Rejecting My Alpha Mate

Chapter 28

MAXWELL'S POV

Surprise was evident in her eyes because of what I said. What I said was true because while I was watching her earlier, my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest from how fast it was beating. I wanted to help her, I desperately wanted to stand up from my seat and bring her out of the arena when I saw that she was growing weak, but I forced myself to hold back. She's my mate, so my reaction was only normal.

She cleared her throat and averted her gaze from me.

"Are you really sure you're okay now?" I asked to make sure. Her opponent earlier was far too strong, and as time goes on, her opponents will only get stronger. What terrifies me is her next opponent, as it will surely be a future beta, future alpha, or future warriors.

Even though we are already guaranteed entry into the Lunaris Royal Academy, we still need to fight. I don't know if she can still handle whoever she'll face, so I just hope she's one of those who won't end up going against a future alpha, beta, or warrior.

"I'm fine, I managed to get some rest, and my wounds have already healed," she replied before standing up and offering me a faint smile.

The two of us stepped out of the school clinic. It was already night, and the Mooncrest Trial was over for the day. The surroundings were quiet since there were no more students around, except for a few school staff members.

"You wanted to talk to me? Is there something you want to say?" she asked me as we walked together. I looked up at the full moon, not knowing what the Moon Goddess had planned for us, but this isn't the right time to mark her, nor am I even sure if I should mark her at all.

'What the hell are you thinking?! She's our mate! We waited four years to finally meet and find her, and now you're having second thoughts about marking her?! Are you out of your mind?!' Apollo growled in anger. He wanted to force his way out again because of his fury toward me, but I didn't answer him.

"I'm just curious about your life, Selina. The former beta of the Shadowfang Pack adopted you, so do you ever want to find your real parents?" I asked seriously, looking at her as she didn't answer right away. The two of us just walked slowly, not really knowing where we were heading.

"The parents who raised me love me, but there is a part of me that wants to find my biological ones just to get some answers. Maybe they know why my wolf hasn't emerged yet or if I even have one at all, but whenever I think about how they abandoned me, leaving me alone by the river with no guarantee that I'd survive, why would I even bother looking for them? I can live even without a wolf, so I probably don't need to look for them anymore," she answered, and I could feel the pain behind her words.

What really happened to her during all those past years? Was she bullied by her peers just because she didn't have a wolf?

My jaw clenched as I remembered how Adrian tried to kill Selina. She's my mate now, but she used to be Adrian's mate too, and I want to kill that man.

"I know you're exhausted from everything that happened today, so why don't you go get some rest?" she said. I stopped walking and turned to face her, and though she looked back at me, she couldn't maintain eye contact for long.

I was glad she survived all those fights, but I couldn't help feeling overly worried about her for tomorrow. She hasn't fully recovered the strength she lost today, and with the Mooncrest Trial coming to an end, we're getting close to finding out who made it to the Top 10 of each pack.

"Are you really sure you're alright? Can you actually fight tomorrow?" I asked. She met my gaze once again.

"I don't really have a choice but to fight tomorrow, and whether I win or lose doesn't matter to me anymore because all I want is to be able to study."

"But promise me you'll give it your best in your fight tomorrow, because your opponent definitely won't be easy on you since it's your final match," I said, looking at her intently while she seemed confused by the concern I was showing her.

'You're worried about her, yet you still don't want to mark her? What the hell is wrong with you, man?' Apollo scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"I never dreamed of becoming a Luna someday, Maxwell, so I would completely understand if you rejected me as your mate. I only have one request, please don't hurt me if you don't want me as your mate. If you're not sure whether you'll mark me or not, it's better if you just reject me right now so that if the Moon Goddess gives you a second chance mate, you can find her right away." My jaw tightened at what she said.

She wants me to reject her right now? That isn't my plan. I'm just too confused at the moment, and I feel like this isn't the right time for both of us since we both still have responsibilities in life, so there's no need to rush anything.

'Tell her that you won't do to her what her asshole ex-mate did, tell her that we aren't like that Adrian guy, tell her!' Apollo snapped again. I knew how badly he wanted to claim Selina, but I just can't do that yet.

If she still doesn't have a wolf, can her body even handle being marked by her mate?

"I won't do that to you, because I don't play with women's feelings," I answered, resuming my walk even though we had no destination, and she followed behind me.

"You're going to be a great Alpha someday, so I hope you don't change and that you remain a good leader to your pack. The night is getting late, and I really need to head home, so you should go home too so you can rest since tomorrow is the last day of the Mooncrest Trial and I need to let my body recover," she said, bidding farewell, and I nodded along.

"I'll walk you home," I uttered, and we began walking toward her house. The two of us remained silent, but when I felt as if someone was watching us, I immediately went on high alert.

I took Selina's hand, causing her to look at me.

"What are you doing?" she asked, knitting her brows.

"Someone is watching us, so it's better that I'm holding your hand rather than you suddenly disappearing from my side," I answered sternly. Selina scanned our surroundings, but I couldn't see any trace of worry on her face. Is she already used to her life being in danger?

I wonder how many times she has been hurt because of those bullies.

I didn't let go of her hand until we reached her house, where we found her parents still in the living room alongside a woman I didn't recognize.

The woman glared at us with a furrowed brow, her eyes dropping down to our intertwined hands. She let out a dry laugh and cast a sharp glare at Selina.

"What did you do to Alpha Maxwell this time, Selina? Did you make him drink some kind of magic potion again just to seduce him, just like what you did to Adrian?"

'Who is that b***h?' Even Apollo disliked what that woman said.

Selina pulled her hand away from mine and stepped slightly back from me.

"I didn't make him drink anything, Ellaine," Selina simply replied before looking at me as if she was already exhausted from the woman's attitude. "Thank you for walking me all the way here, Maxwell, you should head back now so you can rest," she added, turning her attention to me.

"Stay away from that girl, Maxwell, if you don't want her to poison your mind—"

"Ellaine, that's enough!" her father cut her off. The woman, whose name turned out to be Ellaine, rolled her eyes.

"Dad! She's with another future alpha, and if anything happens to Maxwell, our family will surely be wiped off the face of the earth! I don't want to die just because of Selina!"

"That won't happen," I spoke up, addressing Ellaine, causing everyone to turn their gaze toward me. "Selina didn't make me drink anything, and if anyone between the two of you is more dangerous, it's you, Ellaine," I stated directly, leaving her lips parted in utter shock at my unexpected words.

I bade farewell to Selina and her parents before taking my leave.

'I want to slap that b***h's face, she looks more like a witch than our mate does,' Apollo remarked, his blood boiling because of Ellaine. I couldn't help but chuckle silently to myself, since the two of us actually manage to agree on things sometimes.