Kaius stood there, every muscle in his body tensed as he forced himself to breathe through the storm raging inside him. His heart pounded against his ribs, his wolf howling in agony at what was about to happen, but he would not falter. He could not. He had asked, given her a chance, and she had made her choice.
His jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides as he met her gaze with a cold finality. “I, Prince Kaius Von Zwick, accept your rejection Princess Dhalia as a fated mate.”
The moment the words left his lips, it felt as though a blade had been plunged into his chest, twisted deep into his very soul. The bond, the sacred connection that had hummed between them, snapped with a force that nearly buckled his knees. A blinding pain shot through his entire being, burning,
