CROWNED AFTER THE REJECTION

Chapter 4: The Disgrace Of Mooncrest

By morning, everyone knew what has happened.

I realized that even before I opened my door.

I heard voices from somewhere outside my window, low enough that the speakers probably believed they couldn't be heard. Under normal circumstances, I might have ignored them.

But after the last two days, curiosity had become a survival instinct.

So I decided to remained still beneath my blanket.

"—heard Mara say it herself." one said

"She shouldn't have said anything." Another said

"Why? One of them asked

Everyone already knows something is wrong with that girl." Another said.

Then a pause followed.

Then another voice.

"First the Alpha rejects her, and now some strange mark appears on her skin. Tell me does that not sound suspicious."

***

My eyes closed.

For the first time I felt so bad because, the newest version of me Mooncrest had created it overnight.

Yesterday, I had been the rejected mate.

And now this morning, apparently, I was suspicious too.

I waited until the voices moved farther away before getting out of bed.

And for several seconds, I stood beside the window, staring at the familiar territory below. Nothing looked different. Smoke curled from chimneys. Warriors crossed the training grounds. And Children chased each other between the houses, their laughter carrying through the morning air.

Mooncrest was still Mooncrest.

But something had changed.

Or perhaps it was only my place in it.

I looked down at my wrist.

The mark was still there.

I had checked it three times during the night, hoping I would wake up and find nothing but ordinary skin.

But instead, the silver symbol remained.

It curved delicately around the inside of my wrist, faint enough that I could hide it beneath my sleeve.

Royal bloodline!

The words had followed me into my sleep.

They had followed me into my dreams too.

But my dreams had offered no answers.

Rather, only darkness.

I saw a woman crying somewhere far away.

Then a crown lying on the ground.

And Damien's voice saying something I couldn't quite hear.

I had woken before dawn with my hand wrapped around my wrist.

Damien knew.... I whispered to myself

That was much obvious now.

Mara had recognized the mark immediately, and Damien hadn't looked surprised.

Rather he had tried to stop her from speaking.

Why? I kept asking myself.

***

I dressed slowly, choosing a dark long-sleeved shirt that covered the mark completely.

And for a moment, I considered staying inside.

The idea was tempting though, but I could avoid the whispers. Avoid Damien, and avoid the questions that seemed to multiply every time someone opened their mouth.

But hiding would only confirm what everyone already seemed to believe. I had thought.

They would think that I had been broken.

So I tied my hair back and walked out.

And the first person I saw was Lena.

She was waiting near the path outside my cottage with her arms folded across her chest.

I stopped.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her

She looked me over carefully.

"Making sure you didn't decide to disappear into the woods." She replied teasingly.

"I considered it." I said.

"I'm serious." She replied.

"So am I." I smiled.

Lena didn't laugh.

That was how I knew she was worried.

I walked past her, and after a second, she followed.

"You didn't answer me yesterday."

"About what?"

"Everything."

I glanced at her.

"That's a broad question."

"Good. Start anywhere." She insisted.

I almost smiled, but didn't.

We walked in silence for a few moments before she spoke again.

"What happened with Mara?"

My steps slowed.

Of course she would ask. I said to myself.

Lena had been there when Mara saw the mark. She had seen Damien's reaction too.

"There was nothing to tell."

"Rosalie." She called, trying to bring me back to reality.

Then I said, Mara said something about a royal bloodline.

Lena stopped walking.

I took two more steps before realizing she wasn't beside me anymore.

When I turned around, her expression had changed.

"She said what?" She asked in surprise.

I frowned.

"You heard her."

"I thought I misunderstood."

No, you didn't.

Lena stared at me.

"Rosalie, there hasn't been a royal bloodline among wolves for generations." She said.

"So I've heard." I replied.

"Then why would Mara say that about you?"

"I was hoping you knew."

She looked genuinely unsettled.

That didn't make me feel better.

Before I could say anything else, a voice interrupted us.

"Some people are desperate to be special."

Lena sighed.

I didn't have to turn around.

Marissa.

Again.

