Maya's POV
I fell backward and struck the wall. The words of King Alexander rang like thunder in my mind.
Maya, I'm your real mate. I'm here to take you home, too.
However, that was not possible. I had a partner already. Even though I was now drawn to this enigmatic king by a silver thread, the golden light remained the link between Connor and me.
"Avoid her!" With a roar, Connor moved to stand between King Alexander and me. "I own her!"
The king's eyebrows went up. "Yours? Is this what you call it?" He pointed to me, and I understood how I must appear—shaky, bruised, and terrified beyond belief.
"Connor," Alpha Marcus uttered uneasily. "Perhaps we ought to talk about this in private—"
"No!" Connor's voice broke like a whip. "I won't talk about anything! The Moon Goddess herself selected Maya as my mate. I can't let anyone take her away."
The sound of King Alexander's laughter was not one of joy. "Boy, the Moon Goddess is not perfect all the time. Particularly when there is dark magic magic at play."
By darker magic, what did he mean?
Sophia's angry face twisted as she pushed through the crowd. "This is absurd! I'm Connor's friend! I'm meant to be Luna."
"Sophia," Connor said, keeping his gaze fixed on the king. "Not right now."
"Not now?" Sophia let out a cry. "Not right now? A stranger king is claiming that she is his mate, and a nobody servant is glowing like a Christmas tree, and you're telling me NOT NOW?"
She had good reason to be upset. This whole thing was insane. I was only a servant an hour ago. It was said that I had two mates, one of whom was the world's strongest werewolf.
Elder Patricia stepped forward and said, "Everyone calm down. The signs of the Moon Goddess are obvious. Maya and Connor are destined to be together. It is demonstrated by the golden light."
"And what about the silver light?" Quietly, King Alexander inquired. "What does that prove?"
Senior Patricia appeared perplexed. "I'm not sure. It's unlike anything I've ever seen."
Alexander the King grinned. "It's older magic, that's why. More potent magic. The kind capable of severing fictitious ties."
"False bonds?" Connor growled. "Are you accusing the Moon Goddess of lying?"
"I'm calling you a fool," the king said coolly. "Tell me, boy. When did Maya appear in your first dream?"
Connor's face turned white. "You have no business dealing with that."
King Alexander went on, "Three weeks ago," as though Connor hadn't said anything. "You began to dream that you were linked to her by a golden thread. The same dream every night. You found her by following the thread through a pitch-black forest."
How could he have known that?
The king continued, "The dreams felt real. They were so genuine that you began to think they had meaning. However, Connor, they weren't from the Moon Goddess. Someone planted them to make you believe that Maya was your partner."
"You're lying!" Connor yelled. However, doubt was beginning to seep into his eyes.
I had the same doubt.
"Ask yourself this," said King Alexander. "Why do you despise Maya so much if she is really your mate? Why does the idea of being with her make you feel irate rather than joyful?"
Connor parted his lips, then shut them again. He had no good answer, so he was unable to respond.
The king clarified, "True mates don't feel disgust for each other. They experience love. Defense. Joy. Your feelings for Maya are obligations rather than love. You were duped into thinking you were bonded."
Elder Patricia began, "But the golden light—"
"Can be faked," King Alexander concluded. "Anyone can make the appearance of a mate bond with the correct spell."
My mind was racing. Was all I thought I knew about Connor and me false?
"Even if that's true," Connor uttered frantically, "it doesn't matter right now. The light was visible to all. Everyone is aware that she should be my partner. I can't simply let her go."
The king said softly, "You can. You can release her and reject the fictitious bond."
"No!" Anger flared in Connor's eyes. "Whether it's real or not doesn't matter to me. I now own Maya! She shone brightly, illuminating the entire pack. I'll appear weak if I let her go."
And there it was. The reality. Because he loved me, Connor didn't want me. His pride would suffer if he let me go, so he wanted me.
"Connor," I muttered. "Please. Simply let me go if you don't truly want me."
I could see the madness in his eyes as he turned to face me. "Maya, you have no say in the matter! I own you! I don't give a damn if you're a real partner, a fake one, or none at all. You are mine."
King Alexander stated icily, "She belongs to herself. And you'll answer to me if you try to keep her against her will."
Connor questioned, "Is that a threat?"
"It is a pledge."
Like wolves about to fight, the two men gazed at one another. I was having trouble breathing because of the intense tension in the room.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Connor did something.
"I, Connor Blake, Alpha of the Moonstone Pack, formally reject Maya Rivers as my mate!" he yelled, throwing back his head.
Like a dying candle, the golden light surrounding us flickered. My chest ached so badly that I gasped and collapsed to my knees.
"Let it be known," Connor went on, his voice echoing throughout the room, "that I reject this bond completely!"
The golden light dimmed, but it remained. Rather, it turned a sickly yellow, like stale cheese.
Elder Patricia muttered, "It's not working. The bond will not break."
In horror, Connor gazed at the yellow light. "Why isn't it working?"
Alexander the King sighed. "Because rejection is only effective when it is desired by both parties. Do you agree with Connor's rejection, Maya?"
I knelt on the floor and looked up at Connor. Anger and frustration twisted his face. He didn't want me, but he also didn't want to let me go.
I began to say, "I..."
The king cautioned, "Think carefully. There's no turning back once you accept or reject his rejection."
I would be forever free of Connor if I agreed. However, I would also be by myself, with no one to watch out for and nowhere to go. I would be forced to spend the rest of my life with a partner who detested me if I refused his rejection.
"I..." I gave it another go.
"She isn't given a choice!" Connor cut him off. "I am her Alpha! What I say is final."
For me, that was the deciding factor.
"I reject your rejection," I stated unequivocally. "I refuse to accept it."
Connor's face changed from angry to furious to downright terrifying as the yellow light flared brighter.
"Fine," he growled. "You will be my mate if you truly want to be one. However, you will never be my Luna. Like the servant you are, you'll live in the basement. You'll serve me at night and work during the day. And I'll find you and drag you back if you ever try to leave me."
When I realized what I had just done, tears streamed down my cheeks. I was stuck with a man who would never show me love.
"Connor," his father murmured. "This isn't right."
"I don't care what's right!" Connor let out a scream. "She desired to be my partner? Alright! She will now understand the true meaning of that."
He took hold of my arm and pulled me to my feet. My skin crawled as the yellow light pulsed between us.
Connor told his guards to "take her to the basement. Keep her inside and don't let her leave without my consent."
"Connor, no!" I sobbed. However, it was too late. I could already feel the guards approaching.
King Alexander then came forward. "If I were you, I wouldn't do that," he muttered.
"And why not?" Connor insisted.
When the king grinned, a sudden sense of power filled the room. "Because Maya Rivers isn't your typical servant girl. She is the Lycan Kingdom's lost princess."
Everyone let out a gasp.
"And," the king went on, "I'm protecting her."
The silver light surrounding me burst forth like a star before anyone could react. Connor was across the room from King Alexander when it faded, and I stood beside him.
Connor began, "How did you—"
"Maya," said the king softly. "Come home now."
I glanced at him, then at Connor, and finally at all the astonished faces that were looking at me.
A princess? Me?
"I don't understand," I muttered.
For the first time in years, I felt secure as soon as King Alexander took my hand. He said, "I'll explain everything. But we must depart first. Now."
"She's not leaving!" With a roar, Connor charged in our direction.
However, we were gone by the time he arrived at the location where we had been standing. Sophia yelling and Connor yelling my name were the last sounds I heard. Then there was darkness.