Hope Is Not Optional — Manuel Flores 53
Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Selene
“Did she just ask Prince Adrian to reject her….?”
“Y-yes. She just did. The woman who’s always been obsessed with the prince wants to reject him?”
The whispers echoed, rippling through the courtyard, each word laced with disbelief. I could feel their eyes on me but I kept my chin high, my expression calm and indifferent.
I knew exactly what I was doing.
I had been looking for a way to reject Prince Adrian since the moment I came back to this world. But it wasn’t easy. I couldn’t just reject a prince. The Alpha wouldn’t allow it, and Adrian himself would never accept rejection. He would never allow a woman to reject him. His pride would never let it happen.
And I wasn’t strong enough to defy either of them.
That’s why I had waited for the moment to get my wolf. And the contest with Sienna had been the perfect opportunity. Alpha Rhydian was a man of his word; once he made a promise, he kept it. If I asked for this wish now, in front of everyone, he wouldn’t be able to dismiss it so easily.
So when all eyes turned to me, when the world seemed to go still, I met Adrian’s gaze.
His face had darkened completely, his eyes glowing faintly, his jaw set tight enough to snap. He looked seconds away from losing control, and tearing something apart.
Around us, everyone had different reactions. The Alpha was silent, eyebrows raised in shock. My father’s face was blank. My step mother was smiling. My brothers stared at me like they couldn’t process what they’d heard. And Sienna was practically glowing. Her lips trembled from how hard she tried to hold in her smile, but her eyes screamed victory.
She was really obsessed with Adiran.
“Child… what did you just say? You want to reject Adrian?’ Alpha Rhydian asked
“Yes, Alpha,” I said aloud, meeting his gaze steadily. “I do. I want to reject Prince Adrian.”
The Alpha raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. He opened his mouth to speak, but Adrian’s voice cut through the silence first.
“You’re really bold, Selene.”
His tone made the hairs on my arms rise. He took a slow step forward, the sound of his boots echoing against the marble ground. I didn’t move back, I stared at him. Before he could take another step, Alpha Rhydian’s voice boomed across the courtyard. “Wait, Adrian.”
The tension crackled between them like lightning. Adrian’s jaw flexed, his entire body rigid. For a man known for his control, he was anything but calm now. His eyes burned into me, and I could feel the storm in him. But he obeyed his father, and stopped.
Alpha Rhydian sighed, leaning back slightly in his chair, his expression unreadable. “I know I promised you anything you wanted, Selene,” he said carefully. “But this… is a rather complicated situation. I will need time to think it over.”
He paused, eyes flicking briefly toward his son before returning to me. “When I’ve made my decision, I will call you to the palace.”
The courtyard filled with murmurs again, people whispering, exchanging glances.
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Chapter 53
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t argue, or plead, or look away. I simply bowed my head slightly and whispered. “Understood, Alpha.”
I already knew what that meant, he wasn’t going to let me walk away so easily. But that didn’t matter. Because I wasn’t giving
Even if I had to tear the bond apart with my bare hands. Even if I had to make the whole world my enemy, I would reject him.
“This is a celebration for the White Wolf,” Alpha Rhydian said, his gaze sweeping over Sienna and I. “I believe the two of you were able to pass the wolf trial. You both got your wolves, yes?”
Beside me, Sienna flinched. Her lashes fluttered, and then that delicate smile curved her lips, the one she always wore when she was about to lie through her teeth.
“Y-yes, Alpha,” she said, bowing slightly. “I got my wolf.” She hesitated, glancing at me as if she pitied me. “But Selene didn’t. She… she wasn’t able to pass the trial.”
Her voice dripped with fake concern, but the satisfaction hiding behind it was impossible to miss.
The murmurs started immediately.
“She failed?”
“Wolfless? The Moonborn, wolfless?”
“How embarrassing…”
My father’s gaze hardened, and I didn’t even need to look at him to know what came next.
“You’re completely useless,” he spat, his tone dripping with disgust. “If nobody has any expectations for you, you could have at least gotten a wolf.”
Alpha Rhydian looked at me, disappointment shadowing his expression especially now that I was revealed as his son’s mate.
Adrian looked furious. But whether it was at me or the situation, I couldn’t tell.
“My sister doesn’t have a wolf,” Sienna said, turning toward the Alpha with big, innocent eyes. “Even though I might be blessed by the Moon Goddess, I don’t want to transform in front of her tonight. Can we postpone the ceremony to tomorrow? I just care about my sister’s feelings.”
Murmurs of admiration rippled through the crowd.
“How kind she is…”
“She’s such a good sister…”
“Truly blessed by the Moon Goddess.”
I felt my lips curl up. Alpha Rhydian sighed, nodding. “Fine, I suppose we can postpone it until tomorrow-
“Who said I don’t have a wolf?” My voice sliced through the air, silencing everything.
Sienna froze, her perfect mask cracking for a fraction of a second. I took a slow step forward, my eyes locked on hers.
“Did you hear that from my mouth, Sienna?” I asked calmly.
Her throat bobbed. “W-what are you saying, Selene?”
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Chapter 53
I tilted my head, letting my smile widen. “I should be asking you that. Why tell everyone I don’t have a wolf? How would you even know that? I never said anything like that to you.”
Her eyes darted, panic flickering behind them. Then, under her breath, so low only I could hear, she hissed, “What are you doing? You promised, Selene.”
“Promise?” I echoed. “Do you honestly believe I’d do something that stupid? Just so you can spread rumors tomorrow that I stole your white wolf with witchcraft?”
12:52 Tue, Dec 23
Chapter 34
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