CHAPTER 1— ONLY TO SEE

Xavier looked down at her, gaze so different from before. “I want nothing to do with you…”

“But you said th—”

“Forget about what I said, it was all a lie… I wasn’t using Celeste, I was using you.”

The vulnerable look in Celia’s eyes hardened and even though her heart ached, she wouldn’t let him see. “It’s harsh, but it’s okay… I hope you didn’t think I’d crawl behind you like a lost puppy and beg for your love, because I won’t.”

“I’m glad, now if you’d just…just leave me the f*ck alone.”

***

Celia remembered those words like they were said to her just yesterday. It was on the day that she was set free from her prison cell, she had followed him outside only to be greeted by not a smile, but an expression of anger, of hate.

He had been staggering, he had looked so darn pitiful and weak that she wanted to help, but she had been too inquisitive…for as he said, he wanted nothing to do with her…

Why hadn’t he told her that before though?

Why hadn’t he rejected her the very first time they met in the forest —just outside the border— instead of smiling in her face? His eyes had been so gentle, his touch too. She knew he was a rogue, someone who could be dangerous, but somehow under his gaze, she had felt safe…

His handsome face had been so close to hers, his breath fanning her skin as he whispered…

‘Checkmate’

Celia was confused until his hand had hesitantly grabbed hers and sparks that had been unknown to her before flew. That day, she had been so lost in his beautiful hazel eyes that she had followed him home…

Now that was the part she regretted…if she hadn’t followed him home, then she wouldn’t have ended up in his bed and the euphoria she had felt would not be stuck in her head even today.

If she hadn’t followed him home, then she would’ve never betrayed her pack…he had spoken to her in a way that she understood, in a way that made her pity him. And so for him, she had betrayed her own sister and her own alpha and now after doing it all for nothing, she didn’t have the courage to go back.

If she hadn’t followed him home, then the hole in her heart would not have existed, this feeling of longing, the desire to have him; she wouldn’t be feeling any of that.

But she did follow him home, and that was something she could never take back. She wanted the love he had promised her, the days that would be filled with nothing but happiness.

She wanted the attention he’d give her…it seems he knew it was something she strived off of, so he pretended he could give all of his to her. She wanted his touch, wanted to see his smiles, but she would never beg him for it.

Then if so, why was she standing just outside the border of his pack land?

Why was she fully sprayed over with mask and dressed in full black?

Why was her heart pumping so aggressively against her chest?

Why…why was she here?

Three years have passed, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t forget him, so how in heaven’s name could she stay hidden behind the woods while her mate gets taken away from her?

Tonight was the day of the ball, she heard about it while buying herself a bottle of mask. The alpha king would have to choose a woman to love after three years of not finding his mate. A king could not rule without a queen beside him, it was something he had to do…but still…

How could he do it and know in his heart that she existed?

How could he think about other women when she couldn’t stop thinking about him…?

The sensual way he kissed her…

The torturous pleasure every single movement of his hips had put her through…

How in heaven’s name could he forget that when she couldn’t?

Did he really want nothing to do with her?

He couldn’t…but then again, if he wanted her, why hadn’t he once staked out to find her?

Celia wiped the sweat from her forehead, he didn’t want her which was why she was trying so hard to not want him and even though it’d be a torture to watch him choose somebody else tonight…she had to.

She was not going to force herself on him. She just wanted to see if he’d really do this to her…if he really wanted nothing to do with her.

She had a dress and a shoe in her bag…as soon as she made it inside without being spotted, she’d put them on and blend in.

She wouldn’t let him see her, after all he’s done, he didn’t deserve to.

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A/N// Woah! And it has began...I hope all my previous readers are still interested in reading!😩

Next chap we'll see my man Xavier!