Rejected By My Mate, Desired By The Alpha King のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 8

The kitchens of Ashbourne Manor smelled of tallow and burnt sugar.Katina Ashbourne had learned long ago that the smell of home wasn’t love but work, a constant reminder that everything she did within these walls was meant to serve someone else.She knelt before the massive stone hearth, struggling to coax dying coals back to life with an iron poker far too heavy for her slender wrists, sweat dampening the loose strands of dark hair escaping her braid while heat kissed her soot-stained cheeks.Outside, servants rushed through the corridors, preparing for the biggest night Ravenmoor had seen in decades: the Moon Bond Ceremony.Katina silently counted the hours, knowing there were only six left until the Moon Goddess revealed their destined mates…six hours until dreams came true or shattered forever.Behind her, Old Nessa stirred a pot of stew, her voice low and unhurried.“You’ll want to hurry, child.”Katina immediately straightened. “Yes, Nessa”.“The Lady wants Lady Katerina’s bath

The witch’s words lingered in the chamber as an uneasy silence settled over the room, and for one brief, fragile moment, Katina dared to hope that someone had finally seen the truth and that this nightmare might finally end.“What did you say?” Elder Thornwick stepped forward, his sharp eyes narrowing at the witch.The old woman’s trembling hand remained pressed against Katina’s chest, her cloudy white eyes staring into empty space as though she were seeing something no one else could. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely audible.“There’s already a seal.” She paused, swallowing hard before adding, “An ancient one. Someone sealed this child long before I ever touched her.”A murmur spread through the chamber as the Council members exchanged uneasy glances. Lady Ashbourne stiffened.“That’s impossible.” She answered too quickly, her tone firm and certain. “The girl has never shown any power. She’s weak, everyone knows she’s weak.”The witch slowly repeated the word, “Weak…” but

The upper hall looked completely different. Overnight, Ashbourne Manor had transformed into a palace worthy of royalty: deep crimson and black banners hanging beside the Ashbourne silver crest, long banquet tables stretching across the room beneath fine white linen, fresh flowers filling crystal vases and completing the lavish display.Servants hurried in every direction carrying polished silverware, trays of food, and expensive decorations, while the entire manor buzzed with nervous excitement.“Don’t just stand there!” A passing maid nearly collided with Katina, catching the silver wine pitcher before it slipped from her hands. “The Northern delegation will arrive within the hour,” she added, already hurrying away without waiting for a reply. “Lady Ashbourne wants everything perfect.”Katina stepped closer to the wall to avoid the rush of servants, her heart beating a little faster. Part of it was fear; the upper hall had never been a kind place, and today would be worse, with the r

The carriage was the finest thing Katina had ever sat inside, and she hated how much she noticed that.Quilted black velvet lined the interior walls, the cushioned bench beneath her softer than any bed she had slept in since childhood, the small brass lantern swaying gently from its hook above casting warm gold light across the space. Outside, the sounds of Ravenmoor grew quieter with every turn of the wheel, the familiar clatter of cobblestones, the distant bells of the city quarter, the noise of a place that had been her entire world for twenty-two years and she sat perfectly still, both hands folded in her lap, and watched it all disappear through the narrow carriage window without allowing herself to feel anything about it.She had learned very young that feeling things too loudly only made them hurt worse.The King had not joined her. His soldiers rode in formation around the carriage, black and crimson cloaks visible through the window whenever the lantern light caught them at t