The Alpha's Rejected Mate

Chapter 4 — The Morning After

The morning after the Alpha's decree, Eva woke before sunrise.

She opened her eyes slowly, staring at the cracked ceiling above her.

For several seconds, she couldn't remember where she was.

Then everything came rushing back.

The forest.

The rain.

The wounded stranger.

Adrian.

The bite.

The mark.

Eva sat up abruptly.

Her hand flew to her neck.

The mark was still there.

She pushed her hair aside and looked at it in the small mirror beside her bed.

The crescent-shaped mark had darkened overnight.

It looked almost like ink beneath her skin.

Eva touched it.

Warmth spread through her fingers.

Then, for the briefest moment, she felt something.

A heartbeat.

Strong.

Steady.

Familiar.

She pulled her hand away.

"No."

She didn't know why she had said it.

Perhaps because she didn't want to feel connected to him.

Perhaps because she knew she was already becoming attached to someone she was supposed to forget.

Forget me.

His voice returned to her mind.

Eva closed her eyes.

"You told me to forget you."

She whispered the words as if Adrian were standing in the room.

"So why can't I?"

A knock sounded at the door.

Eva quickly covered her neck.

"Eva!"

Her stepmother's voice.

She hurried to the door.

"What?"

"Get downstairs. There is work to do."

Eva sighed.

"Coming."

She changed quickly and went downstairs.

The moment she entered the kitchen, Catherine was already sitting at the table.

She looked different.

Excited.

Almost radiant.

Her mother stood behind her, adjusting the collar of her dress.

"You must look your best when we go to the palace."

Catherine smiled.

"I know."

Mary was sitting nearby, watching her sister.

"You're acting as though you're already the Luna."

Catherine laughed.

"Why shouldn't I?"

Mary rolled her eyes.

"Because there will be hundreds of women."

Catherine's smile faded slightly.

"None of them will be like me."

Their mother nodded.

"Exactly."

Eva quietly walked toward the sink.

Catherine noticed her.

"You."

Eva stopped.

"Yes?"

"Come here."

Eva looked at her.

"What?"

Catherine held out a dress.

"Wash this."

Eva stared at it.

It was a pale blue gown.

"I have other chores."

"You can do them afterward."

Eva took the dress.

"Fine."

Catherine smiled.

"Good girl."

Eva walked away without responding.

She had learned long ago that answering Catherine only made things worse.

But today, something was different.

She didn't feel as small as she normally did.

Perhaps it was because she had survived the forest.

Perhaps it was because she knew a world existed beyond this house.

Or perhaps it was because somewhere in that world lived a man who had looked at her as though she mattered.

She immediately pushed the thought away.

Forget him.

She had to.

At Black Moon Palace, Adrian had barely slept.

He stood in front of the enormous windows of his chambers, dressed in black trousers and a white shirt.

His eyes were fixed on the mountains.

Marcus entered without knocking.

"You haven't slept."

Adrian didn't turn.

"I don't need much sleep."

"That's not true."

"I'm fine."

Marcus sighed.

"You've said that a lot lately."

Adrian finally looked at him.

"What do you want?"

"Breakfast."

"I'm not hungry."

"That's unfortunate."

Marcus walked to the table and picked up an apple.

"Because I am."

Adrian stared at him.

Marcus took a bite.

"Also, the council wants you downstairs."

"Tell them I'm busy."

"They know you're avoiding them."

"I am avoiding them."

Marcus nodded.

"At least you're honest."

Adrian turned back toward the window.

"The selection begins in six weeks."

"Yes."

"I don't want it."

"I know."

"I won't choose someone simply because the council wants an heir."

"I know."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Then why are you here?"

Marcus took another bite of the apple.

"Because someone needs to remind you that the kingdom expects you to participate."

Adrian remained silent.

Marcus studied him.

"You're thinking about her again."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"No."

"You're a terrible liar."

"I said no."

Marcus smiled faintly.

