I will deal with you

Silver lake (The city of wolves) was brimming with life and activities as usual. The moon, which was the only source of light, was full and shining down on them, just the same as every other Mating ceremony.

Veron peeled his eyes from the moon and let out a scoff. They just arrived at Silver lake and were heading to the plaza in the heart of the city where the main event was taking place.

"Funny how she never fails to show up for this ceremony but is always absent when you need her the most." Veron's voice broke the hours-long silence, following his scoff.

"Who?" Skye probed, puzzled as Veron just broke his habit of never speaking a word throughout the journey to their hometown.

"Selene, of course," Veron answered, again surprising Skye. This was strange, however, he decided against dwelling on it. Moreover, Veron what Veron said confused him.

"Selene? The moon goddess?" Skye asked, not recalling any other person of importance bearing that name.

"Whatever you chose to call her," Veron responded after some time, bearing an air of nonchalance around him. He reclined on his seat, straightening his legs and shutting his eyes.

This place once used to be what he calls home, even though it never felt like one when he was here. Until they decided to send him away, without even the tiniest consideration of where he would go, or how he would survive.

His eyes cracked open when the car pulled to a stop, and the usual sight of werewolves of different genders and ages gathered in the plaza greeted his vision.

The merry-making, chattering, and laughing buzzed down slightly when they noticed his presence. He was already used to this and somehow has come to like it. Even the king does not command such an atmosphere.

He climbed down the car and advanced into the crowd. Silence fell on the people who were closer to him as they moved farther away from his path, and possibly, his reach. Those who were a distance away began murmuring in a hushed voice while following him with their eyes.

"That is the cursed prince. If he approaches you, run as fast as your legs can carry you." A woman whispered to her daughter.

"Such a disaster and a bad omen. I wonder why he keeps coming back here." Another murmured, looking at Veron with scorn.

"I pity whoever his mate will be. Someone who can kill his mother and sister, will kill her the moment he finds her." A young girl beside the man, spoke, shaking her head.

More and even more nonsense was spewed, and Veron heard them all. Howbeit, he ignored them just as he had been doing all these years. They were entitled to their opinion, and he had learned not to bother with what anyone thought about him. They could believe whatever helps them sleep better at night. Moreover, he had enough to think about.

Ignoring the king and the entire royal family as he had always done, he moved to his usual spot, somewhere away from the heart of the ceremony, where he could sit and watch everything going on.

However, today, he turned away from everything and everyone and stayed in that position until the end of the ceremony. Normally, he would watch and pay attention to everything going on, not because he was interested, but because he was searching for that person.

Now, there was no need for all that. The moon goddess had decided to bless, or rather, curse him with a human mate. She wasn't satisfied with the torture he had endured, so she added a more befitting one to it.

"I see you have something more important than the ceremony on your mind. Care to share? Ex brother?" A voice Veron recognized caressed his ears, pulling him away from his thoughts. Even though the person was standing behind him, Veron didn't turn around.

"I believe you should be spending your time finding your mate, and praying she is an alpha female, so you could easily ascend the throne," Veron answered, something he never does, no matter what anyone says to him in this place. This action made Skye let out a silent sigh.

Something was wrong with Veron today, and Skye strongly believed it had everything to do with the earlier event. Veron was doing so many things for the first time, and he didn't know whether to be happy or worried.

"I should be asking you the same since you seem uninterested in the ceremony. Have you perhaps found your mate? Or did you finally give up, knowing no woman in her right senses would accept an abomination such as yourself?" Zayden taunted, one side of his lips curled up.

"Zayden." Another voice called sternly, and at the same time, Veron turned around to face Zayden.

The smirk on Zayden's face faded out the moment he heard the voice that called him in a scolding tone. He was about to turn to the person when Veron turned to face him.

"Don't you get tired?" Veron asked, lifting his brows as he set his gaze on his brother, the crown prince of Silver lake. He looked the same. Black hair falling below his shoulders, Silver eyes — a feature only the royal family possessed — and a rotting personality. The only difference was he had a different royal attire than what he wore last year.

"Get tired you ask?" Zayden lifted a brow. "Of what? Trying to kill you?" A short surprised laugh followed Zayden's question as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.

"No. Matter of fact, you shouldn't get tired of that. Do all you can to kill me, Zayden. Because if you don't, I will kill you at the first chance I get." Veron commented, successfully wiping the smile off Zayden's face.

"I will deal with you, Veron. Mark my words." Zayden promised, enraged. He turned away from Veron, sending a scowl to the person who called his name earlier, before walking away with the two guards behind him.

"Give me all you've got Zayden. And a word of advice, come up with a better poison. I'm already getting used to the current one." Veron added, not lifting his voice as he knew Zayden could hear him.

When Zayden disappeared from his line of sight, Veron moved his gaze to the one who had spoken earlier, then to the one approaching.

"Take care of yourself, Veron." Jadon, the third prince, who called Zayden's name earlier, spoke. After that, he walked away without looking back.

Veron said nothing as he watched him leave. That had been his words for Veron every year since his banishment. He never said more than that, and Veron was grateful for that.

"Greetings, your highness."

"I don't want to hear it, Gideon. I already told you I'm not interested. Time to leave, Skye." Veron dismissed the person who just greeted him and immediately started walking away.

Gideon's eyes followed the duo until they were out of sight. But he wasn't the only one looking.

"Withdraw your current spy and send Stallone on his tail. Something is up, and I want every information on my table in two weeks." Zayden ordered, fixing his fiery eyes on Veron's retreating figure.