The Alpha’s Rejected Bride
Chapter 17

"You'll come and see me, right?" I was frozen in my tracks, she wants to see me? What do I do? I can't be with her

Does she have any idea how torturous it is when I'm six feet within her? All I want to do is take her right there. That's why I have been avoiding her. I should just deny her request.

I can't find the courage to say no, so I just nod and almost sprint out of her room. Her scent is driving me

crazy.

Omg, I'm going to see her. What if Rex takes control and claims her right there? We can't! No, I can't risk

it.

I push the door to my office open, I find my brothers and Darren already waiting for me.

I glare at my baby brother "why did you tell her that?" I growl at him, however, he doesn't seem

intimidated. He looks comfortable sitting on the couch and the little s**t even his legs on my table. "She needs to know," he says

I shake my head. Only alphas can know that

The reason we can't tell the public is to avoid the panic of any sort from them... We can handle it

"You know this information can't get to the public right?" I plot into my sit, glaring daggers at Enol "But lady Lucy isn't the public," he says.

"She's no alpha either," I refute.

"She is the rightful alpha of the pride pack," he retorts. I growl at him.

"She is and our future Queen,"

"My foot," I growl

"Father already decided it," Jasper says. Oh, this was that old man's plan, I'm sure he's just happy her wedding failed.

"Well, I was informed formally by him and I refuse her,"

My brothers are glaring at

My brothers seem to be drawn to the little human, they care deeply for her and they haven't known her for more than a whole month!

Father wants me to marry Lucy but he doesn't understand the position I'm in. Mates are a distraction, they might target her just to hurt me and already, she's so fragile and delicate. I don't want any harm to befall her.

I don't want Lucy close, what if I can't protect her too? I'll just die. I'm not ready to accept her as mine yet my feelings towards her are so strong.

And besides, she's too Innocent to be with someone like me. I'm a murderer, and my hands are tainted with so much blood. What If she rejects me for that? It will hurt less if I'm the one to do it.

I feel sullen.

I get out of my suite and walk throw the quiet hallways of the castle. My legs are on autopilot, I told Lucy

I will visit her, I'm standing at her door. I raise my hand to knock but I can't.

Rex is growling at me in my head, he wants to see her, badly. I do too but I'm afraid I'll wait for more. I can barely hold myself from taking her these days. Earlier she is pressed against my chest, all I wanted was to cover her with my scent. I want everyone to know that she is mine but that's not the logical part of me speaking, it's my emotions and with the war that might come, I can't afford any emotions right

now.

I sigh and lean my head against the door. I'm sure the guards are surprised by my actions but they don't say a word, just standing in every corner like statues.

A few minutes later,

I turn on my heel and walk away from her and his intoxicating scent.

I go to the north wing of the castle, I swallow, it's been a while since I've been here. How is she? I don't

visit her as much because all the guilt comes back each time I see her. I failed her.

When am at the door, I contemplate leaving.

'Such a coward,' the wolf sighs deeply.

I don't respond to him. He just hates that he couldn't see his mate.

'I still can't face her, Rex,' I murmur.

'when you're ready then,' he says in a soft tone.

"Come in, Rayan," I hear her call me. The door opens and a maid bows. I'm still frozen about where I'm standing.

"Come in, please," she insists. Her voice is croaked. As I walk to the living area where she's situated, my heart is pounding loudly.

She smiles and stands up. She looks paler and frailer than the last time I came to visit which was eight months ago. Dad forced me because she has been wanting to see me for a long time.

I'm standing in front of her and a graceful smile appears on thin lips.

"My son,"

"Mother," I breathe. She stretches her arms to me and caresses my jaw gently. Tears are dancing in her green eyes and regret fill me, why didn't I come to see her sooner?

"My baby, my prince," she wraps her arms around me in an embrace. She is stroking my hair gently and I

"My baby, my prince," she wraps her arms around me in an embrace. She is stroking my hair gently and I relax to her touch.

My heart is full of joy being this close to her.

She pulls away and smiles.

"I miss you, why do you do this to me?" She asks.

"I'm sorry, I was busy with work,"

She shakes her head.

"You don't have to lie," she says

I chuckle.

"I'm not, it's just that-" she raises her slender finger to stop me.

"I'm just happy you're here," she's smiling softly.

"Please, sit," she says. I sit next to her ad I inquire about her health.

"How are you?" I ask. She inhales

"Every day is different, there are days I feel better and others like strength is escaping me and I can just die," she explains. I frown.

Seventeen years ago, my mother was bitten by a vampire so many times during a fight with one. She could have recovered but she was pregnant and hence refused to get the proper medical treatment because it meant she could have lost my baby brother.

And when she gave birth, the poison had taken root in all parts of her body. Now, she's struggling.

The Royal physicians are amazed that she has lived this long.

Vampires are not as strong as a werewolf but their bite is poisonous and fatal if not properly treated and thanks to our status and a warlock ally, Yadiel, an old dear friend of my mother, she has been able to live this long.

"Is something on your mind?" She asks gently noticing my sudden change of mood.

"You'll be fine, mother," I smile, and she nods.

She gets up and extends her hand to me.

I take it slowly and she pulls me up.

"Mom, you'll hurt yourself," I scold.

"Seeing you here gives me strength. Are you hungry, my baby?" I'm not but she seems excited so I nod.

"Great! I'll make you something to eat?" Her lady in waiting comes in hurriedly. She bows to us in respect.

"My queen, I can ask the chefs to prepare anything you want to have," she says. Worried that mom is going to cook

"Savannah I can cook, please let me," Mom insists. Lady savannah is looking at me with begging eyes to stop the queen but I shake my head saying I can't interfere. I love that she wants to cook for me. I always liked it when she cooks.

