Chapter 393

393 Jane’s Resolve

Jane reached the outside of the inn and began searching for the royal that had just left the inn. ‘He didn’t look too good. He couldn’t have gotten far.’ Before long, her nostrils perked up as she picked up on a sweet entrancing scent, ‘There you are.’

Her wolf spurred her in the direction she needed to go and she soon found the man about to exit the town and disappear into the forest. Despite his sorry state, he looked serious about what he was about to do. Something told her he would be fine, regardless of what he looked like now, “Where are you going? It’s night and it’s cold. You can spend the night at the inn. You can have your supper at the inn and continue your journey tomorrow.

No one will charge you anything because of who you are. I’ve noticed from your bare feet that you have been in a bind or two, but you don’t have to sleep outside,” Jane tried.

“Perhaps you should be more worried about yourself. My health is not of your concern. Just because the goddess thought you fit to serve me doesn’t make you worthy of my attention. The colour of your eyes alone speaks volumes on that,” the prince arrogantly spat.

His words were like needles to her heart even though she’d only just met him. It was frustrating. Even so, his attitude towards her, his tone... it all hurt.

Something within her told her to turn away from him before he continued on this destructive path, as though sensing he wasn’t done talking, while at the same time, turning away in itself felt like a painful thing to do. There was no way out for her... and she hadn’t asked for any of it either.

A total stranger... someone she had never met, was about to cause her more heartache than her own parents were capable of.

“What’s your name, Royal?” the girl asked, her composure completely changing.

“It’s Prince Cirrus to you, runt,” the blue-eyed man responded harshly, cementing the decision she’d come to only moments earlier.

.....

“Very well then,” Jane placed her hand on her heart and began speaking formally, “I, Jane Riverwood, reject you, Prince Cirrus Lycaon, as my mate.” In a more informal tone, hot tears streaming down her face, “I... I honestly hope I never see you again.”

With that, the girl turned on her heels and fled the scene as if the prince was a plague, disappearing into the small town. The prince stood frozen in place... wondering what had just happened. He knew nothing of the girl that had just spoken to him... and yet he felt like he’d lost his only and last source of happiness.

Why was something within him trying to encourage him to chase after her? More importantly, had he just been rejected by a mere commoner? ‘The nerve on that girl... To reject someone of status as high as me... Noble women can only dream of being with a man like me. Ugh... her loss, not mine...’ Not knowing better, the prince also turned away and continued on his journey to the capital. The world was already quickly changing... and Cirrus had just missed the main focal point that was bringing about this change.

............

He shifted and dashed through the woods, hoping to make quick time on his journey, however, his wolf felt slower this time than it had been through the entire journey, drained of more than just mere strength... He was drained of the very will to return home.

Images of the beautiful girl crying as she rejected him flashed through his mind and his heart involuntarily jerked at the memory of her. His chest felt heavier and doubts worked their way into his mind.

‘I know nothing about this woman. Why won’t I stop thinking about her? She knew nothing about me... why then did she cry while rejecting me? Why did she reject me in the first place? I’m the prince... Any woman in the two empires would be lucky to be adored by me,’ his thoughts ravaged in his mind, shifting between two perspectives, one that wanted to know more about the girl, while the other... an over-bloated ego that wanted nothing but to see that same woman come rushing back to him in the realisation of the mistake she’d made. No matter how much these two sides fought, no answer would not present itself to him.

'

The prince reached the castle a few days later. The courtyard was filled with more people than he was normally used to. At first glance, it looked like a pack had been invited to the palace grounds, but eventually, among the people that regarded him, he noticed one with hazel eyes. What’s more, was that they didn’t have a glow to them. All about this person, wolves walked by without sparing a worried glance.

In fact, this odd personality fits into their society quite neatly. The image disturbed him greatly, increasing the weakening effect of the goddess’s orders. It was soon clear to him that several of the excess people in the courtyard were indeed human. Not just any humans, but hunters.

In addition to the repulsively dull eyes and obnoxiously mixed eye colours, they all carried weapons unique to themselves, but kept them sheathed as though they were a natural part of them that were placed there for show or ceremoniously, “You finally returned. Get to the throne room this instant,” the king’s voice boomed in his head.

“Did you finally muster the courage to order me around?” Cirrus chuckled.

“Yes... and surely you know that means I’m not pleased with your recent endeavours,” the king responded.

The man sighed and started his trek to the palace throne room, shoving his way through the milling hunters. None of them appeared to be in the mood to fight, but when they noticed him draw close, their hand rested on the pummels of their blades, but never once unsheathed them.

The prince smirked at their reflexes, ‘They are afraid of me. If only I wasn’t cursed, I wouldn’t mind messing with them a little.’ Alas, the goddess’s orders were absolute. “Your highness, I knew I sensed you close by. W-what happened to you? You look horrible,” Rana’s deep voice made the beta alpha’s presence known to the prince.

“Thank you for the compliment, Rana. Have my bathwater prepared so that I might wash off... It’s been a tiring trip,” Cirrus ordered, glad to see his loyal beta alpha in the flesh. Rana bowed to his alpha and was gone in a flash to carry out his bidding. The prince soon made it to the door of the throne room... ‘I wonder which endeavours he speaks of... the visit to the goddess or the girl in that small town. I didn’t even get to know the name of the town. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll never see her again and don’t intend to either.’