Chapter 5 Chosen or Rejected

Safira's POV

"I would love for Safira to be brought forward."

These words resounded in my ears as the moment I dreaded came and all eyes turned in my direction.

I watched guards walk up to me in the crowd and grasp my arms like I had committed a crime.

"Don't... Don't touch her. She's my mate." Alpha Maverick's voice rang out in the silence and disbelieving gasps followed from the crowd.

"What?" I could hear Nadia shriek.

"You assured my father you didn't have a mate. You lied to me." Tears were choking her now as she held her heart.

"No, I didn't lie to you nor your father. I didn't have a mate then, at least not until I met her. " He explained to her while staring into my eyes as Nadia sniffed and wiped her eyes with the napkin her maid stretched to her.

"So, what now?" She queried.

"Watch quietly, Princess." He snapped and turned back to the crowd. "Escort her with respect to me." He ordered and I took my first step towards the stage watching his face closely, trying to read his expressions but there was nothing, nothing to give him away and I didn't know what to expect.

Why was he so complicated?

"Come on, trust me." He whispered again, somehow he knew I was the only one that would hear him when he spoke that way.

I walked up to the stage with the guards escorting me, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst too.

When i got to the stairs, Alpha Maverick stretched out his hand to me and I looked into his eyes as I took it and allowed him to guide me on the stairs to the stage.

"Hi Pretty! I really meant it when I said you were beautiful, gorgeous even." He said to my hearing only as I tried not to blush and instead gave a small smile.

"Thank you." I whispered back.

"You shouldn't blush in public, they'll think I said something sweet." He added and I folded my lips to stop myself from laughing out loud.

"What is this?" I asked him as I tried to stop myself from calling for his petty games, if that was what this was.

"You'll see, mate." He said smiling as he led me to the middle of the stage. "You don't know how proud I am to be able to say that to someone." He said again when we got to the middle of the stage.

I took a quick glance back to look at Nadia and I could see the hate in her eyes as she stared at me. If only looks could kill, I would be more than six feet under the ground.

I put my head down to avoid her eyes but Alpha Maverick was there with his whispers again, which the more I thought about them sounded like a tour guide.

"As the Alpha's mate, you don't put your head down, you keep it up. Your position is such that no wolf can take." Those whispers sent shivers down my spine, and slowly, I lifted my head back up.

"Wonderful Wolves of Toronto Pack, I hail you all." He began speaking to the crowd as his hands remained linked with mine.

"Hail the Alpha." They all responded.

"It is a beautiful thing to have a mate, is it not?" He asked and they all cheered as the mated ones responded that it was.

"Which means I am very lucky to have this beautiful wolf beside me as the one the Moon Goddess has chosen for me from the beginning of time, right?" He asked again and they all responded with whatever they felt like.

I couldn't look into the crowd as the number of pairs of eyes staring at me at that moment was more than I could bear. I could feel my step mom's eyes on me, Mama Greg - I wondered what she was thinking, all the maids I worked with and the whole pack.

I couldn't look down either as Alpha Mavericks words rang in my head, and so, I looked at Alpha Maverick instead. I watched him talk effortlessly to the crowd like this position was meant for him and it was.

He was good looking no doubt and I couldn't deny that fact as I wished he were mine for the keeping.

"Our Alpha Maker has entailed me to make a difficult decision as it is not an easy thing to break a bond that had been created from the beginning of time. At the same time, if I don't, I will fail my betrothed here, Princess Nadia."

Murmurs came from all angles as I could tell that no one could detect what choice he was about to make. I took one sharp glance at the crowd and my eyes met with those of my step mom, mocking, demeaning, she looked like she was waiting for me to be devoured so she could come and pack my remains back home.

For the first time, I wondered what had happened that had made her so angry at myself and my sister. She was all loving when she first came and I was sure it wasn't fake, it was real, but something had happened in between.

My eyes met with Mama Greg next and she shook her head to show her disapproval that I was on that stage. Her demeanor was down and I knew she was never wrong about anything.

"I know the people of Toronto need a strong Luna who will run this pack with me and also capable of attending to their needs at all times.

As Alpha of this pack, I chose the need of the pack before my need which is why I will refuse the Moon Goddess for the betterment of the Toronto Pack."

I snatched my hands from him at that moment and took two steps away from him as i watched his lips.

Alpha Maverick turned to me with remorseful doe eyes as he whispered, "I'm sorry, Safira. I'm sorry. I wish I had met you earlier."

" Why all these long speeches, why all the drama? You should've just done it outright." I choked but refused to shed a single tear as it seemed the crowd had not caught on yet.

"I wanted you to feel special, as the Alpha's mate which is why..."

I shook my head in denial and disbelief as I watched the Alpha Maker walk up to him with a smirk on his face.

"The wolves are waiting, Alpha Maverick." He said loudly and Maverick's face turned away from me back to the crowd.

"The Moon Goddess may have chosen you for me, Safira, but I do not. So, from henceforth, I release you from all ties to me and this bond ends here. You are free to go, and I will walk my path alone.

I choose Princess Nadia, to be the future Luna of the Toronto Pack."