Chapter 3

SERENA POV

I didn't mean to hear it.

If I had known that standing still for just a few seconds longer would shatter everything I loved, I would have run. I would have covered my ears. I would have shifted and disappeared into the forest until my lungs burned and my legs gave out.

But I stayed.

And as much as it destroyed me, I am also glad I did, because hearing their plans was the only reason Jayden was still alive.

I stood frozen in the corridor outside my parents' room, my hand hovering inches from the door. Artemis flickered alert inside me. I could hear my parents' steady heartbeats even through the walls, smell the faint trace of their cologne, and catch the suppressed tension in the air.

Every instinct screamed danger, every fur along my spine bristled. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure they would hear it. Every breath felt shallow, forced, like my chest was being slowly crushed.

Then my name slipped from my mother's lips.

"Serena and that rogue," Luna Lily, my mom said calmly, almost amused. "He truly believes he belongs here."

My breath caught painfully in my throat.

I pressed myself closer to the wall, my pulse racing wildly.

"He's Serena's mate," my father replied flatly. "I've already confirmed it."

Artemis rumbled low in my mind, claws scratching the edges of my thoughts. Our territory, our mate, threatened, I felt a flare of possessiveness so strong it made my chest tighten. "Stay back" I said and she hissed, fierce and warning. "He's ours. No one touches him."

The world tilted.

Mate.

They knew.

My legs trembled, weakness flooding through me, but I forced myself to stay upright. Every instinct screamed at me to burst into the room, to confront them, to defend him, but fear rooted me to the spot.

My muscles twitched with the urge to leap, my heart pounding in time with Artemis' desperate cries. I wanted to protect him, even if my legs wouldn't obey.

"So it's true," my mother continued, her voice smooth and thoughtful. "I suspected as much. She's been softer lately. Smiling. Distracted."

My father scoffed. "She was planning to bring him to us tomorrow. To ask for our approval."

Approval.

The word sliced straight through my chest.

I had imagined it so differently. I had imagined them angry, shouting, resistance but eventually, understanding and accepting him. I had imagined them seeing Jayden for who he truly was. Gentle. Loyal. Good.

I had hoped.

How foolish I had been.

My mother laughed softly. "A rogue who can't even shift. Fate truly has a cruel sense of humor."

"He's useless," my father said coldly. "And dangerous. If the Alpha King ever learns that our daughter's mate is a nobody, our pack will be ruined. We will lose everything. Serena becoming Alpha would be the end of us."

There was a pause.

Then my mother spoke again, her tone slow and deliberate.

"We can't reject him openly," she said. "Not yet."

My heart skipped violently.

"What do you mean?" my father asked.

"We pretend to accept him," she replied smoothly. "Let Serena believe we've softened. Let the rogue believe he's safe."

A chill crawled down my spine.

"And then?" my father asked.

"And then," she said calmly, "we arrange an accident."

My hands flew to my mouth as nausea surged through me.

"We caught him red-handed," she continued, unbothered. "Accuse him of attempting to force himself on one of our pack girls. A crime no one will forgive."

My stomach lurched violently, bile rising in my throat. Artemis snapped violently, raking claws against the inside of my mind, teeth bared, growling with a fury that made my head spin.

Rage, betrayal, protectiveness, it coursed through me as if my veins carried wildfire instead of blood. My wolf wanted to hunt, strike, tear apart anyone who dared threaten our mate.

"No one will question it," my father said slowly, understanding dawning in his voice. "A rogue. No status. No protection."

"Exactly," my mother replied. "We execute him quietly. Cleanly. We look righteous. Serena will be heartbroken, yes, but she'll recover. She always does."

My vision blurred.

They were planning to kill him.

Jayden.

My mate.

Using lies. Using cruelty. Using my trust.

I staggered back, my knees threatening to give out.

Artemis screamed inside me, her voice raw with terror and fury.

They'll kill him, Serena. They'll kill him.

My chest felt like it was caving in. Every breath burned. My hands shook uncontrollably as tears spilled down my face.

I couldn't let that happen.

I wouldn't.

There was only one way to save him.

Only one.

I had to make him leave.

I had to make him hate me.

I had to reject him so completely, so cruelly, that he would never stay. Never look back. Never come near this pack again.

Even if it destroyed him.

Especially if it destroyed me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into the empty hallway, my voice breaking. "I'm so sorry."

That was why I rejected him.

That was why I looked into Jayden's eyes and forced those hateful words past my lips. Why I watched the light fade from his gaze. Why I felt the bond tear and bury itself deep inside my chest instead of breaking completely?

