THE WORDS THAT BREAK
The silence in the clearing felt suffocating.
Every wolf present was watching.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
All eyes were fixed on Kael and Aria.
The mate bond was undeniable now. The moment their gazes had locked earlier, every werewolf nearby had felt the shift in the air.
The future Alpha had found his mate.
But the shock spreading through the pack had nothing to do with the bond itself.
It was who the bond had chosen.
Aria.
The quiet servant girl.
The wolfless girl.
Kael stood only a few steps away from her, his tall figure casting a shadow under the lantern light.
His grey eyes remained locked on her face.
Aria could feel the bond clearly now.
A strange warmth deep inside her chest.
It wasn’t painful.
It felt… steady.
Comforting.
Like something that had always been missing had suddenly appeared.
Her wolf—if she truly had one—felt strangely awake inside her.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Aria’s fingers trembled slightly at her sides.
“Mate…” she whispered softly without realizing it.
The word was barely audible.
But Kael heard it.
And the moment he did—
His expression hardened.
The warmth in his gaze vanished completely.
Instead, something colder replaced it.
Displeasure.
Disbelief.
Around them, the whispers grew louder.
“This can’t be right…”
“The future Alpha’s mate is her?”
“A wolfless girl?”
Lila stood frozen near the ceremonial circle.
Her face had turned pale with shock.
“No…” she murmured quietly.
Her eyes burned as she stared at Aria.
The Alpha on the stone platform looked equally stunned.
He clearly hadn’t expected the Moon Goddess to choose someone like Aria.
Kael finally spoke.
His voice was calm.
But there was no warmth in it.
“This is impossible.”
Aria’s chest tightened slightly.
Kael looked around the clearing briefly, as if hoping someone would correct the situation.
But the bond between them remained strong.
Unmistakable.
His wolf had already confirmed it.
Aria was his mate.
Yet the future Alpha’s expression only grew darker.
“I refuse to believe this,” he said coldly.
A heavy silence fell again.
Aria felt the warmth in her chest flicker.
Confusion filled her eyes.
Why did he sound… angry?
Kael’s sharp gaze returned to her.
He looked at her from head to toe.
Her simple dress.
Her nervous posture.
The clear lack of power around her.
His jaw tightened.
“The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake,” he said.
The words struck the clearing like thunder.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
Even some of the warriors exchanged uneasy glances.
Aria felt her chest tighten painfully.
A faint crack appeared within the warm bond forming between them.
She lowered her gaze slightly.
“I… I didn’t ask for this,” she whispered.
But Kael’s wolf was already restless inside him.
Rejecting the bond.
Rejecting her.
He took a slow step forward.
His voice rose just enough for everyone to hear.
“I, Kael Blackwood…”
The moment those words left his mouth, the air grew tense.
Several wolves immediately realized what he was about to do.
Lila’s lips slowly curved into a hopeful smile.
Aria’s heart began to race.
No.
He wouldn’t…
Kael’s voice turned sharp and clear.
“I reject you—”
“Stop.”
The single word cut through the clearing like a blade.
Every head turned instantly.
The Alpha King had spoken.
He was still standing only a short distance away.
His golden eyes were now locked on Kael with quiet authority.
The tension in the air deepened instantly.
Even Kael paused.
The Alpha King stepped forward slowly.
His calm expression remained unchanged.
But the power in his presence had grown noticeably heavier.
“You should think carefully before finishing that sentence,” he said quietly.
Kael’s brows furrowed slightly.
“With respect, Alpha King, this is my mate bond. It is my right to reject it.”
The Alpha King’s gaze shifted briefly toward Aria.
Then back to Kael.
“Yes,” he said calmly.
“It is.”
He paused.
Then added quietly—
“But it would also be the greatest mistake of your life.”