Rejected by the Alpha, wanted by a lycan.

chapter two

Anastasia is being shepherded through the palace's catacomb corridors on the hottest day of the year. Earlier on, after Evelyn left her room,she joked about diving into the lake to her maid, and when the news got to her father, he took it seriously and sent guards to her room.

She fidgeted as she followed them down yet another sun-soaked hall. She stopped and yawned helplessly, like someone who just woke up from a deep sleep.

"Stop yawning," Khalifa chided.

She dropped her arms and yawned again. "If I _let them all out now, s_stepmother, I w_won't have to do it in front of f_father."_

"Anastasia...!"

"You try mastering how to not stammer for weeks. You try waking up at dawn to have your hair brushed a thousand times," Anastasia countered, still stammering ."You try walking in a god's ransom of silk," she said, lifting her arms, but her sleeves were so heavy she could barely keep them raised. "Take a look at all these layers, stepmother; I could craft out a werewolf with the size of a Gemini."

The trade of smiles touched Evelyn's mouth. "The gods are listening, dear sister. You keep complaining like that, and your betrothed would turn out to be the worst of men."

'My Betrothed' The mention of it alone makes Anastasia's stomach ache. especially when it's coming from Evelyn, who was playing innocent.

All she wanted to do was walk around the palace, survey the cooking, try out new recipes, and walk around the pack-free area. Just one more day, she would be too married to do any of this.

"Then I'm d_doomed. He will be h_hedious!"

Her stepmother chuckled and nudged her forward. "Come on. No more complaining; we are almost here."

She rolled her eyes. Before she could emotionally get herself ready, the guards flung open the door, and one of her father's minsters announced, "Princess Anastasia, the eldest child, the only daughter of the late Luna, and the first daughter of Alpha Xander."

Dressed in a deep red gown made of a silky smooth fabric that flows elegantly as she walks, Anastasia made her way to the hall. The dress is firm and fits her body, with a scoop necklace that accentuates her graceful neck.

'You are going to be okay' her wolf murmured to herself as she heaved a sigh of relief.

Left for her, she would have wanted a peaceful life outside the palace. She even thought about living with humans since she was almost like them.

However, she had no choice but to please her father, who wanted a connection with a powerful Alpha. She wanted to please and at least get approval from her father. Even if it was a hug or a smile, she would be so satisfied, although she was so sure that there was no way this powerful man would be interested in marrying a stammering nerdy girl.

He probably hasn't found out yet; that's why he is here. There was nothing she had, especially, that could move Alpha Gabriel to choose her as his mate. .

***

If not for the pack elder's persistence, Gabriel wouldn't have set out on this journey. That particular morning, he walked arrogantly as usual to his office, mummuring to himself how much he hated being confined in that small room for almost the whole morning and part of the afternoon. He wanted something else. Something like going to war and bringing his enemy's head back to his people. He wanted that so desperately that he didn't even mind causing the war himself.

Alpha Gabriel opened his laptop to see mail from the pack elder's, but with a different heading. Normally, he says something like, "Your betrothal ceremony is in two days." And each time, he either deleted the mail or ignored it completely. However, it was different today. It said that his mother was sick and critical.

He rushed to his mother's chamber only to find her pleading with him to have mercy and allow her to see even just one grandchild before she dies.

It wasn't so difficult, in as much as it didn't require him to get tied down with a woman. His mother needed a grandchild and not a daughter-in-law after all.

"This. Sucks!" Alpha Gabriel murmured to himself loudly as his mean face waited for Anastasia to arrive after receiving warm, pretentious, and overly clingy greetings from Alpha Xander.

Anastasia raised her gown to climb the three steps before she could sit next to the man who was dressed like a groom.

"S_sorry? W_What s_sucks?" Anastasia furrowed her brows in confusion, wondering why the man sitting like a master in front of the whole pack like he owns it would dare to say she sucks.

"A stammerer?" A curious gaze was fixed on Anastasia's green eyes. A gaze that seemed to see straight into her mind. Alpha Gabriel looked at her like a beast about to devour fresh meat.

Anastasia hastily lowered her gaze. She could feel her face burning. She was utterly embarrassed. At least she thought her husband would be better and treat her differently.

Alpha Gabriel stared at her and whispered to her ears, "What made you think you would be my Luna?"You are in no way compared to Evelyn." Anastasia clenched her fist. She bit her trembling lips from the inside to avoid tears dropping from her eyes.

He stood up in front of the whole pack that had gathered to witness the ceremony and cleared his throat with a sighed. "I, Alpha Gabriel, reject Anastasia Williams as my mate and Luna. I do not want to have anything to do with you, no do I want to see your face ever again."

Anastasia spun away from the hall and pushed past the guards, who were too startled to stop her.

"Princess Anastasia!" Her maid yelled, "Princess!"

She shed her ceremonial jacket as she ran. The embroidery alone weighed so much, and freeing her shoulder and arm was like growing wings.

The sun's glare was stinging, but she didn't mind. At that moment, she wasn't thinking straight. She ran past the garden of roses. Her eyes were only focused on the sacred lake, which she had seen from the window many times.

Anastasia was panting by the time she reached the lake; even without the ceremonial jacket, her dress was so heavy that she could barely catch her breath.

However, without a second thought, she jumped into the sacred lake. Within some seconds, the folds of her dress wrapped around her tight, and she began to tire. The sky vanished from her sight as the lake pulled her down.

Choking, she floated to the surface. She wasn't a good swimmer, but this wasn't her first either. At that moment, she realized that it was easier to think of dying than to actually die.

The more she struggled, the faster she sank. Whorls of her long hair floated like a storm. Terror rioted in her gut, and her throat burned. Her pulse was thudding loudly in her ears.

Kicking furiously, she fought for air, but it was no use. She tried not to panic. Panicking would only make her sink faster.

For an instant, she bubbled to life. She kicked, trying to reach out to the surface, but she had no strength left. No breath.

And her heart gave one final thud.