The alpha's rejected rejected warlock

Lyra’s POV

“Step forward,” the priest commanded sharply.

“Do you, Lyra…err accept Darius Kane as your alpha and mate, to serve him for the rest of your days as the Luna of Nightbane Pack?”

“…yes.” I muttered weakly.wholly submitted to my fate.

The pack priest nodded once and turned to Darius, clearing his throat.

“Do you, alpha Darius Kaine, accept Lyra as your Luna?”

Darius lips stretched into a thin unreadable line, trapping any response behind them.

Everyone stared at him, waiting. I looked at him too, heart kicking against my ribs because of the delay.

He stared right into my eyes, the warmth evaporating from them before he answered with a wide grin that tugged towards both of his ears.

“No.”

My mouth gaped open, the bouquet of freshly plucked flowers slipping past my fingers. I stared at him lips parted but words failing to come out.

Unfortunately the pack members did not have that same problem.

And all I could here was the whispersvof the crowd.

“Did he just say no?”

“The Alpha rejected her?”

“She’s a dirty warlock, what do you all expect.?”

Under their judgment I felt tiny, exposed, stripped down like a little lamb thrown in the middle of hungry wolves.

Darius stepped forward, his voice glacier.

.

“No” he said again, pushing the dagger of betrayal deeper in my chest.

" Alpha... do you understand the gravity of what you have just said?" The priest splurtted out, he looked like he had aged three more decades.

Darius ignored his plight as he turned to the crowd.

“Nothing will change my mind, I Darius Kane will not taint the alpha lineage with filthy warlock blood!”

At first there was silence, then it was ruptured by a wave of applause, crowd cheered like they had been waiting for this moment.

I staggered back, looking around at all this people, then back at him

“But… you promised to ...marry me…what about…the prophecy” I stuttered in confusion, hardly balancing on my own two feet.

Darius looked at me like I was dirt under his shoe.

He came forward grabbed the hair on the back of my head, yanking on it until my neck almost snapped,“Foolish warlock, you really thought I was going to marry you because of some stupid prophecy.” He scoffed in my face, staring at me.

Tears bubbled in the corner of my eyes, it was brief but there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes then it was gone so quickly I wonder if I just imagined it.

He shoved me away and laid his eyes on the crowd once more,“ I, alpha Darius Kaine, will not be a puppets to this stupid Bloodhound prophecy” he declared spreading out his hands widely in triumph.

The crowd roared with approval.

I looked at the pack priest hoping for him to say something, he seemed helpless as I was frozen to the spot as he just stared at Darius as if he had lost his mind.

“Then why bring me here!” the words tumbled through my throat “ Why force me into this dress? Why…”

“To humiliate you,” he said cutting me off. “To show that the Goddess makes mistakes. And to destroy the stupid bloodhound prophecy.”

He motioned with his hand, gesturing towards someone. And a woman stepped forward. She walked gracefully and she stood beside him placing her hand on his, her slender body gliding naturally towards his own.

My heart sank even lower at the sight of her.

She was ridiculously beautiful. The crowd stared at her like she was a goddess descending from the heavens. I was nothing next to her.

"This is my true mate,” Darius said loudly, holding my gaze.

“My real Luna.” he furthered, I looked at him then back at her.

“Then what do you intend to do with me now that you are done with this humiliation ritual? Kill me like you did to my parents?” I asked in hoping it wasn't what I was thinking.

“Dont worry, I won’t kill you,” Darius said lazily.

I was about to feel a bit of relief but it was too soon.

“You’re not worth the effort.” He turned to the wolves behind him.

“You belong to the pack now,” he announced. “Do whatever you want with her.” The crowd went ballistic with raw excitement.

“Kill her!”

“Burn the witch!”

“Rip her to shreds!!”

“Warlock trash!”

Two guards grabbed my arms roughly. I didn’t resist. I didn’t fight. I didn’t even lift my eyes. I just let them drag me away.

It seems it was finally going to end, my pitiful existence.

They pulled me down the steps of the altar. I stumbled.

“Move!” one shouted at me.

I was pushed into the courtyard. And I fell on my knees. I winced in pain. The crowd circled me. Their spit slid down my cheek, I didn’t even wipe it away.

Someone grabbed my hair and yanked my head up so that I was forced to look at their faces, probably because they saw Darius do it earlier.

There were children watching too and they were laughing, pointing at me like I was a circus animal. I tasted blood in my mouth from biting too hard on my lip due to the pain.

But still, I didn’t scream. I didn’t beg. I just let it happen, like my body was already dead and only my mind was left.

Tears dropped from my eyes, as I muttered my last words.

Even in the face of my unfiltered pain, all they could feel towards me was hatred and disgust.

“She’s muttering spells!” a woman yelled.

“She’s planning something, guards do something about this wench before she harms us!”

The guard drew their blades out immediately and I waited for my final moment.

And then, I heard a vioce, cutting through the chaos.

“Dont you dare!” Someone shouted within the crowd. And everywhere went dark for a second.

The wolves flinched and covered their eyes. As a tall figure walked through the stunned crowd. He wore a black cloak, as dark as the aura that permeated the air around him.

He stopped right in front of me.

“Touch her again…” his voice was dangerously low now.

“And you will answer to me.” The guards froze none of them daring to raise a finger.

“And who do you think you are!" A guard holding the sword asked while pointing it at him, he was acting macho but the trembles of his hand reached the tip of his blade.

The figure didn’t even look at him like he was too significant to be bothered by. He knelt beside me slowly. His cloak brushed the ground, gathering dust but he hardly cared.

His whole attention poured over me, his hand on my back. His touch was gentle.

“Hey,” he whispered quietly to me. His tone softened and melting into my ears.

“You’re safe now.” My lips trembled.

The guard closest to him stepped forward, sword raised.

“Stand down or…” The man lifted his hand. Light burst from his palm like a star exploding. It shot straight into the guard’s chest.

The guard flew backward across the courtyard, smashing into the wall, falling down with blood in his mouth and unable to move.

Gasps filled the air.

“Karl…” a guard muttered in disbelief.“ The dark goddess son.”

The wolves raised their weapons acting out bravado to cover shame, but none dared come close.

He leaned close to my ear. his breath brushing across and sending tingles all over“Can you stand up?.” I hesitated only a second, then I slowly reached for him.

My fingers were shaking. I couldn’t stand properly so he lifted me with one arm, helping me up carefully. I could barely speak. My voice was only a whisper.

“…who are you?” He pulled his hood back slightly.

“My name is Karl,” he said. “Child of the Dark goddess same as you, a half warlock and half wolf" He put his arm around my waist, keeping me steady as I leaned into him.

“The dark goddess…?” I was already half conscious, barely processing what I heard.

“Don't worry, relax for now, I'll explain everything later.”

Then he looked at the entire pack. “She belongs to me now.” he said as he carried me and walked away.

I barely could see his face before I lost consciousness, because in his embrace I strangely felt safe.