The Rejected Princess Elodie

CHAPTER 17

WILLIAMS

At first, I thought I misheard the sound.

Told myself it was nothing, just my mind playing tricks on me.

But I wasn’t wrong.

The moment I heard that desperate shout, I knew what it meant.

My father had returned to me… dead.

A pain I never wanted to feel settled deep in my chest. As his only son and the future Alpha, I was supposed to be strong. I was meant to lead, to be unwavering until the funeral rites were completed. Through it all, I wasn’t supposed to shed a single tear.

I watched the strongest man I had ever known laid to rest.

Seeing him in his wolf form, I knew, he and Kevin, his wolf, had fought until the very last breath.

Every warrior who had gone out with him had been slaughtered, their heads sent back to us as a warning.

I told myself I couldn’t afford to let that shake me.

But I was lying.

The sight alone had left me dismayed, my mind spiraling.

With the funeral over, the next step was inevitable, my ascension as Alpha.

This was what I had been trained for my whole life. I shouldn’t hesitate. I shouldn’t second-guess it.

And yet, here I was, standing alone in the dead of night, thoughts warring inside me.

I didn’t know where else to go, so I came here, to this familiar place, this quiet refuge I hadn’t realized I needed.

Then I heard my name.

“Williams?”

I lifted my head.

She was here.

I didn’t know what I was doing in this place, but the moment I saw her, the moment I met her eyes, something in me cracked.

Elodie.

Slowly, she walked toward me, her steps hesitant.

And then, she closed the distance between us and wrapped her arms around me.

The warmth of her touch, the softness of her embrace, it cracked me.

For the first time in days, I allowed myself to breathe.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, her hands firm against my back.

I couldn’t cry. In what world would that be possible?

But in that moment, I felt something close to release.

“Everything is going to be okay,” she repeated.

And just like that, the walls I had been holding up snapped back into place.

I pulled away from her.

“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice harsher than I intended.

She blinked, startled by my sudden shift.

We were too close, closer than I had ever allowed myself to be with her.

Under the glow of the moonlight, I saw her. The scar that stretched across her face stood out, but for the first time, it wasn’t the scar I noticed.

It was her eyes.

The fire in them.

The strength she carried despite the pain I knew she had endured.

She was beautiful.

More than that, she was amazing.

My gaze lingered too long. She looked away, her hand instinctively rising to cover her scar.

Without thinking, I reached out, gently taking hold of her jaw and tilting her face toward me.

Then, with my other hand, I removed hers from the scar she was trying to hide.

“Beautiful,” I muttered, barely realizing I had spoken aloud.

Her lips parted slightly, shock flickering in her gaze.

I ran my fingers over her cheek, feeling her shiver under my touch. An unfamiliar urge surged through me, a need to shield her from the cold, from everything.

But then she stepped back.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice unsteady.

What was I doing?

The spell between us broke.

I blinked, my mind snapping back to reality.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my tone sharper than I intended. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is to be out this late? Especially with everything that’s happening?”

“I… I mean, there are warriors around. I think I’m safe in this part of the pack,” she stammered.

I scoffed. “You think? With what brain are you thinking?”

She flinched at the bite in my words, but I didn’t stop.

“Do you even realize how reckless you’re being? Anything could happen to you, but I guess you don’t care enough to think about that.”

Her face fell, and she turned away.

“I have to go,” she muttered.

Without another word, she walked off.

I should have let her go.

But instead, I found myself trailing behind her, keeping my distance yet watching her every step.

Her safety shouldn’t have been my concern, not with everything already weighing on my mind.

But here I was, following her home, making sure she reached safely.

Only when she entered the house did I allow myself to turn away.

** *

The night of the Rite of Succession arrived.

The pack had gathered beneath the full moon, howling in unison to welcome the shift of leadership.

This was it.

The moment I was born for.

The moment I had trained for my entire life.

So why did I feel so uncertain?

“Are you ready?” Andrew, my Beta, asked, reading the hesitation in my stance.

I let out a slow breath. “How can I not be ready? We’ve trained for this our whole lives, remember?”

I was dressed in dark ceremonial robes, the pack’s insignia embroidered across my chest, marking my family lineage.

This was the path I had always known I would walk.

And yet, as I stepped forward, it still felt like I was walking into the unknown.

Music filled my ears as I stepped out into the night.

The energy was electric, laughter, cheers, and the rhythmic beat of drums echoing through the open air. The pack swayed and danced beneath the full moon, their excitement so tangible I could almost taste it.

Howls pierced the sky, a chorus of devotion and tradition.

As was the custom, most of the warriors had shifted into their wolf forms, standing guard in a protective formation around me, their new Alpha.

My gaze swept across the gathered crowd, scanning every familiar face.

I was looking for someone.

But she wasn’t here.

I reminded myself that she was not originally from this pack. If I chose her as my Luna, she would have to undergo training, learning the laws, the traditions, and the expectations that came with ruling beside me.

Before I could dwell on the thought, a voice broke through my search.

“I’m so happy for you, my Alpha.”

Zelda appeared at my side, linking her arm through mine before I could react. The excitement radiating from her was unmistakable, her smile bright enough for everyone to see.

“You have to behave yourself,” I warned, my voice firm.

Her expression faltered. With a small pout, she withdrew her arm, turning slightly away.

“After tonight, I can’t wait to be yours completely, to become your Luna.”

I ignored her.

Instead, I stepped toward the center of the circle where the pack had gathered, their expectant gazes fixed on me.

The Sage, the spiritual guide of the pack, moved beside me, his presence commanding silence.

“The Moon Goddess has blessed us with a leader,” his voice rang through the night. “One who was born to guide us through the trials ahead. War threatens our land, but he will bring peace. He has sworn an oath not only to lead but to protect, to serve, and to be a pillar for all who seek him.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.

“And as tradition demands,” the Sage continued, “we must swear the same allegiance in return. Every member of the Moonshine Pack, young and old, must pledge their loyalty, their strength, and their unity.”

A resounding howl filled the air.

One by one, the pack stepped forward.

They approached the Bowl of Unity, a sacred vessel placed before me, its surface reflecting the moonlight. Each member, warrior, elder, child, took the ceremonial blade and sliced their palm, letting their blood drip into the bowl.

I stood motionless, my heart steady, my resolve unwavering, as I watched them bleed for me.

For us.

For the future of our pack.

When the last drop of their sacrifice had fallen, it was my turn.

Without hesitation, I took the Blade of Unity and pressed its sharp edge into my skin.

Warm blood surged from the wound, trailing down my palm before dripping into the bowl, merging with the blood of my people.

As the final drop fell, I bent down, lifted the bowl, and drank.

The metallic taste filled my mouth, a symbol of the sacred bond between leader and pack.

A thunderous cheer erupted.

Wolves howled in celebration, voices rising in unity.

As I set the bowl aside, silence fell once more.

I turned to face them, my people, my pack.

“This is our vow of unity,” I declared. “My promise to serve and protect you with every ounce of strength in my body. You will be safe under my rule, and for every enemy that dares to threaten us, we will fight back. We will not fall.”

At that moment, the moonlight bathed me in its glow.

The emblem embroidered on my chest flared to life, pulsing with power. A symbol of the Moon Goddess’s acceptance.

The new era had begun.