One

* * * * *

“I reject her. Now get her out of my sight.”

The Alpha King’s words lash out in the air like a whip, sharp and shocking. I’m kneeling on the dais, the black veil on my head blocking nearly everything from my sight apart from the view of everyone’s shoes.

I’m in the throne room, surrounded by all the Alphas of the land. Their laughter rings in the air as the King drops his verdict.

“I knew that girl was going to be rejected. She’s skin and bones.”

“And from what I heard, she might also be half-Human.”

“Silence!” The Alpha King commands, getting to his feet and staring down at me. The light moves over his face, giving me a glimpse of his handsome features. His gray eyes are practically glowing in the dark, but the rest of his face is still hidden in shadow. “Step away from the throne now. I have no need for you—”

“No.”

It just slipped out of my mouth. I clench my hands, surprised at my own daring.

But what else can I do? I have been prepped for this exact moment, bred and groomed for it. I’ve lived in a dungeon all my life, with no family and no friends. The only one I knew was a man everyone called ‘Disciple’. He was the one who trained me. He was the one who pushed me to go here.

“You’re meant to be the Luna Queen of this Terra Lycaon,” he always told me. “I will do everything to put you next to the Alpha King… and you will take me to the top with you when the time is right.”

I never really knew what that meant. But I’ve learned everything I could to be a good Luna.

That’s why the Alpha King can’t reject me.

“No,” I repeat, getting to my feet. However, I’m not quite brave enough to lift my veil. “I heard that all the eligible women must gather at the Capital to meet the Alpha King so he could choose his Luna. I have done nothing wrong. I know you talked to the other women, my King. Give me a chance, and I will prove to you that I’m worthy.”

Another round of laughter. This time, the sound pierces my ears. Shame burns at the back of my throat. But the Alpha King bore no humor in his face.

Only repulsion.

“Are you telling me what do to?” he asks me coldly. “Is that what you think makes you a perfect Luna? Who thought it was a good idea to bring you here?”

I don’t answer. I just swallow hard, glancing at the servant standing in the crowd. He’s the Disciple’s driver. He was the one who drove me here.

“That man?” The Alpha King follows my gaze and points at the man, motioning him to step forward. “Come here. Come take a look at the fucking disappointment you brought before me. Take her back to whatever dump you got her from, and never come back, yes?”

“Your Grace.” The driver bows. “I cannot do that. You see, she’s the most perfect mate you can imagine. She’s still very young, and you can mold her into whatever you please—”

“I’m not looking for someone,” the Alpha King growls. “I’m already betrothed! I’m merely waiting for my bride to come back! This stupidity ends now!”

“But my King,” someone from the crowd says, a man in a wheelchair, “there has been no word of your bride. They’re saying she might have fled—”

“NO!” He smashes one of the wine glasses onto the floor, letting it shatter in front of me. “Get her out of here! I will have them hang you for this insult!”

The driver starts to panic. “Alpha King, I only did what I thought was best for the land. You should have taken a mate when you turned twenty-one. The Alphas need to see that the line is secure, and I—”

“Fine. I will hang you myself.”

He tries to make a move towards the driver and I just knew deep in my heart that blood will be shed. I just can’t let it happen. Not because of me.

I get up, taking off the veil. The room is dark enough that I can’t make out their faces and I’m pretty sure they can’t see mine, but I can see the glint of the King’s golden crown. He freezes with his hand around the man’s neck, staring at me.

“I can be better than your bride,” I stammer. I clutch the skirt of my dress, scared out of my wits. “I will be a good wife to you. I swear, I will be your perfect mate!”

Silence rings in the room. Hope blossoms in my heart. Maybe he’s starting to consider. I take a step closer to him.

But he just snaps the driver’s neck like a dry twig, letting him fall down the steps heavily.

Dead.

Slowly, he walks towards me, and this time I can see the cold grayness of his eyes. Bright and dark at the same time, like a flash of lightning behind storm clouds.

“My heart is already spoken for,” the Alpha King interjects, and it shocks me to hear tenderness in his tone. Like he regrets even having this interaction with me. “I… reject you. No matter how many times you come back, I will reject you.”

My heart cracks. I step away from him, almost stumbling on the arm of the dead man. He sits back on his throne like nothing happened, and soon enough, his guards escort me out of the palace and back inside the car that brought me here. Everything is a blur, and I don’t even notice that I’m not alone in the car until it starts to move.

I turn my head, finding Disciple sitting across me. The car is moving fast. Way too fast.

“I-I’m sorry,” I murmur, tears falling down my cheeks. I throw myself at his feet. “I failed you now, but I can try again. Take me back to the Alpha King and he will give me another chance!”

His disapproval floats into the air before his words even come out.

“No, my child. I believe I’m done.”

I look up at him in shock. I want to ask him where he’s going to take me now, but he doesn’t even give me that chance. He puts his hand on my shoulder, and I almost expire in relief. Maybe he’s going to stop forcing me to become the Luna Queen. Maybe he has other plans for me.

“You won’t make me try anymore?” I ask with hope. “Maybe I can be a better fit for a normal Alpha. I know I can….”

I trail off, noticing the gleam of a blade in his hand. He brings it close to my chest, right above my hammering heart.

“I believed that you were the peak of what I can create,” he whispers, almost to himself. “I thought your Human mother will make you different. But you’re not. We’re done here. You’re done.”

I open my mouth to speak, but he plunges the blade deep in my heart. My eyes go wide with shock. I look down, and my white dress soon becomes covered in crimson. The car moves faster and I get thrown back. My hands fumble on the blade, but the pain stops me from pulling the knife out of my chest.

Disbelief still runs through me even as my life starts to fade away, even when Disciple opens the car door pushes me outside like a sack of garbage, left in the forest to rot.

I land on my head, and I feel it crack against a rock. But the pain doesn’t seem so bad anymore, even though I’m bleeding from two places now. In fact, it’s starting to feel like release. I close my eyes, feeling the wind blowing in the forest. I keep my eyes open for the last time, gazing at the stars and the full moon above.

I’m going to die… and this is the happiest I’ve been.

I close my eyes, ready for the end. But then a woman’s voice, soft and comforting, comes floating somewhere. Maybe in my mind, maybe in front of me. At this point, it doesn’t matter.

“Help me get her in the car! The girl is badly hurt… we need to save her!”

There’s another voice, this time a man’s. “But she looks like she can’t make it. Her head is hit. And that’s a knife on her heart. And isn’t this the area where the Wolves live? She might be one of them!”

“No.” The woman cradles me in her arms. “It doesn’t matter. We’ll save her, and she’ll live her life as a Human."