Chapter 3

• Rosalina's POV
• Jordan’s eyes darken, a storm brewing in the grey depths that used to make my heart flutter.. He takes a step toward me, his presence looming and suffocating.
• ​"Say that again," he commands, his voice dropping to a dangerous rattle. "Why are you putting Minnie on the spot like this? Why are you dragging her name through the mud to cover up your own insecurities?"
• ​I let out a sharp scoff. "I never once mentioned her name, Jordan. I am talking about you. I am talking about the man who left his bride at the altar to stay in a hotel suite instead."
• I tilt my head, "But if you’re feeling so defensive over your precious puppy, then by all means—marry her! Here."
• ​I reach for my left hand. I pull at the diamond ring on my finger, and toss it at his feet. It hits the floor with a hollow clink and rolls toward his polished shoes.
• ​"Consider it my wedding gift to the two of you.”
• ​The silence that follows is broken by a loud laugh from the back of the room. One of Jordan’s friends sneers, leaning against the bar. "Finally! Good riddance. She’s finally doing what Jordan couldn't do because he’s too loyal to his grandfather. The shadow is finally leaving our lives."
• ​"Don't hold your breath," another whispers loudly. "It's all an act. She’s a gold digger through and through. There’s no way she’s breaking this off.”
• “He’s the Alpha, and she’s worked way too hard to claw her way into this position. She'll be begging for his forgiveness by tonight."
• ​Minerva rushes forward, her eyes swimming with tears. She reaches for my hand, but I pull back.
• ​"Rosalina, please! Don't misunderstand us."
• Her voice cracks. "He is just like a brother to me! We grew up in the same house. We are just close, that’s all. But trust me, I would never come between you!"
• ​Brother!
• ​I have heard that pathetic excuse countless times, yet I have never known a brother who would skip the sacred mating ceremony just to pick up his "sister" from the airport and spend time in a hotel suite with her.
• ​A cold, razor-sharp smile tugs at my lips. "Really, Minerva? Then you are truly lucky to have such a devoted lover. He worships the ground you walk on. He’d let his whole pack witness his treason just to make sure you had a nice welcome."
• I gasp mockingly, pressing a hand to my chest. "Oh, did I spill the truth? I am so sorry. I didn't mean lover. I meant brother."
• ​A vein throbs violently at Jordan’s temple. The air in the room begins to vibrate with his Alpha aura, a heavy pressure meant to force me to my knees.
• ​"Enough!" he roars. "Rosalina, apologize to Minerva. Now. We all know you’re just creating drama. You have no intention of following through with this tantrum."
• I look at him, realising that somewhere along the lines, the love I felt for him is replaced by a vast, echoing emptiness.
• I straighten my spine, standing tall. He thinks this is a tantrum?
• ​I raise my eyes toward the ceiling, speaking loud and clear. "I swear on the Moon Goddess that I, Rosalina Alfred, reject you, Alpha Jordan Harrington, as my mate!"
• Gasps ripple through the crowd. Jordan's face goes slack. A rejection is rare; a public one is social suicide.
• "And if I ever go back on my soul's oath, then may both of us be struck by lightning for disrespecting our goddess. We are done, Alpha Jordan."
• ​I turn on my heel, my white train whipping around me, and walk out of the room without looking back.
• Minerva’s POV
• The silence Rosalina leaves behind is thick and suffocating, but it doesn't last. One of the guys lets out an uneasy, bubbling laugh.
• "Well, she’s definitely got a flair for the dramatic, hasn't she?"
• ​"Don't let it get to you, Jordan! Just buy her a shiny new trinket tomorrow. Once she realizes she's lost her meal ticket, she'll be back on her knees.”
• “Robert is right! She’ll even do the penance and beg the Moon Goddess to take that rejection back. We all know how sellable her soul is."
• ​Jordan’s face is a mask of frigid fury.
• "Enough!"
• He snaps, his voice echoing. He turns to me, his gaze softening just a fraction, though his jaw remains tight. "Minnie, I’m sorry. You shouldn't have had to deal with that on your first day back. She’s out of line."
• ​I feel a tightening in my chest. Since when does Jordan care if I’m bothered by her? While I was away, did that orphan actually start to take up space in his mind? I can't have that.
• I press my lips together, looking at him with wide, concerned eyes before a playful idea strikes me.
• ​"Oh, lighten up, Jordy!" I chirp.
• I reach out and poke him right in the waist, tickling the spot I know he can't stand.
• ​He flinches, the dark cloud over his face flickering. It takes me back instantly. When we were kids, he was always so serious, buried in his books and pack history, obsessed with being the perfect Alpha-in-waiting.
• I was the opposite.
• I spent my afternoons trailing after his mother, the Luna. She always brushed my hair and told me I was the most beautiful girl in the pack.
• "You'll surely be the next Luna, Minerva…”
• I believed her, of course— after all, I have spent my life as the Luna's shadow, learning how to rule.
• ​Back then, Jordan would get so angry when I skipped my homework to try on his mother's jewelry. He would scold me with that same brooding look he has now, and I’d just tickle him until he laughed.
• It worked every single time.
• ​"Don't be so grumpy," I tease, smiling up at him. "You’re scaring everyone, and this is my party, remember?"
• ​The tension in his brows finally eases. He catches my hand, his thumb brushing my knuckles. "I'm not angry with you, Minnie. I’d never take my temper out on you because of her stupidity. She’s just being irrational."
• ​"I know," I whisper, dropping my gaze and letting a soft blush creep onto my cheeks. "I feel the same way about you, Jordan. Nothing she says could change that."
• ​The group immediately catches the look between us and erupts into cheers and whistles. "See? That’s more like it!" someone yells.
• The heavy, suffocating atmosphere Rosalina left behind vanishes as if it were never there. The music cranks back up, the champagne flows, and I settle back into my rightful place by his side.
• ​The placeholder is gone, and the real bride has finally come home.