REJECTION

A mate. Someone the Moon Goddess had deemed perfect enough for you to spend the rest of your life with. Someone you met when you reached the age of twenty three and watched your life become better with every second that passed. This someone, being Sophie.

It was his birthday, and nothing new had happened, but it didn't surprise him. Lior knew who his Mate was, the Goddess had been nice enough to show him her early, so he wasn't too bothered.

There were certain cases where most people did not meet their mates on their twenty third, like his brother, Lucas, but that didn't matter. He knew he was different. He knew the Goddess had seen how lonely he had been all his life and created Sophie just for him.

As he dressed, a fleeting thought passed through his head. What if Sophie wasn't his? But as soon as it came, it went away. That was, also impossible, and even if, the tiniest of ifs, she wasn't, he'd reject his Mate and ask her to be His.

Rejection of Mates were rare, but it happened and when it did, all bonds connecting that person to his Mate was cut off. From what Lior had heard, it was a painful experience, and anyone who had been unlucky enough to go through it, rarely survived the emotional damage.

Monsters. Lior thought people who did such a thing, disrespecting the Moon Goddess and hurting someone so deliberately, was a Monster.

Thank the heavens that his Sophie was nothing like that.

In minutes, he had his raven dark hair slicked back, while he wore a white double breasted suit and trousers, a gold chain hanging from the breast pocket to his collar and the family royal crest on the other left. Lior stared at his reflection. His hazel coloured eyes shone as he looked, his chest now heaving.

He felt like redoing his whole look. He could care less about his birthday, he never enjoyed being with people so much. All that mattered was making himself worthy enough in Sophie's sight. He knew he could never compare to the beauty, of course. Even John Whittaker had said it himself, when he found out Lily had been his Mate, he swore she'd reject him since he was hardly as attractive as she was but she thankfully didn't.

Lior spent another hour fidgeting when the door to his room opened and Lucas walked in, "Lior? Are you not done?"

The Crown Prince walked in now and Lior moved his eyes over his brother. In the ways that Lior wasn't, Lucas was. The thick muscles and chiselled jaws. The dark eyes and hair that seemed to give a dark aura to him, even though Lucas was someone everybody loved. Women couldn't help but stick to him.

Yet, he hadn't found his Mate.

"Nervous?" Lucas asked.

They weren't close, due to the fact that Lucas spent most of his time working and being his Father's pet, but whenever they were together, his older brother showed more care to him than their parents did. "I want everything to be perfect,"

"Perfection is overrated,"

"You'd say that, but you're already perfect."

Lucas said nothing about that. Instead, he walked to his little brother and ruffled his hair. Lior frowned at it. He had spent so long making it rest back, causing Lucas to chuckle and say softly, "No one is perfect, Lior, and I know I don't count, but whoever your Mate is, would love you for who you are. Flaws and all. So don't worry, everything would be fine."

He was right. Sophie loved him. Even though he was boring and uninteresting, she still stayed his friend. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome."

They headed down to the ballroom now. The Palace that already shone due to the bright lights and glass now glowed as he walked into the place. Everything had been polished to perfection, and everything was already set and in order. People had already begun chatting with one another, dressed in their finest and Lucas had been taken away immediately they got in. 

Once again, the appearance of so many people made him uneasy but when he spotted his best friends, he relaxed. "Hey,"

Ora had on a dark blue mermaid tail off shoulder  dress with her hair in a chignon while Kenji complimented her as well in a same coloured suit. "You look handsome, your Highness."

Lior made a face. "Please, don't call me that."

"Have you found your Mate?" Kenji asked, not bothering with the pleasantries. 

Ora placed a hand on her Mate's arm and smiled softly at Lior. "He's been anticipating this as much as you have. I suspect he didn't even sleep."

"I didn't sleep because you made me sleep on the floor," Kenji grumbled.

Ora turned to him. "Do I hear a complaint?"

Kenji's face suddenly brightened. "No, Ma'am."

Again, watching them made his heart sting again. They always managed to look so happy together, no matter what. It made him suddenly crave his Mate more than anything. "I think you have to excuse me, I—"

Then he paused.