***

She stood near the path with two other women, looking far too pleased with herself for someone who had almost been humiliated by Damien yesterday.

I wondered if she had spent the entire night practicing new ways to irritate me.

"Good morning, Marissa," I said.

She smiled.

"Is it?" She asked

"For me? Not particularly. But I'm trying."

One of the women beside her laughed before quickly covering her mouth.

Marissa shot her a look.

I kept walking.

But unfortunately, she followed.

"I heard Elder Mara came to see you."

I didn't answer.

"People are saying she was frightened."

Lena stepped between us.

"People should learn to mind their business." she fired.

But Marissa ignored her.

Her eyes remained on me.

"Of course, I suppose anyone would be frightened if they suddenly discovered something strange about a rejected mate." She replied mockingly.

That stopped me instantly.

Slowly, I turned around.

"What exactly are you implying?" I asked angrily.

Her smile became innocent.

"Nothing."

"Then say nothing." I Fired.

Lena made a quiet sound of approval.

Marissa's expression hardened.

"You've become rather bold for someone who was publicly rejected two nights ago."

***

There were several people nearby now.

Watching!

Waiting!

And I could recognized the look.

They wanted to see whether I would cry.

And whether the humiliation had finally changed me into something entertaining.

On a normal day, I would have walked away.

Not because Marissa intimidated me.

But because arguing with people like her felt exhausting.

And today, exhaustion had lost the argument.

"You seem very interested in my rejection," I said.

Her lips curved.

"Everyone is."

"That must be disappointing for you."

Her brows pulled together.

"What does that mean?" She asked Furiously.

"It means you've spent years trying to get Damien's attention, and somehow I'm still more interesting than you even after he rejected me."

Lena choked beside me.

Marissa's face went still.

For one brief second, I wondered if I had gone too far.

Then she smiled.

It wasn't a pleasant smile.

"At least no one has to wonder whether Damien wants me."

The words found their mark.

I felt them.

That familiar pain returned, sharp and immediate.

Marissa saw it in my face.

Her satisfaction lasted only a second.

"You're right," I said quietly.

Her expression brightened.

I continued.

"No one wonders about you."

The silence around us was almost impressive.

Marissa stared at me.

Then she stepped closer.

"You're making a mistake."

"Probably."

My voice remained calm.

"But today doesn't seem like a good day for me to care."

Lena caught my arm.

"Rosalie."

A warning!

I understood it.

So did Marissa.

And for a moment, we simply looked at each other.

Then Marissa leaned closer.

Her voice dropped.

"Be careful."

I frowned.

It wasn't the insult I expected.

***

Her eyes moved briefly toward the pack house.

Then back to me.

"Some of us are wondering why Alpha Damien rejected you."

The question caught me off guard.

"What?" I asked in surprise.

"He could have simply rejected the bond. But instead, he's been watching you."

My body went still.

I hated that she had noticed.

Yesterday, Damien had followed me to the council chamber.

He had even tried to stop Mara from speaking.

And now this morning, despite telling me to stay away from him, I had felt his presence near my cottage before dawn.

Though I had convinced myself I imagined it.

But Apparently, I hadn't.

Marissa watched my expression carefully.

"You should ask yourself what you did to make the Alpha regret finding you."

Then she walked away.

Lena stared after her.

"I hate her." She said.

I watched Marissa disappear into the crowd.

***

Her words stayed with me.

Not because I believed Marissa knew anything.

I was the possibility that she had accidentally asked the right question.

Why had Damien been watching me?

And why had he looked so afraid when Mara mentioned the royal bloodline?

The answer didn't come from Damien.

It came from the people around me.

And by midday, the whispers had become impossible to ignore.

***

I went to the market because Lena insisted I needed food.

That had been her argument.

"You haven't eaten since yesterday."

"I had tea."

"Tea isn't food."

"It has water."

She had stared at me.

I had followed her to the market.

Which was a mistake. Because the moment we arrived, conversation shifted around us.

It wasn't obvious at first.

But people became quieter as we passed.

Some looked away.

Others didn't.

