Chapter 457 Alpha Voren doesn’t love anyone
Voren barely even glanced her way, his expression staying as cold and indifferent as a frozen lake in the dead of winter. “I can’t say the same.”
The smile on Athaliah’s face faltered hard, cracking under the weight of his words.
Before she could even pull herself back together, his next line hit her like a slap. “Let’s not waste each other’s time here.” His eyes met hers directly, no mercy, no softness. “I don’t like you.”
There wasn’t a trace of cruelty in his tone, just raw, brutal honesty that stung worse than any insult could. “And I won’t marry you.”
The color slowly drained from Athaliah’s face, leaving her looking pale and shaken. For the first time in years, someone had straight-up rejected her.
She had always been the one doing the turning down, wealthy businessmen from the human world, powerful Alphas from rival packs, influential heirs from respected families.
They all admired her, all wanted a shot at her heart, and she had refused every single one without a second thought.
Yet the man she had quietly admired and longed for all these years didn’t even hesitate before crushing her to her face.
The deep, aching sting of it settled heavy right in her chest, burning with humiliation and heartbreak.
After a long, painful moment, she forced a smile back onto her lips, holding it together by sheer will. “I saw you once,” she said softly, her voice dipping as those old memories came flooding back. “It was years ago when I visited my brother at the academy.”
Her eyes stayed locked on Voren, searching his face desperately. “You probably don’t even remember me. I was still just a little girl back then.”
A quiet, bittersweet laugh slipped out of her. She lowered her gaze for a second before looking back up at him, vulnerability mixing with determination. “But I remembered you. I liked you from that very day.”
Her smile carried this touch of deep sadness that made her eyes glisten. “And somehow, I never stopped thinking about you all this time.”
Silence hung thick between them, the kind that pressed down on everyone’s chest. Athaliah slowly leaned back in her seat, trying to steady herself. “No man has ever rejected me before.”
Confusion crept into her voice, her brows knitting together. “They’re usually completely captivated by my looks, or my intelligence.”
A small, pained smile appeared on her lips. “But you…” She drew in a slow, shaky breath. “There’s only one explanation that makes sense.” Her expression sharpened with sudden insight. “You already love someone else, don’t you?”
The question tumbled out almost immediately. “Who’s the lucky she-wolf who stole your heart?”
For the first time since the whole conversation started, Voren went completely still, frozen like her words had hit some hidden nerve.
That wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting at all. Most women would’ve blown up in anger, argued their case, or tried desperately to prove themselves worthy.
Instead, she had zeroed in on the truth almost instantly, cutting straight through everything.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, something almost impressed flickering in his voice. “I’m the lucky one…” Voren said dreamily. “Most people don’t get it… but somehow you do.”
“Who is she?” Athaliah asked, trying to picture the kind of she-wolf she would think was a perfect fit for someone like Voren. Her heart skipped a beat, a tiny spark of hope flaring up inside her.
If only she could see that woman, then she’ll understand if Voren was just making up an excuse or if he really had someone.
But that hope got crushed in the very next second. “I can’t tell you her name,” Voren said, the smile on his lips softening with real warmth that hadn’t been there before. “She’s shy, and she wants to keep our relationship a secret until the Blood Moon Festival.”
King Jaron’s face darkened like a storm cloud rolling in, his patience finally shattering completely. “That’s complete nonsense!”
His furious voice boomed through the room, echoing off the walls. He slammed his glass down hard on the table, making the wine ripple wildly inside it. “Alpha Voren doesn’t love anyone!”
His chest heaved with raw anger. “His parents confirmed it themselves! And what she-wolf in her right mind would even think about hiding a man like you from the entire world?”
Athaliah slowly rose from her seat, her eyes never leaving Voren’s face. She wasn’t angry, and she wasn’t embarrassed anymore, just fiercely determined to get to the truth no matter what.
If Voren was just avoiding her, then she would try her best to win his heart but if he really had someone as he claimed, then she would apologize and step back with dignity.
Step by step, she closed the distance between them, her presence filling the space with quiet intensity. “If you’re lying to me…” Determination flashed bright across her face. “I’ll know.”
Voren frowned the instant Athaliah stepped closer, that protective wall around him slamming up even higher. The space between them vanished way too fast for his comfort.
When she reached out, her fingers only made it halfway before his hand shot up lightning-quick and caught her wrist in a firm grip, not painful, but strong enough to stop her cold. With one smooth motion, he pushed her hand away like it burned him.
“Don’t touch me,” he said, his voice icy and echoing through the quiet room like a warning growl.
Athaliah blinked in surprise but didn’t take any real offense. Instead, this small, understanding smile stretched her lips. “I should’ve asked first. My bad.”
She slowly lowered her hand, moving carefully so she wouldn’t set him off again. “I have a Love Wolf,” she explained, her voice staying calm and steady. “She’s sensitive to deep emotions between people.”
She looked him straight in the eye, sincere as could be. “Believe me, Alpha Voren.” A gentle smile softened her beautiful features even more. “I would never destroy another woman’s happiness. I’d never be the reason some she-wolf loses the man she loves.”