After Hearing Their Thoughts, I Chose My Rival as My Mate Chapter 02

After Hearing Their Thoughts, I Chose My Rival as My Mate Chapter 02

Before I could say anything, Cedric Vale laughed first.

“Rowan, don’t flatter yourself. Aveline has always had high standards. Why would she ever choose, as her mate, a broken Alpha who can’t even get to his feet?”

“Besides, you two have never gotten along, not since you were kids. Jumping in now will only make this more humiliating for her.”

Lucian Hale was not as openly rude as Cedric. He merely stood to the side with his eyes lowered.

But I heard his private thoughts.

[What a shame. If he could still go to war, why would Silvercrest Pack ever need to trade a princess for peace?]

I looked at Rowan, hoping to hear even a little of what he was thinking.

He still wore that same foul scowl, but without warning, a roar exploded in his mind.

[Why won’t she choose me?]

[Is it really because my legs are ruined?]

[I don’t want my little princess to suffer.]

I looked around, and once I was sure those thoughts were coming from him, my chest tightened with an ache I could not explain.

Rowan Blackthorne and I had been at each other’s throats since childhood.

I hated that he always beat me. I hated the pride in my father’s eyes whenever he mentioned him. I hated that Rowan was not even royal by blood, yet somehow looked more like the heir my father valued most than I did, the eldest pack princess.

But no matter how fiercely I fought with him, I had never once used his legs to humiliate him.

Rowan’s parents had died on the border battlefield. He had gone to war when he was still young and held the northern border for Silvercrest Pack. In his final battle, he sacrificed the use of his legs.

From then on, the Alpha commander once cheered by thousands became the broken Alpha everyone whispered about.

The moment my gaze landed on his legs, he lowered his head.

[The witch healer said that if I can get that remedy for old bone injuries, there might still be one more chance.]

[I won’t let Aveline go to Bloodfang Pack.]

[No one gets to send her there to be humiliated.]

My heart stirred. I thought of the medicine in my possession and was just about to speak when a rush of footsteps sounded from outside.

My mother, Luna Maren, walked in with a cold expression, and Serena’s sobs immediately grew louder.

Without even glancing at me, Mother went straight to Serena and pulled her into her arms.

My father did not notice anything wrong. He even smiled and said, “You came at the right time. Help Aveline choose.”

But Mother only glanced at me coolly and scoffed. “She knew perfectly well that Serena was close to Cedric and Lucian, yet she deliberately put them on her list of mate candidates.”

“Isn’t she just trying to show everyone that Serena can never beat her?”

I froze.

My father’s expression darkened too, because those two candidates had clearly been chosen by him.

The more Mother spoke, the angrier she became. She stroked Serena’s tear-reddened face, then turned a gaze as sharp as a blade on me.

“Ever since you were little, you’ve had to compete with Serena over everything. You rely on your father’s favor and act like no one else matters.”

“Now Bloodfang Pack has specifically demanded a royal princess for a political mate alliance, and because you’re afraid of being sent away, you’re trying to push Serena to the front.”

“Aveline, how long are you going to keep pretending?”

The great hall went deathly silent. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

My father favored me because my mother had never been willing to look at me twice.

Even though Serena was not her biological daughter, Mother could hold her in her arms and comfort her in the gentlest voice.

But in her eyes, I, her own daughter, was nothing but a spoiled, vicious troublemaker who bullied Serena at every turn.

Mother was still speaking.

“You are the eldest pack princess. You should shoulder your responsibility. Bloodfang Pack wants you, not Serena.”

“She is soft-hearted and sheltered. I have protected her since she was a child. She cannot endure that kind of suffering.”

“You are different. You have always been wild. You are far more suited to go than Serena.”

My fingertips slowly went cold.

Cedric and Lucian both looked at me. For one brief moment, there was pity in their hearts, but neither of them said a word for me.

I kept my eyes wide open and refused to let my tears fall.

Just as Mother was about to speak again, the sound of wheelchair wheels rolling across the floor rang out.

Rowan Blackthorne stopped in front of me, blocking her view of my face.

“Luna Maren, that is not true.”

“The Mate Selection Ceremony was arranged for Aveline by Alpha King Aldric himself. The candidates were also chosen by the Alpha himself.”

“She did not steal anything from Serena, and she did not force anyone.”

Rowan’s fingers tightened around the armrests of his wheelchair as he said each word with absolute clarity.

“She was even willing to go to Bloodfang Pack as the political mate for Silvercrest Pack’s sake.”

“In my eyes, Aveline is not the willful, vicious princess you claim she is.”

“She is the most decisive person in this pack, and the one most worthy of taking the throne.”