<i>Zephyrine </i>


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    I walked forward, standing before the sacred statues, feeling the divine presence settle in the hall and before the priestess ready toplete the rite. I stood there, eyes fixed on Nyroth, and somehow only a small smile formed on my lips.


    “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Ka’s voice came, gentle yet mocking, her eyes hiding behind that same soft, fake expression. “After cheating on him with the Lycan King, you canugh, can’t you?”


    Her words made my smile fade. She had just mentioned Lycannar.


    “You stole a huge amount of money, Zeph,” she continued, sounding pitiful as though trying to help. “That’s not good. You’re a thief and a rogue, and yet he’s still trying to help you. I’m sure the Lycan King won’t…”


    “Stop.” I snapped, setting my jaw to maintainposure. Hot, deadly calm, I red at her. “Keep Lycannar’s name out of your mouth. You don’t want me to get started.”


    Her eyes widened in challenge, and she chuckled dryly.


    “Oh really? Get you started? First, to squeeze yourself into Nyroth’s life, you stole a huge amount of money from who knows where, to gift him? Then you were rude every second and minute to his mother and sister? And when you stepped into the Lycan Kingdom, you seduced the Lycan King and demanded rejection from your poor mate? Is that how you want to get started, Zeph?”


    “Even now, you still won’t change your ways or regret it?” Pam, Nyroth’s mother, said from where she sat. “After all the monstrous things you’ve done, you still won’t make amends or apologize?”


    Olivia red from where she sat, and I felt it. I could no longer ignore it. The hall fell immediately silent, all eyes including those of the Lycan Princesses on me. Surely they didn’t know the full story. Only the Dusk household knew me from childhood until now.


    I nodded and looked at Nyroth.


    “You said I stole a huge amount of money to crawl into your life? Why didn’t you tell them that money was used to revive your dying pack?”


    Murmurs rose up, and he red at me without blinking.


    “That doesn’t forgive the fact that you stole it from somewhere, you thief,” he spat. “I just never asked about the source because I didn’t want to embarrass you. Judging by how skillfully you killed that rogue in that duel, it’s in you’re a robber trained for monstrous things like this…”


    “I trained for battle,” I interrupted quietly, and he paused. “From childhood, as the only daughter of my father, I bore the burden of living as both a graceful daughter and a warrior.”


    Silence fell again, deafening this time. Nyroth stared at me before scoffing.


    “Now you’re telling more lies to cover your crimes. You are…”


    “That money you im I stole was from my parents‘ death. It’spensation for thest battle they fought that imed their lives,” I said, the tension rising, sadness creeping into my bones. “If I had known you and


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    your mistress woulde to mock me with it, I would have let your pack rot in poverty and rejected you five years ago, immediately when I set eyes on you and felt the mate bond.”


    Our eyes locked, and I saw something stirring in him, but I didn’t focus on that. Instead, I turned to the guests he had invited to mock me.


    “Alpha Nyroth of Hue Pack has been my fated mate for five years. While he gave me shelter, I was never once homeless. When I struggled to revive that dead pack, now thriving, he was dreaming and lusting over another woman.”


    I nodded and shrugged.


    “I get it. Once, I thought it impossible. But now I understand you can be mated to a man yet never feel connected to him as you do with another.”


    “Now you’re quoting to justify cheating on him?” Ka used, and I spared her only a nce.


    “You, of all people, shouldn’t mention cheating when you’re a wrecker of homes and bonds,” I red harder, shrugging again. “But I should thank you foring into his life. If not for your escapades, I wouldn’t have known right from wrong. I would have endured endlessly but luckily, I met someone more charming and caring than he could ever be.”


    “Zeph…” Nyroth began, but I turned to him, jaw set.


    “Let’s get this over with. Not in this lifetime or another do I ever want anything with you.”


    Silence descended on the hall. Bitterly, he set his jaw, and the divine grace swirled around us.


    “I, Nyroth Hue, reject you, Zephyrine, tonight as my mate and future Luna,” he said but nothing happened. No flicker of light, no divine sign. Even the building’s divine wind died down. He turned to the priestess, who bowed slightly.


    “Herst name must be included for the rite toplete,” she said.


    “She has nost name!” Nyroth gritted, obviously furious. “She is a whore, a thief, an orphan… a rogue…”


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    “She is an Alpha.” The voice came from behind, cold enough to freeze the hall. Every eye turned to see Jurrek Bane standing at the entrance, scroll in hand, angry and resolute.


    He walked forward, eyes locked on Nyroth.


    “She is an Alpha. Not just that. She is an Ashmere. Goddess of war. One who saved us all from the demon invasion. You will learn to bow and pay respect.”


    Everything shifted. Nyroth turned to stare at me, pale and speechless, unable to believe what he’d heard.


    “What nonsense,” he murmured. “You are…”


    “Zephyrine Ashmere,” I said, unwavering. “The only daughter of thest warlord in the Shifter Empire, daughter of War General Seraphine, and younger sister of the best war strategist Varyn. I am the first female Alpha ever in history. Alpha of Ash Pack. Warmander on the battlefield. And today, I stand before you, Nyroth Hue, Alpha of Hue Pack, to reject you as my mate and future husband.”


    Everything went still. I could hear a pin drop. The divine wind followed, settling into the hall. Bells jingled<fnb029> Follow current nov?ls on find[?]ovel</fnb029>


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    by themselves, recognizing holiness at first nce. I felt the bond thinning, waning.


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    “I… Nyroth Hue… reject you… Zephyrine A… Ash… mere as my mate and future Luna,” he stuttered, testing if it would work.


    Before the words died, my wolf stirred, weighing down on me like a heavy burden. Pain radiated through my heart and soul. I bowed my head, trying to contain it, but the agony was unbearable.


    I went down but Jurrek was fast, holding me protectively, keeping me safe as my bones shifted and reformed. My wolf growled low, agonizing, and emerged before all.


    The magnitude of the white wolf, power and aura undeniable, radiated like an Alpha.


    Now No secrets remained.


    Before my wolf’s eyes closed, I saw Nyroth pale, awed by who I truly was and recognizing atst that I am indeed the same white wolf who had saved him years ago.


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