The Rejection
"I am almost done, Luna." I smiled at the title she addressed me with, as I still wasn't used to hearing it, even though it's been years. The maid finally finished fastening the beautiful golden pin to my hair, and then she stepped back to admire her work. The two other maids were standing by the door as well, a small smile on their faces, admiring me, waiting for my approval.
"You look beautiful, Luna," the youngest of them said, her cheeks going red shyly.
"Thank you," I said, taking in my reflection in the mirror. The dress was a deep red gown, fitted at the waist and flowing all around me; it had golden embroidery detailed around the neckline and the sleeves. It was the formal ceremonial attire of a Luna, the same one that Kais's mother wore in the old portraits that were hung in Talon Hall, and now I was also wearing it.
My hand drifted to my belly. Not yet, but I will tell him soon.
“You are eight weeks pregnant.” the healer told me just three days ago. There and then, I made her swear not to tell anyone, because the news was only mine to share. I couldn't wait for Kais to find out. He was going to go crazy with happiness. Kais had always been a protective mate, annoyingly protective, so much so that he would rip out a male wolf's head when they came even a few metres close to me, and now I was carrying his child. He's probably never going to let me leave this room again.
"Luna," the head maid called. I turned. "The ceremony will begin soon. We'll leave you to finish preparing."
"Of course, thank you for your duty." They all bowed at me before they turned and walked out of the room, the door closing softly behind them.
I was left alone in my large chamber, staring at the unrecognisable woman I had become in the mirror. I was just an orphan girl who had lost the memories of her parents from the trauma of separation. The only thing I had left was my name and the clothes on my body, and now I was going to become Luna.
A scream from outside my window made me pause my thoughts. There was another one, which made me slowly walk to the balcony doors and push them open.
The expensive ceremonial grounds were in sight before me, packed with hundreds of wolves that had come to witness my official Luna ceremony. Kais and I were already fated mates, but this ceremony was going to officially seal everything.
The large Keldrian flags with the golden emblems fluttered in the breeze, and from a close look, everyone was standing, their eyes concentrated on something that was at the centre of the grounds.
I leant forward, supporting myself on the stone railing. Lhara, my best friend, was standing there, wearing the blue dress I helped her pick. Her usual warm face was pale, and her eyes were wide while she clenched her hands by her sides.
In front of her was Falco Snow, the son of one of the aristocratic packs in Keldria. The Snow House, and also one of Kais's strongest gammas. I knew Falco; he was a quiet, serious, but loyal man, and he usually kept to himself unless spoken to. He and Lhara got matched two years ago, and while they weren't passionately in love, they had learned to accept each other.
But something felt wrong.
Falco's lips began to move, and his voice echoed across the grounds, drifting up to the balcony into my ears.
"I cannot continue this bond."
His words hit me just as they hit the crowd, and I gasped together with them, my eyes going wide. Lhara was frozen in her position while I gripped the stone railing even tighter.
What the hell is he doing?
Falco's voice sounded hurt and painful, but they were steady and clear.
"I have done all I could for the past two years. I have tried endlessly, but I cannot remain mated to someone who does not want me. Someone who has never wanted me."
The crowd went quiet, like we were in a cemetery.
When Lhara finally spoke, her voice was barely audible. "Falco, please don't do this here. We can talk about this."
"No," he said as he shook his head, his eyes blinded by anger and pain. "We have talked for the last two years, Lhara, and every single time you promised to choose me, you never did."
"What are you talking about?" she stepped towards him, reaching her arms towards him. "I've always been a good mate to you, I—"
"Stop with the lies, Lhara."
He backed away from her.
Lhara's hopeful eyes dropped. My best friend of 12 years was watching her world shatter in front of her eyes. I felt hurt and anger for her. It was true that Lhara never loved him like I loved Kais, but she had never treated him badly either.
"I have tried as well, Falco," Lhara said as tears were now running down her face. "What more do you want from me?"
Falco laughed bitterly at the question.
"I want you to look at me the way you look at him and say my name the way you say his. All I want is to be your true mate, Lhara, not someone you keep by your side because you can't have him."
A murmur went through the crowd, and I raised a brow.
Him? Who was he?
Lhara's eyes went wide like she had been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to do.
"Falco, don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't let them hear? But they already know. I don't even have to say it, Lhara; everyone already knows because you've made it impossible to miss.”
“I haven't—"
“Kais.”
The mention of the name felt like I was dumped in ice-cold water. A soft murmur went through the crowd once more. It wasn't loud or surprising. It was more like confirmation, while I, on the other hand, completely stopped breathing.
"Kais Vaemond," Falco said the name, his voice loud and open for everyone to hear. "Our alpha, my alpha, and the man you've been in love with since before you ever met me."
Her face went as white as a paper, the same as mine. Her mouth opened and closed countless times, but she couldn't speak.
"You think no one knows?" Falco stepped closer to her, the crowd mirroring his movement. "I have seen the way you looked at him, Lhara, finding any sort of excuse just to be near him, talking about him like he's the only person you see."
"Don't slander me."
"This is not slander, but the truth." Falco stared into Lhara's teary eyes. She kept shaking her head, like she wanted to wake up from this bad dream, and so did I.
"I loved you." Falco's voice dropped. "I always loved you, and I thought if I waited just a little longer, you would eventually come back to me. But you never did, because I was never the one that you wanted." Single tears slid down Falco's cheek, and he instantly wiped it away.
The entire grounds went quiet, while I stood on the balcony, trying to come to terms with the fact that my best friend was in love with Kais, my mate. I wanted to say it wasn't true, but now that I think about the moments, the signs were all there for me to see, but I was blind. All the time that Lhara would laugh too long at something Kais said, or find excuses to be near him, or when she would defend him anytime we had a fight, I just thought that she was being a good friend because I trusted her. But it seems I was wrong.
Falco turned away from Lhara and back to the crowd, raising his chin. "I, Falco Snow, of the Snow House of Keldria, reject you, Lhara Greyjoy, as my mate."
The words were final, and it made the crowd gasp. Lhara made a sound like she had been shot. Chatter erupted; people started talking over each other. Some were horrified while some were satisfied. But I wasn't focused on any of it. I was only looking at Lhara, trying to process my own emotions. She was frozen at the centre, hot tears rolling down her face, while hundreds of wolves watched her life fall apart. All I could think of was that she wanted my mate.
I stepped away from the balcony, my heart burning against my chest. I need to find her, look her in the eyes and ask her if what Falco said was true.
Before I could make another move, a firm knock was sounded at my door.
"Rhia, are you in there?"
It was Uncle Beric's voice. I didn't move as I stared at the door. Outside, I could still hear the crowd murmuring, the sound of Lhara crying. The image I had of my best friend had just been destroyed in a few minutes in front of hundreds of witnesses, while inside the palace, Kais was waiting for me to complete our bond.
I took a sharp breath and walked towards the door.
