The Day I Was Rejected

Bree’s POV

I stared at myself in the enormous mirror as two maids circled me with pins between their fingers.

“Hold your breath, my lady.”

I sucked in as much air as my lungs could hold and the maid pulled the fabric around my waist but it still didn't fit.

She sighed.

“Again?” another maid whispered.

I heard her. They both knew I heard her but they didn't care.

“The dress was fitted three weeks ago,” the second maid muttered. “How much more weight could she possibly have gained?”

The first maid covered her mouth, pretending to hide a laugh.

I lowered my eyes as my fingers tightened around the bouquet in my hands.

Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I was marrying Crown Prince Adrian, the future Alpha King, the man I had loved since I was thirteen.

And somehow, against every expectation, he had chosen me.

“Stop talking about her.”

My sister's voice cut through the room and the maids immediately fell silent. She stepped behind me and placed both hands gently on my shoulders.

“You look beautiful” she said.

I looked at her through the mirror.

“Do I?”

“Of course” she answered.

She smiled.

Unlike the maids, she never made me feel like I had to apologize for taking up space.

My sister had always been beautiful with her slim waist, delicate features, long hair that fell perfectly down her back.

Standing beside her had always made me feel even larger, but she had never made me feel inferior.

“You're shaking,” she whispered.

“I'm nervous” I admitted.

“Don't be” She squeezed my shoulders. “Today, you're becoming the Crown Prince's Luna.”

A smile finally touched my lips. The word Luna made my heart race.

I had spent years imagining this moment. His voice promising that he would love me for the rest of his life.

Another maid crouched before me and tried to adjust the dress one final time.

“There” She stood. “It's as tight as we can make it.”

Her expression made the words sound like an accusation and I looked away. My sister immediately linked her arm through mine.

“Come.”

The doors opened and music filled the hallway. My heart nearly stopped.

Everyone was waiting, even members of the royal family.

And, at the end of the aisle, standing beneath the enormous silver-and-gold arch, was the man I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.

Crown Prince Adrian.

My heart fluttered. He looked magnificent.

My sister began walking me down the aisle and whispers followed me.

“She looks bigger than she did at the engagement ceremony.”

“I heard she had to have the dress altered twice.”

“Twice? I heard it was three times.”

Someone laughed and my cheeks burned. I kept walking, I refused to look at anyone, until I felt someone's gaze. Not the mocking gaze of the guests, it was something different.

I looked toward the royal family's seats and froze. Adrian’s twin brother, Alpha Lucien, was staring directly at me.

For years, he had barely tolerated my existence inside the royal mansion.

Whenever I entered a room, his expression hardened, whenever Prince Adrian brought me around, he would find an excuse to leave.

He had never liked me, not once. Yet today, his eyes were different.

He wasn't laughing or whispering. He was simply staring at me.

Our eyes locked and a strange chill ran down my spine then my sister tugged my arm.

I turned away to see the altar was closer now.

Adrian was waiting, my future husband. I reached him and sister placed my hand into his.

The officiant cleared his throat.

“Crown Prince Adrian, do you accept this woman as your chosen mate and Luna?”

My heart pounded and I stared at Adrian. He stared at me then smiled.

“Yes, I do” he answered.

My heaved a sigh of relief and just as the officiant was about to ask me, Adrian let out a loud laugh.

“I’m sure you wish I said that” he mocked. “Of course I don’t want her.”

The words echoed through the hall and my breath caught.

I couldn't even understand what I had heard.

“What?”

Adrian's smile widened.

“I said no” he repeated.

Everyone gasped and I stared at him.

“But...”

He laughed again.

“You really thought I was going to marry you?”

The hall erupted with whispers and my entire body went cold.

“Adrian...”

“Don't call me that!” He snapped, his voice was sharp. “You have embarrassed yourself enough.”

Tears filled my eyes.

“I don't understand” I said.

“Of course you don't” he replied.

His gaze traveled deliberately over my body.

“You spent the entire morning having your wedding dress altered because you couldn't stop eating, and somehow you still believed I would stand here and pretend to be proud of you” he continued.

Laughter erupted from somewhere behind me then another and another.

“Please...”

Adrian interrupted me.

“You want to know why I'm refusing you?”

I looked back at him and he turned toward the crowd.

“Because I already have the woman I want” he said.

My stomach dropped.

“What?”

He extended his hand.

“Come here.”

Everyone turned and when my sister rose from her seat, the world stopped.

“No, no, that isn't possible” I shook my head.

Adrian smiled.

“She is the woman I love” he said.

Slowly, she stepped toward him and I couldn't breathe.

My beautiful, perfect sister who had always supported me was part of this humiliating betrayal.

My knees weakened.

“Why?”

The word barely escaped my lips and my sister looked at me.

“Maybe you should have opened your eyes to what was obviously in front of you” she said.

My heart broke then I stepped toward Adrian.

“Please. We can talk about this” I begged.

He stepped backward and when I reached for him, he pushed me hard onto the marble floor.

The room erupted with gasps and pain shot through my palms.

I looked up at him from the floor but he looked down at me as though I were something disgusting beneath his feet.

“Don't ever touch me again” he warned.

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

“Adrian...”

“You were never good enough to be my Luna” he said.

Another wave of laughter moved through the hall and I could feel myself shatter.

“Bree Shaw, I reject you!” He thundered.