"Eva."

The moment he said her name, Adrian's wolf stirred.

His eyes flashed gold.

Marcus noticed.

"You see?"

Adrian looked away.

"I told her to forget me."

"And yet you haven't forgotten her."

"I never said I had."

Marcus lowered the apple.

"What exactly happened between you two?"

Adrian didn't answer.

"Did she recognize you?"

"No."

"Did she know you were the Alpha?"

"No."

"Good."

Adrian frowned.

"You keep saying that."

"Because it is."

Marcus stepped closer.

"If the council discovers that you've marked a human woman before the selection, they'll demand that you bring her here."

Adrian's expression darkened.

"She has nothing to do with the selection."

Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"Are you certain?"

Adrian turned.

"What do you mean?"

"Your wolf."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

Marcus lowered his voice.

"You know as well as I do that wolves don't react like this without a reason."

Adrian said nothing.

Because he knew.

He had spent the entire night fighting his wolf.

And every time he closed his eyes, he felt Eva.

Her heartbeat.

Her presence.

The strange warmth of their connection.

His wolf had never behaved this way.

Not even once.

"She is human," Adrian finally said.

"That doesn't mean she can't be your mate."

Adrian's expression changed.

He didn't want to hear those words.

Because some part of him already believed them.

Later that morning, the council gathered in the throne room.

Adrian entered and took his place on the throne.

The elders stood.

"Alpha."

He nodded.

Elder Rowan stepped forward.

"The preparations have begun."

"For what?"

"The mate selection."

Adrian sighed.

"I haven't changed my mind."

"Neither have we."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

Rowan continued.

"Messengers have already been sent throughout the kingdom."

"How many women?"

"Several hundred."

Adrian leaned back.

"And all of them will come here?"

"Those who wish to."

"And the selection?"

"Each woman will be presented before you."

Adrian rubbed his forehead.

"This is ridiculous."

Rowan ignored him.

"There is something else."

"What?"

"The Moon Stone."

Adrian's expression changed.

The Moon Stone was ancient.

It had been used for generations to identify the true mate of an Alpha.

Every Alpha was required to stand upon it during the final ceremony.

If his chosen woman was truly his mate, the stone would shine beneath her feet.

If she wasn't...

Nothing would happen.

Adrian knew the tradition well.

"I don't need a stone to tell me who I want."

"You may not."

Rowan looked at him.

"But the kingdom does."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"Fine."

Rowan bowed.

"The first women will arrive within a week."

Adrian nodded.

"Then prepare for it."

The council members began leaving.

Marcus remained behind.

"You're really going through with this?"

"I have no choice."

"You always have a choice."

Adrian looked at him.

"Not when it concerns my kingdom."

Marcus didn't answer.

He knew better than to argue.

But as he walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that the coming weeks would change everything.

In Eva's village, preparations had begun too.

Catherine spent most of the day choosing clothes.

Her mother had brought out every beautiful dress they owned.

"This one."

Catherine held a deep red gown against herself.

"No."

Mary shook her head.

"Too much."

"What about this?"

A silver dress.

Mary shrugged.

"Better."

Catherine looked toward Eva.

"You."

Eva looked up from the floor she was sweeping.

"What?"

"Which one?"

Eva stared at the dresses.

She didn't care.

"Whichever you like."

Catherine frowned.

"That's not helpful."

Eva shrugged.

"I don't know anything about the Alpha."

Catherine smiled.

"Neither do you need to."

"What do you mean?"

Catherine placed the dress down.

"The Alpha is powerful. Rich. Handsome."

Mary laughed.

"You haven't even seen him."

"I've heard enough."

Their mother smiled.

"You could become Luna."

Catherine's eyes sparkled.

"I will."

Eva continued sweeping.

She didn't understand why Catherine's confidence bothered her.

Perhaps because there was something strangely familiar about the word Alpha.

She remembered Adrian.

His strength.

His golden eyes.

