Three Times Rejected

"Should I handle this, Your Majesty, or would you prefer to?" The question hung in the air as she watched the Sovereign of the Shadowclaw realm, whose violet eyes, typically warm with devotion, now flickered with bewilderment. "Handle what exactly?" His brow furrowed as he struggled to focus on the melodious voice of the woman before him, his destined partner. Tonight's gathering loomed ahead like a storm cloud. This dreaded reception would consume the entire evening, bringing together pack Alphas, Betas, and their elite warriors from across the territories. Couldn't they postpone this spectacle and launch the month-long alliance initiative tomorrow instead? The Sovereign's mind wandered through his mounting frustrations. Her eyebrows arched upward as she examined his bewildered expression. "Interesting. You genuinely appear confused." Now thoroughly irritated, his brows drew together sharply. "Once more, what exactly are you referring to? And I don't believe you've introduced yourself?" The delegation had just materialized: pack Alphas, Betas, and their champion fighters, known as Sentinels. As their gracious ruler, his duty was to welcome them formally. Yet given the choice, this Sovereign would far rather be reviewing the mounting intelligence reports about rebel incursions accumulating on his desk. He couldn't afford to waste the night on pleasantries. If he moved efficiently through his rounds, he might still make it home in time to tackle three or four dossiers before sleep claimed him. But as he crossed the threshold into the assembly chamber, his frustration and barely concealed contempt for these ceremonies evaporated instantly. "I am Selene Winterborne, Your Majesty. Am I to understand you'll be taking the lead on this matter, then?" Her words carried the gentle quality of spring's first breeze after an unforgiving winter, soft light piercing through oppressive gray clouds, the promise of life returning to a frozen, darkened world. "Taking the lead on what?" His confusion was palpable, impossible to mask. He felt as though his mate had already distanced herself by ten paces when he'd barely taken one step forward. Upon entering the chamber, every wolf and shapeshifter present turned their attention toward him. They acknowledged him with nods or bows, yet he merely scanned past them. His instincts had locked onto an unfamiliar scent that had never before graced his senses, butterfly pea flower mingled with jasmine. The combination struck him as remarkable. His pace quickened as the fragrance intensified, pulling him forward like an invisible thread. He came to an abrupt halt behind a petite woman, barely five feet tall, with rich brown hair cascading in glossy waves halfway down her back. A single word resonated through his consciousness: mate. As the woman began to pivot toward him, his heart seized. Surprise registered on her features at his sudden proximity, and she retreated a step. The creature within him released a possessive growl: "Mine." Selene turned because she'd noticed the shocked expressions on her Alpha and Beta's faces as they bowed in her direction. Upon completing her turn, she found herself face-to-face with formal attire, a crisp white suit beneath a black jacket and the powerful scent of acacia wood mingling with pine filled her nostrils. Startled by how close he stood, she stepped backward to identify her observer. The realization struck her like lightning when she recognized the dark-haired man with sun-kissed skin and violet eyes as the Sovereign himself. She understood then why her pack leaders had reacted as they did. She too dropped to her knees, lowering her head in deference to the supreme ruler of all werewolves and shapeshifters. Warmth spread across her shoulders before she registered the electric sparks where his hands contacted her skin. To her alarm, she realized the man standing before her was indeed her fated mate, who spoke in his resonant, commanding voice: "That's unnecessary. Please rise. Don't bow before me." His words carried visible anguish and disapproval in his gaze. Though taken aback by the Sovereign's reaction, Selene couldn't ignore the looming reality of how their bond would inevitably conclude. "Here we go again," she thought grimly before voicing her question: whether he wanted her to initiate the rejection, or if he preferred to handle it himself. "Handle what, Selene? Speak plainly." His tone remained gentle yet insistent. Desperation and confusion clouded his eyes. She responded with measured calm: "Sever the bond, Your Majesty. Do you have a preference whether I proceed, or would you rather do it yourself?" The hope and vitality she'd offered him moments ago seemed poised to slip through his fingers as quickly as he'd discovered them. The Sovereign's violet eyes darkened to black as a thunderous growl erupted from deep within him, sending terror through everyone present. Silence descended like a physical weight. Following his explosive display of rage at what he'd just heard, he demanded in a low, menacing tone: "Why in hell would either of us reject the other?" Selene felt surprise register again, yet maintained her composure. She offered a slight shrug. "I'm uncertain. Perhaps it's because I don't fit your ideal, not suitable for you, not attractive enough. You may already have a chosen partner for your engagement..." Before she could complete her thought, her Beta interjected sharply: "Enough, Sel!" The Sovereign's eyes locked with the Beta's as he growled his disapproval: "I don't recall granting you permission to speak." The Beta and her Alpha companion immediately lowered their heads in synchronized apology. No sensible wolf would dare challenge a shapeshifter, much less the Sovereign of all Shadowclaw. The ruler redirected his attention to his mate. His expression softened somewhat as he observed how delicate and lovely she appeared. Why would she want to distance herself from him? He asked in a dangerous tone: "Who planted those thoughts in your mind?" Selene's eyes widened with sudden alarm. "Oh no, Your Majesty. That's not my meaning at all. It's simply... that's what my previous mates communicated to me either before or following their rejections, so I thought I'd offer you some insight into what I'm discussing." His furious eyes bore into her untroubled ones as he asked in a perilously quiet voice: "Do you desire to reject me?" She paused to consider. No one had ever posed this question to her before. "That's an incredibly complex question to answer, Your Majesty. I don't even truly know you yet. I acknowledge the mate bond exists currently, and I do recognize the sparks, but regarding whether I want the rejection... truthfully, I'm uncertain. But then again, what I desired never particularly mattered. My previous mates essentially decided for me. Either that, or they made my choice straightforward. I do favor an early rejection when no memories have formed yet, as it inflicts considerably less pain. Does that reasoning make sense, Your Majesty?" Darius responded with firm conviction: "Absolutely not. And cease addressing me as 'Your Majesty.' You are my mate, and I am yours. The mate bond exists now and for eternity. The connection will only intensify. Neither of us is severing anything." Fury resonated in his voice, but also something else, desperation. Desperation not to lose his mate when he'd only just found her. Desperation for her to accept him and remain with him indefinitely. She offered a single reluctant nod, biting her lower lip as she retreated into her own contemplations. He exhaled deeply. His eyes were gradually returning to their violet hue as his fingers reached for her chin, lifting it gently so their gazes could meet. "What occupies your thoughts, Selene?" His voice no longer carried anger, only tenderness and remorse. She hesitated before opening her mouth, then closed it again for reconsideration. A timid smile crossed her features as she gave her head a slight shake. "I was merely thinking about tomorrow's ceremony. Nothing more." "Selene," he said, his hand moving to caress her cheek. "I apologize for raising my voice at you. But please don't deceive me. Tell me honestly. What were you truly thinking about?" Her eyes dimmed as she looked downward, and Darius felt his heart constrict at her saddened expression. She composed herself before murmuring: "I cannot comprehend why you won't reject me." "Because you're my mate!" he whisper-shouted, though it achieved little in a chamber filled with creatures renowned for their acute hearing. Without question, everyone present had heard their ruler's declaration. "Understood." She spoke meekly, forcing a smile. No one needed to inform her that she remained unconvinced by his feelings toward her. Yet why would she question him? The mate bond supposedly signified love and dedication automatically.