The Healer’s Rejection: Burned by the Alpha, Backed by the King

I had just returned from the royal capital when my mother told me she had arranged a marriage for me. My fiance was the newly appointed Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack. He was handsome, exceptionally gifted, and had a spotless romantic history. He had never been in a relationship. As soon as the news reached the royal capital, the Alpha King immediately approved a mansion for our wedding, declaring it a gift to me in celebration of my upcoming marriage. My fiance said they would take care of decorating the mansion for me. All that remained was for me to move in. The night before our mating ceremony, I returned to the mansion unexpectedly to retrieve a potion. The moment I opened the door, I was stunned by the decorations inside. Black drapes hung throughout the mansion, the walls were covered with crosses, and right in the center stood a large black-and-white portrait of me. Even the silvermoon flowers my mother had carefully prepared as a symbol of blessings had been replaced with white lilies. It looked nothing like a wedding mansion. It looked like a funeral parlor. Thinking someone had deliberately sabotaged my mating ceremony, I immediately ordered the werewolves who were still decorating to stop. But then Monica, Edward’s childhood sweetheart, stormed in and blocked my way, her face twisted with anger. “Who gave you permission to touch my decorations?!” I suppressed my anger and shot back, “My mating ceremony is tomorrow. Do you really think turning my wedding mansion into a funeral parlor is appropriate?” She scoffed dismissively. “So what? Edward said I could decorate it however I wanted. If you have a problem with that, go complain to Edward. Let’s see whose side he takes.” “If you dare remove anything, I’ll make sure you can’t hold your mating ceremony tomorrow.” I let out a cold laugh and called Edward on the spot. “Edward, I have no particular desire to hold my mating ceremony in a funeral parlor. Get over here right now and take your people away.” Chapter 1 My mating ceremony was scheduled for the following day. Many elders from the royal capital, even the Alpha King himself, would be attending. If they walked in and discovered that the mansion specially approved for our wedding had been turned into a funeral parlor, the scandal would be enormous. Edward’s icy voice came through the phone. “I don’t have time to listen to your nonsense.” I suppressed my anger and tried to reason with him. “Edward, I appreciate you sending people to decorate the wedding mansion, but she has turned the place into a funeral parlor.” “I no longer need her to do any more decorating. Tell her to take her werewolves and leave immediately.” But before I could finish speaking, he hung up on me. I stood there, stunned. Was this really the gentle, well-mannered man my mother had praised as such a good match for me? Monica let out a cold laugh beside me. “Did you hear that? Complaining to him won’t do you any good. Edward can’t even be bothered to deal with you.” “If you hadn’t used a few underhanded tricks to deceive Edward’s father and pressure him into making Edward marry you, do you really think a healer like you, someone who crawled out of some impoverished backwater, would ever be worthy of marrying him?” As she spoke, she looked me up and down. I’d just come back from the herb fields, my clothes splattered with mud and water, leaving me looking utterly disheveled. The contempt in her eyes was practically overflowing. “Let’s be honest. Edward sent me here to decorate the wedding mansion today so I could blow off some steam.” “If you don’t want to lose even your chance to hold the mating ceremony tomorrow, then be a good girl and get out of my way. Stop interfering with my decorating.” I took a deep breath, my voice turning cold. “Whatever your relationship with Edward may be, this wedding mansion belongs to me. I no longer need you to decorate it. Now take your people and get out. Otherwise, I’ll call the werewolf warriors.” Monica gave an exaggerated, disdainful huff. “Don’t listen to her! Keep decorating!” “Her mansion? Where would she get the money to buy an estate this big? It’s obviously not belong to her but Edward !” “I’m turning your wedding mansion into a funeral parlor today!” I was so furious that my entire body trembled. As the strongest healer in the werewolf world, I was treated with respect even by the elders in the royal capital. I’d never encountered a female werewolf so shamelessly domineering and unreasonable. Monica’s eyes widened. In an instant, she shifted into wolf fand lunged at me, pinning me to the ground before sinking her teeth into me. “You bitch! That’s what you get for going against me!” Caught completely off guard, I was savagely mauled in the struggle. Blood poured from my wounds, and the pain was so intense that I writhed on the floor. I finally managed to break free and stagger to my feet, only for several werewolf warriors to rush in and seize me from behind, restraining my arms. “What are you doing? I’m the one who lives here! She’s the one who barged into my home and