A Royal Second Chance

Jolyn West's

"Hum Hum Hum."

I was skipping through the hallways of the castle.

"I can't wait to see the look in Ryner's eyes when he sees me."

Ryner is the Alpha and master of this castle but he's also my fiance.

His father the previous Alpha was good friends with my adopted father who had served as his beta.

When they were kids they made a promise that their children will become mates. However, my adopted parents were never able to be blessed with a child by the moon goddess.

Instead, what they got was a human baby. I might have been human but that didn't stop them from loving me like their very own child.

"This is a waste of time!"

As I approached the room where Ryner and his friends were gathered, I heard a voice that made me pause just outside the door.

"I don't like her."

Shock gripped me as the voice was unmistakably Ryner's. I glanced at the food in my hands, the meal I'd prepared just for him—his favorite, according to his parents.

My intention had been to surprise him, but how was I the one taken aback?

It wasn't the first time I'd overheard his disdain. He never hesitated to express his dislike for me, always questioning why he had to marry me, of all the women in our pack. He even said it to my face.

"She's weak, like a child who needs constant protection. I don't want someone that frail as my partner. I despise her entire existence," he added.

The smile I wore faded, replaced by a deep sadness.

I bit my lip, struggling to keep my emotions in check. From the start, I knew he would never accept me as his mate. No matter how hard I tried, I could never meet his standards. I was always falling short.

Ryner is the Alpha, and just like any Alpha, he needed a Luna, I needed to be as strong as his mother.

"A Luna is supposed to be fierce and strong. To serve as the heart of the pack. If she's a weakling, the pack will lose all respect they have for their Alpha."

He often reminded me of that day when we discussed marriage. But as a human, I couldn't measure up to a werewolf's strength.

Since childhood, I'd felt like a burden to my parents.

They loved me unconditionally, even though I wasn't their biological child, but I brought them humiliation and disappointment. The pack pushed me away, calling me a stain on their name. I endured their harsh words, hoping to prove my worth. But this time, the tears were unstoppable. Ryner's words echoed in my mind, each one a dagger to my heart. He was my world, yet he wanted nothing more than to discard me.

Was I truly unworthy?

"I'll be the happiest when that pathetic girl disappears. I hope she goes somewhere and never comes back." His words cut deep. He wasn't joking; he genuinely wanted me gone.

I set the food down and fled, my tears flowing freely. I loved him, but he would never love me back as long as he saw me as weak.

I was just a human, a disgrace to the pack. I had dreams of being the strong and beautiful Alpha's Luna, but Ryner shattered those dreams when he looked me in the eye with disdain and said, "I reject you as my Luna. A lowly human like you deserves nothing but death." My heart broke in that instant. As tears streamed down my face, Ryner's cruel smile only deepened. He hated me that much.

My heart skipped a beat. I wanted to tell him how I felt, but he had already rejected me and wished me dead.

"You're not important. A weak human like you is nothing but garbage to be discarded." He leaned in closer. "I never wanted you as my Luna. I reject you entirely. Just disappear, weak human."

Ryner had everything—strength, independence, power, good looks. There was surely another girl who could meet his expectations and be a better Luna. That girl wasn't me.

"I don't ever want to see your face again," he said with a finality that carved his words into my heart.

"A loser and a disgraceful human will never have the right to be Luna. Stop fantasizing about it. I will never accept you," he continued, his words tearing me apart. Yet, despite his cruelty, every broken piece of my heart still chose him.

"You heard that, Jolyn? I reject you as my Luna."

I stepped back and ran, my tears blinding me. I was a useless human. How could I go on if Ryner rejected me as his Luna?

He wanted me dead...

He rejected me...

He didn't want me as his mate...

There was no reason to live...

I ran until I reached the top of the mountain. Through my tear-blurred vision, I saw the familiar cliff.

I wasn't sure if my thoughts were right, but I wanted to end the misery. I wanted to end my life by jumping off the cliff.

This was what Ryner wanted. I loved him so much that I was willing to fulfill his wish. He would be happy knowing that his pathetic, weak, unwanted, and unloved Luna was gone.

I wiped my tears and walked to the edge. The drop was daunting, but all I heard was the call of the water below.

I closed my eyes, recalling memories with my parents. I'm sorry, Mother, for my decision, but this is for the best.

Ryner would find another Luna, and I would soon be forgotten. No one would remember the weak, unloved, unwanted, and rejected girl.

I spread my arms wide, letting the wind embrace me one last time. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.

Heaven looked beautiful. I allowed myself a final smile.

I might not say goodbye, but I let the wind carry my farewell. Let nature tell the story of the girl who loved Ryner Perry, the future Alpha.

"This is the goodbye no one will hear."

I closed my eyes and with one swift movement, I jumped!