The Rejected Rogue Was Their Lost Princess

The next day, Talon arrived with Briella by his side.

Briella took one look at me and tilted her chin up, her slender neck marred with unmistakable marks—evidence of their marking ceremony. Her lips curled into a smirk as she spoke, her voice dripping with mockery. “Well, well, if it isn’t the ‘Stray Mate.’ What have you scavenged this time?”

Ever since I’d been taken into the Southern Pack, the whispers had followed me. They called me the “Stray Mate,” mocking the way I’d found Talon injured and brought him back, only for him to forget me. The title clung to me like a curse, a reminder of my place—or rather, my lack of one.

Talon chuckled lowly, his deep voice carrying a warmth that stung me more than it should have. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Briella’s face, his touch tender. “You’re such a tease,” he said, his gaze lingering on her with an affection that felt like a blade twisting in my chest.

Briella giggled, leaning into him as if she couldn’t bear to be even an inch apart. “Oh, come now,” she said, her tone light but edged with malice. “I’m feeling generous today, so I’ll spare you the humiliation. After all, you’re hardly worth my time.”

She paused, her smirk widening. “But I suppose I should share the good news. You’ll want to hear this.”

I stiffened, my wolf stirring uneasily in the back of my mind, though it stayed silent, sensing the tension. Talon’s Alpha aura was faint but present, a subtle pressure in the room that made it hard to breathe. Briella, too, carried her own aura, sharp and commanding, a reflection of her status as a Lycan Princess.

“Go on,” Talon urged, his hand resting possessively on her waist. “Tell her.”

Briella’s eyes gleamed with triumph as she spoke, her voice sweet but laced with venom. “We’ve decided to hold the marking ceremony next week. It’s time to make things official.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, my stomach churning as the mate bond—what little of it remained—ached faintly. My wolf whimpered softly, a sound only I could hear, but I forced myself to stay composed, to not give them the satisfaction of seeing me break.

“Congratulations,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “I’m sure you’ll make a... fitting pair.”

Briella’s smile faltered for a moment, her eyes narrowing as if she’d expected a different reaction. But then she laughed, the sound cold and dismissive. “Of course we will. Unlike some, I know my place—and I’m more than capable of fulfilling it.”

Talon’s gaze flicked to me, his expression unreadable, but he said nothing. Instead, he pulled Briella closer, his Alpha aura flaring slightly, as if to remind me of his dominance. It was a silent warning, one I couldn’t ignore.

As they turned to leave, Briella glanced back over her shoulder, her smile cruel. “Oh, and Skyla? Don’t get any ideas. You’re nothing more than a stray—and always will be.”

The door closed behind them, leaving me alone with the weight of their words. My wolf growled softly, a low, pained sound, but I shoved the emotions down, refusing to let them see me weak. Not again. Never again.