and I couldn’t tamp it down fast enough. My mind raced to justify the scene before me. Ryker wouldn’t just hug a random girl like that. Would he? But then, he did something that made my heart sink further—he placed a kiss on her forehead. A soft, tender gesture, one I had foolishly thought belonged to us alone.I clenched my fists, trying to calm the irrational voice in my head screaming for me to pull him away. This isn’t

Avoiding Ryker was easier said than done. Sharing the same bed and living under the same roof turned it into a challenge I couldn’t entirely win, but I made an honest effort to keep my distance. Yet, even as I busied myself with tasks, his words echoed persistently in my mind, their weight pressing against my every thought.The idea of me—a princess—seemed absurd, a notion ripped straight from the pages of an overdramatic fairytale. How could I possibly fit into such a narrative? I was just an omega, born and raised with all the limitations that role entailed. The thought of suddenly discovering royal lineage felt not just improbable but downright impossible.Still, there was that persistent whisper of curiosity gnawing at the edges of my skepticism. What if…?I shook the thought away as I stole a glance at Ryker during breakfast. He sat across from me at the dining table, his presence radiating quiet patience. His eyes barely left me, soft but unwavering, like he was waiting for me t

I spent the remainder of my day in Ryker’s office. His quiet presence was a comfort, anchoring me in a way I hadn’t expected. The air between us was calm yet alive, like the steady rhythm of waves kissing the shore. While I poured over texts about the mating ceremony and began sketching vague plans for what I envisioned, Ryker worked at his desk, the scratch of his pen against paper and the occasional shuffling of documents punctuating the stillness.Every so often, I felt his eyes on me, their weight a quiet invitation to meet his gaze. When I did, he would smile—soft, warm, and completely disarming. It was a smile that reached into my chest and made my pulse flutter. At one such moment, his eyes caught mine, and there was a flicker of something unspoken, a question lingering on his lips. I was certain he was about to say something when the door burst open without so much as a knock.I didn’t have to look up to know it was Riley. Only she would dare enter Ryker’s sanctuary so brazenl

I sprinted, my legs burning with each step as I raced away from the office and back downstairs. My heart pounded in my chest, the rhythm erratic, as if it knew something I couldn’t grasp. The weight of the truth hung heavy in the air, thick like smoke, suffocating me with every breath. I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone what I had witnessed. My mouth felt dry, words trapped in my throat like a prisoner behind a wall. I couldn’t even speak them to myself—let alone to anyone else.The entire day felt like a blur. I forced myself to go through the motions, trying to appear composed, trying to act like everything was normal, but inside I was crumbling. My thoughts were a whirlwind, a storm of questions and doubts, but I couldn’t find the answers I was desperate for. Riley noticed. She asked me about the mating ceremony with an intensity that stung, but I couldn’t bring myself to shout the truth at her. The only thing I wanted in that moment was to escape, to return to my own bed, to s

Audrey Valentina Caine was born about seven months after I ran away from Ryker. The pregnancy came as a complete shock to me. I didn’t even know I was carrying a child, not until that very day when Christine found me in the bathroom, tears streaming down my face, overwhelmed by the sheer weight of the discovery. I didn’t know what to do. The thought of raising a child alone paralyzed me with uncertainty.But despite my fears and the chaos I often felt, Christine was there for me in ways that no one else could be. And to my surprise, so was my mother. She had missed so much of my life, but now she was determined to make up for it by pouring all her love into Audrey. The little girl, as oblivious as she was to all the struggles around her, was adored. And I don’t think she even realized the magnitude of that love. Everyone in this grand palace was wrapped around her little finger, and she didn’t have to do a thing to earn it. I named her Audrey because the name felt right, and part of m