The Princess He Rejected

Chapter 2

_Lily's POV_

The elderly pack member disappeared into the crowd before I could reach him.

For several seconds, I remained frozen where I stood. My heart was pounding loudly inside my chest. The silver mark had vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving me wondering if I had imagined the whole thing.

But I knew I hadn't.

I had seen it....and that old wolf had seen it too. The fear in his eyes had been real.

"What are you staring at?" Selena's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I blinked and looked at her. "Nothing."

She immediately narrowed her eyes. "Liar."

I sighed. "Something strange just happened."

"What happened?"

I glanced around to make sure nobody was listening. "I saw a mark on my wrist."

"A mark?"

I slowly turned my wrist upward. The skin looked completely normal now. "There was a silver symbol right here."

Selena examined it carefully. "I don't see anything."

"It disappeared."

Her eyebrows rose. "Are you sure you weren't nervous?"

"I know what I saw."

The certainty in my voice made her expression soften. "Okay. I believe you."

I appreciated that. Many people would have laughed but Selena never did. Before we could continue discussing it, a loud voice echoed across the ceremonial grounds. The head elder had stepped forward.

Immediately, conversations began dying down around us. Pack members took their places while servants moved through the crowd carrying trays of food and drinks. The mating ceremony would officially begin soon. Excitement buzzed through the air. For most wolves, tonight was the beginning of a new future.

For me, it felt like standing on the edge of a cliff. One step could change everything. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. Maybe the strange mark meant nothing. Maybe the old wolf had simply been startled by something else. It was possible that my imagination was running wild because I was nervous. That explanation made sense.

As the crowd continued gathering, Selena linked her arm through mine. "You know," she said, "this might be the last time I get to spend a normal evening with you."

I laughed softly. "What does that mean?"

She gave me a dramatic look. "If you become Alpha Ryder's mate, you'll be too important for ordinary people like me."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm serious."

"No, you're not."

"I am."

"You absolutely are not."

She grinned. "Fine. Maybe a little."

I shook my head. Talking to Selena always helped ease my nerves. Unfortunately, my peace didn't last long.

A group of girls approached from across the clearing. I recognized them immediately. It was Vanessa and her friends.

Of course.

What would an important pack event be without them finding a way to annoy me?

Vanessa smiled when she reached us. The smile never reached her eyes. "Well, look who it is."

Selena immediately groaned. "Go away."

Vanessa ignored her. Her attention remained fixed on me. "Lily looks beautiful tonight."

The compliment sounded fake.

"Thank you," I said politely.

She tilted her head. "I suppose you're hoping for a powerful mate."

"I think everyone hopes for a good mate."

"Not everyone dreams about becoming Luna."

The girls behind her laughed. Heat crept into my cheeks. I hated being the center of attention. Especially when that attention came from people like Vanessa.

"Maybe fate has other plans," Vanessa continued.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She shrugged casually. "Nothing. Just because someone wants something doesn't mean they'll get it."

Selena stepped forward. "Vanessa."

Her voice held a warning. Vanessa rolled her eyes. "What? I'm only being honest."

Then she turned and walked away with her friends. Their laughter followed them through the crowd. I tried to ignore the knot forming in my stomach.

"What is her problem?" Selena muttered.

"I don't know."

But the truth was, I did know. Vanessa had wanted Ryder's attention for years. Most of the pack's young women had. Unfortunately for them, Ryder showed very little interest in anyone. That mystery only made him more attractive.

As darkness settled fully over the pack grounds, torches illuminated the area with golden light. Music floated through the cool evening air. Children laughed nearby while older wolves chatted excitedly. From a distance, it looked like a celebration.

Yet beneath all the excitement, a sense of tension lingered in the air. Everyone was waiting for the same thing. Everyone was waiting for fate to reveal itself.

As conversations continued around me, my gaze drifted across the crowd until it landed on my parents standing together near the edge of the gathering. The sight immediately made me frown.

Neither of them looked relaxed.

My mother seemed anxious. She was twisting her fingers together as she scanned the crowd while my father stood beside her with a protective expression on his face. Instead of enjoying the celebration like everyone else, they looked as though they were bracing themselves for something.

The strange behavior I had noticed earlier hadn't disappeared. If anything, it seemed to have gotten worse.

"Selena."

"Hm?" she replied, turning toward me.

I gestured toward my parents. "Do they seem strange to you?"

She followed my gaze and studied them carefully for a few moments before slowly nodding. "A little."

"I knew it."

"What do you think is wrong?"

I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know."

The frustration in my voice surprised even me. For months, I had felt as though something was hidden beneath the surface of our family life. There was a secret somewhere, a truth nobody wanted to share with me and tonight that feeling seemed stronger than ever. For some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever they were hiding was connected to this day.

Before I could think about it any further, the head elder stepped forward and raised his hands for silence. The conversations around us gradually faded until the ceremonial grounds became quiet. Hundreds of wolves turned their attention toward him as he looked out over the crowd.

