Chapter 5

Rose’s POV

The forest felt like it had stopped breathing.

No wind.

No sound.

Just the heavy silence pressing down on everyone.

My mind kept repeating the same words over and over again.

Lycan King.

The man standing in front of me… the one who had protected me just moments ago…

…was the Lycan King.

The most powerful ruler in the entire werewolf world.

Every werewolf knew his name.

Every Alpha respected him.

And every enemy feared him.

I had heard stories about him since I was a child.

Stories about his strength.

His ruthlessness.

The wars he had won.

The packs he had conquered.

But I never imagined that one day…

I would be standing right behind him.

My heart pounded violently in my chest.

Slowly, my gaze shifted toward Beta Marcus.

His face had turned pale.

Completely pale.

The confidence he had earlier was gone.

The warriors behind him looked even worse.

Some of them had already lowered their heads.

None of them dared to challenge the Lycan King.

Marcus swallowed nervously.

“Y-Your Majesty,” he said, forcing the words out.

Sunny didn’t react.

He simply stood there, calm and unmoving.

The silence stretched painfully.

Marcus cleared his throat awkwardly.

“We didn’t know you were here,” he continued carefully.

Sunny’s golden eyes finally moved toward him.

Cold.

Sharp.

Unforgiving.

“That’s obvious.”

His voice wasn’t loud.

But the authority in it made everyone stiffen.

Marcus forced a nervous smile.

“If we had known, we would have welcomed you properly.”

Sunny didn’t respond.

Instead, his gaze slowly shifted toward the warriors surrounding us.

They immediately stepped back.

One step.

Then another.

As if they were standing too close to a predator.

Which, to be honest…

They probably were.

Marcus glanced at me briefly.

Then back at Sunny.

“Your Majesty,” he said carefully.

“That girl is a member of our pack.”

Sunny’s expression didn’t change.

“Was,” he corrected calmly.

Marcus hesitated.

“Well… technically the rejection ceremony just happened tonight.”

“Yes,” Sunny replied.

“So you should thank your Alpha.”

Marcus frowned slightly.

“Thank him?”

Sunny’s lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile.

“For making the biggest mistake of his life.”

A chill ran down my spine.

Marcus clearly didn’t like that statement.

“With respect, Your Majesty,” he said slowly.

“The rejection is a private matter within our pack.”

Sunny’s golden eyes flashed.

“A private matter?”

“Yes.”

Marcus straightened his posture slightly, trying to regain his authority.

“Our Alpha has already rejected her. She is no longer his mate.”

Sunny looked almost amused.

“That’s not the part I’m concerned about.”

Marcus blinked.

“Then what are you concerned about?”

Sunny’s gaze slowly moved toward me.

For a brief moment, our eyes met.

Something strange stirred inside my chest again.

That same powerful connection.

Then he looked back at Marcus.

“I’m concerned about the fact that you think you can take my mate.”

The words echoed heavily in the air.

My breath caught.

Mate.

Even though he had said it before…

Hearing it again made my heart skip.

Marcus’s face darkened.

“With respect, Your Majesty,” he said carefully.

“She already had a mate. The bond has been rejected.”

Sunny shrugged slightly.

“That’s irrelevant.”

Marcus’s patience was clearly wearing thin.

“How is that irrelevant?”

Sunny’s voice dropped slightly.

“Because the Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes.”

The forest went silent again.

Marcus looked confused.

“I don’t understand.”

Sunny’s golden eyes gleamed under the moonlight.

“You will.”

Before Marcus could respond—

A powerful howl suddenly echoed from deeper within the forest.

My entire body froze.

I knew that howl.

Better than anyone.

My heart sank.

“No…” I whispered.

The sound of fast approaching footsteps followed.

Branches snapped.

Leaves rustled violently.

Then a tall figure suddenly stepped out from the darkness.

My chest tightened instantly.

Alpha Sunny.

His golden eyes immediately locked onto me.

And the look on his face made my stomach twist.

Anger.

Confusion.

Something darker.

“Rose,” he said coldly.

My fingers clenched slightly.

The pain in my chest returned.

Seeing him again…

It still hurt.

But something was different now.

Because this time…

I wasn’t standing alone.

Alpha Sunny’s gaze shifted toward the man in front of me.

The moment he recognized him…

His expression changed completely.

Shock flashed across his face.

Then disbelief.

“Your Majesty,” he said quickly, lowering his head.

The pack warriors immediately followed his example.

Sunny, the Lycan King, watched him calmly.

“So,” he said slowly.

“You must be the Alpha who rejected her.”

The tension in the air became suffocating.

Alpha Sunny straightened slightly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Lycan King Sunny tilted his head.

“Tell me something.”

“Yes?”

“Why?”

The question hung heavily between them.

Alpha Sunny frowned slightly.

“I don’t understand.”

“Why did you reject her?” the Lycan King repeated.

Alpha Sunny glanced at me briefly.

His gaze hardened.

“She’s weak,” he said bluntly.

The words hit me like a slap.

Even after everything…

It still hurt to hear him say it.

“She’s an omega who can’t even shift properly,” he continued.

“My Luna must be strong enough to lead beside me.”

The Lycan King’s expression slowly darkened.

“I see.”

Alpha Sunny seemed confident again now.

“With respect, Your Majesty,” he continued.

“This matter doesn’t concern you.”

The moment the words left his mouth…

The temperature of the forest seemed to drop.

The Lycan King’s golden eyes turned ice cold.

“Doesn’t concern me?”

Alpha Sunny hesitated slightly.

“Yes.”

The Lycan King suddenly laughed.

But the sound was far from friendly.

“You rejected her,” he said slowly.

“Yes.”

“You humiliated her in front of your entire pack.”

Alpha Sunny remained silent.

“And now,” the Lycan King continued calmly, “you think I have no reason to interfere?”

Alpha Sunny frowned.

“With respect, Your Majesty, she’s no longer my responsibility.”

The Lycan King’s smile returned.

Dark.

Dangerous.

“Exactly.”

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then the Lycan King stepped slightly to the side.

Just enough for Alpha Sunny to see me clearly standing behind him.

My heart started pounding again.

Because the look on Alpha Sunny’s face had changed.

His eyes widened slightly.

As if he was noticing something he hadn’t before.

Something about me.

Or maybe…

Something about the man standing beside me.

The Lycan King watched his reaction carefully.

Then he spoke the words that made the entire forest fall into stunned silence.

“Since you rejected her so easily…”

His voice dropped into a cold whisper.

“I think it’s only fair that I take her.”

My breath caught.

Alpha Sunny’s expression instantly darkened.

“You can’t do that,” he said sharply.

The Lycan King raised an eyebrow.

“Can’t I?”

Alpha Sunny clenched his fists.

“She’s still a member of my pack.”

The Lycan King’s golden eyes gleamed dangerously.

“Not anymore.”

Alpha Sunny took a step forward.

“I won’t allow it.”

For the first time…

The Lycan King’s smile disappeared completely.

The power in the air suddenly became suffocating.

“You’re in no position to allow or forbid anything.”

Alpha Sunny froze.

Then the Lycan King slowly turned his head toward me.

His gaze softened slightly.

“Rose.”

My heart skipped.

“Yes?”

He extended his hand toward me.

“Come here.”

The simple gesture made every wolf in the forest tense.

Even Alpha Sunny looked shocked.

My mind was spinning.

Everything was happening too fast.

Just a few hours ago…

I had been rejected and humiliated.

Now the Lycan King himself was offering me his hand.

My heart raced as I stared at him.

And somewhere deep inside…

My wolf whispered again.

This time louder.

Stronger.

More certain.

Mate. 🐺👑