Eero's perspective
My wolf and I felt our bond snap, but Claudius' rejection didn't hurt me as much as I expected. His rejection didn't weaken me, which I couldn't understand.
Claudius stepped away from me while I breathed hard, struggling to keep myself standing straight.
"It's done. Your daughter is free to be claimed by Miguel Blackthorn. Now, you have to do your end of the deal and transfer more company shares to my name."
"More shares to your name?!" I charged towards Claudius and showered his cheeks with slaps that he openly accepted.
"You son of a bitch! You're a fucking greedy cunt! You turned your back on me, Perseus, for some company shares? You're going to regret this, Claudius!" I shouted. Captain Malvar of the Epsilons had to pull me away from Claudius so that I'd stop assaulting him.
"Let go of me!" I said, struggling in his arms.
"Enough with this havoc, Eero! Can't you see? I'm the only one who'll never turn my back on you. Now, you must do every single thing that I told you because this is your only chance for redemption. You don't want to end up an omega again, right?" The Alpha King asked.
"Now go back to your room and prepare yourself for our departure to meet the Blackthorns," he said.
There was something in Claudius' eyes when it met my orbs. It felt like he was sending me messages that I couldn't decipher.
"Luna Alice," I said. I smiled at her and was heading towards her for the comfort of her hug, but Aelice avoided it.
"We don't have a lot of time, Eero. I need to prepare you for your engagement with Miguel Blackthorn," she said with a flat tone.
"Do you think Aelice already figured out that we lied to her?" I asked my wolf.
"Ouch!" I winced in pain, reaching the part of my head where Luna accidentally pierced me with the hairpin of her choice.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to," she said, sounding cold and distanced to me.
"You're all done," Aelice said and pulled away from me. I turn to her.
"Do we have a problem, Aelice?"
"It's Luna Aelice now, Eero."
"I'm sorry, Luna Aelice," I said, wearing a bitter smile on my lips.
"And about your question. I'm sure you have an answer to that." Aelice smiled, but I caught her rolling her eyes at me before she left my room.
"It's confirmed. Alice knew that you lied to her. You should have just told her the truth that you were Claudius' breeder before. She was your friend. If you told her the truth, she'd understand, and I'm sure that she won't take that against you," My wolf said. That didn't help me at all.
"I'll just find time to explain everything to Aelice, including while I had to lie to her earlier," I said to my wolf.
The Alpha King, me, and the Luna Queen rode in one limousine, but none of us talked. We were all staring at the window, hoping that we'd arrived sooner to the Blackthorn's territory.
"What's with the long faces, Aelice? Eero? We are here for Eero's engagement to the only son and future Alpha of the Blackthorn, not for some funeral. Please show them how happy you are for the union of our family and pack," the Alpha King reminded Aelice and me when the limousine stopped.
Alpha Ruiz Blackthorn stood side by side with Luna Gazelle and Miguel."Your graces," the family greeted. Kissing her cheeks and flashing a smile to Alpha Ruiz, I stayed on Miguel's side while Luna Aelice continued to act aloof toward us all.
"It was as if she's seeing all as her new enemies that had betrayed her," my wolf whispered to me, and I shrugged it off.
While the Alphas and the Lunas were busy exchanging a few words, Miguel pulled me away from them.
"You wouldn't mind walking to this shore with me, right?"
I smiled, "Of course not."
"Right, because this might be the last time that I'll be able to see the Black Sea." I stopped walking and tucked my hair behind me as I looked at him curiously, waiting for his explanation.
"What do you mean?"
"Once we are married. I'll have to live in the realm with you. You know how the female shifter left her pack to go live with her mate after they got married?" He asked.
"Yeah, and what about that?"
Miguel smiled at my confusion.
"In our case, since you hold more power and authority under your name as the heir of the Alpha King. I'll have to go and live with you instead of you leaving the realm to live in the Blackthorn's territory." I nodded my head at him, and we continued to walk.
"My parents know about you and Claudius and your pup." I froze on my feet, not knowing what to tell him.
"Claudius went to see me. He begged me to take you as my second chance, mate, because that's the only way you and Perseus will be safe."
"Huh?"
"Aren't you wondering why it didn't weaken you when Claudius rejected you as his second chance mate?"
"Because I had become stronger?" I asked, though I'm not entirely sure.
"Because Claudius cast a spell to hide your bond with him as mates instead of actually rejecting you," Miguel explained, but I didn't want to believe him.
"I have been rejected before, Miguel. Those words that Claudius had said to me earlier. I know what those meant, and how could Claudius fake a rejection? How is that possible–"
"When you see him again. When you are close to each other, then you'll know that your bonds as mates are still here."
"Then how about you? How can you claim me as your second chance mate, Miguel?"
"Another spell allows for you to have two mates, Eero. I'll be using that spell on our wedding day, and don't worry. Our marriage will be bound through a contract. I wouldn't mind if you and Claudius find a way to see each other secretly."