Chapter 3 Chapter 3

AMELIA

I jerk myself out of my head, forcing my expression into something neutral even though nothing about this feels normal.

“Hi,” I say, my voice coming out steadier than I expect as I hold out my hand. “Nice to meet you.”

For a second, it just hangs there between us.

He doesn’t move to take it. He didn’t even look at it.

His gaze stays on my face, heavy and unwavering like my words didn’t matter at all and the gesture didn't exist.

And slowly but painfully, I start to lower my hand—

But my mother is faster.

Her fingers close around my wrist, guiding it back to my side with a light but firm pressure, her smile widening just a little too much.

Mateo doesn’t like skin-to-skin contact. she says smoothly through the link.

My throat tightens.

A soft chuckle leaves her lips as she looks between us like everything is perfectly fine, like this isn’t the strangest and one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.

“Well…” she starts, glancing around briefly, “I guess I’ll leave the both of you to get acquainted.”

My stomach drops.

No.

No, she can’t just—

Then she turns to me, her voice slipping into the link again, quieter this time.

Get to know your stepfather.

The words settle wrong.

And before I can reply, she’s already stepping away, her heels clicking softly against the floor as she disappears back into the crowd.

And just like that—

It’s quiet again.

I stand there for a second, not moving, not breathing properly, trying to gather my thoughts, trying to make sense of something that refuses to make sense.

But it’s harder now.

Because he’s closer.

Because there’s nothing between us anymore.

No noise.

No distraction.

Just him and that pull which is even more stronger than before.

My fingers curl slightly at my sides as I force myself to look at him again, really look this time, and the moment my eyes meet his light brown ones, It hits even harder.

I swallow, my throat dry as my mouth parts.

“Ca–can you feel it?” I ask softly.

The words hang between us, fragile and exposed, and for a second I wish I could take them back and pretend I never said anything at all.

But I don’t.

Because I need to know.

His gaze doesn’t shift nor does it soften.

If anything, it deepens like my question only confirmed something he already decided.

And that makes my chest tighten.

“Yes.”

The answer comes easily.

My breath catches, and I shake my head slightly, because that’s not what I expected, not what I wanted, and definitely not what I can deal with right now.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” I say quickly, even though my voice is barely steady. “You are my—”

“Your mother's husband.” He continues, interrupting me. “your stepfather, and your Alpha.”

I break his gaze as I chuckle bitterly.

Fate is a bitch and the moon goddess is cruel.

“So, what next?” I ask, trying to steady the tremor in my voice as if I didn't know the answer.

“Rejection.” He says nonchalantly just before his eyes scan around us. “But I possibly can't do it here or can I?”

The words settle too easily and too casually.

And something inside me cracks.

My breath hitches, and I look away quickly because I don’t want him to see it, don’t want him to see how much that just did to me.

But it’s too late.

Because my eyes burn.

Because they fill before I can stop them.

All my life…

I’ve waited for this.

For him.

For the man the Moon Goddess would choose for me, the one person who would finally see me and not look at me like I was a mistake, like I was something that shouldn’t exist.

I thought he would be strong.

Strong enough to stand against my mother and her family.

Strong enough to choose me.

To keep me even with everything I am.

Half Omega.

Half Alpha.

Never enough of either.

I thought he would take one look at me and know.

And stay.

But now—

Now he’s standing right in front of me, real, solid, everything I imagined and more…

And he’s already talking about letting me go before I even get to feel it, before I even get to have it.

A small, broken sound slips past my lips before I can stop it, and I press them together quickly, shaking my head like I can push it back, like I can hold it in.

But it doesn’t work.

It never does.

“So that’s it?” I ask, my voice quieter and softer now but it trembles anyway. “That’s all this is?”

I don’t look at him because I can't.

Because if I do, he will see me break.

“I finally met my mate…” I let out a small, breathless laugh, but there’s no humor in it, none at all. “And he doesn’t even want me.”

My fingers curl tighter at my sides, and I blink quickly, trying to clear my vision, trying to pull myself together because I refuse to cry in front of him, I refuse to give him that.

But it still slips.

One tear.

Then another.

I swallow hard, lifting my chin slightly even though my chest feels tight, even though everything in me feels like it’s folding in on itself.

“It’s fine,” I say quickly, even though it’s not, even close. “You don’t have to worry. I get it.”

I nod once, like I’m convincing myself, like if I say it enough it’ll become true.

“It’s not like I expected anything anyway.”

Out of life. My mother. Fate. The moon goddess. 

“And no, we can’t do it here. Lead the way to somewhere quiet so we can get this over with.” I say.

The words sit wrong in my mouth, but I hold onto them anyway because they’re the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

For a second, nothing happens.

But I can feel his piercing gaze lingering on my face.

I don't look at him.

A second passes.

Then another.

And then he turns and starts walking toward the spiraling staircase at the center of the room.

And somehow, that hurts more because it feels like he’s already chosen the end.

I follow anyways even though a part of me, no matter how small, still wants him to stop, still wants him to say something, anything that changes this.

But he doesn’t.

We climb in silence, slowly leaving the soft music of the lounge area.

Step after step.

The noise from below fades while I keep my eyes on the stairs, on the hem of my dress, on anything but his broad back.

My chest feels tight again, my breath uneven as I lift my foot to take another step—

And then—

My heel catches the hem of my gown.

And suddenly I’m off balance.

My body tilts forward, a sharp gasp leaving my lips as my hands move on instinct, reaching for something, anything—

And I grab him by his wrist which is shoved in his pocket.

Skin to skin.

Mateo doesn’t like skin-to-skin touch.

My mother’s voice echoes in my head just as his head snaps back, his darkened, murderous gaze clashing with mine, making my breath catch in my throat.

For a second, I forget to let go.

Because the moment my hand wraps around his wrist, the electrifying jolt becomes more intense, making my fingers tighten on instinct.

His body goes completely still like a stone as his eyes slowly shifts from my face to where my skin is pressed against his and I watch as his brows furrow slightly in confusion.

My heart stumbles as my brain finally registers what I’m doing, and I jerk my hand back quickly like I’ve crossed a line I wasn’t supposed to.

“I’m sorry,” I rush out, my voice uneven as I steady myself, my other hand gripping the railing. “My dress—I didn’t mean to—”

I don’t get the chance to finish, because he leans forward and takes my wrist in his hand, and my breath stops.

His calloused palm grips mine, the contact sending that same feeling rushing through me just before it settles somewhere inside my chest and refuses to move.

I don’t pull away.

I can’t.

Because he’s looking at my hand, at where his skin touches mine and his brows are slightly furrowed like he’s trying to understand something that doesn’t make sense to him.

And then his unreadable eyes lift to mine.

And for a second, everything hangs there.

My lips part, but nothing comes out, and I don’t even know what I want to say, or what I’m hoping he’ll do.

Reject me.

Don’t reject me.

I don’t even know anymore.

Then, just like that, he lets go.

And the loss of his touch feels immediate, making my fingers curl slightly at my sides without me meaning to.

He turns fully to me and starts walking down the stairs.

My mouth parts as I watch him start to descend back into the midst of the guests.

“Wait.” I call out. “Don't you—”

He spares me a glance over his shoulder.

“No.”