Chapter 10 Mate, Rejection

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, under the moonlight and away from the swirling music, Jacob wrestled with his own turmoil in the palace gardens. Lush blooms swayed in the soft night breeze, their perfume mingling with the crisp air of early summer. Silvery moonlight fell across the grass, illuminating Jacob's grimace as he knelt on the ground.

"Let me out," snarled his inner wolf, a voice only he could hear. Claws of pain raked through his mind. His transformation threatened to burst forth.

"No, not now," Jacob growled through gritted teeth. "I can't let you run rampant in the Alpha King's palace." His arms trembled, muscles corded with tension as he fought the shift. Droplets of sweat beaded along his temples.

Why did I lose control earlier? he asked himself. When I saw that woman in the banquet hall…

His wolf roared again, feral and insistent. "That was our mate. Why didn't you claim her?"

Jacob's heart constricted painfully. He remembered the moment he'd locked eyes with a mysterious tall beauty at the edge of the hall. She was so captivating, he admitted silently. But then, Prince Ezekiel had been there, praising her… Perhaps she was intended for the prince.

"I think she's… taken," Jacob muttered, breath shuddering.

His wolf howled. "You're a coward. She belongs to us, not that prince. Let me free."

Jacob's muscles seized, a faint ripple of fur trying to surface along his arms. His eyes glowed, halfway shifted. I can't let this happen here, he reminded himself, pressing his palms to the grass.

Suddenly, a new scent wafted through the air, calm and soothing—lavender touched by a hint of fresh dew. Jacob inhaled, the fragrance snapping his wolf's attention. She's here. His wolf stilled, every sense honed on the presence of that enthralling aroma.

"If you try forcing your way out," Jacob warned his beast, "I'll reject her on the spot."

A low snarl echoed in his mind, but the wolf grudgingly backed down. Jacob exhaled shakily, standing to brush dirt from his trousers. With his senses hyper-alert, he padded deeper into the garden, following that enchanting smell until he glimpsed her standing by a marble bench, face tilted to the moon. Ava. Somehow, he knew her name before she even spoke. Her hazel eyes shone with subdued longing, and when she turned, his heart kicked into a gallop.

They drifted toward each other like two halves of a magnet. "Mate," they murmured in unison, voices hushed by awe.

Heat radiated through Jacob's chest, his wolf thrashing with an urgent desire to claim her. He stepped forward, inhaling her comforting lavender scent. Ava's eyes fluttered. She felt equally drawn, her own wolf pacing and snarling in her mind, desperate for his touch.

Jacob tentatively placed his head in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. Ava trembled, her entire being electrified by his nearness. "Mark me," she whispered, goosebumps rippling across her skin.

A ragged growl of satisfaction escaped his throat. She's perfect, he thought, brushing his fingers along her jaw. He let his hand linger on her cheek, savoring the softness. "You're… breathtaking," he admitted. "What's your name?"

"Ava," she replied, voice hitching. "And you?"

"Jacob," he said. Their lips found each other in a tentative kiss, quickly blossoming into passion. The taste of her felt like home, and it ignited his wolf further.

Ava pulled away long enough to gaze into his glowing blue eyes. "Mark me," she pleaded again, chest heaving.

Jacob's own eyes blazed. He placed his forehead against hers, letting her warmth seep into him. For a moment, it felt as though the entire world had vanished, leaving only them. Why does it have to be this complicated?

Seconds later, his expression hardened, all emotion draining from his gaze. He straightened. "I reject you," he said, voice suddenly cold and detached. "We are no longer mates."

Ava stared, wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the words. Before she could protest, Jacob staggered back, the swirl of heartbreak and guilt etched across his face. He shifted into a massive black wolf with blazing blue eyes, letting out a pained howl as he bolted across the garden and out of sight.

The force of his rejection tore through Ava. She collapsed to her knees, clutching her chest. Silent sobs wrenched from her throat. The mate bond splintered inside her, leaving a raw ache where hope had once bloomed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside the palace walls, Calista and Aurora finally reached the courtyard. Their frantic dash slowed as they stumbled over the cobblestones, hearts drumming like wild creatures. The fresh air was a balm to their flushed faces, though each breath burned with lingering panic.

"That was too close," Calista muttered, casting a nervous look back toward the grand entrance. She could almost imagine Emily stomping after them, or Prince Ezekiel calmly deducing their true identities.

Aurora's cheeks shone red—partly from exertion, partly from the alcohol still coursing through her system. "We can't stay here," she managed, voice slurring.

A short distance away, a luxurious black carriage sat waiting, its regal lines and gold trim gleaming under the moonlight. It clearly belonged to someone of high status—perhaps a visiting noble. Yet at this moment, neither Calista nor Aurora cared who it belonged to.

"Let's… hide in there," Aurora said, pointing unsteadily at the carriage. She wobbled, nearly falling over.

"In a noble's coach? Have you lost your mind?" Calista hissed, eyes darting around for any patrolling guards. Still, the alternative—remaining exposed in the courtyard—seemed worse. "Fine. Just hurry."

They clambered inside with far less grace than intended. The interior was upholstered in plush black velvet with minimal gold designs along the wooden arches. A faint perfume lingered in the air—something expensive and foreign. Collapsing onto the soft seat, Calista pressed her palms to her temples in an attempt to steady the swirling in her head.

A moment later, the carriage lurched. Evidently, its driver had taken the movement of the cabin door as a signal to depart.

"Take us to Beta Mateo's mansion," Calista rasped, though she wasn't certain the driver could hear her. Perhaps he only recognized the creak of the wheels as an order to go.

Aurora let out a shaky sigh, burying her face in her hands. Tears began trickling through her fingers. "You… betrayed me," she slurred, shoulders trembling. "It hurts so much… right here." She pressed her palm to her chest, where her heart pounded against her ribs.

Calista's own remorse surfaced. She knew Aurora had wanted a chance to speak with Prince Ezekiel, maybe even enchant him enough to earn a real invitation. Yet everything had gone off the rails. They'd barely escaped discovery by Emily, and now they were hiding in a stranger's carriage.

As the carriage rumbled away from the palace, each girl was lost in her own troubled thoughts. Calista's mind flickered to the cryptic hint from Prince Ezekiel that he knew of Beta Mateo's second daughter. Could he have been talking about me? she wondered, dread coiling in her stomach. How much did he see through our disguise?

Neither of them noticed the ominous silhouette crossing the moonlit sky behind them, nor did they hear the distant, anguished howl that echoed through the night.