Rejected Human

CHAPTER FIVE

The scent hit me like a tidal wave the moment I stepped into my quarters. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced—sweet, earthy, and utterly intoxicating. It pulled me in, overpowering every other sensation.

I froze in the doorway, my wolf stirring restlessly within me. Mate.

The word thundered through my mind, shaking me to my core. My wolf growled with need and frustration, clawing at my control, desperate to claim her.

But then I saw her.

She was standing by my nightstand, clutching a photograph of my mother and me in wolf form. Her hands trembled, her head bowed low, and her entire posture screamed submission.

A human.

Disappointment mingled with anger as I stared at her. This was the Moon Goddess’s plan? A human? Weak. Fragile. Helpless. She would bring nothing but trouble to my pack.

Her scent, though…

It clouded my judgment, making me want to cross the room, pull her close, and bury my face in the curve of her neck. I clenched my fists, forcing my wolf back.

“What are you doing here?” I growled, my voice colder than ice.

She startled, dropping the photograph and her duster to the floor. She scrambled to pick them up, her movements frantic, as though she feared I would strike her.

“I—I’m sorry, your highness,” she stammered, keeping her head down. “I was sent to clean. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

I could hear her heart pounding, rapid and erratic, and I hated how it tugged at something deep inside me. I stepped closer, towering over her, and her trembling grew worse.

“Get out,” I ordered, my voice laced with a growl.

She looked up, her wide eyes filled with fear and confusion. For a split second, I saw something else—a spark of strength buried beneath her terror. But it was fleeting, and she quickly bowed her head again.

“Huh?”

“Out!” I barked, letting my wolf show just enough to scare her away. My golden eyes burned, and my elongated fangs glinted in the dim light.

She bolted past me like a frightened deer, leaving behind a faint trace of her scent that refused to dissipate. I slammed the door shut behind her, leaning against it as I tried to steady my breathing.

“What are you doing, Lucian?”

My wolf snarled at me, his voice a harsh echo in my mind. “You can’t let her leave. She’s ours.”

“She’s human,” I said aloud, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “She doesn’t belong here.”

She’s our mate!

“I don’t need a mate,” I snapped, slamming my fist against the wall. “Not a human. Not anyone.”

But my wolf wouldn’t back down. His growls grew louder, more insistent, and I knew he wouldn’t let this go.

Reject her, then, he challenged. See how well you fare without her.

I gritted my teeth, pacing the room as my thoughts warred within me. The idea of rejecting her made my chest ache, but keeping her here would be worse. She would be a liability, a weakness my enemies could exploit.

I couldn’t allow that.

Resolute, I stormed out of my quarters, my footsteps echoing through the dimly lit halls. I followed her scent, my wolf whining in protest as if sensing what I was about to do.

When I found her, she was huddled on the floor, tears streaming down her face. Dani knelt beside her, trying to comfort her. The sight made my wolf howl with anguish, but I forced myself to focus.

“Leave us,” I commanded, my voice brooking no argument.

Dani hesitated, glancing between us. “But—”

“Now,” I growled, and she quickly rose to her feet, casting Sarah a sympathetic look before disappearing down the hall.

Sarah stood shakily, her red-rimmed eyes meeting mine for a fleeting moment before she looked away.

“Why am I here?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Why won’t anyone tell me the truth?”

I took a step closer, and she flinched. The sight of her fear twisted something inside me, but I couldn’t let it sway me.

“You’re here because your father sold you, remember?” I said bluntly. “You belong to this pack now, and you will do as you’re told.”

Her lips trembled, but she said nothing.

I stepped closer, my voice softening slightly but still cold. “Your purpose here isn’t for you to question, human. You will fulfill your duties and keep to your place.”

Her wide, tear-filled eyes flicked up to mine briefly before darting away. The raw pain in her expression twisted my insides, but I buried the flicker of guilt beneath my anger. I couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud my judgment.

“But why me?” she asked, her voice trembling but laced with a faint trace of defiance. “There are so many others. Why was I sold to you?”

The question caught me off guard, but I quickly masked my reaction. She didn’t know. The Moon Goddess’s cruel twist of fate hadn’t been revealed to her yet, and I intended to keep it that way.

“You were a means to an end,” I said coldly, my tone devoid of any hint of the turmoil raging inside me. “Nothing more.”

Her hands clenched at her sides, and I caught a flicker of that hidden strength again. “That’s not an answer,” she murmured, more to herself than to me.

“It’s the only one you’ll get,” I snapped, taking another step closer. “And you’d do well to remember your place. Challenge me again, and you’ll regret it.”

She flinched, stepping back until her shoulders hit the wall. I could see the fight leave her, replaced by resignation. It should have satisfied me, but instead, it made my wolf claw at my mind, enraged by her pain.

“Y-yes, your highness,” she whispered, bowing her head.

The title grated on me. I didn’t want her submission—not like this. But I turned on my heel, forcing myself to leave before my resolve cracked. Her scent clung to me as I stormed away, lingering like a brand I couldn’t shake.

Halfway down the hall, a voice called out to me.

“Lucian.”

I stopped in my tracks, turning to see Dani standing in the shadows. Her arms were crossed, her expression guarded.

“You can’t treat her like this,” she said, stepping closer. “She’s—”

“She’s nothing,” I interrupted, my tone sharp enough to cut. “She’s a human servant. That’s all.”

Dani’s lips pressed into a thin line, her golden eyes narrowing. “She’s your mate,” she said, her voice low but firm. “You can lie to her, but don’t lie to yourself.”

A growl rumbled in my chest, but Dani held her ground. “Leave it, Dani,” I warned. “I’ve made my decision.”

“And what’s that?” she challenged. “To reject her? To drive her away? Do you even realize what that’ll do to her—or to you?”

I didn’t answer, my jaw tightening as I turned and walked away. Dani’s words echoed in my mind, taunting me, but I shoved them aside.

There was no room for weakness. No room for a human mate.

Yet as I reached the balcony overlooking the pack lands, I found myself gripping the railing, my knuckles white. Her scent still lingered in my mind, a constant reminder of what I’d just left behind.

My wolf growled, restless and angry, and I knew this war within me was far from over.

The heavy door slammed shut behind Lucian, the echo ringing in my ears. My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor, my chest heaving with silent sobs.

Why was I here? What had I done to deserve this fate?

Dani’s earlier words replayed in my mind. “You can lie to her, but don’t lie to yourself.”

What did that mean? Lie to me about what?

A strange feeling crept over me—a gnawing sense that there was more to my presence here than anyone was willing to admit.

I wiped my tears, determination hardening my resolve. If no one would tell me the truth, I’d find it myself.

But as I stood, a strange noise came from the hallway outside my quarters—a low, menacing growl that sent a chill down my spine. I froze, my heart hammering in my chest.

The shadows beyond the door shifted, and then the handle began to turn.