Chapter 172: Working
My breathing quickened and I couldn't find the words to speak with. I would be getting married to the Crown Prince when I had a mate?
My clenched fists released and I acted on impulse, sending a resounding slap across Sabrina's cheeks.
She screamed and Kennen grabbed her, pushing her to his back. "Astrid, how dare you!" He finally spoke.
My hand itched again and I slapped Kennen across the face and half way, my claws stuck out and grazed his face.
"Bastard!" I spat when I finally found my tongue.
Two strong arms held me from throwing more hands. They were the warriors of my pack, who acted because I touched their Beta and the current figure head.
I didn't struggle and let them push me away from Kennen and Sabrina. It felt like my heart was pounding as I saw Kennen holding Sabrina's face that was soaked in fake tears.
Why? My eyes grew hazy from tears and the headaches threatening to tear my brain apart. Why did this have to happen on the day that should be my happiest?!
"Astrid!"
I turned and my brows knitted together on seeing my little cousin, Maya, and my headmaid, Mary being held by warriors. They were pinned to a wall even if they didn't struggle.
My eyes widened. What did she have to do with any of this?
"Let Maya and Mary go. You don't have to bully her! Maya is still your half daughter and the future Alpha of this pack!"
But no one else said anything. My blood boiled. These women who were brought into this pack by that foolish Alpha, my aunt's stupid husband, had taken away the man I loved, as well as the loyalty of the pack.
All these must be a bad dream. I stared at Kennen watching him hold Sabrina protectively by the waist.
I couldn't understand. Why did he do this? Why did he let her touch him? Why did he hold her so affectionately? What about the things we shared?
"Astrid, I hope you don't plan to refuse the King's request." The Alpha's wife came closer, but yet kept a good distance.
"I wasn't the one who agreed to marry the Prince! Sabrina was!" I barked. "Kennen… may you be damned and..."
I wanted to say more but his blank expression and static behaviour was beginning to bother me. It was as if he wasn't even here.
"It doesn't matter who agreed, all that matters is who shows up from our family." The Alpha's wife snapped. "And it will be you. Or… Maya. Make the choice, or I will."
She had a wicked grin on her face.
My eyes darted to my cousin who became terrified the moment her name was mentioned. She was just three.
A child! She didn't even know what was going on!
I shook her head. "N-No, please…"
"Then Astrid, you will go." the Alpha's wife shrugged. "One of you must! My dear Sabrina is already getting married."
My eyes went to Kennen and his were on me. Couldn't he feel my pain he was causing me? Couldn't he defend me?
"Astrid!" the Alpha's wife shouted, snapping my neck to face her. "Decide now as there's no time! Sabrina has to go on with her wedding as well."
I returned my gaze back to Kennen, my heart slowly solidifying and strengthening for what I'd say next.
"Reject me, Kennen."
The words rolled out of my tongue in an unfamiliar tone.
"Reject me, before you marry that bitch!"
There were gasps and screams from the guests. They shouldn't have a say in this, they were just puppets before the Alpha's wife
Rejections were almost never done because all mates stayed together, except the royal family who were blessed by the moon goddess and could reject their mates.
If push came to shove, mates who can't be together end up getting married to someone else and stay apart. With time, the bond loosened and disappeared, or so they say.
In many cases, they meet again and it's rekindled. That's why this time, I want it to be completely broken. I would not stand with this disgrace.
I didn't want to be rejected, I may not bear it but I didn't expect Kennen to either.
This should snap him back to reality, the reality that I was his mate! I watched him step down from the podium, walking to me, with stuff movements.
My brows raised as I watched him. The warriors who held me released me. I stood there, growing distressed as his facial expression hadn't changed.
It had been that poker face since I walked in. "Kennen—" but I bit my tongue, as my face got slapped hard.
My neck was bent by the force as the pain stung.
"This is for touching my bride." Kennen said coldly with a blank stare. I stared at the ground as my body could barely move. The anger, completely washed away by disbelief.
"I, Beta Kennen of Night Sky Pack, reject you, Astrid Reed, daughter of the Night Sky Pack, as my mate," he recited. "And may you be damned as well."
This was... happening.
I held my chest as it clenched tightly, immense pain pulling my legs under my weight. but then it stopped, as if the bond hasn't been broken.
Something must be wrong with him. My mate was acting too strange, like... like a puppet.
"Take her to the King's palace while she still looks like a bride," The Alpha's wife ordered the warriors, and I was dragged out and all I could hear was my cousin's screams.
My head was heavy. I couldn't do anything.
The warriors took me into the carriage and we started moving. I breathed heavily, sitting straight while being glued between the two muscular warriors.
The carriage picked up speed and we were headed for the King's palace. Just like that, within thirty minutes, all I knew and loved had been torn away from me.
I would be getting married to the Crown Prince, a sour arrogant cripple who had no motivation for anything.