The way he stood strong after bleeding so much.

Eva's hand drifted toward her neck.

Could he be connected to the Alpha?

She immediately rejected the thought.

There were thousands of werewolves.

The chances were impossible.

She had never even seen the Alpha.

And Adrian had told her nothing about himself.

Still, something about him remained lodged in her mind.

A question she couldn't answer.

Who was he really?

That evening, Eva was sent to fetch water.

The village well was several minutes from the house.

She carried the bucket down the familiar path.

The sun was setting.

The sky was painted orange and pink.

For a moment, Eva stopped.

She looked toward the mountains.

Beyond them was the werewolf kingdom.

Beyond them was Adrian.

She wondered if he was thinking about her.

Then she shook her head.

"No."

She couldn't keep doing this.

He had told her to forget him.

She needed to listen.

Eva reached the well and lowered the bucket.

As she pulled it up, she suddenly felt dizzy.

The world spun.

She grabbed the stone wall.

Her breathing became uneveng.

Then she heard it.

A voice.

Not in the air.

Inside her mind.

Eva.

She froze.

The bucket slipped from her hand.

It crashed against the ground.

Water spilled everywhere.

Eva looked around.

"Who's there?"

Nobody answered.

She touched her neck.

The mark burned.

Then the sensation disappeared.

Eva stood frozen.

She knew that voice.

Adrian.

But how?

He was nowhere near her.

She hurried back home.

At the palace, Adrian stood in the training yard.

He had been sparring with three of his warriors.

All three were on the ground.

Marcus watched from the side.

"You've been distracted."

Adrian wiped sweat from his forehead.

"No."

"You nearly broke Liam's arm."

"He shouldn't have left himself open."

Marcus laughed.

"You've been doing that all morning."

Adrian ignored him.

Then suddenly he froze.

His hand went to his chest.

A strange warmth spread through him.

Eva.

He could feel her fear.

Her heartbeat.

For one brief moment, their connection became so strong that he could almost see her standing beside the village well.

Adrian closed his eyes.

"Eva."

Marcus immediately stood.

"What happened?"

Adrian opened his eyes.

"Nothing."

Marcus stared at him.

"You're pale."

"I'm fine."

"Again?"

Adrian looked toward the northern mountains.

Something was wrong.

He could feel it.

But he couldn't reach her.

And that terrified him.

That night, Eva lay awake.

She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened at the well.

She turned toward the window.

The moon was bright.

Beautiful.

She touched her mark.

"What are you?"

She whispered.

There was no answer.

But somewhere far away, Adrian stood on his balcony looking at the same moon.

Neither knew what the other was doing.

Neither knew that the bond between them was becoming stronger.

And neither knew that their worlds were already moving toward the same destination.

The Black Moon Palace.

The mate selection.

And a future neither had chosen.

Three days later, the first royal messenger arrived in Eva's village.

The entire village gathered in the square.

A black horse stood at the center.

The rider wore the silver-and-black crest of the Alpha.

He unrolled a sealed scroll.

"By order of His Majesty, Alpha Adrian Blackwood of the Black Moon Kingdom, all eligible unmated females are invited to present themselves at the palace for the selection of his Luna."

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Catherine's heart raced.

Her mother squeezed her hand.

Mary looked nervous.

Eva stood at the back.

The messenger continued.

"The first group shall depart in four days."

Catherine smiled.

Four days.

In four days, she would enter the palace.

In four days, she would meet the Alpha.

And she was certain he would choose her.

Eva looked down at her hands.

For reasons she couldn't explain, her heart had begun beating faster.

She touched the mark beneath her dress.

It was burning.

Somewhere far away, inside the Black Moon Palace, Adrian felt the same heat.

His wolf lifted its head.

She's coming.

Adrian's eyes opened.

He stared toward the village.

For the first time, he wondered whether destiny had already made its choice.

And perhaps the woman he had been ordered to choose...

was the very woman he had desperately tried to forget.