That was the moment I chose his life over my heart.

And I don't regret it.

I never will.

Because loving him while keeping him here would have meant his death.

I pushed myself upright, wiping my tears as best as I could. Artemis trembled inside me, wounded but resolute.

We must stay strong, she said quietly. We can't break now.

"Yes," I whispered, my voice hollow. "I know."

And with that, I turned away from everything I loved and faded into the darkness.

************************************************

JAYDEN POV

Pain.

That was all there was.

Pain and silence.

The forest swallowed me as I ran, my feet pounding against the earth, my chest burning, my thoughts spiraling out of control.

I didn't understand.

One moment, she was warm. Gentle. Herself.

The next, she looked at me like I was nothing.

Like I meant nothing.

"I was just curious how mate bonds felt."

The words echoed in my head like a blade, slicing deeper with every repetition.

I stumbled to a stop, gripping a tree trunk as my breathing turned ragged. My hands shook violently.

She lied.

She had to be lying.

Because the Serena I knew wouldn't look at me that way. Wouldn't say those things. Wouldn't destroy me so completely.

Or maybe I was wrong. Maybe I don't know the real her.

Maybe I was just a fool.

A rogue who believed fate cared about him.

I laughed bitterly, the sound broken and hollow.

Pain slammed into my chest without warning. I gasped, dropping to one knee as something inside me twisted violently.

Zion roared inside my mind, his voice no longer weak, no longer restrained.

She broke the bond, he growled. And in doing so, she broke the seal.

"What seal?" I rasped, clutching my chest as fire spread through my veins.

My body convulsed. Bones cracked. Muscles tore and reformed. Power surged through me in a violent wave, raw and uncontrollable.

I screamed as the earth beneath me cracked.

The air shifted.

The world bowed.

Golden light exploded from my body, blinding and fierce, and for the first time in years, no, in my entire life, I felt whole.

Complete.

Free.

I threw my head back and shifted.

The moonlight kissed every leaf, every stone, and I smelled the tension of the forest, every predator and prey around me. Zion's senses flared, brushing against Serena's presence miles away, searching for her, needing her. My Lycan hummed in tandem, alive, aware, ready.

My Lycan emerged massive and powerful, silver-black fur glowing beneath the moonlight, eyes blazing with ancient authority.

Memories flooded back.

The ambush. The betrayal. The seal forced onto me. My exile.

The truth slammed into place.

I wasn't weak.

I was never weak.

I was a Lycan prince.

And she rejected me.

My wolf snarled, rage and heartbreak colliding violently within me.

"She played us," Zion growled. She chose power over us.

I stared up at the moon, my heart hardening, something dark and resolute settling deep in my chest.

"No," I said quietly. "She chose pain."

I rose to my feet, power still humming through my veins, my jaw tightening.

If she thought she had broken me.

She was wrong.

"I'll become stronger," I vowed to the night. "Stronger than anyone who ever looked down on me."

My eyes burned with cold resolve.

"And when I return," I whispered, "they'll regret ever treating me like nothing."

The moon watched silently as I disappeared into the shadows

A rejected mate no longer.

But a king in the making.

Chapter 4

SERENA POV

THREE YEARS LATER

It has been three years since I rejected Jayden.

Three long years of agony, suffering, pain, and heartbreak.

There isn’t a single day that passes without me feeling the weight of that decision. The pain never truly faded. It still feels fresh, sharp, as if it happened only yesterday. I cannot forget him. I cannot forget the memories we shared, no matter how hard I try.

Now, I am the Alpha of my pack.

At least, that is what the title says.

In truth, I am nothing more than an acting Alpha, an empty position with no real authority. My parents still hold the power. They always have.

I never wanted this role. I never asked for it.

The pack pretends to accept me. They bow their heads, show respect, and call me Alpha, but behind their eyes, I see doubt. Mockery. Disbelief. They do not truly see me as their leader.

Artemis would bristle inside me, sensing the unease hidden behind their polite bows. My pack, my own people, trying to deceive me, the anger that surged through my chest felt primal, like claws raking at my ribs.”

Still, none of them dare voice their opinions.

Not because they believe in me, but because they fear me.

Despite their underestimation, none of them can defeat me. They know it. I know it. And that alone keeps their mouths shut.

My parents are careful. They never disrespect me in public. To the outside world, they present the image of supportive parents who raised a powerful female Alpha. They believe family matters and their true opinions should remain behind closed doors.