I tried to ignore them until I reached one of the stalls.

And the woman behind the counter smiled at Lena.

Then she saw me.

Her smile disappeared immediately.

"I'll take bread," Lena said.

The woman reached for a loaf.

"Two," I added.

Her hand stopped.

And for a moment, she looked uncertain.

It was subtle.

But I noticed it.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No." She replied.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.

She lowered her voice.

"Nothing, Rosalie."

***

Apparently, Mooncrest had collectively decided that nothing was the most useful answer to every question.

I placed several coins on the counter.

The woman didn't touch them.

Instead, her eyes moved to my covered wrist.

A cold feeling crept down my spine.

"What did you hear?" I asked.

Lena turned toward me.

I kept my gaze on the woman.

"What did you hear?" I asked again.

The woman swallowed.

"People are talking." she finally respond.

"About what?"

She hesitated.

Then someone behind us answered.

"About whether you're cursed."

I turned slowly.

An older man stood near another stall.

I recognized him.

Gareth.

He had known my father.

Once, when I was younger, he had carried me on his shoulders during the Moon Festival because I had complained that I couldn't see the dancers.

I remembered thinking he was kind.

Apparently, kindness had conditions.

Lena stared at him.

"What did you say?"

He didn't look at her.

His attention remained on me.

"The Alpha rejected you."

I said nothing.

"Then an ancient mark appears on your body, and Elder Mara nearly collapses after seeing it."

A few people nearby listened openly.

Gareth continued.

"Do you expect people not to ask questions?"

"No."

My voice was quiet.

"I expect people who don't know anything to stop pretending they do."

His expression hardened.

"I knew your father."

The mention of him made something tighten inside me.

"So did I."

"He was a good man."

"Perhaps he was."

"Then you should ask yourself what he kept from you."

The words hit differently.

Not because Gareth knew anything.

But because I had already been asking myself the same question.

My parents had died when I was young.

That was all I remembered.

An accident beyond Mooncrest's borders.

My father had been returning home with my mother when rogues attacked them.

At least, that was the story I had been told.

Could they have lied?

The thought felt disloyal.

So I pushed it away.

"Don't speak about my parents." I fired.

Gareth looked at me.

"I think you should start speaking about them."

Lena stepped forward.

"That's enough."

"No." I touched her arm.

My voice surprised even me when I continued.

"He's right about one thing."

Everyone became quiet.

I looked around at the people watching me.

"I don't know everything about myself."

My fingers curled at my sides.

"But neither do any of you."

Then I turned and walked away.

This time, Lena followed without speaking.

We had almost reached my cottage when she finally said, "You shouldn't listen to them."

I stopped.

She nearly walked into me.

"Lena." I called.

"What?"

"What if they're right?"

Her expression softened.

"About what?"

"What if my parents did hide something from me?"

She was quiet.

That silence hurt more than reassurance would have.

"You don't know that."

"Neither do I."

And for the first time since the mating ceremony, fear settled properly inside me.

Not fear of Damien.

But fear of humiliation.

And fear of the possibility that my entire life had been built around a story that wasn't true.

***

I was halfway through the afternoon when I realized someone had been inside my room.

At first, it was something small.

My drawer wasn't closed properly.

I stood beside my bed, staring at it.

I always closed it, that has been my habit.

And I remembered, my father used to complain that I was incapable of leaving anything unfinished. Doors had to be shut, Books had to be returned to their shelves. And cups couldn't be left on tables overnight.

I crossed the room slowly.

The drawer contained clothes.

Nothing valuable.

I opened it.

Everything looked normal.

Then I noticed my jewelry box.

It was sitting slightly farther back than usual.

A cold sensation moved through me.

I didn't touch it immediately.

Instead, I looked around my room.

Nothing else appeared disturbed.

The bookshelf remained organized.

My cloak hung where I had left it.

And the window was locked.

Maybe I was imagining things.

After the last two days, paranoia would have been understandable.

Still, I opened the jewelry box to be sure.

My mother's necklace was inside.

So I picked it up.

