I run, my legs pumping beneath me, carrying me away from the chaos and the reality I can't face. I don't care where I go; I just need to escape. The palace grounds blur around me, the vibrancy of the festival fading into the background as I weave through the intricate pathways until I stumble into the palace gardens.

The moonlight spills over the landscape, illuminating the vibrant flowers and the meticulously trimmed hedges, but their beauty does little to soothe my frayed nerves. I crash down on the grass, the cool earth grounding me as I bury my face in my hands, willing the world to make sense.

This can't be happening. My mate can't be Alex! My heart races, a wild drumbeat of panic that reverberates through my chest. I can't have a mate, especially not him. The very thought sends a chill down my spine.

Memories flash through my mind—snippets of our childhood. Alex was always there, laughing too loudly, playing too rough, a thorn in my side that I couldn't shake. I remember the way he would tease me, his playful smirks and carefree attitude, so different from the weight of responsibility I had to bear. I always found him so annoying and immature, and now he's supposed to be my other half? No, no, no.

The moon watches silently, its glow a harsh reminder of my reality. I can't be tied to someone whose family has brought so much pain to my own. His father, the king, is a villain in every sense of the word. I can't let myself be ensnared in the web of royal politics, in the shadow of a man I despise. And if rumors are true, Alex is just like him—a spoiled prince who revels in the power he has inherited.

My thoughts spiral, drowning in a sea of confusion and anger. I can't breathe, the weight of the world pressing down on me. I want to scream, to claw at the grass beneath me until I can escape this nightmare.

"Why did it have to be him?" I whisper into the night, my voice barely audible against the rustling leaves.

Suddenly, I hear the grass crunch around me and look up to see my mother approaching. Her eyes are filled with a mix of pity and excitement—she knows my hatred for the royal family but also understands the gravity of what it means for me to have found my mate. I can sense her anticipation, the hope that I might embrace this bond that feels more like a curse.

She opens her mouth to speak, but I don't want to hear it. "No." I cut her off sharply, my voice more forceful than I intend. "Nothing you can say will make this okay. I don't want a mate. Even if I had to have one, he is the last one I'd want." My heart races with frustration, each word carrying the weight of my resentment.

My mother sighs, her expression shifting as she gathers her thoughts. "I wasn't happy at finding my mate at first either," she says, her tone trying to be soothing. "But things will work out, Aster. This is the decision of the Moon Goddess, and she's never wrong."

I know she believes that—she clings to those comforting ideals like a lifeline. But in this moment, her words feel like poison in my ears. "The Moon Goddess wanted you to abandon your pack and worship the man who tore it apart?" I spit out, my voice laced with bitterness. I can see the sadness flicker in her eyes, but the truth stings too much for me to hold back.

Then, I watch her expression harden, her resolve settling in like steel. "Don't you dare judge my decisions," she replies, her tone more stern than I've heard it in a long while. "My life fell into shambles the day I met your father. He quite literally destroyed my world. Do you think I wanted him after that? Wanted to come to this palace? No, of course not. I spent a long time fighting him and the bond we had. But it was that bond that kept my entire pack from being wiped out that day. We have made peace with our past, and that is our business."

Her words hang in the air between us, heavy with unspoken histories and emotions. I can see the flicker of pain in her eyes, the scars of her choices etched deep within her. She never really told me the full story of how she went from fighting to loving my father, and I can sense she's not about to share it now.

"Just go, I need to be alone," I say finally, my voice softer but still firm. I see defiance flash in her eyes for a moment, the motherly instinct to protect and guide battling against my need for solitude. But then, she relents.

With a kiss on my forehead, she whispers, "I love you, Aster," before stepping back into the darkness of the garden, leaving me in the moonlit solitude.

I only get a moment to collect my thoughts before Azalea appears in my vision, her face stained with tears that glisten in the moonlight. My heart clenches at the sight of her distress, but I steel myself. "Not now, Azalea," I try to say gently, hoping to shield her from the storm swirling within me.

But then a memory flickers to life—Azalea, wide-eyed and breathless, gushing about Alex while I rolled my eyes in annoyance. She followed him around like a lost puppy, her adoration evident in every word. It was an innocent crush back then, but now, faced with the reality of our bond, I wonder if those feelings linger. "Fuck," I think, guilt clawing at my insides. I'm a horrible sister for returning and shattering her world.

"You have no right," she says under her breath, the hurt evident in her voice, but it's mixed with something sharper. Confusion washes over me as she repeats it, her voice rising with each word. "You can't just leave for years, then walk back into my life and blow it up like this!" Her scolding pierces through my defenses, a truth I can't deny.

I know she's right. I didn't choose this mess, but I can see her point clearly now. "I know," I say simply, my heart heavy with regret.

"Then go." The words come out harshly, surprising me. I've never heard my little sister use that tone before. The venom in her voice stings, and I feel my throat tighten. "Leave now and don't come back. You hate this place anyway. If you care about me as your sister, even the slightest bit, you will leave right now." Her words are cold and unyielding, each one a dagger aimed at my heart.

Fair enough, I think, a part of me screaming that she's right. I've been a ghost in her life, a phantom of the past, and now I'm back to upend everything. But before I can respond, she turns on her heel and walks away, her silhouette swallowed by the shadows of the garden.

Azalea's right. I don't want this. I don't even want to be here. In that moment, clarity cuts through the fog of confusion and despair. I make the decision right then to leave. There's no time for goodbyes, no moment to grab my things or change. I don't belong here; that much is clear. Not after the way Alex reacted—he doesn't want this either, and if he's feeling as trapped as I am, then it's time to break free from this nightmare.

With resolve coursing through me, I stand and walk toward the palace gates, determination propelling my steps. I refuse to wallow any longer. Each stride feels like reclaiming a piece of myself that I thought I had lost forever.

As I approach the exit, my heart pounds with a mix of excitement and fear. I'm almost across the threshold when suddenly, bodies block my path. Guards, their faces stoic and unyielding, stand like sentinels, preventing my escape.

I look up at them, frustration bubbling over. "Is there a problem?" I ask, my annoyance clear.

"King's orders," one of them replies, his voice devoid of emotion.

The words hit me like a cold slap. "Fuck." So, the whole palace now knows I'm the prince's mate. My mind races, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions clashing. I won't be a captive here. I refuse to be shackled by royal decree or fate.