They fear that if others discover how much they despise female Alphas, it could cause unrest. Worse, it could invite outsiders to challenge our authority, using the excuse that we have no male heir.

So they play their roles well.

People from other packs envy me. They whisper about how lucky I am to have parents who “support” a female Alpha. Some even wish they were me.

If only they knew the truth.

I was trained to be strong. Brutal, even. Relentless.

Not out of love but out of necessity.

Artemis had taught me to survive, to read danger before it arrived, to anticipate threats. Every harsh word, every cutting look from my parents triggered instincts honed in my wolf form, to fight, to flee, to endure, to assert dominance when threatened. My body remembered even when my mind wanted to forget.

I have no friends. “We don't need them,” Artemis suddenly said in my mind. “You alone is enough for me”

People think I am arrogant. Cold. Too prideful to associate with others. But the truth is far simpler and far crueler.

My parents never allowed me to form friendships freely. They only approved connections with people of status, Alpha daughters, council elders’ children, princesses of allied kingdoms.

But I disliked most of them.

They were rude. Selfish. Arrogant. Wearing false smiles and hidden intentions. I never fit into their world, no matter how hard I tried.

Being the only daughter of Alpha Asher and Luna Lily of the Crescent Moon Pack has never been easy.

Especially when they believe female Alphas are weak.

Especially when they despise what I was born to be.

From the moment I entered this world, my fate was sealed.

I was not raised as a child.

I was raised as a political chess piece.

I was forced to train relentlessly. No freedom. No affection. No warmth.

Since childhood, I have endured verbal and emotional abuse.

“A daughter will ruin us.”

“We never wanted her.”

“She is a burden.”

Words like those cut deeper than claws.

They never laid a hand on me, but sometimes I wish they had. Physical pain fades. Emotional wounds linger, festering in silence. They destroyed my self-esteem and carved trauma deep into my soul.

Some of that pain eased when I shifted at sixteen.

When Artemis awakened.

She became the best thing that ever happened to me.

She is me. My other half. My strength.

From that moment, Artemis was never silent. She breathed alongside me, hunted alongside, felt danger before I did, and roared when I needed courage. My senses sharpened, fur on my arms and spine rising with alertness, nostrils flaring at the faintest scent of deceit, ears tuning into whispers no human should hear.

The moment I awakened her, I was no longer alone. She became my confidant, my protector, my anchor. She knows my thoughts before I voice them, feels my pain before I admit it.

She encourages me. Grounds me. Gives me confidence when I have none left.

Without her, I don’t know how I would have survived.

The sound of the office door opening pulled me from my thoughts.

I looked up.

My parents walked in.

I was seated behind my desk, surrounded by pack documents and official reports, pretending, as always, that I was in control.

Their expressions were bright, excited, almost glowing with satisfaction.

“Mom, Dad, good afternoon,” I said, rising slightly from my chair. “Why are you here? I hope everything is fine.”

“Good afternoon, my dear,” my mother said warmly. “Everything is perfectly fine. In fact, the moment we have been waiting for, anticipating for years, is finally here.”

Her excitement was unmistakable.

My chest tightened.

“What do you mean?” I asked slowly. “What moment, Mom?”

She clasped her hands together, unable to hide her delight. “It has been announced,” she said, practically glowing. “The King’s Choosing Ceremony will commence in one month’s time. The Alpha King has finally decided to choose his mate.”

For a moment, the world went silent.

My mind went blank.

One month.

So this was it.

Artemis stiffened inside me, muscles coiled and senses flaring. Every smell, every shift of the air, every tremor in the floor beneath us screamed tension and anticipation. My body reacted before my mind could process the threat, a low, rumbling growl rolled through me, warning of the storm yet to come.

The moment I had dreaded for years. The moment that had been hovering over my life like a shadow I could never escape. The moment when I would finally become useful to them.

No wonder they were happy.

No wonder they looked so pleased and spoke nicely to me.

My heart sank heavily into my chest as the weight of her words settled in. Every suppressed fear I had buried over the past three years clawed its way back to the surface.

“Don’t you think this is a joyous event?” my mother continued cheerfully. “Not just for us, but for our pack as well.”

Joyous.

The word echoed bitterly in my head.

To them, this was a victory. A reward. Proof that all their planning, control, and sacrifice, my sacrifice, had been worth it.

To me, it felt like a sentence being passed. I wish to roar at them, and tell how I feel.

