5. You Don’t Deserve Everything

EVANDER’S POV

Sun rays spilled across the marble floor of my chambers, casting a brilliant, golden glow over the tangled velvet sheets.

I remained on my side, propping my head up with one hand as I watched Belisara sleeping beside me.

She yawned softly, her long eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks as she opened her gold eyes, squinting at the sunlight.

"Good morning, beautiful," I murmured, my voice deep and raspy from sleep.

Immediately she realized where she was, a pink blush rushed up her cheeks and she pulled the velvet sheets all the way up to cover her face.

"How long have you been staring at me?" She pouted and I chuckled.

"Not for long." I leaned down to caress her jaw, brushing strands of gold hair off her forehead.

She peeked from behind the duvet, her voice small and stuttering. "Your Majesty. . . I can’t be seen in your chambers. If anyone finds out—"

"Let them find out," I cut her off, pressing my thumb against her lips. "My mating ceremony will be announced soon, Belisara. And I want you to stand next to me. I want to make you mine."

A crushing sadness filled her eyes, and Belisara shook her head. "I can't, Evander. I can't." She tried to pull away from me.

"Why?" My grip on her waist tightened. "Don’t you want to be here with me?"

"The mating ceremony isn’t. . .a royal ball," her voice cracked. "They’d kick me out because I’m a wolfless Omega. Evander. . . you need a mate with a wolf. You need a pack bond."

"I don't care," My eyes locked fiercely on hers. "They all say you have no wolf, but since I met you, something in you has been beckoning to me. Can’t you feel it?"

Belisara’s mouth opened and closed but before she could argue, I removed my signet ring — a silver band engraved with Silvermoon’s crest—and slipped it onto her finger.

It was slightly too large for her, but the silver gleamed on her fair skin.

Belisara stared at the ring, her chest heaving as a single, tear trailed down her cheek.

"Everything feels like a dream," she choked. "It feels like I’ll wake up and everything won't be real. Evander. . . I’m so scared."

My heart broke at the sight of her tears and I gently caught them with my thumb.

"You’re not dreaming, and you don’t need to be scared." I seized her lips in a reassuring kiss. "I will always protect you. I swear it on my life."

— — —

BELISARA’S POV

Back inside my chamber, I stared at Evander’s signet ring on my index finger, and a sheepish smile tugged on my lips.

Oh Moon Goddess, Evander made me feel like a lovesick puppy, a feeling so sweet, it numbed my ache and for the first time since my father’s death, my heart was beginning to heal.

Abruptly, a sharp knock on the door shattered my thoughts and my smile quickly vanished as my anxiety crept in.

Slowly reaching the door, I opened it expecting to see Uncle Maloch, Morwena or Cressida, but instead a young Silvermoon maidservant stood there, holding a small parchment scroll.

"Lady Belisara," she said, bowing her head. "A message was left for you."

"Thank you," I murmured, and took the letter as the maidservant scurried away.

I broke the wax seal, unfolded the parchment scroll and read the letter.

"Meet me at the clifftop over the sea tonight. I wish to discuss an urgent matter with you." — Prince Evander.

Discuss an urgent matter with me? But why at the clifftop? He would’ve at least come to meet me himself.

"It’s okay, Belisara." I calmed my nerves, trying not to overthink it. Perhaps. . . Evander’s been busy after he hurriedly left for a Wolf Capital meeting this morning.

Smoothing the faint creases on my dress, I put a cloak over my shoulders, and strolled outside the palace to see him.

The path to the clifftop was lined with jagged rocks and shadowy pine trees, the earth steep underneath my worn-out flats.

The sea breeze whipped my blonde hair, and the roaring ocean waves crashed on the cliffs below, growing louder and louder with each step I took.

"Evander?" I called out, as I reached a clearing, and glanced around the barren, rocky peak for his tall frame.

"You are such a stupid, delusional cow, aren't you?" A venomous laugh sliced the darkness.

I twirled around in fear as a figure stepped out behind a tree but it wasn't Evander.

It was Cressida.

Her slender face turned sour, and she glared at me like I was a cockroach crawling on her pristine floors.

"Cressida?" I stumbled backwards, my heart dropping to my stomach. "What. . . what are you doing here? Where is Evander?"

"Did you actually believe Prince Evander would want to see you?!" Cressida sneered. "Have you even looked at yourself?! Like who would want a fat, disgusting dog like you?!"

"Evander wants me!" I snapped at her, and it shut her up immediately.

Cressida’s eyes narrowed. "If Prince Evander wanted you, why did he make love to me this morning and ask me to meet you here for an urgent matter?"

"No," I whispered, my hands turning cold as I clutched my cloak. "No, Evander wouldn't. . ."

"He was toying with you!" Cressida barked, and took a menacing step forward. "He only needed a little distraction before his mating ceremony, and you were so pathetic to fall into his game."

"No, stop please stop!"

"Prince Evander is done with you, Belisara. He wants you gone!"

"That's a lie!" I screamed as hot tears pricked the corners of my eyes. "Evander asked me to stay with him!"

The sharp memory of his skin on mine flashed through my mind and I squeezed a fist to my chest, unable to breathe.

"If he wants me gone, then I’ll have to hear it from him!" I turned to run back to the palace, but Cressida moved with speed, and gripped my forearm.

"I hate you so fucking much!" She yanked me to the edge of the cliff and my worn-out flats slipped on the loose gravel.

"Let go of me." I tried to fight her, but Cressida shoved me, and the ground disappeared under my feet.

"NO!" I let out a blood-curdling scream as I fell over the edge, my flailing fingers catching the rough edge.

I hung there, suspended over the terrifying sea that crashed hundreds of feet below.

"Cressida, please help!" I sobbed, as my fingers slipped from the cold, wet stone, the weight of my body dragging me down.

Cressida walked to the edge of the clifftop, and looked down at me with a dead stare.

"Should I pull you up?" a bitter smile curled on her lips. "I’m sorry, I don’t think I can pull your fat ass up."

"Cressida, we are family, you don’t have to do this."

"You always had everything I wanted, Belisara. but you don’t deserve everything." She grabbed my hand and pried Evander's signet ring off my finger.

"No, no, no!" I begged her, my remaining hand losing its grip on the edge.

"Go to hell." Cressida raised her high-heel and kicked me on the side of my head.

"AHHH!" Pain exploded in my head, my vision going blur as I plunged down the cliff.

"HELPPPP!" A scream tore out my raw throat, the mighty wind rushing past my ears, as my body slammed against trees, my dress ripping across the rocks.

I reached into the deepest spaces of my mind, trying to call out my Golden Wolf.

Come out! Please, come out! I’m going to die!

But I couldn’t shift. I couldn’t save myself and I

plummeted hundreds of feet down the clifftop, hitting the freezing, unforgiving sea.