bChapter /bb112 /b

    Jory’s POV

    Istood foren.

    Kimberly Kimberly was my destined mate?

    The world tilted beneath my feet, and my stomach dropped into a void. How was this possible? How could the Moon Goddess–the Moon Goddess make me bond with someone like her? A Rogue King’s minister? An enemy?

    I nced at ra, hoping for some sign that this was just a bad dream. But no

    shock that churned inside me was written all over her face

    Kimberly, on the other hand, had already regained herposure. A smile tugged at her lips, one that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. She book a step closer, her gaze sharp, predatory

    “I know who you are, Jory”

    I took an instinctive step back, my heartbeat hammering in my chest.

    “You joined the rogue test with ra and Alpha Thorne, right? Surrendered yourself to the Rogue King? Her smile twisted with a hint of amusement

    My mouth wont bdry/b. “H–How did you know?”

    She gave a casual shrug, unfazed. “I was sitting on the stands, watching you all. But I didn’t know you were my mate then.”

    That’s when it hit me. Kimberly. She

    e was the one who had spoken on the Rogue king’s behalf during the arena fight! The voice that had echoed, calm and calcted, in the middle of the chaos. She had been ying the King’s brole /bwhile Lance hid behind the scenes. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t recognized her soonerb. /b

    Still, it didn’t change the fact that she was my mate.

    “Stay away from me,” I blurted, panic twisting in my gut. “…I don’t want this. We’re not right for each other”

    Sheughed sohlyb, /bas if my words were little more than a mild inconvenience.

    “Oh? And why is that, Jory?” Kimberly’s voice dropped t

    d to a hushed, teasing tone. She step

    stepped closer, her presence too overwhelming to ignore.

    I stumbled backward, my head spinning “…I’m in love with someone else, I muttered, my face burning with humiliation.

    Theugh that escaped her lips was mocking, almost amused. “That’s cute. But we both know you’re feeling something more for me, don’t we? You heard your woll calling out to me, didn’t you?” She reached out, brushing her fingers lightly over my ear, sending an electric current through my body.

    My breath hitchedb, /buncontroble.

    She smirked. “Can you really fight that!” bShe /bmoved closer, now deliberately rubbing her fingers over my corbone, her touch light but electric, bsending /ba shudder through me.

    I tried to pull away, but my body refused toply, Kimberly was right–there was a pull, a maic force that I couldn’t deny. I hated it.

    Her voice was a whisper as she leaned in, her breath hot against my ear. “And the woman you’re in love with,” she pausedb, /bturning her gaze toward ra with a look that dripped with subtle malice, “it wouldn’t happen to be someone I knowb, /bwould it?”

    Helt my pulse quicken, and I couldn’t stop myself from turning toward ra. “… I don’t know what he’s btalking /babout,” ra quickly breplie /bsteady but with the tiniest trace of uncertainty

    I could feel the tension in the air. Kimberly’s eyes fucked between the two of us, reading the room, probing bfor /bbany /bweakness. I struggled to focus, my

    mind a whirlwind bof /bconfusion and frustration.

    b1/3 /b

    “I need time,” I said quickly, bulling away from her touch. My voice fre bout /bstrained, like I was suffocating hard to mink I

    Kimberly only chuckled, unfazed by my difort. “Most men would be all over their mates by now But if you’re the cautious type, i She gave me another seductive smile, her fingers brushing my chest lightly as she stepped back.

    “Come find meter,” she said, almost a challenge, before turning to walk away

    I could feel her eyes on the as she walked away, a burning gare that lingered like fire. I didn’t dare look at her again, my hands trembling el my sides.

    “Guards!” Kimberly called with a sharp whistle, and in an instant, the soldiers parted to let ra and me through. But just as was about to leave, a ch voice cut through bthe /bbair/bb. /b

    “Wait!”

    I turned, stailed, to see Mi storming toward sis, her eyes zing with fury.

    “I ordered them brescued/b!” she shouted, her voice sharp with authority. “Who the hell are you? bYou /bcan’t just

    Kimberly’s face turned bcold/b, arms crossed. “Oh? And what do you think you’re going to do about it?” She stepped forward, her presence like a silentmand.

    Mi took a step back, her voice cracking. “Lam the Queen! They should listen to bme/bb!/b”

    Kimberly raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Oh really? Then why don’t you go ahead and give byour /border? Let’s see who they actually listen to

    I watched as Mi looked around, desperation in her eyes. She was clearly losing control.

    “You heard me!” she snapped at the soldiers, but no one moved. The silence stretched on, thick and ufortable.

    “Why are you all listening to her?!” Mi screamed. “I am the Queen!”

    One of the soldiers, a young woman, rolled her eyes and muttered, “The King never recognized you as anything but a figurehead. Kimberly’s been running the show for years. Of course, we listen to her”

    Mi froze, her mouth open in shock. “You… Traitors!” She seethed, her face red with fury. Then, with onest re at Kimberly and me, she turned, her heels clicking sharply on the stone. “You two… I hope you both rot!” she yelled.

    Before she bcould /bbsay /banother word, Kimberly was upon her

    In one swift motion, she grabbed Mi by the hair and yanked her toward the canal. The crowd gasped as Kimberly forced M’s face toward the water..

    “Apologize,” Kimberlymandedb, /bher voice low and dangerous.

    “NO! YOU BIT-”

    Kimberly shoved her head into the water, cutting of

    cutting off Mi’s curse midb–/bsentence. The crowd erupted inughter, but it was cruel, mocking.

    Kimberly held her there for a few seconds, then pulled her back up, her face calm as bever/b. “How about now?” she basked/b, voice utterly indifferent.

    bMi’s /bchest heaved, eyes bwide /bwith panic: “Nob, /bplease don’t do it bagain/b…” she gasped.

    “All you have to do is apologize,” Kimberly reminded her, her voice almost sweet now.

    Mi clenched her fists in defeat, her head drooping in humiliation. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I shouldn

    aid that

    I’m sorry”

    Kimberly released her and shoved her back to the ground. “That’s more like it. And I’d me byour /bupbringing, but then, bwe /ball know what kind of parent you had. Not surprising you turned out like this.”

    Mi scrambled to her feet, drenched and defeated, her messy hair clinging to her f look back as she fled the scene, and the cinwal watched her with disdain.

    face, the ye tatton on her forehead visible to all. She bdidn’t /bdare

    I

    I turned to Kimberly, a mix of gratitude and fear swirling ins

    inside me “Thank you,” Imuttered, unsure of what else to say

    Kimberly snorted, ncing at me with a smirk. “Don’t thank me I didn’t do it for you.”

    I met her eget, unsure whether to feel relief or dread. “But we are on the same side when ites to Mi, right?”

    She shrugged, tossing me a nced that was as calcting as ever guess to. But don’t forget, we’re til enemies.”

    Kimberly reached into her pocket and pulled bout /ba pen, scribbling something on my hand.

    “Call me,” she said, winking. “We’ll talkter”

    I watched her walk away, her seductive confidence leaving the momentarily paralyzed. As bsoon /bas she was out of sight, I turned to ra, pounding in my chest

    “Please… let me exin,” I said urgently, grabbing her arm

    ra shook her head, the hint of a smile ying at her lips. “She’s your mate. She likes byou/b. What is there to bexin/bb? /b

    I stared at her, at aplete loss for words

    She looked around, her expression softening. “Let’s not talk here,” she said quietly, lowering her voice. “You’ll have the night off, right? Come find me in my room. We can talk then”

    Au

    I nodded, relief flooding me as the weight of the moment finally sank in.

    AD