I forced my face to remain calm, neutral, the way I had been trained to do since childhood. I didn’t let them see the storm raging inside me. I didn’t let them see how my hands trembled slightly at my sides.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, suppressing the urge to leap, bare my teeth, or roar. Artemis snarled faintly, frustrated at my restraint, claws scraping the edges of my mind, wanting to strike, wanting to protect, wanting to hunt the deceit and control that reeked from my parents.

“Yes,” I said quietly after a pause. “It is joyous.”

Artemis stirred uneasily inside me, her presence tense and alert.

This was it.

The path had been decided long ago.

And now, it is finally closing in.

Chapter 5

SERENA POV

It has been one month since the announcement of the King’s Chosen Celebration.

One month of hell.

Every single day was a blur of exhaustion and suffocation. From brutal physical training to endless etiquette lessons, from posture correction to skin care rituals, all meant to mold me into something perfect. Something worthy. Something beautiful enough to be chosen.

Not for who I am, but for how I look.

My body, my appearance, my grace, everything was being scrutinized and polished to increase my chances of being selected.

I knew one thing for certain.

If I was not chosen, my life would become a living nightmare.

And yet, despite everything, my heart refused to move on.

I was not ready to mate with anyone.

I still loved Jayden.

My heart still beats for him alone. My soul still reached for his. He was my other half, the missing piece of me I had been torn away from. No matter how much time passed, no matter how deep I buried it, the pain remained.

And lately, especially in the past month, I could feel it.

The mate bond.

It wasn’t gone.

It was there, faint, restrained, but alive. Stirring. Pressing against my chest like it was struggling to resurface.

But I had no choice.

Even if I didn’t want it, even if it broke me, I would have to mate with the king if he chose me. I would give him my loyalty, my respect, my duty as a queen and as a mate.

But never my heart.

Never my soul.

Those belonged to Jayden.

It wasn’t even certain yet, and here I was already planning how to survive a bond I didn’t want.

The news of the King’s Chosen Celebration had spread across the entire world. Not only were werewolves attending, but even those outside our kind, humans, hybrids, nobles from distant territories, were coming to try their luck.

The competition was fierce.

Right now, my parents and I were on our way to the royal pack, the capital of the kingdom where the king’s palace stood. We were inside the car, the journey taking four long hours.

Tomorrow night was the celebration.

In the past month, I had forced myself to research the king.

Ironically, every Alpha in the kingdom was expected to know their king well, especially those who dealt directly with the royal pack.

But not me.

My parents handled everything concerning the royal pack. They always had. And because they were so determined to push me into mating with the king, I had deliberately avoided learning anything about him before now.

That was why I knew so little.

And what I did learn only made things worse.

“Serena,” my mother said sharply, pulling me from my thoughts, “we will reach the palace within thirty minutes. Do not disgrace us. Execute your etiquette perfectly and do not give anyone a reason to complain about you.”

“Yes, Mom,” I replied quietly.

“You know how important this is, to all of us,” she added, her tone heavy with expectation. “I trust you.”

I nodded, even though my chest felt tight.

Artemis stirred, muscles coiled, sensing the underlying tension behind Mom’s words. Every carefully chosen syllable carried an unspoken expectation, a silent demand.

“Why can't they allow us to enjoy a moment of peace?” Artemis said, flinching at the weight of it, claws scraping my mind, urging caution even as my lips formed a polite smile.

What I had learned about the king during my research was unsettling.

He came to power three years ago, after killing the previous king, his own half-brother. After that, he slaughtered his brother’s subordinates and ruled with an iron hand.

They said he was cruel.

Heartless.

Merciless.

He wore a mask, and no one had seen his face except his most loyal followers.

Fear followed his name wherever it was spoken.

“Serena,” my mother said again, her voice sharper now. “What are you thinking about? I’ve been calling you. This is not the time to be distracted.”

I blinked and straightened. “I’m sorry.”

“We’ve arrived,” she said.

The car came to a stop.

I stepped out, adjusting my clothes carefully, making my expression into calm indifference.

Then I looked up.

The air of the pack felt different the moment I stepped fully inside. Every hair on my arms and spine prickled. My nose twitched, catching faint scents of dominance and threat.

Artemis shifted, muscles rippling, and a low growl rolled inside me. The palace was alive, and every being within it radiated power and intent. Amelia smelled it, tasted it, and understood what my mind could only sense dimly.

It was heavier. Stronger. Charged with authority and power, yet strangely comforting. Like home. That realization unsettled me.

The houses around us were beautiful and well built, radiating strength and order. I could feel it, everyone here was powerful. Not just in rank, but in presence. Even the ground beneath my feet felt ancient.