started causing trouble!” I shouted through the pain. But the werewolf warriors merely tried to placate me as they dragged me toward the door. “We only take orders from Monica. She told us to escort you out..” The werewolves who had gathered to watch began whispering among themselves. “She’s got some nerve! Monica is Alpha Edward’s childhood sweetheart. Does this female werewolf really think being his future Luna gives her the right to challenge Monica?” “This mansion obviously belongs to the Alpha. But she really thinks she’s the lady of the house.” “It’s just Monica decorating the place like a funeral parlor. What’s the big deal? Couldn’t she just put up with it? If she keeps making a scene, she might really end up unable to hold her mating ceremony tomorrow.” Monica grew even more brazen. She folded her arms across her chest, her voice dripping with contempt. “Did you hear them? I’ll give you one last chance. Get down on your knees and apologize. Admit you were wrong, and I might consider forgiving you.” “Otherwise, you can forget about holding your mating ceremony tomorrow!” Chapter 2 "Monica, you're the one in the wrong here, not me. I'll say this one last time. Take your werewolves and get out of my house. Now." Before I could finish, she raised her hand and slapped me several times across the face. "You little bitch! Still got a mouth on you, don't you?" I dodged her blows, gritting my teeth as I forced myself not to fight back. It wasn't that I didn't want to lay a hand on her. The problem was that she had an entire squad of werewolf warriors behind her, and everyone gathered outside was on her side. I was already injured. If I fought back now, I'd be the only one getting hurt. I managed to break free from the werewolf warriors restraining me and was just about to grab Monica's hand when a tremendous force suddenly struck me from behind. I was sent flying backward and slammed hard into the cabinet beside the door. My vision went black, and it felt as though my bones were about to shatter. A furious growl rang out beside my ears. "Let's see who dares lay a hand on her!" Clutching my arm, I gritted my teeth and forced myself back to my feet. The ones who had just shoved me aside were a group of werewolf warriors. They were escorting a handsome male werewolf who strode into the room. He walked straight toward Monica, his voice low and full of concern. "What happened? I heard someone was giving you trouble. Who the hell has the nerve to bully you?" He stood nearly six feet three, dressed in an immaculate suit, with a handsome, chiseled face. There was no denying he was good-looking. Monica turned around and shot me a provocative look. Edward followed her gaze. His expression was cold and distant, with a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. Suppressing my anger, I tried to explain. "You're Edward, aren't you? I'm Sophia, the future Luna your father arranged for you. I was the one who called you earlier. Monica..." "Shut up." He frowned and raised a hand to cut me off, his tone impatient. "I couldn't care less about what happened." "And I don't care who you are. Now get on your knees and apologize to Monica. Immediately." For a moment, I was speechless. Then I let out an incredulous laugh. His father had been the one practically begging for this marriage. Officially, I was supposed to become Edward's future Luna. And now, without even bothering to find out what had happened, he was ordering me to get on my knees and apologize? "Edward, I know we don't have much of a relationship yet. But I'm the future Luna of the Silvermoon Pack. The least you could do is show me some basic respect, don't you think?" "Besides, she's the one in the wrong, not me. You haven't even bothered to hear what happened, yet you're ordering me to kneel. What gives you the right?" "What gives me the right?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with contempt and arrogance. "The fact that you wouldn't leave me alone and insisted on marrying me." "If my father hadn't told me that marrying you was the only way I'd become Alpha, I'd find the thought of even looking at you disgusting. A healer like you, someone who crawled out of some poor backwater, makes me sick just to look at." He shot me a disgusted glance, his gaze settling on the mud stains covering my clothes. "Don't think that just because we're engaged, you can mistreat the people I care about. If you ever upset Monica again, I have a hundred ways to drive you out of the Silvermoon Pack." I was utterly speechless. "Edward, for the last time, I'm not the one desperately trying to marry you—" "Anyone can talk tough," Monica interrupted, wearing a smug smile. "Let's see if you're still so confident when Edward actually refuses to marry you. I bet you'll be crying and begging him to take you back." "You should be thanking the Moon Goddess for even having the chance to become Luna." Watching the two of them trade insults and smug looks, as if they were doing me some great favor, I let out a cold laugh. "Who the hell do you think you are? Do you really consider yourself some kind of prize? Do you think every female werewolf in the