The night everything ended

“No.”

I heard Darius’s voice. I froze.

No? No to what?

“I, Alpha Darias, son of Alpha Theron, refuse you, Elera as my Luna”

My thoughts stumble over each other, trying to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense.

Refuse me?

“Darius..”

I called, my voice was shaky. But he was already turning away from me.  I followed his gaze without meaning to and it landed on Selena.

Wait, Selena?

My brain did a double flip. The Selena who bullied me for years, the Selena, Darius protected me from.

“I choose Selena as my Luna”

She stepped forward like she belonged there. Like she knew this would happen.

The hall fell quiet for a second before a soft laugh followed,

“Ouch, after the time they spent together, in the end he chose Selena over her?”

I could hear the sound of fabric shifting, Someone was leaning closer to another

“At the end of the day he wasn’t foolish enough to settle for her”

One of the girls laughed out loud, unable to hold back. I felt a jab on my heart as my fingers curled slowly into my palms.

“Poor Elera, who will save her now?”

The first voice continued to say.

I didn’t want to hear anymore of their gossip, I wanted to open my eyes and see it was all a dream. I desperately reached for a reality that wasn't there. When I opened my eyes again, I could still hear their voices. The hall was still full with maidens in their best dresses, the moon still shone bright above us, it was still the selection day and I had just become a rejected mate. The last few months played in my head. Learning to step gently by walking on glass plates. I learnt to stay confident in the most fitted corset. Just so I could be enough for Darius.

“This isn’t how it works.”

I don’t remember deciding to speak. But the words just fell out of my mouth. Darius looked at me and said in his loudest possible voice,

“I will not be bound to you.”

It was clear like I didn’t hear him the first time.  Each word landed separately, taking its time to be etched into my soul.

I tried to speak again but I choked on my words trying to bear with the betrayal, trying to subside the bitter ache in my heart. Like the embarrassment wasn’t enough. The bond didn’t disappear. I  could still feel it burning, desperate to reach a mate that wasn’t reaching back.

Around us, the hall began to shift. Voices rose, and questions spilled over each other, disapproval turned into disbelief. I could still hear the voices of the gossiping girls.

My father stepped forward, and for a moment I’m grateful. Grateful that someone was doing something, standing where I can’t.

“This is an insult,” he said with undeniable anger.

I wanted to hold onto his voice. To anchor myself to it. But everything was slipping fast from my grasp.

“Then take it as one.”

Alpha Theron stepped in, “Your daughter is not a suitable mate for Darius”

I thought I was finally worthy, this was supposed to be the final step to my elevation. That was what I and Darius discussed. I felt a wave of pain in the pit of my stomach as the bond inside me twists. I fell on my knees unable to stand or walk straight. I heard the snapping sound crack and suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. But I couldn’t let it end there. I had to try. I had to snap Darius out of it. I crawled on my knees, desperate to reach him, desperate to be accepted. I couldn’t become a rogue.

“Darius..Darius”

I called frantically with my weak voice as I reached where he stood. Before I could say anymore, Selena kicked me with her shoes and I fell on my back. I could feel cold liquid trickle down my face from my nose. I stood up again, desperate for a chance. This time I successfully held Darius’s trousers.

“How dare you touch the alpha?” Selena barked from where she stood. I couldn’t care less about the damn rules,

“You just broke a rule! Where are the guards ? get her!”

She barked again and suddenly the energy shifted. Guards surged forward to get me. But before they could reach me, a deep warning growl echoed through the hall. Everyone turned to the direction of the growl and to my greatest surprise, it was Arden. Voices turned into shrieks as the girls hurriedly moved away to avoid any accident. As Arden’s Wolf lunged towards me with speed, the hall turned chaotic.

“Elara, stay back!”

My father’s voice barely reaches me.

I couldn’t stay back. If I did what would happen to Arden for shifting before the Alpha, what would be my fate for grabbing onto Darius.

So when he came, I didn’t resist. Until I thought of my parents, what would become of them? I turned to look. My mother was pulling my dad, I couldn’t see much because the crowd was swallowing them whole.

“Elara!”

It was my mum,

“Go on, we will join you!”

For a second, I was so unsure. But then I heard the sounds of bones cracking. Fur bursts through her skin and then my father. The guards stood standby with their arrows raised, waiting for Darius’s order. I prayed fervently that he would give me this one last thing.

Perhaps, the god was asleep.

“They are traitors, catch them by all means!”

He ordered.

Arden grabbed me and pulled me out fast.

“No!” I screamed as I heard the sound of arrows being released. I turned back and that was when I saw my father fall. It happened so fast I didn’t get to react.

“Go!”

My mother shouted. I couldn’t move and it was slowing Arden down. He was out of the crowd, heading towards the forest. I suddenly broke loose from his tight hold on me. I pushed back heading to my parents, hoping Arden would keep going.

The air was too thick, the scream of the people was too much. I could barely see, I couldn’t breathe properly. But I kept moving, I had to reach them.

I heard my mother’s scream as an arrow pierced her heart. I was late, too late.

It felt wrong. I still lunged forward, my mind refusing to accept what my eyes saw.

My mother…

Hot tears streamed down my face. The guards were facing me now, their arrows were up. The world kept moving.

But I already stopped, already surrendered, hoping Arden was safe at least.

“Kill her!”

Alpha Theron ordered. Immediately the arrows flew in my direction. I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain, but it never came. Instead I heard a loud thud. The sound of a body hitting the ground. I opened my eyes and Arden lay there already in his human form. Arrows pierced his back. Something inside me empties out, like everything I was has been pulled away all at once.

“Arden…”

My voice didn’t sound like mine.

He was gone. They were all gone.

And through it all, I could still feel him, the useless bond and the pain of his arrow piercing my heart.

He was standing there as I collapsed to the ground. If only I had a second chance.