I inhaled sharply, picking up subtle scents of tension, dominance, and carefully masked fear. The walls themselves seemed to pulse with authority, marking territory that had been defended for centuries. Even the smallest movement in the crowd, the faintest trace of a presence, brushed against my instincts like wind against fur.

We walked for a while before I finally stopped in front of the palace.

It was magnificent.

The structure towered above us, breathtaking in its beauty and dominance, carved with symbols of authority and legacy. The sight alone made my chest tighten. This wasn’t just a palace, it was the heart of the kingdom, the center of power, and possibly, my future.

After confirming our identities for security reasons, because the palace was bustling with activity due to the upcoming ceremony, we were allowed inside.

The deeper we moved into the palace, the stronger the sensation inside me became.

My steps slowed.

My chest tightened.

The mate bond stirred.

No, it didn’t just stir.

It pulsed.

It throbbed.

It felt alive again.

A new current of energy pressed against my chest, foreign but magnetic. Artemis stiffened beside me, muscles coiled, sensing something, someone, far stronger than I had anticipated. The bond wasn’t just awake; it was reaching, calling, insisting, pulling at instincts I had long tried to ignore.

My breath hitched.

Why?

For three years, the bond had been buried. Silent. Dormant but never gone. Yet now, with every step deeper into the palace, it grew stronger, warmer, almost calling out.

My hand instinctively pressed against my chest.

Why am I feeling this way?

Confusion and unease flooded me. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not here. Not now. I forced myself to ignore it, telling myself I would think about it after the ceremony. Right now, I can't afford to lose control.

Exhaustion finally caught up to me.

A four-hour drive was not easy, physically or emotionally.

I made my way to the room assigned to me within the palace. The moment I stepped inside, I barely had the strength to take in my surroundings before collapsing onto the bed.

My body ached. My mind refused to rest. Artemis hummed inside me, lending strength where my human body faltered. She slowed the ache, sharpened my senses, and reminded me that I was more than fragile flesh and bone. Even exhaustion carried a rhythm I could endure, a pulse I could match with my own.

After some time, I forced myself up and headed toward the restroom. A shower would help, at least enough to calm my thoughts and prepare myself for dinner later.

But even as the water washed over me, one thought refused to fade. The bond was awake.

I forced myself to shower quickly and went to eat before returning to my room to rest. Everything else could wait until tomorrow. Right now, my body was exhausted, and my mind felt heavy with thoughts I didn’t want to face.

I didn’t know what fate had in store for me tomorrow.

And that uncertainty scared me more than anything else.

************************************************

Today was the day of the ceremony.

I woke up early, long before the sun fully rose. Sleep had come and gone in fragments, restless and shallow. My chest felt tight, like something unseen was waiting for me just beyond the horizon.

My mother took me to the spa inside the palace for a full treatment. The attendants were gentle, professional, and careful, as if I were already royalty. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to relax. The warm water, the scented oils, the silence, it felt like borrowed peace.

Then came the preparations.

The beauticians worked on my hair, styling it with precision. The makeup artist kept my look simple and elegant, enhancing rather than hiding who I was. When they dressed me, everything was perfect, tailored, flawless, royal.

Too perfect.

I stared at my reflection for a long moment, barely recognizing the woman looking back at me. She looked composed. Strong. Ready.

But inside, I felt hollow.

Soon, it was time.

I walked beside my parents toward the ceremony hall. The moment we stepped onto the red carpet, flashes of light surrounded us. Cameras. Eyes. Whispers. Every step felt heavy, measured, and watched.

We paused briefly for photographs before entering the palace hall.

Inside, the atmosphere was vibrant and overwhelming. The hall was grand, glowing with power and wealth. Alphas, Lunas, nobles, and guests from different kingdoms filled the space, their auras pressing against one another.

My parents moved easily among them, confident and proud. They introduced me to their allies, partners, and influential friends. I smiled when required. Greeted when necessary. Spoke when spoken to.

I played my role perfectly.

Everything was going smoothly. Too smoothly.

Artemis growled low, claws itching at the edges of my mind, warning me of invisible threats pressing from the crowd. I clenched my fists, forced my jaw to relax, and reminded myself that a human mask was required. Still, every fiber of my being screamed to bare teeth, to strike, to protect what was mine.

And then.

“The king has arrived.”

The announcement echoed through the hall.

The air shifted.

Silence fell like a heavy curtain, and every instinct inside me screamed that nothing would ever be the same again.