It was the only thing I had left of her.

A thin silver chain with a small crescent-shaped pendant.

I had worn it when I was younger, but eventually stopped because I was afraid of losing it.

Now I turned it over in my palm.

Something was different.

I frowned.

There was a scratch on the back.

No....

Not a scratch!

A symbol!

My breath caught.

It looked familiar.

Slowly, I pushed back the sleeve covering my wrist.

The silver mark beneath my skin glowed faintly.

Then I looked at the pendant again.

The same pattern curved across its surface.

I had never seen it before.

How?

Someone had touched this. I said to myself.

Someone had searched through my things.

And they had left the necklace behind.

A knock sounded at my door.

I jumped.

The necklace slipped from my fingers.

"Rosalie?"

Lena.

I exhaled.

"Come in."

The door opened.

She stepped inside carrying a basket.

"I brought food because apparently someone believes tea is a meal."

I forced a smile.

"Lena."

She stopped.

"What happened?"

I held up the necklace.

"Look at this."

She crossed the room.

"What am I looking at?"

"The symbol."

She leaned closer.

Her expression changed.

"That's the mark on your wrist."

"I know."

"Was it always there?"

"No."

I turned the pendant over again.

"Someone was in my room."

Lena stared at me.

"How do you know?"

"My drawer was open."

"Maybe you forgot—"

"I didn't."

The certainty in my voice stopped her.

She looked toward the window.

"Did they take anything?"

"I don't know."

We searched.

Every drawer.

Every shelf.

Even beneath the bed.

Nothing appeared missing.

That somehow made everything worse.

"Why would someone break into your room and not steal anything?" Lena asked.

I looked down at the necklace.

"Maybe they weren't looking for something valuable."

"Then what were they looking for?"

Before I could answer, something outside caught my attention.

A shadow passed beneath the window.

I froze.

Lena noticed.

"What?"

I moved toward the glass.

Outside, the path was empty.

No one.

I looked toward the trees.

For a second, I saw movement between them.

Then nothing.

"Rosalie?"

I stepped back.

"Someone is watching this house."

Lena immediately came beside me.

"Who?"

"I don't know." I answered worriedly.

She looked outside.

"Maybe it's one of Damien's guards."

I turned toward her.

"What guards?"

Her face changed.

Lena clearly hadn't meant to say that.

"What guards?" I asked again curiously

She sighed.

"I saw two warriors near the cottage this morning."

My stomach tightened.

"You didn't think to mention that?"

"I thought they were passing through."

***

Damien.

He had told me to stay away from him.

Then he had apparently placed guards near my home.

Anger pushed aside my fear.

I grabbed my cloak.

"Where are you going?" Lena asked.

"To speak with Damien."

"Rosalie, maybe that's not a good idea."

"It hasn't been a good idea since I found out he was my mate."

I pulled the door open.

Then stopped.

Something was lying on the ground outside.

A piece of folded paper.

My body went cold.

Lena moved beside me.

"Don't touch it." She said

But of course, I touched it.

She gave me an irritated look.

"What if it's poisoned?" she asked worriedly.

"It's just paper." I said

"That's not the point."

I unfolded it.

There were only seven words written across the page.

My eyes moved over them once.

Then again.

The handwriting was unfamiliar.

But the message was clear.

LEAVE MOONCREST BEFORE THE ALPHA'S ENEMIES FIND YOU.

For several seconds, neither Lena nor I spoke.

The afternoon suddenly felt too quiet.

The forest beyond my cottage seemed darker than it had moments ago.

I read the words again.

Leave Mooncrest.

Before the Alpha's enemies find you.

Not my enemies?

But Damien's enemies?

My fingers tightened around the paper.

Yesterday, Mara had called me part of a royal bloodline.

Damien had tried to silence her.

Someone had searched my room.

Now someone was warning me that Damien's enemies were looking for me.

For the first time, I wondered whether Damien's rejection had really been about me at all.

And that thought frightened me even more than anything else.

Because if Damien had rejected me to keep me away from something—

Then whatever was coming for me had already arrived.