All Chapters of The Rejected Plus-Size Mate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Elias's POVThe council room was stifling, the air thick with the scent of old parchment and the aggressive musk of five different high-ranking wolves. I stared at the map spread across the oak table, but the borders of Goldstone and the encroaching threats from the north were nothing but blurry ink. My mind was still four miles away, back in the dust of that village clinic. "The eastern perimeter is vulnerable, Your Majesty," Councillor Thorne said, his voice grating like gravel. "If we don't station at least two squads at the ridge, the Blackwood scouts will have a direct line of sight into the valley."I didn't answer. I was thinking about the way Elara had looked when she held those straw flowers. The way her eyes had brightened—not with the fake, polished shine of a noblewoman, but with a raw, pulsing vitality."Elias?" I blinked, realizing the room had gone silent. General Kael was leaning forward, his brows knit in concern. "Sire, I asked if you agreed with the deployment str

Elara's POV The atmosphere in Goldstone changed almost overnight. It was subtle at first—a lack of the usual snide whispers when I walked into the dining hall—but by the end of the week, the shift was undeniable. I stopped near the training grounds, watching a group of younger wolves. Usually, the smaller omegas were the targets of relentless teasing, but today was different."Hey, Elara!" a young boy named Toby called out, jogging over to me. He looked beamed, his shoulders held higher than I’d ever seen them. "Did you hear? The Alpha signed the new decrees. No more 'rank-shaming' in the barracks. I actually got to finish my drills without being shoved into the dirt for being thin.""I heard, Toby," I said, offering him a genuine smile. "It’s a good change. Long overdue.""It’s more than good," an elder named Martha added, joining us as she walked toward the village square. She patted my hand warmly. "In all my years, I’ve never seen the leadership take such a hard stance against th

Elara's POV The Goldstone charity festival was a blur of color, scent, and sound. Wolves from every corner of the territory had descended upon the central square—miners from the northern ridges, hunters from the deep woods, and shopkeepers from the urban sprawl. The air was thick with the smell of roasting meat and the underlying musk of a thousand different pack members. Instead of retreating to the safety of the royal dais or staying tucked away behind palace walls, I spent the afternoon on the ground. My boots were dusty, and my palms were slightly chafed from handling crates."Careful with that one, Elias," I said, pointing toward a heavy box labeled for the infirmary. "It’s mostly glass vials. If we lose the silver-root tonic, the healers will have my head."Elias grunted as he shifted the weight, his muscles bunching beneath his rolled-up sleeves. "I’ve survived three skirmishes and a council meeting with Isabella. I think I can handle a box of medicine, Elara.""I’m just say

Elias's POV The final signatures were a mere formality now. The ink on the alliance treaties was drying, and with every passing hour, the weight of my departure grew heavier. Goldstone was no longer just a diplomatic stop; it had become the place where I watched a woman transform."I leave in three days," I said, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears.Elara looked up from a cluster of pale roses, her fingers lingering on a thornless stem. The palace gardens were bathed in the soft, golden light of late afternoon. "So soon?" she asked. "I thought the council required another week for the trade provisions.""My father is impatient," I replied, stepping closer to her. The scent of jasmine and damp earth clung to the air. "And the work here is essentially done. But the thought of leaving... it fills me with a sadness I didn't expect, Elara."She turned fully toward me, her expression softening. "You've been a pillar here, Elias. It’s natural to feel a pull toward a place where you

Elara's POV The air in the palace felt thick, like the moments before a summer storm when the pressure makes your ears pop. As the servants hurried past me carrying rolls of silk and heavy silver platters for the final alliance ceremony, I stepped back against a pillar to stay out of their way.Nathan walked past me for the third time this morning. He didn’t even look my way. His eyes were fixed on a scroll in his hand, his brow furrowed so deeply it looked like a permanent scar."Nathan?" I called out softly. "Do you need help with the seating arrangements for the northern delegates?"He stopped, but he didn't turn around. "Not now, Elara. I have… matters to attend to. Ask Isabella.""Isabella is in the ballroom," I said, frowning. "She’s been there since dawn, and she seems—""Impatient. I know," he snapped, finally glancing back. His eyes were bloodshot. "We are all on edge. Just stay out of the galleries for now."He marched off before I could ask why. I turned toward the ballroo