The Queen {Book One of The Choosing series}

Chapter 7: The Rejection She Tried to Deliver

I carefully step around the flowers and let myself into my house. I barely manage to lock the door behind me and drag myself over to the couch before I find myself falling onto it from the dizziness that had washed over me once I had finished reading the letter. He wouldn't let me go, I should've known that he'd find me, I should've known that he wouldn't stop looking. He is the Prince of all wolves, soon to be King.

I gathered up all of the flowers and brought them inside. I rewatered the flowers and arranged the vases so that the same kinds of flowers are in the same room. They were beautiful. My entire apartment was filled with vases of the various flowers that Prince Thanatos had given. I sigh as I read the letter again. Maybe I was too quick to leave, perhaps I should've given him a chance before I ran. But losing him would be too much for me to handle.

I knew that if I went back to the palace, there was no way I would be able to leave. One thing is certain, Prince Thanatos sure has a way with words and romantic gestures. The floral smell filled every corner of my house.

"Oh Prince Thanatos, this gesture of yours is definitely enough to put a seed of doubt about running in my head," I mutter out loud.

Thoughts about going to the palace with him and being his mate occupy my head as I prepare a quick dinner and throughout the time that I spend eating and cleaning up, even after I fall asleep. In fact, Prince Thanatos and a future with him is all that I dreamt about that night.

I dreamt about the kind way that he will treat me, how he will gently cup my face and tell me that I am his one and only, how he will hold me as though I am the most precious thing in his life, how he will spend each day making me feel special to him, how he will love me. Then things went dark.

We were in a walk out in the woods. A snarl caused both of us to run. I hear his scream. His scream sounds just like Nick's did that night. I turn to see Nick being torn into by rabid rogue wolves. A laugh caused my head to turn towards Alpha Raoul and my parents. They were watching as Nick begged for mercy as the rogues continued their assault. I trashed against the chains that suddenly appeared on my arms. I was chained up to a tree, forced to watch as Nick's body stilled. His eyes staring up at the cloudy sky. The chains disappeared and I ran to him. He jumped up to his feet in front of me.

"This is your fault. This is your fault. If you mate with Thanatos, you will lose him too. Everyone you love dies Morana. Everyone dies," his voice was deeper and darker. It was more evil than the Nick I remember. He lifted his hand and extended his claws before raking them across my chest ripping out my heart and holding it in his hand.

A shriek caused me to jolt up from the bed. Warm tears streamed down my cheeks and I tried to breathe.

I can't put myself through that again. That's the first time I've had a nightmare about Nick in the past year. The first three years after his death, I had nightmares. I'd wake up in a cold sweat like I did today and couldn't stop my crying for hours.

"Alpha Rhys, are you awake?" I probe around in my head trying to see if his link will respond.

"Yes dear, I was at a meeting and we just finished up. What's wrong?" He sounds concerned.

"Will you pass a message for me to the Prince?" I ask.

"What is the message? I can try," he sounds weary.

"Prince Thanatos, I am very grateful for the flowers. They are beautiful, but I cannot accept your request. I'm sure you read my profile and you know of how I lost my brother, Nick. I haven't healed from that. I had nightmares every night for the first two years and occasionally I still do. Please, I cannot have a mate and make myself vulnerable to that pain again. You're going to be King. People will want to hurt you and you will be in danger. If I were to mate with you and god forbid, if something were to happen to you, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I would break. I can't put myself through that. I hope you understand your majesty. Please just let me go."