Lyra's POV
The moment I hit the ground, pain shot through my spine; sharp, humiliating, and impossible to ignore. A gasp rippled through the crowd.
Heat rushed to my face as dust clung to the delicate silk of my festival dress. Weeks of preparation… ruined in seconds. And worst of all, dozens of curious eyes were now fixed on me.
Someone whispered nearby.
"Isn't that the Mooncrest Princess?" My jaw tightened.
Perfect.
Exactly the kind of attention I didn't want. I pushed myself upright, brushing dirt from the fabric with trembling hands. My heart pounded, not from the fall, but from the embarrassment burning under my skin. Then I looked up.
And froze.
The man standing in front of me looked less like a person and more like a wall of iron. Broad shoulders. Dark hair. Cold, unreadable eyes. He towered over me, completely unfazed by the chaos he had caused.
"Sorry," he muttered.
That was it.
One careless word.
My anger snapped into place instantly. "Sorry?" I repeated, disbelief sharpening my voice. "That's all you have to say after knocking someone to the ground?" He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stared at me.
Not casually.
Not politely.
Intensely.
His gaze swept over my face like he was trying to memorize every detail, and for a strange, unsettling moment, the world around us seemed to fade. My breath caught. There was something wrong with the way he looked at me. Something unfamiliar. Something that made the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Then his expression shifted.
Confusion.
Shock.
Possession.
I swallowed hard. Why was he staring like that? "Lyra, relax," Kiera said quickly, stepping forward to help me up. "He probably didn't mean it." I ignored her. My attention stayed locked on the stranger. "You weren't even watching where you were going," I snapped. "You hit me and still have the nerve to stand there like it's my fault." His jaw tightened slightly, as if my words had struck a nerve. But before he could respond, another whisper drifted through the crowd.
"That's her… the Mooncrest Princess." I stiffened. So now everyone was watching. Wonderful. I shot the man one last glare before turning away. "I hope we never cross paths again," I muttered under my breath. Because something about him felt dangerous. And I didn't like it.
Kael's POV
The encounter should have meant nothing.
Just another stranger in a crowded festival.
Just another accidental collision.
But the moment I knocked her down, everything changed.
Because the second she looked at me… I smelled her. The scent hit me like lightning.
Sweet.
Wild.
Impossible to ignore.
My wolf surged forward instantly, claws scraping against my control. I froze. The noise of the festival faded into the background as instinct took over. My heart slammed against my ribs, and every muscle in my body locked in place.
No.
That wasn't possible.
Not here.
Not now.
Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet hers. And the world tilted. Her eyes were bright with anger, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment, and strands of dark hair clung to her face. Dust covered her dress, but it did nothing to hide her beauty.
My wolf stirred again.
Stronger this time.
Then it spoke.
One word.
Mine.
The sound echoed through my chest like thunder. I inhaled sharply, trying to steady myself, but her scent only grew stronger. It wrapped around me, intoxicating and undeniable, pulling at something deep inside my soul. A realization crashed over me. She wasn't just anyone.
She was my mate.
For three years, I had waited.
Three years of watching others find theirs while I remained alone. I had convinced myself that fate had forgotten me… that maybe I simply didn't have one.
But now, here she was. Standing right in front of me, and she hated me. She swatted my hand away the moment I tried to help her up, her eyes blazing with irritation. The rejection hit harder than the fall itself. My pride flared instantly.
"You should watch where you're going too," I snapped, my voice sharper than intended. "Had you been paying attention, this wouldn't have happened."
Anger flashed across her face. The crowd around us shifted uneasily, sensing the tension. I clenched my fists, forcing my wolf back under control. Staying here any longer would only make things worse. Without another word, I turned and walked away. But even as I left, one thought refused to leave my mind.
My mate had just looked at me…. Like I was nothing. And for the first time in my life… I felt the sting of rejection.