TO MATE A MONSTER

CHAPTER 9

ETHAN’S POV

I avoided Elena’s eyes when I announced Julian’s name. But even without looking directly, I caught the change on her face. That spark of hope she had carried dropped almost immediately. That was exactly what I wanted. A part of me wanted her to feel the same sting she had given me. But when I saw the way her eyes dimmed, my chest ached. I pushed the thought away quickly and stood.

I left the court at once and went straight to my room.

A knock came only a minute later, and Julian walked in without waiting for me to call. She always did that.

“I wasn’t expecting you to take things this far,” she said, closing the door behind her. “I could have sworn you would have gone with her. But if I am permitted to say, my Alpha, you made the right choice.”

I sat back in my chair, still thinking of Elena’s face. Julian bent her head, a small smile on her lips. “You would have seen her expression when you said my name. It was so satisfying to watch.”

“Julian,” I said. “About the other day, you crossed the line. You should know better. I treat all my people with respect. Pouring cold water on him like that… it was out of character, even for you.”

Her eyes widened. She dropped to her knees instantly, head bowed so low that her hair covered her face. “I am sorry, Alpha. I don’t know what came over me. My emotions were all over the place. But I should know better. I will do well next time.”

I raised a hand and motioned for her to stand. “Enough. Again, you will not speak to her like that in front of the servants. Are we clear?”

“Yes, Alpha,” she whispered, rising to her feet.

“Good. Now go and get ready. We leave in an hour.”

She bowed again before leaving, her steps quick as though she was eager to escape. Alone again, I closed my eyes. Elena’s face when I announced Julian’s name kept flashing in my head. My wolf stirred uncomfortably, but I shoved him down. This was for a purpose. If I could not make her love me, then what chance did I have to ever mark her?

***********

ELENA’S POV

I dragged myself back to my room after court. I could not lie, this hurt. I was almost certain he would have picked me. I had even prepared for it in my heart. And yet, it was Julian.

I sat on the bed, burying my face in my hands. So much had changed in just a few days. Days ago, he was speaking about marking me, calling me his fated mate. Now he was cold, distant, a stranger again. His true self was showing little by little. Maybe I should have known better than to believe him in the first place.

“You see?” my wolf’s voice became faint and distant, as if she were speaking from far away. “You are not happy, now he is ignoring you.” Then her voice faded completely. She had gone silent again, leaving me alone in my thoughts.

I collapsed onto the bed. “What do I even do with myself now?” I whispered. “Should I just go back to my clan?”

I was about to drift into sleep when I heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” I said, rubbing my eyes.

The door opened, and Julian stepped inside. My whole body stiffened at the sight of her.

“Hope I didn’t wake you up, Elena,” she said, her tone was too sweet to be real.

I bit back my irritation, though my wolf stirred uneasily at her presence. “What do you want?” I asked plainly.

She came forward, smirking. “I’ll be gone with Alpha for three days. I was surprised when he didn’t choose you. You are supposed to be his fated mate, aren’t you? Maybe he’s beginning to have second thoughts. Maybe…”

I rolled my eyes and let out a sharp laugh. She was pushing, but I would not give her the satisfaction of seeing me angry. “What do you want? Or is the Beta of the strongest clan so jobless that she needs to stand here taunting me?”

Her smirk slipped. She raised her hand as if to strike me, but dropped it halfway. I stepped closer, just enough to unsettle her.

“Don’t let my pretty face and soft skin fool you, Beta,” I whispered, my voice now low. “I have defeated many warriors without making much effort. Try me again, and you will regret it. Get out, and don’t make the mistake of coming into my room again.”

I saw the fear in her eyes. She quickly turned and left without another word. I shut my eyes, breathing deeply, before falling asleep again.

****

I woke to another knock, louder this time. “Come in,” I said, sitting up.

One of the maids entered and bowed slowly. “Greetings, my lady. Alpha Lucas is here to see you.” With that, she left quickly.

Still groggy, I checked the time. I had slept for over two hours. I changed into something more proper before heading out to meet him.

Lucas stood waiting, arms folded, and a grin tugging at his lips. “He didn’t take you with him,” he said. “All for a man who claims to be your mate.”

“Whatever game you have ongoing, just be quick about it.”

“Greetings to you, too, Lucas,” I said flatly. “How did you even get to know this?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I am Lucas. I have my way around things. I’m here to take you with me. I know how much you’ve always wanted to see the tournament. So get ready. You’ll go with me. I’m even participating this year.”

My jaw dropped. “What? You hate that tournament. You’ve never joined it. You always said you had your reasons.”

“People change, Elena,” he said smoothly. “Now go and get ready. You don’t want to miss a thing.”

We arrived late, but still in time to catch the atmosphere. The tournament grounds were alive with firelight, voices, and the heavy smell of something I didn’t recognize. My heart raced with joy. I had waited for this moment since I was a child. Finally, I would see the Alpha Tournament.

I was still too distracted by the noise and excitement to see where I was going. My steps quickened, and before I knew it, I collided hard into someone.