Chapter 10: The Rejection & The Choice

Chapter 10: The Rejection & The Choice

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the courtyard of the palace. It was a stark contrast to the heaviness in Darius's heart, the weight of his actions pressing down on him like an unrelenting storm. He had spent the last few days pacing the halls of his private chambers, unable to sleep or eat, consumed by the thought of Selene and the rejection he had so thoughtlessly imposed upon her.

He had made mistakes-grave ones-and now, standing before the woman who had once been his fated mate, he could feel the gravity of those errors more acutely than ever.

Darius had known from the moment he'd seen her again that he had lost her. There was no denying it anymore. The bond that had once felt so strong, so undeniable, now seemed distant, shattered by the lies he had allowed Lilith to weave. And despite all his efforts to atone, to make things right, there was something in Selene's eyes that told him his regret was too late.

He had rejected her when she had needed him the most. And now, he was left with only a fractured heart and the bitter taste of regret.

His footsteps echoed in the silent hallway as he approached the courtyard where Selene had been waiting. She stood in the center, her back straight, her gaze distant but resolute. The wind danced through her dark hair, and in that moment, she looked every bit the powerful woman she had become-no longer the fragile Omega he had once scorned.

The sight of her sent a sharp pang of guilt through his chest.

"Selene," Darius said, his voice raw, the weight of the apology he had longed to give hanging heavily in the air.

Selene did not turn at the sound of his voice. She stood firm, her posture unyielding, her silence louder than any words she could have spoken. She had been waiting for him, but now, the time for reconciliation seemed so distant, so unreachable.

He took a step forward, his breath catching in his throat as he watched her, his heart aching with the depth of his regret.

"I've come to beg for your forgiveness," Darius continued, his voice trembling. "I know I can never undo the damage I've caused, but I need you to know, from the depths of my soul, that I am sorry. I was blinded by my own insecurities, by Lilith's manipulation. I was a fool. I never should have rejected you. Never. You were always the one I was meant to be with."

A long, painful silence passed between them. Selene remained still, her expression unreadable. The moments stretched, each one thick with tension, as Darius's words sank deeper into her heart.

But Selene was no longer the woman who had begged for his love, the woman who had silently suffered. She had reclaimed herself, her strength burning brighter than any apology could ever fix. She had fought too hard, bled too much, to let herself fall back into the trap of a man who had thrown her away.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Selene turned to face him, her eyes gleaming with a quiet intensity.

"Darius," she said, her voice soft but firm, the weight of her words striking him like a blow. "I have nothing left to forgive you for. You made your choice, and I made mine. You are not the man I thought you were."

Darius's heart clenched. He stepped forward, desperate. "Please, Selene. I love you. I never stopped loving you."

Her gaze held his, and for a brief moment, he could see a flicker of the love they had once shared. But it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

"No, Darius," Selene said, her voice steady, her eyes unwavering. "I am no longer the woman you left behind. I am no longer the broken Omega who begged for your affection. I have found my strength, my purpose. And you..." Her gaze flickered briefly to the side, toward the palace gates, "You are no longer a part of that."

The words hit him like a physical blow. His breath caught in his throat, and his world seemed to crumble around him.

"Please," Darius begged again, his voice strained. "Please don't do this. I was wrong. I see it now. You were always meant to be mine. You are my Luna. I need you, Selene. I can't live without you."

Selene shook her head, a sorrowful expression crossing her face. "You already made your choice, Darius. And now, I'm making mine."

With that, she took a step back, her gaze cold but resolute. "I formally reject you as my mate, Darius. You are no longer the Alpha King that I once loved, and I will not allow myself to be chained to the past. You do not deserve me. And I will not waste my time hoping for a future with someone who betrayed me."

The words stung like fire, tearing through him, and Darius staggered back as if struck physically. His heart shattered into a million pieces. He had known this was coming-had even prepared himself for it-but hearing her say it out loud, the formal rejection, cut deeper than any wound he had ever endured.

He couldn't speak. Couldn't find the words to respond, because deep down, he knew she was right. He had thrown her away. He had let his own pride, his own blindness, cost him the one person he was always meant to be with.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, but his words felt empty, meaningless.

Selene turned her back to him, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve as she walked away, her footsteps echoing in the silence.

And as she left him standing in the courtyard, heartbroken and broken in every sense, a voice called out to her from the shadows.

"Selene."

She froze, her heart skipping a beat. She turned to find Ronan stepping out from the shadows, his eyes filled with warmth, understanding, and something deeper-something she had never expected to find.

"Ronan?" she said, her voice a mix of surprise and confusion.

He walked toward her slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. "I know you've been through so much," he said, his voice steady. "And I know you don't need saving. But Selene, I've been by your side through all of this. And I have to tell you something."

She held his gaze, her breath catching in her throat as he closed the distance between them.

"I don't just admire you. I don't just respect you," Ronan said quietly, his words a soft confession that lingered in the air. "I love you, Selene. I've loved you for so long, but I never had the courage to say it. But now... now, I'm ready to stand by you. No matter what."

Selene felt a warm, unexpected surge of emotion rise in her chest. She had been so focused on her own strength, her own journey, that she hadn't realized how much Ronan had been there for her-how much he had quietly supported her, cared for her, without asking for anything in return.

And in that moment, as she stood in the quiet night with the man who had never failed her, she realized something. She wasn't alone. She had never been alone.

The future that she had once thought was so uncertain, so terrifying, was now filled with possibility.

"Thank you, Ronan," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm not sure where this will take us, but I'm ready to find out."

And with that, the first true smile she had worn in years graced her lips. A smile not born from a past she had left behind, but from the future she was now ready to embrace.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***