entire werewolf world is desperate to become your mate?" The werewolves gathered outside immediately erupted into an uproar. "Has she lost her mind? That's Edward! The Alpha of the most powerful pack around, the Silvermoon Pack!" "Stop pretending! Who wouldn't want to marry Alpha Edward? She's already been given a wedding mansion, and the mating ceremony has been arranged. So what if the decorations are a little creepy? Can't she just put up with it?" "Exactly! What's wrong with letting Monica vent a little?" Listening to their ridiculous comments, I could only shake my head at the absurdity of it all. The Silvermoon Pack might be powerful now, but so what? The pack was located near a swamp, where the poisonous miasma made its werewolves especially susceptible to illness. For years, the Silvermoon Pack had relied on the health potions developed by our Healing Center to keep its werewolves healthy and maintain its territory. The Alpha King had long been displeased with the Silvermoon Pack's arrogance. The only reason he'd tolerated the Healing Center supplying them with exclusive batches of the potions was because I was born into the Silvermoon Pack. However, I'd already made an agreement with the Alpha King. In five years, the health potions would be made available to every werewolf pack. By then, the Silvermoon Pack would lose the advantage it currently enjoyed. That was precisely why the former Alpha had been visiting the Royal City day after day, begging the Alpha King to give the Silvermoon Pack more time and extend its exclusive access to the potions for a few more years. He knew I was currently the strongest healer at the Healing Center and the one who had developed the health potions. So he practically camped outside the Healing Center, pleading with me to consider his son as my mate. When I refused to be swayed, he turned to my mother instead. My mother was touched by his sincerity, and that was how this marriage was arranged. In truth, this marriage had originally been beneficial to both sides. If I returned to the Silvermoon Pack, I'd not only be able to address its werewolves' health problems more thoroughly, but it would also be a major boost to my own career. That was why the higher-ups were still keeping an eye on the situation, considering whether to give the Silvermoon Pack a few more years. But judging by what I'd seen today, the marriage the former Alpha had fought so hard to secure was probably about to be ruined by his own son. These thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant. But to Edward and Monica, my silence only looked like a guilty conscience. Edward spoke impatiently. "I'm giving you one last chance. Get on your knees and apologize to Monica. Otherwise, the mating ceremony is off." I lifted my head and looked at them. Then, in a calm, clear voice, I gave him my answer. "Fine. Then cancel the mating ceremony. I don't need you." Chapter 3 Both of them froze. Edward, in particular, looked absolutely livid. I couldn't tell whether he was furious because a female werewolf he'd always looked down on had just humiliated him in front of everyone, or because he'd suddenly realized that if I truly refused to go through with the mating ceremony, his father might actually strip him of his right to inherit the Alpha position. But Monica, standing beside him, had a different reaction. Her eyes lit up, gleaming with greed and ambition. "Edward, isn't it even better that she doesn't want to go through with the mating ceremony?" she immediately leaned closer, her voice soft and urgent. "That way, you won't have to bring her home as your wife and embarrass the entire Silvermoon Pack." Seeing Edward hesitate, as though weighing his options, Monica stepped closer and spoke even faster. "The former Alpha was obviously just saying those things out of anger. There's no way he'd really refuse to let you inherit the Alpha position just because you won't marry some female werewolf, right?" "You're so powerful and intelligent. The former Alpha is counting on you to take the Silvermoon Pack to even greater heights." Her words hit exactly where Edward was most vulnerable. His expression instantly brightened, and the tension left his brow. "But the invitations have already been sent to all the packs. If we announce the cancellation now, it might be too late." Monica giggled, tracing circles on his chest with her finger. Her voice turned sickeningly sweet. "What's the problem? You still have me, don't you? I was the one who was supposed to marry you in the first place." Edward's eyes darkened. He took her hand, his voice turning husky. "You're right. The one I should be marrying is a stronger werewolf like you." "Someone like her should be thanking the Moon Goddess just for getting to meet me. If my father hadn't forced her on me, she wouldn't even have gotten that chance." I'd reached the absolute limit of my patience. I raised my hand and pointed toward the door, my voice icy cold. "Since the mating ceremony is canceled, you and Monica can leave now. And have these werewolves tear down every last bit of this funeral-hall decoration." The werewolves watching from the