LOGINHe rejected her in front of the entire kingdom. He crowned her rival queen. Then, he offered her as a sacrifice… to his father. Esmeralda had it all—or so she thought. The future queen. The beloved mate. A father who raised her with honor. But in a single night, everything crumbled. Thorne, the man who once kissed her scars and promised her forever, humiliated her before the entire werewolf court and handed her over as a traitor. Betrayed. Rejected. And pregnant. Marked as a disgrace, Esmeralda escapes into the wild lands with nothing but a heartbeat growing inside her and the ghosts of a love that was never real. But the wilderness holds its own secrets, including a pack of dangerous rogues and a cold, powerful Alpha who wants nothing to do with her. He saved her once. He regrets it already. Now Esmeralda must fight to protect her unborn child, survive a pack that sees her as a threat—and face the one man whose hatred burns as deeply as his stare. But what if the real enemy is the king she once loved? And what if fate still has a crown for her… just not the one she expected?
View MoreEsmeralda POV
“Hey baby. You look stressed, what’s the issue?” I asked Thorne as he entered our room, he wasn’t smiling at all. “Hey, I didn’t see you there. Shouldn’t you be with the women right now?” He asked me instead, staring at me with a little bit of unhappiness on his face. He doesn’t even look like he’s happy to see me at all. I frowned a bit at that, putting aside that thought. “I came back early because I wasn’t feeling well. What’s wrong with you though? Did something happen?” I asked him again. “Nothing much, I’m just stressed out. But what did you do that made you not feel well? I bet you all were just talking and all. What happens when you finally become queen then?” He asked me. My heart dipped a bit. For some reason, the words made me a little bit hurt. It was almost like he was invalidating my feelings. “I want to be left alone for the rest of tonight please, just stay out of my way.” He added, making me even more confused. Thorne never talked to me that way, he had never told me to leave him alone before. What exactly is going on with him? I didn’t miss the look on his face as he walked away. Was that disgust? I could have sworn that was what I saw on his face. But that’s not possible. It’s just not possible that he’s disgusted by me, it doesn’t make any sense to me at all. I badly want to believe that it’s my brain playing pranks on me. Maybe it’s because I’m not feeling well. Thorne has been the most romantic man I’ve ever seen and met. We met years ago, and I was over the moon when I met him. I've been longing to meet my mate since. I fell in love with him since the first day I saw him, he was everything I wanted in a mate and more. And although he’s the heir of the werewolf King. I pictured our future together and I just really want nothing more than to get mated with him already. The mating and coronation ceremony is tomorrow and he hadn’t failed to tell me how much he looks forward to that. I really expected him to be all smiles when he got home today but the attitude I got wasn’t expected at all. He was so happy with me before leaving, what happened then? “Thorne, what’s the issue?” I asked as I walked over to the room. I tried to open the door, only to see that it was locked from behind. He really doesn’t want to see me? “Look for something to do, Esmeralda. I’m not in the mood for you at the moment” He shouted from inside. That hollow feeling came again, I felt really hurt by his words. Just as I turned around, I heard the door to the right swing open. I walked towards it, wondering who came in without knocking. I got into the living room to see Aria, Thorne’s childhood friend and my biggest hater. She only spared me a glance, about to walk past me when I dragged her back. “Excuse you? You don’t barge into someone’s-” “I asked her to come, Esmeralda. She’s here to see me.” Thorne’s voice came on, cutting me off. “You heard that, bitch. Now get out of my way.” She slightly pushed me aside and walked past me. I was really stunned by her choice of word, and Thorne heard it clearly too but he didn’t say anything about it. Before I could say anything else, I felt bile rush up my throat and I ran towards the toilet. I dumped everything in my stomach into the sink as a very sick feeling washed over me. I rested my back against the wall as I tried to catch my breath. I felt really dizzy, my head light too. Thorne should have felt it already that I wasn’t feeling well, but he didn’t run through the doors to come to me. My eyes suddenly traveled to the pregnancy strip on the table. I had gotten one from the clinic earlier today. I slowly picked it up, nervousness eating at me. The fact that Thorne called for his female best friend while he asked me to leave him alone and they’re in the same room right now didn’t even freak me like the test. I waited patiently in the restroom as I waited for the result. I don’t even know the result I hope for. How will Thorne react? My heart missed a beat as soon as I saw the two pink lines on the strip. Maybe… just maybe this news will make Thorne happy. ~~~ Today was the day I become the Queen of the werwolf kingdom and also mate with Thorne rightfully. My makeup and hair has been done perfectly already, I could barely even recognize myself at the point. “I’ll go and grab the gown now.” My stylist said, referring to the regal gown that I’m meant to put on. It’s the gown that has been passed down from generations to generations and now I’m next in line to wear it. I’ve tried it yesterday for the fitting and the necessary fitting has been done already, now it’s just for me to wear it for the celebrating. As I was left alone in the room, I couldn’t help but think about Thorne. He still hasn’t said anything to me. I just hope that the news I want to break to him tonight cheers him up. The stylist rushed in with panic on her face, forcing me out of reverie. “There’s a problem, your highness. We can’t find the dress!” “What? How’s that even possible? You said it’s a very sacred dress and I can’t become queen without it.” I said back, my heart racing wildly in my chest. “It’s really sacred, and we’re way behind schedule at the moment. Everyone is waiting for you, we have to do something.” She said. “What do we do then?” My head had started to bang with the kings of thoughts running through it. I really can’t afford to mess anything up again, I don’t want to make Thorne more mad than he is already. “We have a backup dress, there’s one that you can wear. It’s just that a special rite will be done after this coronation.” She said. “Okay then, let’s do that. Let’s just get this over with already.” I said to her. We swung into action immediately, I put on the dress that looked like that one that I wore yesterday. The only thing was that this