Page 39 of Cursed by Death

“We come here tonight so that I can accept the challenge against me and my rightful place on the throne,” Rally spoke loudly and clearly so that everyone could hear him. I had a feeling his voice carried all the way to the back of the crowd. “But before we get to that, I would like to tell you all that yes, the rumors are true. I have found my mate. She stands beside me right now. Her name is Ruby Jane and several of you have already seen her before because you came to her family friend’s funeral to show your support to your new Princess.”

I shifted uncomfortably at that last bit because I was no Princess and never would be.

I also wanted to kick Rally in the balls and I wanted to do this very badly. He had not mentioned any of this to me previously, he’d just asked me to come for his challenge and be here to support him.

“She is not a wolf,” a male voice called out and I was thankful this one didn’t have scorn or sarcasm in it. It wasn’t hostile in the slightest. In fact, it sounded quite respectful, just like he’d been trying to state a fact and nothing more.

Rally dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Correct. She is not a shifter at all. But she is still my mate. I felt it hit me when I first laid eyes on her in the underground and I have felt that tether that ties her to me every second of every day since. My heart beats for her and her alone. If you’ve been lucky enough to find your own mate then you know exactly what it is that I speak of.”

I had no idea what he was talking about because he hadn’t shared the intimate details of our new-found connection with me. I found myself angry that I was first now hearing about this in a crowd full of people who were watching and likely dissecting my every facial tic and finger twitch.

I had absolutely no idea that Rally now thought his heart beat for me.

And part of me felt bad because I didn’t feel that way about him at all.

I didn’t want my heart to beat for anyone but myself. I wanted to be the only owner of that particular organ. That didn’t mean that I was opposed to finding love in another person, because that wasn’t the case at all. I just did not ever want to feel owned by another person, or ruled by them. There was a fine line to walk between love and ownership. I wanted one without ever being exposed to the other.

I valued my independence and my freedom more than I would ever value most things, more than normal people would probably value them. I blamed it on my fucked up upbringing. It had left me jaded and afraid of basic things such as trust and love.

If I only ever trusted in myself then I could damn well guarantee I’d never be let down. I had no problem being my very own rock.

I felt like Rally was literally throwing me to the wolves tonight and just the thought had me shifting uncomfortably on my feet.

“Good for you and all of that. Really.” a deep male voice called out condescendingly as he pushed through the crowd of people and stepped out in front of us.

He was bigger than Rally. Both taller and broader. He probably had a good fifty pounds on the prince.

I could tell his words had been sarcastic and he’d not meant them to be taken to heart in the slightest.

Why were there so many assholes here amongst the wolves tonight? Was this their normal behavior? How exhausting it would be to deal with this bullshit day in and day out.

I didn’t know how Rally could stand there with a friendly look on his face and not tell the rude assholes to fuck all the way off.

“But I personally didn’t come here tonight to hear about your human mate. I came here to challenge you and I say we get that challenge started. I’ll even promise you that after I kill you I’ll let her leave here safe and whole if she promises never to return to this place ever again and leave our people alone. She’s an outsider, she doesn’t belong here.”

I was getting really sick and tired of being treated like my humanity was something I ought to be ashamed of. Especiallybecause I valued that part of myself so much, it was precious to me.

I wished I could be entirely human and these people were acting like that part of me was no better than a horrible disease.

I no longer wished to be here tonight. I wanted to go home. I wanted to grab Ginger and the baby and get us away from these people. And then never return.

Ginger never treated me any different or acted like I was lesser than her or other in any kind of way. She treated me like we were becoming friends and that meant something to her.

“Since when is it a crime for our mates to be human?” Rally growled, having finally lost the friendly look on his face.

Oh good, now we were both mad but for two different reasons. And he wasn’t mad at me but I was certainly pissed at him.

“There are several people here tonight with human mates and they stand beside them proudly. A lot of them even have children, children which they have also brought with them tonight. They have always been accepted amongst our people and treated no differently. Why should my mate be any different?”

“Because you’re a fucking Prince. Or have you forgotten that?”

I had had more than enough of this bullshit and it was getting us absolutely nowhere.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one because the man who had been giving Rally grief lunged towards him and attacked.

People screamed and I was proud of myself for not having been one of them.

Chapter 20

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