sidelines burst into laughter. "Does she actually think she's still getting this house now that the mating ceremony is canceled? This is premarital property. The marriage never happened, so of course the house belongs to Alpha Edward!" Monica immediately slipped into a coquettish tone. "Edward, don't give her this house. Now that you've canceled the mating ceremony, I don't want her taking even the slightest advantage of you." "Fine. Then I'll take it back." Edward lifted his chin and spoke as though issuing an order. "I don't care what the old man gave you, but I'm taking this house back. Now get out. Immediately." I was utterly speechless. I couldn't help reminding him. "Edward, this house was personally approved by the Alpha King as my wedding gift. It wasn't given to me by the Silvermoon Pack." Edward sneered and pulled a check from inside his jacket, tossing it in front of me. "Enough with the lies. You just want money, don't you? Fine. Consider this payment for the house." I glanced down at the check before looking back up at him. "Edward, let me explain one more time. This house was given to me by the Royal City. I'm not handing it over to you. And it's not something you can simply buy with money." My words sent Edward and Monica into fits of laughter. Even the werewolves gathered outside doubled over, laughing. "Typical country bumpkin! The house may be nice, but it's been sitting empty for years. Nobody even wants it. Edward is offering her all that money, and she still isn't satisfied!" Edward gave a mocking snort. "Did you hear that? Be smart for once. Take the money and get out." But I met his gaze without flinching. "Edward, I won't let you do whatever you want. This house isn't yours to buy or sell. Your money can't buy you everything." Chapter 4 Edward ordered the werewolf warriors to drag me out of the house. Then, without wasting a moment, he summoned a construction crew and had them pour barrel after barrel of lamp oil around the base of the walls and the supporting beams. He looked down at me with undisguised contempt, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson. There's nothing in the entire Silvermoon Pack that I can't have. And nobody dares tell me what I can or cannot do." "If I want this house, I'll take it. If I want to burn it down, I can do that just as easily." I glared at him, my voice turning icy. "Don't you dare! Edward, you're nothing more than the Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack. Do you really think you can do whatever you want without consequences?" He let out a mocking laugh. "Why shouldn't I dare? Do you honestly think threatening me will do any good?" "Don't tell me you really don't know this." He tilted his head back, looking down at me with utter arrogance. "Without the Silvermoon Pack, half the Royal City's affairs would grind to a halt. Half the elders on the council are on our side. Even the Alpha King has to think twice before crossing us." The werewolves gathered around also began urging me to back down. "Young lady, take our advice and swallow your pride. Just apologize." "Alpha Edward is no ordinary werewolf. The Silvermoon Pack has enormous influence, and the Royal City Council backs them. Even those close to the Alpha King have to show them some respect." Seeing this, Monica became even more smug. She pointed at me and sneered. "Scared now, aren't you? Then get on your knees and apologize to us! Otherwise, once we burn this house down, you'll be next!" "Shut up." I turned my cold gaze on Monica. "This is your final warning. You'd better stop right now. Otherwise, you'll have no idea what consequences you're bringing upon yourselves." Monica pouted and snatched the torch from one of the construction workers. "Then let's see what these so-called consequences are!" With that, she tossed the torch onto the house. BOOM! The lamp oil caught fire instantly. Flames raced along the base of the walls and climbed up the supporting beams. In no time, the entire mansion was engulfed in flames. The blaze lit up the sky above the very heart of the Royal City. As I watched the house disappear beneath the flames, I knew in my heart that something terrible was about to happen. Monica covered her ears and nestled into Edward's arms, speaking in an exaggeratedly sweet voice. "The fire is so big! It scared me half to death!" Then she walked over and kicked me several times. "Well? What do you think? We burned it down, just like we said we would. Where are these terrible consequences you were talking about? Trying to scare and threaten us? That's hilarious!" Suddenly, my phone lit up. The screen displayed a call from the Royal City's highest-priority emergency line. I hurriedly answered. A stern voice came from the other end. It was the captain of the warriors assigned to protect the Alpha King. "Healer Sophia, where are you right now? Your wedding mansion has been burned down. We suspect rogue wolves may be attempting to threaten you. The Royal City Guard is being dispatched immediately." I quickly reported what had happened. "I'm at the mansion right now. The people who burned it down... are standing right in front of me."