Lior smelled it first. Honey. Something to milk and honey, with a touch of mint as well. His Wolf growled loudly at it, whining a second later as it begged Lior to let him grovel in the smell. He had always smelled things better than most, but this was new. It seemed like it was taking over his senses. Telling him that the only important thing to do, was find where it came from.

And he did.

Without telling his friends, he walked off, following the smell. Wordlessly, he pushed through the crowd of people, his heart pounding as he got closer. For the first time in his life, a flash of happiness hit him. Someone was finally going to want him. See him as important. Spend the rest of their life with him.

He was closer now, and eventually, he reached where the smell came from. Just six feet away, stood the most beautiful woman he knew. Her blonde hair were in waves that cascaded over he face, a pink tulle ballgown that accented the dainty colour of her skin and her blue eyes sparkling more than he had ever seen it.

Lior stared at Sophie like it was the first time he was seeing her. If he had thought she was beautiful, he thought she was gorgeous now, and though he didn't say anything, Sophie turned to him. At first, she looked like she wanted to wave but when she saw the look in his eyes, he watched the smile on her face die to one of terror.

His Wolf whimpered at the thought. Why was she looking at him like that?

He watched her storm through the people, getting to him faster than he had ever see her move and pull him along with her through the crowd. The contact hurt, because she was squeezing his wrist tightly, but he didn't mind. He was too happy at the time. She was His. She was his Mate. 

They reached an empty hallway now and Sophie finally let go of his hand. Lior instinctively rubbed at his wrist. "Soph—"

"Fuck!"

Lior's eyebrow rose at the word. She never cussed, no matter how angry she was. Why was she even angry? Did someone hurt her? By the Moon Goddess, if someone dared to—

"I'm —" She turned to him, eyes frantic. "I'm your Mate?"

Why was she acting like this? "Y-Yes. And I'm happy about it. I've loved you for so long—"

Then she scoffed. The frantic look was gone now, replaced with something close to disgust. "That's all you ever think about. Your heads always up in the fucking clouds. Waiting for someone to love you. You're so fucking pathetic, Lior."

Lior felt his heart crack at the words. He couldn't have head right. His Sophie wouldn't talk to him like that. Say something like that. She was nice, and wonderful. She was the best thing in his life. "If— If this is too early—"

"It's not too early," She said, sarcasm lacing her tone. "It's never happening. Goddess, I've spent half my life, having to tolerate you with your stupid child-like behavior, saviour complex, and fucking horrible sense of direction. Spending all of it with you, would kill me faster than a silver bullet would."

No. No, she couldn't. His heart was hurting now, like someone was twisting it expertly with ever word that left her lips. "Why— Why would you say something like that?"

"Because look at yourself, Lior!" She exclaimed. "You just... Exist. With no fucking ambition. Just moving around the palace like some... God, waiting for your Mate? Do you ever even wonder about what your future would like? Do you have any idea what the world out there is? Because I can assure you, it's not all cats and roses. It's not rainbows either. It's just— Pain, and darkness until you fight for what you want."

"And that's what I'm doing," She said, coming closer. "I will fight for what I want, and you, you will be the good FRIEND, that you are, and not say a word about this to anyone, do you understand?"

Lior didn't. How could he? He had so many things to say and nothing all at once. "Love is good, love is—"

"But I don't love you.!" She suddenly snapped. Lior felt his feet move back, his head shouting the word no all over and over. "There's nothing good about you! You're practically useless! I'm in love with Lucas. I always have been. I mean, think about it. He has potential, he knows what he wants, and he's the Crown Prince. I've always wanted to be a Queen as long as I can remember. If you truly care about me, want what's good for me, you'd let me be happy."

"Me," Lior felt tears brim to his eyes. "You're supposed to be happy with me—"

"I reject you,"

A small gasp left his lips before he could stop himself. "Sophie. No, think on it. Please—"

"Stop begging! How desperate can anyone be?! Just accept the rejection!"

"I...." He swallowed. Lior wanted to beg, crawl on her feet and beg till she took pity on him. "I can't, Sophie. I—"

"You're selfish," Sophie snapped now. Her blue eyes reminded him of diamonds. Ready to cut him into pieces the more he looked at her. "Do not, tell anyone about this. If you have one working brain cell in that stupid head of yours, you'd do as I say. Everyone would happier this way."

And she walked away.