"My fellow wolves," he announced.

His voice carried easily across the clearing, drawing everyone's attention.

"Tonight we celebrate fate."

A loud cheer rose from the crowd and the elder smiled as he waited for the noise to die down.

"Tonight, new bonds will be formed, new families will begin and new futures will be written."

The cheers grew even louder.

I listened carefully but it was difficult to focus on his words when my pulse refused to slow down. Every passing minute brought us closer to the moment everyone had been waiting for. Soon, the ceremony would begin and soon, I would finally learn what fate had planned for me. The thought was both thrilling and terrifying.

As the elder continued speaking about tradition, loyalty, family and the blessings of the Moon Goddess, I tried to pay attention. Most wolves listened respectfully while others exchanged quiet whispers with those standing beside them.

My gaze wandered across the crowd before settling on Ryder.

He stood with a group of warriors a short distance away. He looked calm and completely in control. While everyone else seemed caught up in the excitement of the evening, Ryder appeared perfectly composed.

Realizing that I had been staring, I quickly looked away. Unfortunately, Selena noticed. A grin immediately appeared on her face.

"There he is."

I groaned. "Please stop."

"You were staring."

"I was not."

Her grin widened. "You absolutely were."

"I looked at him for two seconds."

"Which is exactly what someone secretly in love would do."

Heat rushed to my cheeks as I covered my face with my hands.

Selena laughed. "Relax, Lily. Everyone already knows."

My eyes widened in horror. "They do not."

"They do."

The panic on my face must have been obvious because she burst into laughter. "I'm joking."

I lowered my hands slowly. "I don't believe you."

That only made her laugh harder.

As the evening continued, the crowd relaxed and mingled while everyone waited for the ceremony to begin. Several older women stopped to speak with me throughout the night. Some wished me a happy birthday, others complimented my dress and a few asked whether I was nervous about finding my mate.

I answered politely while trying not to think about the enormous life-changing event waiting just ahead.

At one point, my mother approached me carrying a cup of juice. "You should drink something."

I accepted it. "Thank you."

She smiled softly. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then I finally asked the question that had been bothering me all day.

"Mom, are you sure everything is okay?"

Her smile faltered. "Lily..."

"You've been acting strange."

"So have you."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

She reached out and squeezed my hand. "You worry too much."

I almost laughed. The irony was incredible. "I got that from you."

A genuine smile finally appeared on her face. "That's probably true."

For a brief moment, she looked like herself again. The sadness that had followed her throughout the day seemed to disappear. Unfortunately, the moment didn't last. The smile slowly faded and a familiar shadow passed through her eyes.

My heart sank.

Whatever secret she was carrying, it was hurting her. I could see it every time she thought I wasn't looking. The problem was that I still didn't know what that secret was or why everyone seemed determined to keep it from me. Before I could ask another question, my father walked over to us.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes," my mother answered quickly.

My father looked unconvinced but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he rested a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"No matter what happens tonight, remember that we're proud of you."

The words should have comforted me. Instead, they made me uneasy. Why did he keep saying things like that? What were they expecting to happen tonight? And more importantly, what was I missing?

The questions continued circling through my mind as the evening wore on. The moon climbed higher into the sky, bathing the ceremonial grounds in silver light. The excitement among the crowd only continued to grow. Everyone knew the most important part of the ceremony was approaching.

Even the wolves inside us seemed restless and eager. Deep inside me, my own wolf stirred for the first time that evening. She wasn't fully awake yet but her presence was impossible to ignore.

As I stood among the crowd, my thoughts drifted toward futures I had imagined countless times before. Futures that felt impossible and yet strangely close tonight. A future where Ryder was my mate, where I stood beside him and we built a family together.

The dreams were probably foolish but I couldn't stop myself from having them. I had spent years secretly hoping for the impossible. Why would tonight be any different?

Suddenly, whispers began spreading through the crowd. Heads started turning toward the entrance of the ceremonial grounds. Confused, I followed everyone's gaze.

"What is happening?" Selena asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know."

The atmosphere around us shifted almost instantly. The excitement changed into something else. One by one, wolves stepped aside, creating a path through the crowd.

Then I saw why. A figure had appeared at the entrance.

It was Alpha Ryder.

But he was not alone. A beautiful young woman walked beside him and his hand was wrapped firmly around hers. The smile disappeared from my face. My heart dropped. The entire crowd fell silent. Beside me, Selena froze.

I couldn't breathe, think or look away.

The woman leaned closer to Ryder as they made their way through the crowd. They looked comfortable together....as though being at each other's side was the most natural thing in the world.

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. An awful feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as I watched them.

One question echoed endlessly through my mind.

Why was Alpha Ryder holding another girl's hand?

And why did it suddenly feel like my dreams were beginning to shatter?