The Wolf King's Betroth Mate

The full moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the gathered werewolves. Ryder, the Wolf King, stood at the center of the clearing, his piercing golden eyes that seemed uninterested, scanning the park of wolves. He scanned everyone and everything else but me, even though I stood right there in front of him. I stood there not moving, my long, curly raven black hair dancing in the gentle breeze. I was dressed in a flowing white gown, my hands clasped together in front of me. A closer look and one would immediately know I didn't belong there. Then suddenly, I felt Ryder's gaze linger on my face, and felt his eyes scrutinizing me. I know what he must be thinking, he must be thinking or rather scowling at the fact that a wolf from the minority clan has been chosen as his mate. The Moon Goddess had chosen me as his mate. We were supposed to be exchanging vows according to tradition and accepting each other as mates under the glowing moonlight. "I reject Ember as my mate," I heard him declare, his voice firm and resolute. The gasping from the crowd and low whispers didn’t even make me recover from the shock of Ryder's words. I tried hard to hide my emotions. I raised my chin with my hands clutched to the sides of my gown. “And may I ask why the king wishes to reject me?” I asked humbly. I could feel the tears threatening to flow out, but I couldn't let them. The whole ground went silent with my question and I saw the king’s eyes twitching at the corner. “Because I have the power to do so,” he responded nonchalantly. I wasn’t ready to lose yet, “So you are saying a king’s power places him above traditions?” I could hear my inner voice screaming in fear. He tilted his head and I saw a smile, or I just imagined, because it quickly disappeared. “Are you questioning my rule?” I quickly knelt down. "I wouldn’t dare my king." I heard him move so majestically, and he squatted right before me. "Why do you want to be my mate so badly?" Why did I? I also asked myself why I was choosing when I heard the prophecy. The minority clan was said to be very weak in power and were not pure blood, so why was I chosen? “I have prepared for this my whole life, your highness” I said meekly. I hated how vulnerable I felt, and I hated how the majority clan looked down on us. I wanted, no, I needed to be the mate of the king to protect my people. “Okay then” he simply said and stood up. “You can stay.” He walked away but he maintained his cold aura. I watched him walk away without looking back, the rest of the wolves silently dispersed. Some gave me a gentle bow or nod before walking away, while others looked at me with contempt. I silently exhaled, I could feel the adrenaline rushing with fear and anxiety. I felt a gentle tap on my shoulders and looked up to find a woman probably in her late fifties, looking at me with a worried expression. “May I help you, my lady?” She asked. “Thank you” I said as she helped me off the ground. She had short brown hair and had a nice maid’s apron on her. She had a sweet smile that calmed my nerves. “Sorry I am Ursa, your personal maid” she humbly bowed. “Oh, thank you”. I was a bit surprised. I didn’t think I would be given a maid since I had been rejected and the king clearly put me on trial for God knows how long. I let out a sigh of relief. I was exhausted from being anxious about the vow exchange. Now I don't know what exactly I feel anymore, but this wasn't about me but my whole clan. “May I escort you back to the King’s quarters?” Ursa offered with a gentle smile. “Yes please.” All I wanted was a hot bath and warm food. “He may seem very stubborn and cold-hearted, but he is a good king,” Ursa said shyly. “What?” I was surprised by what she just said. “He may probably be angry because, well, never mind that”, she sounded a bit nervous. "I don't want to say what I'm not supposed to." "I would appreciate it if you told me" I really could use any information to help me get closer to Ryder. "It would be our little secret" I winked at her. "Well, it might be rumors, but I heard he has...." She paused, looking really nervous as she clutched her apron. I gave her a gentle nod to go on. "He has another woman. I'm sorry if I overstep my boundaries." “Why are you apologizing for telling me the truth?” I managed to keep a calm composure. “Now I will feel at ease knowing why he rejected me.” I forced a smile, but I was hurting. We both turned to the sound of rustling leaves behind the trees and just when I thought it was the wind, a wolf shadow emerged. It was larger than other wolves and had darker colors of fur. And just before I could get a closer look, it transformed into a human. Ryder, I felt my heart skip a beat. He looked more handsome with his hair ruffled and the simple shirt and pants he had on. Wait, didn't wolves usually lose their clothing after transformation? “Taking your sweet time I see” Ryder’s cold voice jolted me, and then I felt a sense of anger pinging inside of me, but I gingerly bowed. “No my king” I felt those golden eyes studying me. “Ursa”, he shifted his gaze to Ursa. “Get her to the Western corner, it’s cold”, he simply said and walked away, disappearing behind the trees. ‘What was that?’ I muttered.