At seven pm, I was doing my makeup. I applied a small amount of foundation to my face and followed it with some powder. I smoked out my eyes and gave them a winged line. Adding some nude lipstick and a light blush on my cheeks, I did my hair in a formal messy braided updo. After finishing my makeup and hair, I picked up the bag containing my dress and slid it on. I paired it with the golden heels.

Standing in front of the mirror on my closet door, I couldn't help but agree with what Josephine had said at the mall earlier. I looked like a queen. Taking my black purse from the bed, I held my head high as I walked downstairs to meet the rest of my family.

As I entered the living room, Mom was the first to see me. "You look beautiful, darling," she said, and everyone turned to look at me.

"Thanks, Mom," I mumbled, suddenly feeling shy with all eyes on me.

Everyone complimented how beautiful I looked, and I thanked them while also telling them they looked nice too.

We split into separate cars. Simone, Josephine, and I would ride together, while Mom and Dad would take their car.

Simone stopped the car at the pack house and said we had to wait for the Alpha. The Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma all had to arrive at the ball simultaneously. My heart raced knowing that Andrew was in the pack house. Josephine gave me a worried look and asked if I was okay. I waved it off, telling her that it was hot in the car.

Opening the door, I took in a breath of fresh air and caught his scent. I opened my eyes and locked my green ones with Andrew's brown ones. My gaze shifted to his right hand, which was wrapped around another woman's waist. Memories rushed in, knocking the air out of me.

All eyes were focused on me. The hall was silent, the atmosphere tense, and my heart was racing. I didn't know what to do or say.

"Anytime soon, Sampson?" Natasha's voice broke the silence, carrying a nonchalant tone.

Looking back at Andrew, his brown eyes meeting my pale green ones, I heard him ask, "Do you accept my rejection, Celeste?"

Gasps of pity and laughter filled the hall. I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw, trying to hold back the tears but failing miserably.

"Goddess, Celeste, just accept it already," Natasha hissed, running her hand through her bleach-blond hair.

"I... I can't," I stammered, rushing out of the hall while my brother called after me.

Andrew glared at me while Natasha smirked as they walked to their car. My brother returned, saying it was time to go. After twenty minutes, we arrived at the portal leading to the royal palace. The enchanted walls dividing the mythical palace were only visible to magical and mythical creatures. If a human passed by, they would simply be teleported to the other side.

Simone drove through the wall, and we all gasped. The palace was massive and beyond perfection. It looked like something out of a fairytale story. Parking our cars, I heard murmuring around me. The palace was surrounded by tall trees, and even in the dark, it looked breathtaking. The bridge leading to the palace was lit with lamps.

"Let's go," Simone said, holding his mate's hand as we walked across the bridge. Approaching the palace, I noticed its dark blue-grey stone walls and high towers with small slit windows.

We entered the palace and went straight to the throne room. My eyes widened at its breathtaking beauty. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling, glistening with diamonds. The gray marble floor was polished to perfection, with two beautiful white flowers at the tip and a smaller one in the middle. Two exquisite gold seats awaited the King and Queen at the altar.

I walked around, observing Alphas and other ranking lycans engaged in discussions and laughter. Deciding to head to the bar at the far end of the hall, I ordered a glass of champagne from the bartender. Two other ladies nearby were whispering, and their conversation caught my attention.

King Elijah.

"Do you think he'll come?" the lady in blue asked, sipping her drink.

"I doubt it. There are rumors that he hasn't left the palace in seven years since his mate's death," the other lady replied. "He doesn't even attend the annual Alpha gatherings."

Listening in on the gossip, I sipped my champagne. The lady in blue scoffed, "He shouldn't even be king if he can't get over his mate's death and perform his duties."

"Shhhh. Don't let them hear you. They'll have your head for that!" The lady in black scolded her companion, who shrugged.

My bladder signaled the need for a bathroom break. I stood and walked around, eventually finding the restroom after asking a maid for directions. After finishing, I washed my hands and left the restroom, deciding to explore the palace further. Walking through different halls, I marveled at its beauty.

Turning another corner, I saw him—Andrew—smoking by an open window. He tossed the cigarette out and turned to face me.

"What do you want now?" he said, his tone dismissive.

"To accept your rejection," I told him, my head held high.

"Yeah?" he scoffed. "I pray to the goddess you don't run away this time," he said, running his hand through his brown hair.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at him and released it. "I, Celeste Sampson, accept your rejection."

I felt our mate bond break at those words. My wolf howled in my head, the pain of losing her mate evident. Clenching my head from the pain, I saw Andrew doing the same. After a few seconds, silence descended, and Andrew walked away without a word.

I spotted a balcony and walked there, breathing in the fresh air. A glass of wine was left on a chair.

"Fuck it," I muttered, grabbing the glass and downing its contents.

"You shouldn't take what doesn't belong to you," a deep voice said from behind me.

I screamed and turned around, searching for the source of the voice. My eyes landed on him.

Steel grey eyes locked onto mine, the bright flakes within them captivating me. This man was beautiful, but not in a feminine way. He was breathtaking, and I just stared into his eyes, him doing the same. Inhaling his scent deeply, I immediately bowed my head.

"Your majesty," I said, my head lowered and my neck tilted, cautious of invading his space. His aura was strong, stronger than any Alpha's, forcing me into submission.

"Don't," he said.

"Your majesty?" I wasn't certain about his words.

"Do not bow to me," he clarified.

"But why, your majesty?" I dared to ask.

"Elijah."

"Elijah." His name—of course. His name was known throughout the world and the Lycan race. "I'm sorry, sire, but I'm not worthy enough to address you by your first name."

I watched as his jaw clenched and his eyes dilated, irritation evident.

"It's a royal order, and dare you not defy your king's order."

A royal order.

"As you wish, yor—

Elijah."

He moved closer, and I averted my eyes to his shoe. He stopped about a foot away, his enticing scent filling my nostrils. He placed his thumb under my chin and raised my head.

"Name?"

"Celeste Sampson, sire."

His eyes darkened, and his grip on my chin tightened.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Call me Elijah," he said, authority lacing his words.

"Where is your mate, Celeste?" His question caught me off guard. "With another," I told him without thinking.

"He rejected you. Why?"

"Because I'm not fit to be a Luna," I said, recalling his words from three years ago.

He brushed a strand of hair from my face, and a tingle ran through my skin where our hands touched. I expected my wolf to protest against another male's touch, especially after just accepting our mate's rejection, but she remained silent, clearly intrigued by what the king had to say.

He took my hand and led me back to the balcony. "Elijah, where are we going?" I asked, but he ignored me.

I heard noises, and I realized we were headed back to the throne room where the ball was taking place. The doors were closed as we approached.

"He's right. What your mate said was right," Elijah stated as we stopped in front of the giant doors. I tensed, my eyes burning. "You're not fit to be a Luna, Celeste. You should be a queen."

He turned me to face him, wiping away the tear that had escaped my eye.

"And queens shouldn't cry."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"You, Celeste, are going to be mine."