bChapter /bb23 /b

Darius pov

bHeads/bb. /b

I frowned as bI /bstared bat /bbthe /bbcoin /bin my hand, my eyes narrowingb, /bba /bscowl etched on my bface /bbas /bI bstared /bat the side bit /bbhad /bnded on.

Two decisions. I had been flipping the coin to choose between two options. If itnded on heads, I would listen to Ss and spend a bday /bwith her.

Sincest night, he had been pestering me to at least give her one day before making my decision but I had ignored him. bIt /bbwas /bpointless. Even if I did spend a day with her, my mind was already made up. I was still going to reject her and nothing would change that.

But Ss insisted bwe /blet the coin decide.

And if itnded on tails, I’d go on ignoring him.

The sneaky rat had said it since it was something I usually did whenever I didn’t want to make decisions myself. Most times, I let fate decide on what decision I would make.

But it seemed that bastard Ss got lucky.

“Spend the day with me.”

So I said the words- much to my disapproval.

“No, Father! I don’t want to do it. No, I won’t do it! How can I spend the day with the King when he already wants to reject me? What if I do something that makes him angry and he rejects me even sooner? And knowing me, I will do something stupid! We’re going shopping, for crying out loud- how can the esteemed Lycan King follow us there?”

I watched as the girl whispered to her father, pulling him into a corner, her voiceced with disbelief.

“But Princessb, /bI think this is a good idea. The King wants to spend the day with you- you should do it. Maybe after getting to know you better, he won’t want to reject you. This is a good opportunity.”

Her eyes

widened in shock, and her mouth opened and closed as if searching for the right words to counter her father but none came. She shook her head again, more firmly this time.

“No, this is a bad idea! I don’t want to be rejected before the three days are over, Father!”

I tilted my head slightly, silently watching her- studying her.

This morning, her father, the Alpha of the Emberfang Nation, hade to ask of me not to reject his daughter. He’d exined how the rejection could destroy her, especially since she didn’t have a wolf. When I had remained silent, he invited me to breakfast. And despite not wanting to go, I found myself agreeing, for the sake of it.

But instead of the bfear /band devastation her father had described… she seemed anything but that.

She seemed… happy and rxed as though she had epted her fate.

My hand tightened around the coin as I frowned. A day with her. Just one day with her.

“My king, are you really going to spend the day with your mate? Does that mean you’re no longer going to reject bher/bb?/bb” /b

bCassian /bbasked/bb, /bba /bbbright /bgrin bspreading /bbacross /bbhis /bface bas /bhe leaned toward me, eyes lighting bup /bwith curiosity.

bWhen /bI didn’t brespond/b, he leaned in beven /bcloserb, /bbvoice /bdropping slightly.

“My kingb, /bpardon me for asking, but bdoes /bbthis /bmean you’ve changed your mind? bThat /byou want to get to know byour /bbmate/bb?/bb” /b

My gaze hardened at his question. Slowly, I lifted my head and turned to him with ba /bcold, unreadable expression.

Cassian’s smile faded instantly. His mouth shut bas /bhe blinked, visibly startled.

“I apologizeb, /bYour Majesty,” he murmured, lowering his head. He turned away without another word and focused on his food instead.

However, I could still see the hint of a smile tugging at his lips bas /bhe took a bite of his food. I sighed and turned baway/b, only to find a pair of green eyes locked onto me with a strange, unreadable gaze.

Zaynb, /bthe pack’s bdoctor/b.

I had barely paid attention to anyone in my pack. Had barely spared a nce at their names or faces. bBecause /bI didn’t bcare/b.

I never had.

But this one–this one over here, I had noticed the first time I saw him. That day, I’d handed him a medal for his talents, Cassian had insisted he was an exceptional doctor, one deserving of a reward from the king. But it wasn’t his skill that caught my attention.

It was his aura. Something about it didn’t sit right with me. It wasn’t like the others.

I tilted my head slightly, my frown deepening as our gazes locked. And then slowly, the corners of his lips curved into a faint, knowing smile before he lowered his head in a polite greeting.

But I’d seen it. Just before that.

Amusement.

“My king,” Ethan called out, and I shifted my gaze to find him lowering his head with a smile, while his daughter, Nyssa, scowled, folding her arms across her chest and looking away, her face twisted in anger.

“I will get the car ready, but are you certain you want to follow her for shopping? I don’t think it will be proper for His Majesty, so how about I make a reservation at the finest restaurant in the pack and-”

“Father!” Nyssa screamed, ring at Ethan, but he ignored her, continuing on as if she wasn’t there.

“My king, I can assure you that you will-”

“No need for that,” I cut him off, my voice cold and devoid of emotion. “I will go where the girl wants.” I turned my gaze to Nyssa, watching her stiffen before she quickly lowered her eyes.

“Are you ready to leave?” I asked, my tone indifferent. “I’d like to get this over with.”

She turned to look at me, muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse.