Celeste's POV
*****
The mating ball eventually went on without any more hiccups. No one understood what happened between me and the four men. My four mates.
Only I was stuck with the realisation that I was mated to four men. And one was a freaking witch. The other... I had no idea what he is now that I think about it.
My mind is unable to settle throughout the event. Even when Willow tried getting me to dance or said her usual funny delulu stuff about my brother.
And as for the boys? Atlas stepped away from my table, going to catch some "air". Luther glared at me like I had cursed his bloodline. Silas... It was hard to tell what he felt.
And then the mysterious man. One moment I thought he was sitting amongst the crowd, watching me. The next—he vanished. Like he was never there.
"Alright, you've been acting off since the ceremonial toast." Willow grabbed my arm when the event was finally over and people were either leaving or lingering around socialising.
I glanced over my shoulder, noting how Uncle Isaiah got to his feet, trying to call someone. Probably Atlas.
"Willow," I began, eyes fluttering shut. "You won't... You have no idea what—"
"Then give me an idea, Cel." She let go of me, folding her arms in front of her chest. "I saw the look in your eyes. Noticed how your heart spiked. Saw the weird runes glowing on Atlas' arms like rave lights."
Trying to distract myself from the convo, I whipped my head around the hall. My eyes soon landed on the stage where my parents and Caelum stood. They seemed to be having a discussion with Professor Amelia.
Mom soon swerved her head to me, violet eyes glinting with warmth when she saw me. But beneath that warmth was an unmistakable flash of pity.
The same look I've seen on my family's faces for years.
"Hello?" Willow tapped my shoulder, drawing my attention back to her. "There's an elephant in the room and you need to address it."
I rolled my eyes, grabbing what remained of my glass of wine. "There's nothing to address. It was probably... Nerves. As for Atlas, maybe his magic was acting up or something."
"Nerves?" Willow repeated. "Right. And then the most skilled witch in the academy just happens to have an unexplainable outburst while staring at you like you're—"
Before she could finish that sentence and sadly, before I could take a sip from my wine, a shrill voice chimed behind me. Not soft bell chimes. More like the blare of a tornado siren.
"Tell me what you did to Luther." Lysandra's shameless words made me freeze.
My eyes flicked to Willow whose arms were still folded in front of her chest. Except now she looked awkwardly between Lysandra and me.
"I reckon I spoke English, runt." Lysandra persisted. "What did you do to Luther?"
Still clutching my wine glass, I turned around, lips pressed into a thin line. And there she was. The Queen bee herself—and her trustee drones flanking her like bodyguards.
Three girls.
Mia. Kiara. Natasha. The first two were wolves while Nat was a witch.
I also recognised them as the girls who'd been gossiping about me so loudly earlier.
"Haven't you caused enough damage, Lysandra?" I couldn't help but ask, fingers tapping on the wine glass. "You have the boy now. You've won. What do you fucking want from me now?"
Lysandra's eyes widened slightly at first. But then she chuckled, head tilting downwards. Her lackeys joined in her humourless laugh, giggling like a pack of hyenas.
Heat pooled in my cheeks until I felt like exploding. They drew way too many stares with their laugh. I didn't even want to glance at my parents to check if they noticed anything off.
Because they probably didn't.
"I won?" Lysandra repeated like those words were comedic gold. "Honey, you say it like it was a competition in the first place. Do you think Luther was ever yours?" She took two steps closer.
Not enough to get all up in my face. But enough to make my fingers itch to claw her eyeballs out.
"You were temporary." She whispered now, eyes locking on mine. "A place holder who could only offer him her family name without any hopes of giving him a remarkable heir."
I clicked my tongue. After the hell I've faced tonight—thanks to her—I really had no time for this.
"Listen, Aussie discount princess." My tone was clipped. "Back off. Like as far away from me as possible. I'm still racking my head on how to clean off your disgusting juices from my sheets."
Lysandra's eyes grew so wide you'd think they would fall off any second. Even her friends gawked at me and then at her like they weren't sure of what to say.
But oh, I wasn't done.
"You're a freaking Alpha King's daughter fighting another girl over an Alpha. Who isn't from your home continent, if I may add." I tilted my head. "That says a lot about you. Maybe beneath the makeup, the bratty teen sass, and botox—"
"—I've never had any work done on my face!" She snapped, cheeks reddening with rage. I ignored, carrying on:
"—Beneath all that is probably an insecure girl who's afraid she can't get under daddy's good graces. Because at the end of the day, you aren't a pure wolf." A grin curled my lips. Was this the alcohol talking? It was just wine but my tolerance was close to non-existent. "And we all know how your father prizes his bloodline."
She knew I was right about that last part.
Alpha Kings weren't like Alphas. Each one ruled over the Alphas and packs of their home continent.
Despite the negligence, my father was the most progressive amongst the Alpha Kings. He didn't mind his wife or children being hybrids.
Don't know if I can say the same about Lysandra's dad though...
"You," Lysandra eyes flashed with a cold light.
The chandeliers above us flickered. Her magic buzzed beneath her skin.
But before she could make any moves, my eyes caught two people heading toward us. From behind her.
Luther and Silas.
The former immediately locked his gaze on me, blue eyes glinting with a myriad of emotions. As for his brother, he moved gracefully, eyes calm but gleaming with curiosity.
"Still refusing to tell us what you did to me?" Luther was the first to speak, placing himself beside Lysandra. "You're despicable. You couldn't handle the breakup, so the next best thing you could think of was locking me with a fake mate bond?"
Willow, who'd been silent all this while, finally released a gasp. A few people who caught the words mumbled amongst themselves.
Shit.
Fucking shit!
At this rate, everyone will know I'm mated to this asshole before dawn.
"And as if that wasn't enough," Luther continued, gesturing at his brother. "You decided to drag Silas into this? This isn't a game, Celeste. Revoke your spell right here and right—"
I didn't let him finish.
Everything he's done to me ran through my mind as I flung my wine glass forward. I watched with cold glee when the wine splashed on his face, dripping from his blonde hair as well.
"Ahhh!" Lysandra screeched, stepping away from him and jumping like she saw a rat. "Bloody hell! You—"
I splashed whatever remained of the wine on her dress as well. Dropping the glass on the table behind me, I raised a hand, getting ready to slap her—
"Celeste!" My father's voice boomed through the hall, making me freeze instantly.
A chill ran down my spine. The hall was dead silent. Everyone who was still present gawked at me like I was insane.
"Celeste." My mother's voice followed, forcing me to swerve my head to the stage.
She and Dad had a look in their eyes that I instantly recognised. Disappointment.
"My dress!" Lysandra cried, clutching her dress like a helpless ballerina. "How... How could you do this?! What did I ever do to you, Celeste?"
Playing the victim once again...
"I don't know what you have against her," my father raised a finger, expression still tinted with disappointment. "But apologise. You don't act like this in public. I taught you better."
My chest tightened.
Professor Amelia stood beside my parents, not saying a word. The Australian Alpha King, Lysandra's father, barely seemed interested in the scuffle.
He just looked down on me with a disgusted grimace.
Slowly, my fists curled until nails dug into skin. Apologize?
"No." I shook my head, breath trembling. "She... She slept with Luther. I—"
"Luther?" My mother frowned. "Who's that? A new crush of yours? Sweetie, you shouldn't fight anyone because of a boy."
I almost couldn't believe my ears.
They didn't know I'd been dating. But then again, my love life was never a topic with them.
"Luther... Luther was my boyfriend." The words choked out, barely audible as I gestured at the bastard. "And now he's my mate. Him. His brother. The top witch in our school..."
I paused, trying to collect myself.
"—and another boy I don't even know the name of," my voice cracked like glass.
Silence.
Then Mom blinked twice. "Celeste, sweetheart… You must be overwhelmed. Why don't we all step aside and talk somewhere—"
"No." The word scraped out of me, raw and shaky.
Dad took a step forward, palms raised in that diplomatic, kingly way he always used with foreign packs. "Celeste, enough. Apologise and we'll address whatever this is later. Right now isn't the time—"
"I'm not apologising." My lungs tightened as the humiliation pressed down on me, thick and suffocating. "Not for defending myself. Not for anything."
"Princess—" Mom's voice reached for me but felt miles away.
I backed up. Then another step. And another.
Their faces blurred. All I could see was pity. Disappointment. Confusion.
No one tried to understand.
No one ever did.
"I'm done," I whispered.
Without waiting for a response, I spun on my heel and walked. Fast.
My heels echoed across the hall, but I didn't stop. Not when Willow called my name. Not when Dad barked, "Celeste!" again. Not when Lysandra sobbed dramatically behind me like she was auditioning for a soap opera.
I ran out of the event hall and stepped into the cool night air.
The moment the breeze hit my skin, everything inside me cracked. Tears spilt hot and relentless down my cheeks. My breaths came sharp, too fast. I pressed a hand to my mouth, swallowing down an ugly sob.
Of course, they didn't believe me. Of course, they chose the neat public image over me. Of course, my mates were a fucking disaster.
I kept walking, vision blurry. Then getting distracted, I didn't realise someone was in my way.
"Whoa!" I collided with something solid but before I could trip, strong hands steadied me instantly.
A familiar scent wafted through my nostrils.
Warm. Electric. Impossible to forget.
I looked up—
And there he was.
Him.
The mysterious man who saved me.
His sunglasses were off now, letting his eyes lock on mine. They glowed faintly like stars trapped in ink.
"Celeste," he murmured, voice low.
My heart stopped.