Chapter 189
Juno’s POV
“Cassandra, Augustin finally said her name, he stared at her.
She smiled, and my heart shattered. He hadn’t responded to me, hadn’t even looked at me. His eyes were only for her.
I took that as my cue to leave. I stood up slowly, preparing to walk away.
Augustin’s hand shot out, gripping my wrist tightly as he stood up beside me, still staring at Cassandra.
What the hell? Did he need me to watch this? To see him choose someone else? I didn’t understand why he wanted me to witness this painful moment. f wanted to run, to leave, to hide. There was no way I would stay with him and his fated mate. It was time for me to go.
“If I’d known,” Cassandra sobbed, “I never would have left.”
Augustin didn’t answer, just stared at her. I could feel the conflict raging within him.
‘I’m so sorry,” she continued. “I thought I was doing what was best. I didn’t know- She glanced at me, then back to him. “You’re still-
“Still what?” he asked, voice deadly calm.
“Single,” she whispered hopefully.
I tried to pull my wrist free, but Augustin’s grip tightened, preventing me from leaving.
“I’m not single, Cassandra,” Augustin said firmly. “I’m in love, and I’m getting married soon.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I stopped trying to pull away.
Cassandra’s smile faltered. “But… but we’re fated,” she stammered, gesturing between them. “I felt it the moment I walked in. You felt it too, I know you
did.”
“I don’t care,” Augustin replied.
Three words that changed everything.
“But… Elowen told me you were planning to bring me back as your Luna,” Cassandra said, confusion clear in her voice. “And now fate has made us mates. It’s perfect.”
‘Your cousin lied to you,” Augustin said coldly. “I have someone I love deeply, and it’s not you.”
You don’t have to do this, I linked him. I won’t be angry.
His grip on my wrist tightened painfully, his hand shaking with the effort it took to resist the pull toward Cassandra. I knew this was especially difficult for him because they had loved each other once. That history would only amplify the buried feelings.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Augustin told her. “You should have heeded my mother’s warning and stayed away.”
Cassandra began to cry harder. “But I still love you, Augustin. I never stopped. I didn’t mean to leave, but I was scared. And now fate has given us another chance.” She reached for him, but he stepped back, pulling me with him.
‘Please, can we talk privately?” She glanced at me pointedly.
I’m bristled at her tone.
“There’s nothing to discuss,” Augustin said firmly.
1/3
Chapter 189
“Don’t you remember what we used to say? How we wished we were fated? Now we are! Cassandrs pressed, clearly trying to get rid of it, he
be mates? Now fate has made it happen!”
Everyone was watching us again, Matthew’s distraction having ended. I could feel dozens of eyes on us, waiting to see what would happens next.
“I make my own fate,‘ Augustin said, his voice carrying through the now–silent ballroom. 1, Augustin Levenston, Alpha King of Cliffards, hereby kamally reject-
‘Don’t!” Cassandra interrupted, her eyes wild with panic. “If you reject me, it will weaken your woll. Fenris can’t be weakened, not now. Please, I’ll share your with her if I must, but don’t do the rejection ritual.”
She turned to me then, her face contorting with anger. “llow can you be so selfish? If he does the rejection ritual, it will be your fault. His wolf will be weakened, and Clifflands will fall. Is that what you want?”
Fury surged through me at her words, hot and all–consuming. How date her words!
‘Silence! Augustin roared, making everyone in the ballroom flinch. “You will not speak to my mate in that tone.”
He straightened to his full height, his voice ringing with authority as he spoke the formal words: *1, Augustin Levenston, Alpha King of Clifflands, reject Cassandra Hamilton as my fated mate. May fate find her another match worthy of her.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Augustin staggered back into his chair, his face pale with pain.
Cassandra collapsed to her knees, crying out in agony as the rejection ritual took effect
I looked at Augustin, watching him struggle against the pain, and my tears finally fell–not from heartbreak but from relief. He had kept his promise. He had chosen me over fate, just as he said he would.
I wondered if I could ever repay him for the gift of his love, for his willingness to endure pain rather than betray me.
We should leave, I linked him. You need to rest.
Augustin stood up, leaving Cassandra writhing on the floor in pain. I could see he was in terrible pain too, but he was hiding it well. I wanted to get him out of the ballroom, away from prying eyes. I wanted to protect him as he had protected our love.
People were rushing to help Cassandra now, but my focus was entirely on Augustin as we made our way out of the hall.
It took considerable effort to reach the bedroom because of the pain Augustin was experiencing. Despite fate seemingly working against me once again, the outcome had been unexpectedly in my favor. Augustin hadn’t even given himself and Cassandra space to talk, though it must have been even harder for him given their history.
While he had masked it in the ballroom, once we reached our quarters, it became obvious. His wolf was whimpering in agony.
I wondered why I hadn’t felt this pain when I rejected Kieran.
Quickly, I removed both our clothes and held him as we lay on the bed.
‘I love you so much,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure if he could hear me through his pain.
Tears of relief streamed down my face as I thanked him silently for not breaking my heart. I had feared he would be like Matthew. I had prepared myself to leave, to run. That preparation made me appreciate this outcome even more, made me more determined to prove his choice right.
‘I love you, Augustin,” I whispered again, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “You kept your promise, I swear I’ll stand beside strength when you need it, your comfort when you hurt. Everything I am is yours, forever..”
Fate hadn’t given him to me, but we had chosen each other. And that, I realized, was the perfect match.
