Page 127 of Rejected By the Shifter King

No way!

I come out of the class with my mind spinning just a bit. While it was nice to hear about how high compatibility scores andsangferiamatches often lead to fruitful marriages...it sadly doesn’t guarantee that mated couples have feelings for each other.

And when on my way back to meet Hexius in the dining hall, I see a lady chatting him up, and she’s simply oozing with so much glamor and seduction that you just know she’s Caro at first glance—

What is he thinking right now?

Is he regretting choosing me?

Is he wishing—

Hexius suddenly turns to my direction, and I freeze like a deer in the headlights, feeling guilty without even knowing why.

He raises a brow at me, and I don’t even have to take a peek at his thoughts to know what that means.

Aren’t you coming here?

I shake my head.Is he for real?Why would I willingly stand next to a lady that gorgeous? That’s just going to give him more reason to compare me to her and finding me absolutely lacking.

The urge to listen to his thoughts suddenly consumes me, and I spin away in a jerky movement.

Don’t you dare, Sam!

I walk away as fast as I can like it’s one way I can outrun my thoughts. I feel silly for being jealous, but I also can’t get the image of Hexius with the other woman out of my head. I know he’s not cheating on me, but—

Whoa!

I jump in shock when fingers curl around my wrist from behind, and I’m spun around in a blink.

“Everything alright?”

The gleam in his eyes is telling, and I’msotempted to make a face.

But since I’d like to be known as the very mature, very demure, and very deserving future wife of the Leopard King—

“Of course.”

I feel rather proud with how the words come out all steady and so not like I was feeling rather insecure by how effortlessly chic and jaw-droppingly beautiful all Caro women seem to be. But just when I’m about to give myself a pat on the back because of this—

“I must be mistaken then. I thought you were bothered when you saw another woman speaking to me earlier.”

“What? Me?” I fake a laugh even as my heartchurnsat just hearing talk about another woman. “I would never be so unreasonable.” Okay, that’s a big, fat lie, but since the lessons I’ve learned from today’s class are still fresh on my mind—

You’re doing great, Sam...all things considered.

I hate lying as a rule, but maybe if I keep telling myself I’mnotbothered then eventually I won’t be, and what was once a lie may become the truth?

“In that case, I should get back to her then.”

What?

He turns around, and I...I just react.

“Wait!”

I only realize I’ve grabbed hold of the back of his shirt in sheer desperation when he glances over his shoulder.

Oh gosh, someone stop me from turning into a jealous little witch!