𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞

14. Unworthy?

"You do not wish to hear it, my child. Trust me." Narcisse shook his head.

"Tell me."

"It will not make anything better."

"For better or worse, I have the right to know."

The Seer waited a second before answering. "The King believes that you do not have what it takes to be the Queen." Ouch!

"I can't help that I was born without my wolf." Ariana shouted in her defense.

"It isn't about your wolf." Narcisse worded his next sentence carefully. "The King believes you are unfit as a person."

Seeing Ariana is denial, he continued, "The Queen does not need to go a war. She is protected by her guards all the time. Even our former Queen, the King's mother, was wolfless. A human."

Ariana had her mouth hung open after the revelation.

"Yes. People do not know but the Queen was a human. King Victor accepted her as his mate anyway."

Ariana looked at the Seer with hope. "If me being wolfless isn't a problem, then I could groom myself to be worthy enough to hold the title of Queen."

Narcisse pitied her. "The King found your sister perfect for the role and decided not to wait any longer."

Ariana took a seat on her bed and began sobbing. People made her feel unworthy all the time. That's what her mate thought about her too. It hurt more to know that it wasn't because of something that was out of her control. It was because of her own shortcomings as a human.

There were no questions left to be answered. It was confirmed. He had given up on her. On them. To be with someone else. Her sister, of all.

"I hope you find happiness in someone else too. I'll pray to the Goddess for you." Saying that, the Seer left.

       **~~~**

Ariana hadn't eaten anything since the day before. Her nose managed to catch the enticing smell of food amid all her sufferings. Her mother and brother had come to her with a tray of food in their hands.Unlike before, her mother was looking at her with love and an emotion she couldn't decipher yet.

"Come here, my child. Have something."
Luna Barbara called.

Ariana wiped her tears and gave into the request of her mother. As she was about to put a spoon full of rice in her mouth, she heard her brother say, "We came here to talk about something."

"Anwar! Let her eat first." Luna Barbara scolded.

Ariana put the spoon down. "No. Tell me."

Luna Barbara sighed. "Fine. Listen to me carefully. Me, your father and brother love and care about you very much, my baby."

"Just tell me already." Ariana interrupted.

Luna Barbara and Anwar shared a look. "Ari, we have decided to send you to the human world."

Ariana stopped moving. She didn't even blink. After that, she burst into laughter like a maniac. "Send me to the human world? What am I? A parcel?"

"This is not a joke, Ari." said Anwar. Sadness evident in his eyes.

Ariana's whole demeanor changed immediately. She looked furious. "Neither am I, Anwar!" She shouted.

"You've always wanted to go there. To pursue your dreams. You are getting what you wanted." Though Anwar was trying to reason with her, his own voice was failing him.

Ariana stared at him in disbelief before breaking down into tears. She had been doing that a lot lately.

"Please! Don't do this to me." She begged her mother.

Luna Barabara rushed to her side and cupped her face. "It destroys me to this too, my baby. But it's for your own good. You'll understand this later."

"Please..." Ariana repeated.

Luna Barbara couldn't listen to the pleas of her daughter anymore. She knew she would give in if she stayed any longer. So, she left. Anwar too. People have been doing that to Ariana a lot lately.

    **~~~**

Luna Barbara and Anwar returned to Ariana's chamber at night. A maid was called to clean the broken pieces of plates and mirror. Another maid had a tray full of Ariana's favorite food in her hands. Luna Barbara took the tray from her hand and placed it on the bed.

"Come on, Ari. You haven't eaten anything." She tried to caress Ariana's cheek but Ariana backed away.

Anwar cleared his throat. "We have decided not to send you anywhere."

Listening to this, Ariana looked at her mother. Luna Barbara nodded in confirmation. There was a genuine smile on Ariana's face after a long time.

Luna Barbara smiled too. "Now come on. We have brought your favorite food."

     **~~~**

The three of them had their dinner together and chatted heartily like they used to do in Ravernia.

"I'm sorry for my behaviour earlier." said Ariana with teary eyes. "I don't say this often but you two mean the world to..."

She couldn't complete what she wanted to say as she closed her eyes and dozed off.

Luna Barabra wiped the tears off her face. So did Anwar. Just then, Alpha Edward entered along with Beta Richard. "It seems the potions has started to show it's effect. Richard! Take her away before she wakes up."