one felt lighter. Immediately we were done, I was escorted to the grand hall by some maids, I had been told that I’d only see Thorne when i get into the hall. Hopefully he’s over anything that’s going on with him already. The doors opened and the sounds of chatters filled my ears. Then suddenly everywhere went quiet as soon as I stepped in, Thorne stood at the altar with his father and mine at the front too. Nervousness was at the forefront of my mind. I walked over to where Thorne stood, a small smile on my face. Meanwhile he had a very stern look on his face, there was no hint of a smile or anything related to it on his face at all. “We welcome you all to the mating ceremony and coronation of the new king and Queen. May the both of you please step forward.” The announcer started. Thorne walked towards where I stood, but his eyes weren’t on me at all. They were on someone behind me. I turned and gasped. Aria. That’s Aria, in the same dress like I was. What exactly is going on right now? Is this a prank or something? “In opposition to what every one of you think or know, I’m not taking Esmeralda as my queen or mate today. I choose Aria as my Queen and mate instead.” Thorne spoke for the first time since I got here. My head went light, I pinched myself just to be sure that I wasn’t having a bad dream or something. There’s just no way this was real. “Esmeralda here and her father have plans of starting a coup and overthrowing my father, the king.” He announced then started walking towards me. “I hereby offer her as a sacrifice to prove my loyalty to the whole pack and my father, the outgoing king. I reject you, Esmeralda Knight as my mate. I give her up for my father.”Esmeralda’s POVThe borderlands did not look the same when we came back.What used to be tents and rough wood had changed.Stone walls were rising everywhere.Men were carrying blocks. Wolves were hauling timber. Smoke rose from fresh fires where builders worked day and night.A city was being born.I slowed my horse and stared.For a moment I could hardly believe it.Right in the center stood the Great Hall.Its walls were tall and wide, made from heavy gray stone. The roof was still missing, but the shape of the building was already clear. A huge circular space meant to hold thousands.Light poured into it from every side.Not dark like the temples in the south.Open.Alive.Hopeful.When we rode through the gates, people saw us.At first there was silence.Then someone shouted.“Alpha!”Another voice followed.“The Queen!”Suddenly the entire place erupted.They were cheering.Not just Royalists.Not just rogues.Everyone.Their voices mixed together until the sound filled the whol
Esmeralda's POVThe water was not just cold, It was warm a bit.It felt like a liquid silver was being poured into my veins, making me feel like I was hurnted by the black poison and burning it out. I screamed, but the sound was swallowed by the depths. I was sinking, the surface of the pool got further and further away until it was just a tiny pinprick of light. Let it go, I heard a voice saying in the depths. It was not the shadow-woman. This voice was old, ancient, like the shifting of tectonic plates. The pain, the betrayal, the crown. Let it all go, or you will drown in the weight of it. I began to see images of my life flash before me. Thorne’s sneer as he rejected me. The sound of the sword falling on my father’s neck. The cold nights in the forest when I thought I wouldn't survive. Each memory was a stone, dragging me deeper. I saw Aria laughing as she wore my dress. I saw the villagers' burned homes. I saw the blood on my own hands. "I can't," I gasped, the silver wa
Esmeralda's POVThe southern marshes are like a dream that you cannot wake up from. The air is thick with water. It smells like something is rotting. Every time my horse takes a step it sounds like it is sinking into the mud.I sat in front of Killian on his warhorse. He is holding me tightly. I can feel his heart beating fast against my back. He does not care that the other people are watching. He does not care what they think. He just wants to make sure I am safe."Just a little further Esme " he says softly. "We are at the trees."I do not say anything. I can feel something bad happening inside me. The black lines on my arm are getting worse. They are like a map of all the things that are happening to me. I can feel them pulsing with a beat. It is like the heartbeat of the marsh. The light inside me is going away. It is like trying to light a match in the rain.We get to a spot near an old tree. Killian helps me down from the horse. He is very gentle. When my feet touch the ground
Esmeralda POVThe man with scars. It was a nasty sound. It echoed through the burned village. He did not look like a man who was scared of a Queen. He looked like a man who was waiting for a reason to kill someone."A debt?" he said, making fun of me. "The only debt in this land is the one you owe for taking a throne that's not yours. Dominic was a man. You are a girl playing with things you do not understand.""Dominic was a parasite" I said, my voice low and angry.” If you loved him so much I would be happy to send you to join him."Lily and Marcus moved beside me. The air was thick with the smell of pine and anger. The five warriors behind the leader also moved, their mean faces filling the village."Do not kill the girl yet " the leader told his men. "I want her to watch while we hurt her friends. I want her to see what happens to those who follow a Queen."He jumped at me.I did not move. I did not need to. The power of the First Mother was inside me making my movements fast. Whe
Esmeralda POV My heart dipped as I heard those words, I felt weak from within instantly.“You’re right, I think she has held him down with a spell or something. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to shoulder the responsibility of a child he knows nothing about. There’s something wrong s
Esmeralda POVThere was pin drop silence almost immediately after she said that, I couldn’t wrap my head around what she said at first, I was so lost on what she meant at first.Killian was as confused as I was, he looked at her with a bit of confusion on his face.“Like you back? What do you mean?
Killian POVI walked away from them with Carson by my side. He wouldn’t stop mumbling about how he hated what Esmeralda just did. He kept pacing like a wounded dog, really angry that Esmeralda interrupted our conversation.Esmeralda, that name was ingrained into my memory like a bad habit, I’ve not
Esmeralda POVI swallowed thickly as he moved closer to me, no one has ever been able to evoke fear in me like this man does. And the craziest part? He doesn’t have to do or say much.After everything that Lily had told me since I got here, I just knew that he wasn’t someone to be played around wit






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