Lady savannah sighs in defeat and lets mom go to the island-styled kitchen. It's huge. I take a barstool and watch her.

As she cooks I'm smiling, mom is beautiful, she is tall and has long silky blonde hair that reaches her

waist and frames her face beautifully with soft nice features. Everything she does, she does with grace and elegance, even the simple act of cooking.

She is chatting away, and I'm content watching her. The maids are watching with happy smiles.

She opens the grill and pulls out the chicken but then she frowns.

"I don't like how plain the chicken looks," she frowns.

One of the chefs looks at it.

"My queen, I think we should add some broccoli and carrots.

She nods and puts them.

A few minutes later, the food is ready, mother, insisted on serving me.

"Enjoy," she smiles and sits across from me. She is watching me eat.

I push the plate away once I'm sate.

We leave the dining room and go to the salon, I sit on the white sofa across from my mother. She is

looking at me expectantly.

"What?"

"is there something you want to share with me, Prince Rayan?" I knit my eyebrows in surprise.

"Like what?"

With a flicker of her wrist, the maids that were in the scurry away.

"I talked to your father,"

"Um, okay? you are married, don't you talk every day" I chuckle. She scowls.

"He mentioned Lucy is staying with us and he thinks you can make a perfect match," I groan, frustrated

with this talk already. Every member of my family wants me to be with her but Father hasn't directly

talked to me about it.

"Not you too," I sigh.

"Come on, you need a bride before you ascend the throne," she says calmly. I can't be with Lucy, it's too dangerous.

"She's my mate," I confess, my mother's face lits up in excitement.

"oh goddess, I'm so happy! I can't contain my joy!" Mm looks genuinely happy.

"I want to meet Lucy, now!" she declares.

"I'm not accepting the bond," I whisper, her smile falters and she looks sad. I sit next to her and hold

both her hands.

"I want her but I can't be with her,"

both her hands.

"I want her but I can't be with her,"

"Don't do this Rayan, she is the werewolf future queen, chosen by the moon goddess herself!"

I open my mouth to speak but she cuts me.

"Just think about it, believe me, son, your mate will bring so much color and happiness into your life,"

she has a gentle expression on her face.

"Mom," I start but she only shakes her head.

"Think long and hard about it, Lucy is yours forever. I believe deep down that she's your missing piece now the moon mother herself has confirmed it," Mom is solemn, looking deep into my eyes, and I believe her words, however, I'm scared.

"Do you still remember Lucy from your childhood?" she asks and I nod with a smile. We visited her pack many times and we played together, but I don't think she can remember, she wasn't more than five back then.

"I will think about it, I should let you rest now," She nods. I kiss her cheek gently and pull her in a hug. "Thank you so much for coming to see me,"

I walk straight to my suite, when I reach there, I find Delish waiting in bed for me, but she is already fast asleep. I take a shower and lie on the couch in the bedroom.

My wolf takes over, Rex is running through the woods at an incredible speed. I can feel the morning breeze through my fur and I howl. I stop right at the border and scan my surrounding. Something feels wrong here. A familiar stench passes through my nostrils but I don't know who's, could it be a vampire? 'I think it is,' I leave my pack territory and follow the awful stench.

'Are sure it's a vampire?' I ask Rex, he is also confused because it's mixed with something else, maybe they trailed to cover it up but they couldn't from the sharp sense of a royal prince.

'I'm... I'm not too sure, He confesses. I keep following it. The fume is gone now. A rustle from the bushes brings back my attention. I sigh as a tall thin man emerges, he is wearing a long dark coat over his white long-sleeved shirt and black pants, and black pointed boots, his long raven hair is tied neatly. His piercing gold eyes are looking at me with intensity. He bows respectfully to me.

"Yadiel," I nod to the warlock.

"My prince," He says in his serious voice. " what are you doing here far from the territory?" He asks, looking around.

"What are you doing here far from my mother," I ask, he is always hanging around my mother.

"I'm no prisoner, I only stay by her highness's side because I wish it so and if you must know, I'm here to

pick some herbs for her tea, it helps in bone strengthening, and clears the blood from poison," He explains robotically without stopping to breath. I nod, indeed, he has some weird-looking roots or stems in his hands

"Don't come here alone, it's dangerous," He scoffs and waves his long finger

"I'm the most powerful warlock there is, I can protect myself just fine," Warlocks and witches are scarce. Unlike werewolves who stay in packs and vampires who are in covens, they mostly stay alone and claim territory, they protect that land from those who devour it. They don't like intruders, especially from their kind. Yes, they are quite selfish.

When my mother was 16 years old, she was running away from a vampire who was obsessed with her, it was Yadiel who helped her. They immediately formed a special friendship and ever since, he has not left her side. He is also there to guide her and like myself, blames himself for not protecting her.

"Young prince, what are you doing here?" He inquires. I sigh and turn, walking back. Hecate is following

behind, his steps are light and hardly touching the ground, what a show-off.

"I followed an unfamiliar fume," I sigh.

"That's reckless. Do you know how dangerous it is?" He sounds angry.

"Like you, I'm the most powerful wolf of my generation. I can very well defend myself and the city," I

answer.

"Indeed," I hear him say. We are walking in silence, I can feel his eyes boring me

"Say it,"

"Thank you for visiting Queen Astrid yesterday, her mood brightened a lot," I only nod, I want to visit her more often but seeing her condition makes me sullen. Goddess, I hate vampires, I will kill each one of them!